[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 135 (Thursday, July 15, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38176-38177]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-18019]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 64, No. 135 / Thursday, July 15, 1999 / 
Notices  

[[Page 38176]]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Southeast Galena Restoration, Malheur National Forest, Grant 
County, Oregon

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice intent to prepare environmental impact statement.

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SUMMARY: The Forest Service, USDA, will prepare an environmental impact 
statement (EIS) on a proposal to improve the ecosystem health within a 
portion of the 127,000 acre Galena Watershed. The proposed restoration 
activities will be in compliance with the 1990 Malheur National Forest 
Land and Management Plan (Forest Plan), as amended, which provides 
overall guidance for management of this area. Proposed restoration 
activities are located on the Long Creek Ranger District within the 
Galena Watershed. The watershed is located about 20 air miles northeast 
of John Day, Oregon. Implementation of proposed restoration activities 
are scheduled to begin in late fiscal year 2001. The Malheur National 
Forest invites written comments and suggestions on the scope of the 
analysis. The agency will give notice of the full environmental 
analysis and decision making process on the proposal so interested and 
affected members of the public may participate and contribute in the 
final decision.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis should be received 
in writing by August 16, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments and suggestions concerning the 
management of this area to Douglas V. Robin, District Ranger, PO Box 
849, John Day, Oregon 97845.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed project 
and scope of analysis should be directed to: Michael Hutchins, Resource 
Planner, PO Box 849, John Day, Oregon 97845, phone 541-575-3000.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose and need for activities are, 
one, improve the health, vigor, and resiliency of forest vegetation to 
insects, disease, and wildfire. Two, reduce road related impacts, 
specifically impacts to water quality, fish habitat, and wildlife 
habitat. Three, improve riparian conditions in reaches of streams that 
do not presently meet riparian management objectives (RMOs).
    The proposed action includes a variety of activities to meet the 
three purpose and need statements. One, improve stand conditions so 
they are more resilient to insects, disease, and wildfire. Restoration 
activities include prescribed fire to reduce excess fuel accumulations 
and reducing stocking levels through thinning to reduce severity of 
future wildfires. Another component of improving watershed health is 
reducing existing noxious weed sites through manual, mechanical, and 
chemical methods and reducing the potential for additional sites 
becoming established. Two, reduce road related impacts to water 
quality, fish habitat, and wildlife habitat. Specific actions include 
closing or decommissioning roads excess to resource needs, especially 
existing roads within sensitive areas such as riparian habitat 
conservation areas (RHCAs). An access and travel management (ATM) plan 
would be prepared to meet this action. Some roads may only need 
seasonal closures during wet months if they are needed for resource 
needs and do not cause adverse impacts to resources when they are open. 
Three, improve riparian conditions in streams not meeting RMOs by 
planting riparian vegetation and protecting plantings from browsing; 
increasing large wood to deficient reaches (possibly with helicopters 
and other equipment); performing instream activities such as installing 
baffles, log weirs, culverts capable of passing fish; rehabilitating 
key channels where flow regime has been modified by past activities; 
and reintroducing fire to key RHCAs.
    The Galena Watershed is comprised of about 127,000 acres, of which 
about 10,200 acres are privately owned and about 4,000 acres are 
administered by other Federal agencies. Of the 113,000 acres 
administered by the Malheur National Forest, about 56,800 acres are 
proposed to be analyzed for possible restoration activities by this 
EIS. About 29,475 acres (52%) are in management area 1--general forest, 
about 10,580 acres (19%) are in management area 4--big game winter 
range maintenance, about 1,125 acres (2%) are in management area 7--
scenic area, about 1,900 acres (3%) are in management area 13--old 
growth, about 1,730 acres (3%) are in management area 14--visual 
corridors, about 2,900 acres (5%) are in management area 21--wildlife 
emphasis with non-scheduled timber harvest, and about 9,090 acres (16%) 
are within RHCAs. The Southeast Galena Restoration EIS will focus 
restoration activities within the following subwatersheds: Davis/
Placer, Vinegar, Vincent, Little Boulder/Deerhorn, Tincup/Little Butte, 
Butte, Granite Boulder, Beaver/Ruby (portion unburned by the Reed or 
Summit Fires), Dry/Sunshine (portion on south side of Middle Fork John 
Day River), and Coyote/Balance (portion on south side of MFJD River).
    Preliminary issues identified will include effects on threatened, 
endangered, and proposed species; riparian habitat conservation areas 
(RHCAs); water quality; stand conditions (especially as they relate to 
increased insect populations and fuel levels); roadless areas; road 
densities; and forest wood products.
    The scoping process will include: (1) Identifying potential issues; 
(2) identifying issues to be analyzed in depth; (3) eliminating non-
significant issues or those which have been covered by a previous 
environmental analysis; (4) exploring additional alternatives; and (5) 
identifying potential environmental effects of the proposed action and 
alternatives (i.e. direct, indirect, and cumulative effects and 
connected actions).
    A full range of alternatives will be considered, including a no-
action alternative. The no-action alternative will serve as a baseline 
for comparison of alternatives. This alternative will be no change from 
the current management of the Forest and will be fully analyzed. The 
proposed action will be considered and additional alternatives 
developed around the proposed action to address significant issues 
identified during the scoping and public involvement process. Issues 
gathered may vary action alternatives in the number, location, and type 
of project activities.

[[Page 38177]]

    Comments received in response to this notice, including the names 
and addresses of those who comment, will be considered part of the 
public record on this proposal and will be available to 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 part 215 and 
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 
should be aware that, under 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 a specified number of days.
    Public meetings are anticipated to occur following issuance of the 
draft EIS. Public meetings will be announced in the Malheur National 
Forest's newspaper of record, the Blue Mountain Eagle.
    The Forest Service is seeking information and comments from other 
Federal, State, and Local agencies; Tribes; organizations; and 
individuals who may be interested in or affected by the proposed 
action. This input will be used in the preparation of the draft EIS.
    Comments will be appreciated throughout the analysis process. The 
draft EIS will be filed with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 
and is anticipated to be available for public review by June 2000. The 
comment period on the draft EIS will be 45 days from the date of EPA's 
Notice of Availability in the Federal Register. It is important that 
those interested in the management of the Malheur National Forest 
participate at that time.
    The Forest Service believes it is important to give reviewers 
notice of several court rulings related to public participation in the 
environmental review process. First, reviewers of draft EISs 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 EIS stage, but that are not raised until 
completion of the final EIS, may be waived or dismissed by the courts. 
City of Angoon v. Hodel, 803 F. 2d 1016, 1002 (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 important that those 
interested in this proposed action participate by the close of the 45-
day comment period so 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 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).
    After the 45 day comment period ends on the draft EIS, the comments 
will be analyzed and considered by the Forest Service in preparing the 
final EIS. The final EIS is scheduled to be completed by March 30, 
2001. In the final EIS, the Forest Service is required to respond to 
substantive comments received during the public comment period. The 
responsible official, Acting Forest Supervisor, Bonnie Wood, will 
consider in the comments, responses, environmental consequences 
discussed in the EIS and applicable laws, regulations, and policies in 
making a decision regarding this project. The responsible official will 
document the Galena Watershed EIS decision and rational for the 
decision in the Record of Decision (ROD). That decision will be subject 
to review under Forest Service Appeal Regulations 36 CFR part 215.

    Dated: July 8, 1999.
Bonnie Wood,
Acting Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 99-18019 Filed 7-14-99; 8:45 am]
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