[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 120 (Wednesday, June 23, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33459-33460]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-15885]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Swan Flat Proposed Timber Sale; Cache National Forest 
(Administered by the Caribou National Forest), Bear Lake County, Idaho

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare Environmental Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY: The USDA, Forest Service will prepare an Environmental Impact 
Statement to document the analysis and disclose the environmental 
impacts of proposed actions to harvest timber, build roads, and 
regenerate new stands of trees in the Swan Flat area of the Cache 
National Forest in Bear Lake County, Idaho. The proposed project is 
located in T.16S., R.42E., Section 23, 24, 25, and T.116S., R. 43E., 
Section 30, Boise Meridian. Implementing the silvicultural 
prescriptions under the proposed action will bring these timber stands 
to a healthy and productive condition. This would result in reduction 
of insect and disease activity, increased growth on regenerated stands, 
and provide a more uniform age and size distribution of timber stands.
    On July 7, 1997, the Montpelier Ranger District released to the 
public, the Swan Flat Environmental Assessment for a 30 day 
predecisional review. After reviewing the responses of the 
predecisional review, the Montpelier Ranger District determined that an 
Environmental Impact Statement would be needed to address entering the 
Swan Creek Mountain Roadless Area.
    The Montpelier Ranger District of the Caribou National Forest 
proposes to harvest an estimated 1.5 million board feet of commercial 
timber in 13 stands on 291 acres. A total of 5 acres would be clear 
cut. The remaining stands would be partially cut using thinning, 
sanitation /salvage, group seed tree, shelterwood and improvement cut. 
All stands would be tractor logged. Approximately 1.3 miles of the Swan 
Flat Road from the junction of U.S. Highway 89 in Logan Canyon would be 
graveled. Approximately 1.5 miles of the Swan Flat Road from the 
junction of the Red Sinks Road would be realigned to enhance log 
hauling. Four hundred feet of the Swan Flat Road from the Red Sinks 
Road junction would be spot graveled. Approximately 0.5 miles of road 
construction would be needed within the area designated as located by 
the Caribou National Forest Lane and Resource Management Plan. All 
newly constructed roads within the goaded area would be obligated at 
the completion of the logging operation. Eight of the proposed cutting 
units are located in the Swan Creek Mountain Roadless Area. These 
cutting units are located on the fringe of the roadless area and 
adjacent to the existing Swan Flat Road and Red Sinks Road. Timber 
would be skidded to these existing roads. There would be no road 
construction in the Swan Creek Mountain Inventoried Road less Area.
    The following preliminary issues have been identified:
     Regeneration cutting in deer and elk travel routes would 
compromise security cover.
     Eight of the proposed cutting units are located in the 
Swan Creek Mountain Roadless Area. Harvest activities would affect 
roadless characteristics.
     Regenerations cutting could effect the quality of winter 
recreational activities for cross-country skiers now and in the future.
    The following alternatives have been developed:
    Alternative 1 is the no action alternative.
    Alternative 2 is the proposal. Under this alternative an estimated 
1.5 million board feet of sawtimber would be removed from 265 acres.
    Alternative 3 would address the winter recreation concerns. Under 
this alternative 1.1 million board feet of sawtimber would be removed 
from 307 areas.
    Alternative 4 would address the concerns about wildlife corridors. 
Under this proposal 1.5 million board feet of sawtimber would be 
removed from 291 acres.
    This proposed sale is scheduled to be offered in 2001. For maps of 
the proposed project area, please contact the Montpelier Range 
District, 322 North 4th Street, Montpelier, Idaho 83254.

DATES: Written comments concerning the scope of the analysis described 
in this Notice should be received on or before July 23, 1999. No 
scoping meetings are planned at this time. Information received will be 
used in preparation of the draft EIS and final EIS.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Caribou National Forest, Montpelier 
Ranger District, 322 North 4th Street, Montpelier, Idaho 83254.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Questions concerning the proposed action and 
EIS should be directed to Eric Mattson, Caribou National Forest, 
Montpelier Ranger District, 322 N. 4th Street, Montpelier, Idaho 83254 
(Telephone: (208) 847-0375).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Forest Service is seeking information 
and comments from Federal, State, and local agencies, as well as 
individuals and organizations who may be interested in, or affected by 
the proposed action. The Forest Service invites written comments and 
suggestions on the issues related to the proposal and the area being 
analyzed.
    The responsible official is Jerry B. Reese, Supervisor, Caribou 
National Forest, 250 South Fourth Avenue, Pocatello, Idaho 83254.
    The decision to be made is: Whether the proposed stands shall be 
brought under management (i.e. change from the management of natural 
succession to management activities that would achieve multiple-use 
goals) by cutting the sawtimber in each stand? If so, what cutting 
methods should be applied to each stand and what mitigation may be 
necessary?
    The tentative date for filing the Draft EIS is October 1, 1999. The 
tentative date for filing the final EIS is January 5, 2000. The comment 
period on the draft environmental impact statement will be open for 45 
days from the date the Environmental Protection Agency publishes the 
notice of availability in the Federal Register.
    The Forest Service believes, at this early stage, it is important 
to give viewers notice of several court rulings related to public 
participation in the environmental review process. First, reviewers of 
draft environmental impact statements must structure their 
participation in the environmental review of the proposal so that it is

[[Page 33460]]

meaningful and alert an agency to the reviewer's position and 
contentions. Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519, 
(1978). Also, environmental objections that could be raised at the 
draft environmental impact statement stage but 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 F2d 
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 of the Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement 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. Agency representatives and other 
interested people are invited to visit with Forest Service officials at 
any time during the EIS process.
    To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues 
and concerns on the proposed action, comments on the Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement should be as specific as possible. It is 
also helpful if comments refer to specific pages or chapters of the 
Draft. Comments may also address the adequacy of the Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement 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. Comments received in response 
to this solicitation, including names and addresses of those who 
comment, will be considered part of the public record on this proposed 
action and will be available for public inspection. Comments submitted 
anonymously will be accepted and considered; however, those who submit 
anonymous comments will not have standing to appeal the subsequent 
decision under 36 CFR 215 or 217. Additionally, pursuant to 7 CFR 
1.27(d), any person may request the agency to withhold a submission 
from the public record by showing how the Freedom of Information Act 
(FOIA) permits such confidentiality.
    Persons requesting such confidentiality should be aware that, under 
the FOIA, confidentiality may be granted in only limited circumstances, 
such as to protect trade secrets. The Forest Service will inform the 
requester of the agency's decision regarding the request for 
confidentiality, and where the request is denied, the agency will 
return the submission and notify the requester that the comments may be 
resubmitted with or without name and address within 10 days.

    Dated: June 14, 1999.
Jerry B. Reese,
Forest Supervisor, Caribou National Forest, Intermountain Region, USDA 
Forest Service.
[FR Doc. 99-15885 Filed 6-22-99; 8:45 am]
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