[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 234 (Tuesday, December 7, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68315-68316]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-31603]


 ========================================================================
 Notices
                                                 Federal Register
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
 or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
 and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings, 
 delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency 
 statements of organization and functions are examples of documents 
 appearing in this section.
 
 ========================================================================
 

  Federal Register / Vol. 64, No. 234 / Tuesday, December 7, 1999 / 
Notices  

[[Page 68315]]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Little Blacktail, Idaho Panhandle National Forests, Bonner 
County, Idaho; Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The USDA Forest Service will prepare an environmental impact 
statement (EIS) to disclose the potential environmental effects of 
proposed treatments within the Little Blacktail project area on the 
Sandpoint Ranger District, Idaho Panhandle National Forests, Bonner 
County, Idaho.
    The proposed action includes unit-specific fuel and silvicultural 
treatments as well as reforestation needs, harvest techniques, and 
other site-specific connected actions. The Forest Service intends to 
manage using a variety of silvicultural treatments and harvest methods 
to begin trending vegetation in the Little Blacktail area toward more 
sustainable conditions. Prescribed fire would be used to improve site 
conditions, reduce the risk of wildfire and improve wildlife habitat. 
There would be approximately 4.5 miles of temporary road construction 
and approximately 2.0 miles of road reconstruction. All newly 
constructed roads would be closed and decommissioned following project 
activities. There may be an opportunity to close some roads or portions 
of roads that are causing resource damage.
    These management activities will be administered by the Sandpoint 
Ranger District of the Idaho Panhandle National Forests in Bonner 
County, Idaho. The EIS will tier to the Idaho Panhandle National 
Forests Forest Plan (September 1987).

DATES: Comments should be postmarked on or before January 6, 2000. 
Please include your name and address and the name of the project you 
are commenting on.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments and suggestions on the proposed 
management activities or request to be placed on project mailing to, 
Little Blacktail Project, Sandpoint Ranger District, 1500 HWY 2, Suite 
110, Sandpoint, ID 83864.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Katherine Hinson, Project Team Leader, 
Sandpoint Ranger District, 1500 HWY 2., Suite 110, Sandpoint, ID 83864.
    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 parts 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. 
For persons requesting such confidentiality, it may be granted in only 
very 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.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The project includes treatment on 1250 acres 
of the 2295 acre project area. The area is situated totally within 
Bonner County, Idaho, approximately 12 miles south of Sandpoint, Idaho 
and three miles east of Cocolalla Lake. The legal description for the 
project area includes all or portions of sections 14, 15, 21-23, 26, 
27; Township 55 North; Range 2 West.
    As Deciding Officer, I will decide what, if any, actions including 
fuel treatments, timber harvesting and related activities, and road 
construction/reconstruction will occur on National Forest lands. I will 
also decide specific project mitigation measures, as necessary, to 
achieve Forest Plan objectives and standards for affected resources. My 
decision will be made after considering comments and responses, 
environmental consequences discussed in the Final EIS, and applicable 
laws, regulations and policies. The decision and supporting reasons 
will be documented in a Record of Decision.
    Public participation plays an important role in the environmental 
analysis process. This process was initially presented in a letter to 
the public in October of 1998. Since that time there have been numerous 
phone conversations, one on site meeting requested by an individual and 
Forest Service participation in a local home owners quarterly meeting. 
The mailing list for public scoping will include those individuals who 
have previously expressed interest in this project as well as those 
responding to this NOI or to the Idaho Panhandle National Forests 
Quarterly Schedule of Proposed Actions. In addition, the public is 
encouraged to visit with Forest Service officials during the analysis 
and prior to the decision. The Forest Service will also be seeking 
information, comments, and assistance from Federal, Tribal, State, and 
local agencies and other individuals or organizations who may be 
interested in or affected by the proposed actions.
    Comments from the public and other agencies will be used in 
preparation of the Draft EIS. The scoping process will be used to 
identify potential issues and concerns, identify potential alternatives 
to the proposed action and promote communications with members of the 
public or other agencies who are interested in this project.
    Some public issues have already been identified. In some cases 
issues may result in development of an alternative to the proposed 
action, issues may be mitigated through project design, dismissed from 
analysis or discussed in the analysis without resulting in developing 
of an alternative. Issues and concerns will be verified, expanded, or 
modified based on public scoping and interdisciplinary review for this 
proposal. Based on the public and internal issues already identified 
the following alternatives to the proposed action may be developed: 
harvest timber without new road construction, no regeneration openings 
over 40 acres,

[[Page 68316]]

vegetation management without commercial harvest.
    People may visit with the Forest Service officials at any time 
during the analysis and prior to the decision. Two periods are 
specifically designated for comments on the analysis: (1) During the 
scoping process and (2) during the draft EIS comment period.
    During the scoping process, the Forest Service is seeking 
additional information and comments from Federal, Tribal, State, and 
local agencies and other individuals or organizations who may be 
interested in or affected by the proposed action. The United States 
Fish and Wildlife Service will be consulted concerning any effects to 
threatened and endangered species. The agency invites written comments 
and suggestions on this action, particularly in terms of identification 
of issues and alternative development.
    The draft environmental impact statement is expected to be filed 
with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and made available for 
public review in February of 2000. The final environmental impact 
statement is expected to be completed in May 2000. The comment period 
on the draft environmental impact statement will be 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 reviewers 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 
meaningful and alerts an agency to the reviewer's position and 
contentions.  Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519, 
533 (1978). Also, environmental objections that could be raised at the 
draft environmental statement stage but that are not raised until after 
completion of the final environmental statement may be waived or 
dismissed by the courts. City of Agoon 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 
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.
    To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues 
related to 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 statement. 
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 as 40 CFR 1503.3 in 
addressing these points.
    The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits 
discrimination in its programs on the basis of race, color, national 
origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, and marital 
or familial status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) 
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of 
communication of program information (braille, large print, audiotape, 
etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and 
TDD).
    To file a complaint, write the Secretary of Agriculture, U.S. 
Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC 20250, or call 1-800-245-6340 
(voice) or 202-720-1127 (TDD). USDA is an equal employment opportunity 
employer.

    Dated: December 1, 1999.
David J. Wright,
Forest Supervisor, Idaho Panhandle National Forests.
[FR Doc. 99-31603 Filed 12-6-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M