[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 9 (Thursday, January 13, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2111-2112]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-798]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Threemile Stewardship Project; Custer National Forest, Ashland 
Ranger District; Powder River and Rosebud Counties, Montana

AGENCY: Forests Service, USDA.

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

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SUMMARY: The Forest Service will prepare an Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) to disclose the environmental effects of the Threemile 
Stewardship Project. This project will focus on moving ecosystems 
toward their desired conditions through management activities that 
would maintain or improve the diversity of ponderosa pine, woody draw 
and grassland vegetative communities. The project was selected for 
Stewardship Contracting. The Forest Service is the lead agency for the 
preparation of this document.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis should be received 
in writing by February 29, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Elizabeth A. McFarland, District 
Ranger, Ashland Ranger District, P.O. Box 168, Ashland, Montana 59003. 
Or send electronic mail comments to rhecker/[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ronald E. Hecker, Project Coordinator, 
(406) 784-2344 or rhecker/[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Threemile Stewardship Project is one of 
nine stewardship ``end'' result contract demonstration projects in the 
northern Region of the Forest Service that is authorized under Section 
347 of the 1999 Appropriations Bill.
    The focus of this project is moving ecosystems toward their desired 
condition through management activities that would maintain or improve 
the diversity of the ponderosa pine, woody draw and grassland 
vegetative communities. This project is designed to achieve vegetation 
management of these plant communities through the use of partnerships 
and collaboration as defined through Stewardship Contracting (Section 
347, 1999 Appropriations Bill).
    The objective of this project is the performance of services to 
achieve land management goals on the National Forest System lands that 
meet local and rural community needs (improve conditions on the land 
while providing for local jobs). Land management goals may include, but 
are not limited to:
     Commercial and non-commercial cutting or removal of trees 
to promote healthy forest stands, woody draws, and grasslands and/or to 
reduce fire hazard;
     Prescribed burning to improve the composition, structure, 
condition and health of forests stands, woody draws and grasslands;
     Road maintenance and reclamation of un-needed roads;
     Control of noxious weeds; and
     Restoration and maintenance of wildlife habitat.
    The Stewardship proposal would look at the over-all needs of the 
32,200 acres within the project area, which is located between Ten Mile 
Creek and US Highway 212 on the southeast portion of the Ashland Ranger 
District. The focus is ``outcomes'' and not ``outputs''. The value of 
forest products removed would be used as an offset against the cost of 
services received (exchange of goods for services on a value for value 
basis). An example might be trading saw logs for treatment of noxious 
weeds or road rehabilitation.
    Along with the issuance of a project-scoping letter, later this 
month, an information meeting is scheduled for February 10, 2000, at 
the Ashland Ranger District, to provide the public with additional 
information about the project and process. Written or oral responses 
will be accepted until February 29, 2000.
    The Responsible Official for this EIS for decision is Nancy T. 
Curriden, Forest Supervisor, 1310 Main Street, P.O. Box 50760, 
Billings, Montana 49105.
    The comment period on the draft environment impact statement will 
be 45 days from the date the Environmental Protection Agency publishes 
the notice of availability in the Federal Register.
    A Draft EIS is schedules for release to the public for comment in 
August 2000, and the Final EIS is scheduled for completion in December 
2000.
    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,

[[Page 2112]]

reviewers or 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, 
553 (1978). Also, environmental objections that could be raised at the 
draft environmental impact statement stage but that are not raised 
until after completion of the final environmental impact statement may 
be waived or dismissed by the courts. Wisconsin Heritages, Inc. v. 
Harris, 490 F. Supp. 1334, 1338 ( E. D. Wis. 1980). Because of these 
courts 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 
and concerns on the proposed action, comments on the draft 
environmental impact statement should be as specific as possible. It is 
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 at 
40 CFR 1503.3 in addressing these points.

    Dated: January 7, 2000.
Nancy T. Curriden,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 00-798 Filed 1-12-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M