[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 76 (Wednesday, April 21, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19513-19514]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-9964]


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 Notices
                                                 Federal Register
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
 or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
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 delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 64, No. 76 / Wednesday, April 21, 1999 / 
Notices  

[[Page 19513]]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Analysis of Veteran/Boulder Project Area; Black Hills National 
Forest; Spearfish/Nemo Ranger District; Lawrence and Meade Counties, SD

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare draft supplement to final 
environmental impact statement.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to 36 CFR 219.10(g), the District Ranger of the 
Spearfish/Nemo Ranger District, Black Hills National Forest, gives 
notice of the agency's intent to prepare a draft supplement to the 
Veteran/Boulder Project Area Final Environmental Impact Statement. The 
responsible official for this project is John C. Twiss, Forest 
Supervisor, Black Hills National Forest.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to District Ranger, Spearfish/Nemo 
Ranger District, Black Hills National Forest, 2014 N. Main Street, 
Spearfish, SD 57783.

DATES: This project schedule is as follows: File Draft Supplement to 
Final Environmental Impact Statement--June 1999. File Final Supplement 
to Final Environmental Impact Statement and Record of Decision 
signature--September 1999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joy Trowbridge, Project 
Interdisciplinary Team Leader, 605-642-4622. Additional information, 
such as maps, can be obtained by written request to the Spearfish 
Ranger District office, or by phone at the above address and phone 
number.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Veteran/Boulder Project Area Final 
Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) was completed in September 1998 
and a Notice of Availability was published in the Federal Register on 
October 16, 1998 (EIS number 980410). The FEIS describes alternatives 
for timber harvest and associated activities with the Veteran/Boulder 
Project Area (27,463 acres) on the Black Hills National Forest. The 
Project Area contains the majority of the 5,109 acre Beaver Park RARE 
II inventoried roadless area. On September 30, 1998 a Record of 
Decision was signed by Forest Supervisor John C. Twiss allowing timber 
harvest and associated activities within the Veteran/Boulder project 
area, except for the roadless area, on which a separate decision was to 
be made. On March 1, 1999, Supervisor Twiss signed a second Record of 
Decision allowing timber harvest and associated activities, except road 
construction, within the Beaver Park roadless area.
    Significant issues described in the FEIS include wildlife habitat 
and vegetative diversity, the Beaver Park roadless area, mountain pine 
beetle infestation and forest health, timber harvest, roads and travel 
management, and prescribed burns and fuels. These issues were addressed 
through development of alternatives and/or mitigation, or through the 
disclosure of environmental effects.
    Since the FEIS was published, the Forest has acquired new 
information concerning Forest health in the Beaver Park area, relating 
to the existing infestation of mountain pine beetles. The FEIS analyzed 
mountain pine beetle data and field reconnaissance information in the 
project area from 1997 to early 1998. Since that time, an aerial flight 
and related report from the Forest Service's Forest Health Management 
unit has indicated the beetles have spread beyond the areas analyzed in 
the FEIS and are approaching epidemic levels in the Beaver Park Area.
    In addition to the increased insect activity, an early winter storm 
in October 1998 resulted in several areas of severely damaged and blown 
down trees within the southern third of Beaver Park.
    Given this new information, the Forest has decided to further 
analyze the potential consequences of continued beetle activity within 
the southern half of Beaver Park (Management Areas 4.1, Limited 
Motorized Use and Forest Products; and 5.4, Big Game Winter Range). 
Timer management has already been approved in this portion of Beaver 
Park under the March 1, 1999 Record of Decision. The proposed 
supplement to the FEIS would analyze additional treatments within this 
area in order to slow further spread of the beetles, reduce damage to 
wildlife habitat and green trees, and reduce wildfire risk.
    The proposed action is to salvage approximately 400 to 600 thousand 
board feet of trees either infested with mountain pine beetles or 
severely damaged in the October 1998 storm, from a total of 
approximately 200 to 300 acres within Management Areas 4.1 and 5.4 
(Forbes Gulch) of Beaver Park. Treatments would consist of small (one 
quarter of an acre to 20 acres) clearcuts to remove beetle-infested 
trees as well as removal of downed and snapped off trees killed by the 
storm. NO new roads would be constructed and no additional road work 
would be needed on existing roads. Access would be from existing roads 
with forwarder machines and skidders. Sufficient dead and down trees 
would be left to meet Forest Plan standards for wildlife habitat and 
soil conditions (snags and down woody material).
    Alternatives to the proposed action being considered at this time 
include no action, helicopter removal of infested trees, and removal of 
green wood in addition to beetle-infested trees.
    The decision to be made is whether or not to remove infested and 
storm-damaged trees from the southern portion of Beaver Park (Forbes 
Gulch) in order to slow the mountain pine beetle epidemic, reduce 
wildfire risk, and protect wildlife habitat and other forest resources.
    The comment period on the draft supplement to the FEIS will be a 
minimum of 45 days from the date the Environmental Protection Agency 
publishes the notice of availability in the Federal Register.
    In addition to the proposed supplement to the FEIS, the Forest is 
also planning to do a wider analysis of the mountain pine beetle 
epidemic over a larger area, including the northern half of Beaver 
Park. Therefore, this supplement will only address the southern portion 
of Beaver Park, in order to more expediently address the beetle 
situation in this area.
    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,

[[Page 19514]]

reviewers of draft environmental impact statements (or draft 
supplements to an 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 statement (or draft supplement to an EIS) stage 
but that are not raised until after completion of the final 
environmental impact statement (or final supplement to an EIS) 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 environmental impact statement.
    To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues 
and concerns on the proposed action, comments on the draft 
environmental impact statement (or draft supplement to an EIS) should 
be as specific as possible. It is also helpful if comments refer to 
specific pages or chapters of the draft statement. Comments may also 
address the adequacy of the draft environmental impact statement (or 
draft supplement to an EIS) or the merits of the alternatives 
formulated and 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.

    Dated: April 8, 1999.
John Twiss,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 99-9964 Filed 4-20-99; 8:45 am]
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