[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 69 (Monday, April 12, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 17611]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-8960]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Oil and Gas Leasing; Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, White Pine 
and Nye Counties, Nevada

agency: USDA Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

action: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.

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summary: The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the 
purposes of leasing National Forest System lands in the White Pine, 
Grant and Quinn Mountain Ranges (White Pine and Nye Counties, Nevada) 
for hydrocarbon exploration, development and production. This EIS will 
be prepared by the Forest Service in cooperation with the Bureau of 
Land Management, the Nevada Division of Minerals, and Nevada Division 
of Wildlife.

dates: Written comments concerning the scope of the analysis should be 
received by May 10, 1999 to ensure timely consideration.

addresses: Send written comments to: Monica J. Schwalbach, Assistant 
Forest Supervisor, Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, P.O. Box 539, Ely, 
NV 89301.

for further information: Direct questions about the project and the 
preparation of the EIS to Jim Winfrey, Project Team Leader, Humboldt-
Toiyabe National Forest, P.O. Box 539, Ely, NV 89301. Telephone 775-
3031.

supplementary information: Several proponents have requested portions 
of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest be made available under the 
Bureau of Land Management's Competitive Oil and Gas Lease Sale. The 
Forest Service must complete an environmental analysis to determine if 
the lands are suitable for leasing and to identify the necessary 
conditions of approval prior to authorizing the BLM to offer these 
lands.
    The proposal would affect approximately 553,135 acres of National 
Forest System lands. Preliminary internal scoping had identified 
several issues which will be addressed in the analysis process. The 
following list of issues is not intended to be all inclusive. Issues 
identified by the members of the interdisciplinary team are. (1) 
Threatened, endangered and sensitive species and other species of 
concerning including Bonneville cutthroat trout, mountain plover, sage 
grouse, bats, bighorn sheep, elk, and mule deer; (2) grazing; (3) 
surface and groundwater and cumulative effects to watershed; (4) 
heritage resources; (5) grazing; (6) noxious weeds; (7) roadless areas; 
(8) recreation opportunities; (9) visual, noise and air quality; (10) 
economic and social impacts; and (11) safety. These issues, and others 
identified during the scoping process will be used to develop 
alternatives to the proposed action. In addition, the No Action 
alternative will be considered in the analysis.
    Public participation is important during the EIS scoping process. 
As part of the scoping process, the Forest Service is seeking 
information and comments from Federal, State, County and local agencies 
and other individuals or organizations who may be interested in or 
affected by the proposed actions. This input will be used in 
preparation of the draft EIS and final EIS.
    Several government agencies will be invited to participate in this 
project as cooperating or participating agencies. These agencies 
include, but are not limited to, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish 
and Wildlife Service, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Nevada 
Division of Environmental Protection, Nevada Division of Wildlife, and 
Nevada Division of Minerals.
    The Forest Service is the lead agency for this project and Monica 
J. Schwalbach, Assistant Forest Supervisor is the responsible official. 
She will make the decision to determine which lands are suitable for 
leasing and any stipulations which should be included in a lease 
agreement. Applicable laws, Forest Service regulations and the Humboldt 
National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (1986) will be taken 
into account throughout the analysis.
    The Draft EIS is expected to be filed with the U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency (EPA) and be available for review in October, 1999. 
At that time, EPA will publish a Notice of Availability of the Draft 
EIS in the Federal Register. The comment period on the Draft EIS will 
be at least 45 days from the date the EPA's Notice of Availability 
appears in the Federal Register.
    The Forest Service believes, at this early stage, it is important 
to give reviewers notice of several court rulings related to public 
participation in the environmental review process. First, reviewers of 
the draft EIS must structure their participation in the environmental 
review of the proposal so that it is meaningful and alerts an agency to 
the reviewer's position and contentions. Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power 
Corp. v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519, 553 (1978). Also, environmental objections 
that could be raised at the draft environmental impact stage but that 
are not raised until after completion of the final environmental impact 
statement may be waived or dismissed by the courts. City of Angoon v. 
Hodel, 803 F.2d 1016, 1022 (9th Cir. 1986) and Wisconsin Heritages, 
Inc. v. Harris, 490 F. Supp. 1334, 1338 (E.D. Wis. 1980). Because of 
these court rulings, it is very important that those interested in this 
proposed action participate by the close of the 45 day comment period 
so that substantive comments and objections are made available to the 
Forest Service at a time when it can meaningfully consider them and 
respond to them in the final EIS. To assist the Forest Service in 
identifying and considering issues and concerns on the proposed action, 
comments on the draft EIS should be as specific as possible. It is also 
helpful if comments refer to specific pages or chapters of the draft 
EIS. Comments may also address the adequacy of the draft EIS or the 
merits of the alternatives formulated or discussed in the statement. 
Reviewers may wish to refer to the Council on Environmental Quality 
Regulations for implementing the procedural provisions of the National 
Environmental Policy Act at 40 CFR 1503.3 in addressing these points.
Monica J. Schwalbach,
Assistant Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc 99-8960 Filed 4-9-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M