[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 28 (Thursday, February 10, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6583-6584]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-3100]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


North Rich Allotment Management Plan, Wasatch-Cache National 
Forest, Logan Ranger District, Cache and Rich Counties, Utah

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS).

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SUMMARY: The Logan Ranger District, of the Wasatch-Cache National 
Forest, will prepare an EIS on a proposal to authorize grazing on the 
North Rich Allotment at a level and in a manner consistent with 
direction set forth in the Forest Plan, the Rangeland Health EIS, and 
other applicable laws.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis should be received 
in writing by March 10, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Brian Ferebee, District Ranger, 
1500 East Highway 89, Logan, Utah 84321.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Evelyn Sibbernsen, Environmental 
Coordinator, Logan Ranger District, (435) 755-3620.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Logan Ranger District proposes to 
authorize grazing on the North Rich Allotment at a level and in a 
manner consistent with direction set forth in the Forest Plan, the 
Wasatch-Cache Rangeland Health EIS, and other applicable laws and 
guidelines. In conjunction, the District proposes to revise the 
Allotment Management Plan (AMP) and adjust the resource management of 
lands within the North Rich Allotment to reflect information developed 
since the Forest Plan (approved in 1985) and to improve resource 
conditions as needed in several areas.
    In an effort to continue moving present rangeland conditions toward 
desired conditions, select improvement and restoration projects are 
being proposed. Livestock grazing would be managed under a rotation 
system, to provide for the longterm health and sustainability of 
rangeland and riparian ecosystems.
    Environmental analysis on the proposal began in the fall of 1998. 
Preliminary analysis indicated an Environmental Impact Statement would 
not be required. A scoping letter was mailed to more than 70 
individuals, organizations, and local and state government agencies in 
January, 1999. An open house was held in January and a field trip was 
held in July, 1999. Data collection and analysis continued through the 
fall of 1999. In January of 2000, the responsible official and the 
Forest Service interdisciplinary team decided that an Environmental 
Impact Statement should be prepared because there may be significant 
environmental effects associated with the proposal.
    Preliminary issues identified by the interdisciplinary team include 
the effects of grazing on riparian conditions, watershed health, 
threatened, endangered, and sensitive species, and the effects on 
dispersed recreation in the area.
    A range of alternatives for the allotment will be considered. One 
of these, no action from the current situation, will be to authorize 
grazing under the current regime (number and type of livestock, grazing 
system, and maintenance of improvements). Another alternative will 
consider no grazing on

[[Page 6584]]

this allotment (current permits would be terminated as they expire). 
Other alternatives will consider grazing under other combinations of 
number and type of livestock, grazing systems (including a rotation 
system), season and timing of use, and associated improvements, 
mitigation, and monitoring.
    A decision will be made on whether or not to continue authorizing 
grazing on the North Rich Allotment, and if so, under what management 
system and with what improvements. If the decision is made to continue 
authorizing grazing, term grazing permits, issued by the Logan Ranger 
District, would authorize this use.
    The public is invited to submit comments or suggestions at the 
address above. Comments from the January 1999 scoping will be 
incorporated into the analysis and need not be resubmitted. The 
responsible official is Brian Ferebee, District Ranger. A Draft EIS is 
expected to be filed in April of 2000 and the final EIS is scheduled to 
be filed in September of 2000.
    The comment period on the draft EIS will be 45 days from the date 
the Environmental Protection Agency's notice of availability appears in 
the Federal Register. It is very important that those interested in 
this proposed action participate during that time. To be most helpful, 
comments on the draft EIS should be as specific as possible and may 
address the adequacy of the statement or the merits of the alternatives 
discussed (see The Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for 
implementing the procedural provisions of the National Environmental 
Policy Act at 40 CFR 1503.3).
    In addition, Federal court decisions have established that the 
reviewers of the 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). 
Environmental objections that could have been raised at the draft stage 
may be waived if not raised until after completion of the final EIS. 
City of Angoon v. Hodel, (9th Circuit, 1986), and Wisconsin Heritages, 
Inc. v. Harris, 490 F. Supp. 1334, 1338 (E.D. Wis. 1980). The reason 
for this is to ensure 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 EIS.

    Dated: January 28, 2000.
Brian Ferebee,
District Ranger.
[FR Doc. 00-3100 Filed 2-9-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M