[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 102 (Thursday, May 27, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28795-28796]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-13491]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Frank Church-River of No Return, Wilderness, ID

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a supplemental draft environmental 
impact statement (SEIS).

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SUMMARY: The Forest Service is in the process of developing a plan for 
future management of the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness 
(FC-RONRW). Review of the comments received on the Frank Church-River 
of No Return Draft Environmental Impact Statement has led the Forest 
Service to revise management direction, which will be accomplished by 
issuing two additional NEPA documents to the public. The Forest Service 
will prepare a site specific analysis for noxious weed control through 
a separate finalized EIS. A supplemental draft EIS will be prepared 
analyzing six new alternatives along with new information. The final 
EIS will be responsive to comments received on both the draft and 
supplemental draft EIS.

DATES: The supplemental draft EIS is expected to be available for 
public review and comment in mid Summer, 1999. Once the Supplemental 
draft is released, public comment will be accepted through December 1, 
1999. The Forest Service Interdisciplinary Team will analyze the 
comments on the supplemental draft EIS and prepare a final EIS. The 
final EIS is expected to be available in the Fall of 2000 and a record 
of decision (ROD) will be signed shortly thereafter. The final EIS for 
site specific Noxious Weed Control and ROD will be released in mid 
Summer 1999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ken Wotring, Coordinator, FC-RONRW, 
RR2 Box 600, Hwy 93 S, Salmon, ID 83467, telephone 208-756-5131.


[[Page 28796]]


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On December 7, 1994, the Forest Service 
published in the Federal Register, a Notice of Intent to prepare an EIS 
to develop a management plan for the FC-RONRW. On January 23, 1998, the 
Environmental Protection Agency published a notice of availability of 
the draft EIS and informed the public of a 90-day review period. The 
review period was later extended to February 1, 1999. During the public 
review, 1643 comments were received on the draft.
    Review of the comments received has led the Forest Service to 
supplement the range of alternatives, add new information and revise 
the management direction described in the draft EIS. The Forest Service 
has decided to respond to noxious weed concerns by moving forward with 
a separate final analysis for site specific noxious weed control. The 
supplemental draft EIS will analyze six new alternatives along with new 
information identified from public comments. The supplemental analysis 
will continue to be responsive to the issues identified in the draft 
EIS including: the acceptable level of commercial aircraft use and 
degree of maintenance on specific landing strips; Recreation 
Opportunity Spectrum (ROS) settings; determining acceptable campsite 
locations and conditions; and determining capacities for both river and 
land recreation.
    The supplemental draft EIS will describe and analyze six new 
alternatives: two alternatives emphasize current level of use; two 
alternatives emphasize opportunities for noncommercial float boat use; 
one alternative emphasizes wilderness preservation and one alternative 
emphasizes private jet boat use.
    The selected alternatives will result in amendments of the land use 
plans for the administrative units in the Forest Service within the FC-
RONR Wilderness.
George Matejko,
Lead Forest Supervisor FC-RONRW, Salmon-Challis National Forest.
[FR Doc. 99-13491 Filed 5-26-99; 8:45 am]
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