[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 161 (Friday, August 20, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45502-45504]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-21635]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Wolf Creek Ditch Special Use Permit, Okanogan National Forest, 
Okanogan County, WA

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) on a proposal to issue an easements and special use 
permits to the Wolf Creek Reclamation District to

[[Page 45503]]

operate and maintain the Wolf Creek and Little Wolf Creek irrigation 
ditches and access the ditches over Forest Service roads. In addition 
to issuing easements and special use permits, the proposed action 
includes replacing the existing log diversion structure with a concrete 
structure, which will allow for fish passage, and realigning the 
existing culvert at the beginning of the ditch. The EIS will develop a 
range of alternatives for operation and maintenance of the ditch. The 
alternatives will include the No Action alternative, whereby no 
easements or special use permits would be issued to the Wolf Creek 
Reclamation District, and no water would be allowed to flow down the 
ditch, and alternatives that respond to issues identified during the 
scoping process. The proposed action is consistent with the direction 
in the 1989 Okanogan National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan 
(Forest Plan), as amended by the 1994 Northwest Forest Plan, which 
provide overall guidance for management of the area. Implementation of 
this proposal is scheduled to begin in summer 2000. The Forest Service 
invites written comments on this project. In addition, the agency gives 
notice of this environmental analysis so that interested and affected 
people are aware of how they may participate and contribute to the 
decision making process.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope and implementation of the proposal 
should be received in writing by September 10, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments and suggestions concerning this 
project to Sonny J. O'Neal, Forest Supervisor, Okanogan National 
Forest, 1240 S. Second Ave., Okanogan, Washington, 98840.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Direct questions about the proposed 
action and the scope of analysis to Jan Flatten, Project Team Leader at 
1240 South Second Avenue, Okanogan, WA, (509) 826-3277.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Wolf Creek Reclamation District has held 
a special use permit to operate and maintain the Wolf Creek irrigation 
ditch since 1921. The Reclamation District provides both domestic and 
agricultural water to residents, businesses and public agencies along 
the ditch. The portion of the ditch on National Forest System lands 
(NFS) is located in Sections 1 and 2 of Township 34 North, Range 20 
East, Willamette Merdian. The ditch on NFS lands spans approximately 
one mile, from the headgate on Wolf Creek just below the boundary of 
the Lake Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness, across Little Wolf Creek to 
private land. The ditch eventually empties into Patterson Lake, where 
it is then channeled around Patterson Mountain to service private lands 
and the Methow Valley School District. The ditch currently has a log 
diversion dam and a temporary flat fish screen installed in the summer 
of 1999 at the headgate on Wolf Creek. The headgate is currently 
inaccessible by road and is located at the edge of the Sawtooth 
inventoried Roadless Area. The Reclamation District currently holds a 
temporary special use permit for operation and maintenance of the 
ditch. In 1997, steelhead were listed as an endangered species under 
the Endangered Species Act. Bull trout were listed as a threatened 
species in 1998, and Upper Columbia River Spring Chinook Salmon were 
listed as an endangered species in 1999. All three species are found in 
Wolf Creek. The Wolf Creek Reclamation District does not hold a special 
use permit for the little Wolf Creek ditch.
    The analysis area is located entirely in matrix lands under the 
Northwest Forest Plan, and is managed for wildlife (MA-5; 30%) under 
the Okanogan National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest 
Plan). This EIS will tier to the Forest Plan, as amended by the 
Northwest Forest Plan. The amended Forest Plan provides forest-wide 
standards and guidelines, management area standards and guidelines, 
management area standards and guidelines, and desired future conditions 
for the various lands on the Forest. This direction is provided for 
management practices that will be utilized during the implementation of 
the amended Forest Plan.
    In the early 1990s, the Wolf Creek Reclamation District applied for 
an easement for the ditch under Public Law 99-545 (Colorado Ditch 
Bill), which makes issuance of the easement to qualifying irrigation 
ditches non-discretionary.
    The proposed action for the Wolf Creek Ditch easements and special 
use permits would permit the Wolf Creek Reclamation District to 
continue to operate and maintain the Wolf Creek and Little Wolf Creek 
irrigation ditches. Not allowing continued operation and maintenance of 
the ditches might have adverse social and economic impacts. Access to 
the Wolf Creek headgate would be via helicopter, all terrain vehicles 
and a \1/4\ to \1/2\ mile long tractor trail to allow for replacement 
of the headgate and diversion structure and realignment of the culvert. 
The proposed action would be adjusted between draft and final EIS to 
comply with any terms and conditions identified by the U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the National Marine Fisheries Service 
(NMFS) as a result of a Biological Opinion on the listed species.
    The following preliminary issues have been identified for this 
project: (1) Species listed under the Endangered Species Act 
(steelhead, bull trout and spring Chinook salmon) reside in Wolf Creek 
and may be adversely affected; (2) The headgate for the ditch is 
located near the boundary of an inventoried roadless area and building 
an access trail could potentially substantially alter the unroaded and 
undeveloped character of that portion of the roadless area; (3) The 
Lake-Chelan Sawtooth Wilderness boundary is approximately 500 feet 
upstream from the existing headgate and reconstruction activities may 
have short term impacts on wilderness users; and (4) Trail construction 
and stream crossings of heavy equipment, headgate replacement, culvert 
re-alignment, and diversion dam construction may increase sedimentation 
in Wolf Creek.
    The Forest Service will be seeking information, comments and 
assistance from Federal, State, local agencies, tribes, and other 
individuals or organizations who may be interested or affected by the 
proposed project. This information will be used to determine the issues 
significant to the development and analysis of alternatives, to 
determine the appropriate range of alternative ways of implementing the 
proposed action, and to guide the analysis of effects.
    The scoping process will include the following:
     Identification of potential issues;
     Identification of issues to be analyzed in depth;
     Elimination of insignificant issues or those which have 
been covered by a relevant previous environmental process;
     Exploration of alternative ways to implement the proposed 
actions based on the issues identified during the scoping process; and
     Determination of environmental effects of the proposed 
action and alternatives (i.e. direct, indirect, and cumulative effects 
and connected actions).
    The analysis will develop a range of alternatives from No Action to 
alternatives allowing for operation and maintenance of the irrigation 
that respond to the significant issues.
    The draft EIS is expected to be filed with the Environmental 
Protection Agency (EPA) and to be available for

[[Page 45504]]

public review by January 2000. The comment period on the draft EIS will 
be 45 days from the date EPA publishes the notice of availability of 
the draft EIS in the Federal Register.
    The Forest Service believes it is important to give reviewers 
notice at this early stage of several court rulings related to public 
participation in the environmental review process. First, a reviewer of 
a draft 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 EIS stage but that are not raised 
until after completion of the final 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 
objectives 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 statement. 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).
    Individuals and organizations who write to comment on projects may 
have their letters released in their entirety, if requested under the 
Freedom of Information Act.
    The final EIS is scheduled to be completed in March 2000. In the 
final EIS, the Forest Service is required to respond to comments and 
responses received during the comment period that pertain to the 
environmental consequences discussed in the draft EIS and applicable 
laws, regulations, and policies considered in making the decision 
regarding this proposal. Sonny O'Neal, Forest Supervisor, is the 
responsible official. As responsible official, he will document the 
project decision and rationale in a Record of Decision. That decision 
will be subject to Forest Service Appeal Regulations (36 CFR Part 215 
and 36 CFR 251).

    Dated: August 13, 1999.
Stuart Woolley,
Acting Deputy Forest Supervisor, Okanogan National Forest.
[FR Doc. 99-21635 Filed 8-19-99; 8:45 am]
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