[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 87 (Thursday, May 6, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24318-24319]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-11337]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Proposed Little Weiser Landscape Vegetation Management Project, 
Payette National Forest, Idaho

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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

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SUMMARY: The USDA Forest Service will prepare an environmental impact 
statement (EIS) for the proposed Little Weiser Landscape Vegetation 
Management Project, Council Ranger District, Payette National Forest, 
Idaho. The proposed action would harvest timber on 3,000 to 3,800 
acres, construct about 8 miles of new road, reconstruct approximately 
30 miles of system and non-system roads, obliterate 4.2 miles of roads, 
close approximately 40 miles of existing non-system roads, treat fuels, 
and plant conifer seedlings on 2,300 to 2,600 acres after harvest. The 
Forest Service will develop a range of alternatives, including a no 
action alternative, to address issues.
    The agency invites public comments on the scope of the analysis and 
issues to be addressed in the draft environmental impact statement 
(DEIS). In addition, the agency gives notice of the full environmental 
analysis and decision making process that is beginning on the proposal 
so that interested and affected people can know how they may 
participate and contribute to the final decision.

DATES: Comments must be received by June 18, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments and suggestions to: Dautis Pearson, 
Team Leader, Council Ranger District, Payette National Forest, P.O. Box 
567, Council, Idaho 83612. Fax (208) 253-0109.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed action 
should be directed to Dautis Pearson, phone (208) 253-4215.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Payette National Forest prepared an 
environmental assessment (EA) on this Little Weiser proposal in March 
1997. The Forest Supervisor signed a Decision Notice approving the 
project on December 23, 1997. In 1998, a lawsuit challenged this 
project, among others. In response to a settlement agreement resolving 
the litigation, the Forest Supervisor in February 1999, agreed to 
withdraw the decision and prepare an environmental impact statement 
that would update the analysis in the EA. The Forest Supervisor will 
then issue a new decision.
    The Payette National Forest Plan (1988) provides Forest-wide 
direction

[[Page 24319]]

for management of the land and resources of the Payette National 
Forest, including this project area. The project would be consistent 
with the Plan as amended by the Inland Native Fish Strategy (INFISH) of 
1995.
    Public participation will be important at several points during the 
analysis, particularly during scoping of issues and review of the DEIS. 
The first opportunity in the process is scoping. This notice begins the 
30-day scoping period.
    The scoping process includes:
    1. Identifying potential issues.
    2. Identifying issues to be analyzed in detail.
    3. Eliminating insignificant issues or those covered by a relevant 
previous environmental analysis.
    4. Determining potential cooperating agencies and responsibilities.
    The Forest Service has consulted with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, Department of Interior, on potential impacts to threatened and 
endangered species.
    Preliminary issues include effects on soils, water, fish, timber, 
vegetation, wildlife, fire management, heritage resources, recreation, 
visual quality, and socio-economics.
    The next major opportunity for public input is with the DEIS. The 
DEIS will analyze a range of alternatives to the proposed action, 
including the no-action alternative. The Forest expects to file the 
DEIS with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for public review 
in July 1999. EPA will then publish a notice of availability of the 
DEIS in the Federal Register. The Forest Service invites public 
comments at that time.
    The comment period on the DEIS will be 45 days from the date the 
EPA publishes the notice of availability 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 
any DEIS must structure their participation in the environmental review 
of the proposal so that it is meaningful and alerts the agency to the 
reviewer's position and contentions. Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. 
v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519, 553 (1978). Also, courts may waive or dismiss 
environmental objections that could be raised at the DEIS stage but 
that are not raised until after completion of the final environmental 
impact statement (FEIS). 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 the 
agency can meaningfully consider them and respond to them in the FEIS.
    To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues 
raised by the proposed action, comments on the DEIS should be as 
specific as possible. It is also helpful if comments refer to specific 
pages or chapters of the DEIS. Comments may also address the adequacy 
of the DEIS or the merits of the alternatives it analyzes. 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.
    The Forest Service will respond to comments received in the FEIS 
(40 CFR 1503.4). The responsible official will consider the comments, 
responses, environmental consequences disclosed in the FEIS, and 
applicable laws, regulations, and policies in making the final decision 
regarding this proposal. The responsible official will document the 
decision and reasons for it in the Record of Decision. That decision 
will be subject to appeal under 36 CFR 215.
    David F. Alexander, Forest Supervisor of the Payette National 
Forest, is the responsible official for this EIS.

    Dated: April 30, 1999.
Miera Crawford,
External Relations Branch Chief.
[FR Doc. 99-11337 Filed 5-5-99; 8:45 am]
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