[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 212 (Wednesday, November 3, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59736-59737]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-28699]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Gunflint Corridor Fuels Reduction Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY: On August 24, 1999, the Council on Environmental Quality 
granted alternative arrangements for the immediate actions needed to 
address public safety concerns within the Gunflint Trail Corridor as a 
result of the 4th of July Blowdown Event. These alternative 
arrangements are effective until close of business on Friday, December 
24, 1999. Subsequent actions which the Agency (Forest Service) proposed 
to take over the ``longer term'' were to be addressed through the 
normal NEPA process. Therefore, the Department of Agriculture, Forest 
Service, will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to reduce 
the fire hazard and restore damaged components of the ecosystem within 
the Gunflint Corridor. The objectives of the project are to: (1) Reduce 
fuel and fire hazard, (2) Provide and improve land-based infrastructure 
needs for fire suppression or public evacuation, (3) Increase the 
acreage and component of longer lived species, particularly pine, (4) 
Improve long term visual quality, and (5) Reforest blown-down areas. 
The Record of Decision will disclose how the Forest Service has decided 
to treat more than 11,000 acres of blowdown fuels. The proposed action 
is to treat an estimated 8400 acres with mechanical means such as 
commercial timber sales or service contract for piling and burning; 
treat 3000 acres with prescribed fire; and treat 100 acres with service 
contracts for hand treatment. A range of alternatives responsive to 
significant issues will be developed, including a no-action 
alternative. The proposed project is located on the Gunflint Ranger 
District, Grand Marais, MN, Superior National Forest. The Gunflint 
Ranger District is requesting the project be considered an emergency 
under CFR 215.10(d)(1).

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of this project should be received 
by December 6, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Please send written comments to: Gunflint Ranger District, 
Superior National Forest, Attn.: Gunflint Corridor Fuels Reduction EIS, 
P.O. Box 790, Grand Marais, MN 55604.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jo Barnier, District Ranger, or Becky 
Bartol, Team Leader, Gunflint Ranger District, Superior National 
Forest, P.O. Box 790, Grand Marais, MN 55604, telephone (218) 387-1750.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Public participation will be an integral 
component of the study process and will be especially important at 
several points during the analysis. The first is during the scoping 
process. The Forest Service will be seeking information, comments, and 
assistance from Federal, State and local agencies, individuals, and 
organizations that may be interested in, or affected by, the proposed 
activities. The scoping process will include: (1) Identification of 
potential issues, (2) identification of issues to be analyzed in depth, 
and (3) elimination of insignificant issues or those which have been 
covered by a previous environmental review. Written scoping comments 
will be solicited through a scoping package that will be sent to the 
project mailing list and to the local newspaper. For the Forest Service 
to best use the scoping input, comments should be received by December 
6, 1999. Issues identified for analysis in the EIS include the 
potential effects of the project on and the relationship of the project 
to: Fuel hazard reduction, riparian areas and Shipstead Newton Nolan 
areas, reforestation, temporary roads, inventoried candidate special 
management complexes, roadless areas, and others.
    Based on the results of scoping and the resource capabilities 
within the Project Area, alternatives, including a no-action 
alternative, will be developed for the Draft EIS. The Draft EIS is 
projected to be filed with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 
February 2000. The Final EIS is anticipated in May 2000.
    The comment period on the Draft EIS will be a minimum of 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 
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)). Environmental 
objections that could have been raised at the Draft EIS stage may be 
waived or dismissed by the courts (City of Angoon v. Hodel, 803 F.2nd 
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 they can be meaningfully considered and 
responded to in the Final EIS.
    To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues 
and concerns of the Proposed Action, comments during scoping and on the 
Draft EIS should be as specific as possible and refer to specific pages 
or chapters. Comments may address the adequacy of the Draft EIS or the 
merits of the alternatives formulated and discussed. In addressing 
these points reviewers may wish to refer to the Council on 
Environmental Quality Regulations for implementing the procedural 
provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act in 40 CFR 1503.3. 
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. 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. 
Requesters should be aware that, under FOIA, confidentiality may be 
granted in only very limited circumstances, such as to

[[Page 59737]]

protect trade secrets. The Forest Service will inform the requester of 
the agency's decision regarding the request for confidentiality. If 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 seven days.

Permits/Authorizations

    The proposed action includes prescribed burning in the Boundary 
Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. An amendment to the Superior National 
Forest Land and Resource Management Plan would be needed for such 
burns. James W. Sanders, Forest Supervisor, Superior National Forest, 
would be the responsible official for the plan amendment.

Responsible Official

    Jo Barnier, Gunflint District Ranger, Superior National Forest, is 
the responsible official. In making the decision, the responsible 
official will consider the comments, responses, disclosure of 
environmental consequences, and applicable laws, regulations, and 
policies. The responsible official will state the rationale for the 
chosen alternative in the Record of Decision.

    Dated: October 27, 1999.
Jo Barnier,
District Ranger.
[FR Doc. 99-28699 Filed 11-2-99; 8:45 am]
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