[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 58 (Friday, March 24, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15895-15896]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-7280]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Helicopter Landing Tours on the Juneau Icefield EIS 2000, Tongass
National Forest, Juneau Ranger District, Juneau, Alaska
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Agriculture, Forest Service will prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to disclose the environmental
impacts of authorizing helicopter landing tours on the Icefield
adjacent to Juneau, Alaska. A previous Notice Of Intent (NOI),
published on February 3, identified the analysis and decision period as
extending from 2000 to 2004. This is the revised NOI for the same
project. The Proposed Action has been modified by changing the analysis
and decision period to 2001-2005.
The proposed action is to issue special use permits (2001-2005)
authorizing helicopter tour companies to land on the Juneau Icefield at
specified locations and conduct tours. In addition to the regular
glacier tours, this EIS will also analyze the effects of dog sled
mushing tours, glacier trekking tours, and a combined fixed-wing/
helicopter tour that would land at the lake at Antler Glacier. The
majority of use would occur between May and September of each year.
Tours would originate at private heliports and helicopter flight paths
would transit a variety of private and municipal lands prior to
entering the National Forest.
The proposed action would maintain the authorized helicopter
landings on the Juneau Icefield at the 1999
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authorized level of 19,039 landings. The Forest Service continues to
seek information and comments from Federal, State, and local agencies
as well as individuals and organizations who may be interested in, or
affected by, the proposed action.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis should be received
in writing by March 31, 2000. A public meeting was held at the Juneau
Ranger District on February 25 from 2:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. District
staff were available at this open house to explain the project, accept
comments, and answer questions. The Forrest Service is also
participating with City and Borough of Juneau Tourism Advisory and
Planning and Policy Committees who are addressing the noise impacts of
flightseeing tours on the community, including the proposed helicopter
tours, through a series of public and municipal meetings.
ADDRESSES: Written comments and suggestions concerning the analysis
should be sent to Laurie Thorpe, Interdisciplinary Team Leader, Juneau
Ranger District Office, 8465 Old Dairy Road, Juneau, Alaska 99801.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Laurie Thorpe, Interdisciplinary Team
Leader, Juneau Ranger District Office, 8465 Old Dairy Road, Juneau,
Alaska 99801, (907) 586-8800, fax number (907) 586-8808. Email may be
sent to lthorpe/[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose and need for the proposed action
is to meet public demand for quality guided services which provide safe
access to remote locations on the Juneau Icefield. Meeting this demand
includes providing for visitor safety and an appropriate balance
between commercial guided recreation opportunities and non-commercial,
non-guided recreation opportunities without unacceptable impacts to
other forest users and resources.
The District Ranger, Juneau Ranger District, is the official
responsible for authorizing the special use permits that have been
requested. The decision to be made is whether or not to issue special
use permits for helicopter landing tours on the Icefield as requested,
and if issued, the authorized locations, levels of use, and the types
of activities. The District Ranger will also determine any mitigation
measures that will be required. The no action and proposed action
alternatives will be considered in the EIS as well as other
alternatives which address significant issues and satisfy the purpose
and need for the action.
Preliminary issues that have been identified include helicopter
noise disturbance to residential areas, wildlife, and ground-based
recreation users.
In 1992 an environmental assessment and in 1995 an environmental
impact statement were prepared to analyze the effects of these tours.
Comments from the EA and EIS were used to identify issues for this EIS.
Comments will be accepted throughout the EIS process but, to be most
useful, should be received by March 31, 2000.
The draft environmental impact statement should be available for
review by April 30, 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,
553 (1978). Also, environmental objections that could be raised at the
draft environmental impact statement stage that are not raised until
after the completion of the final environmental impact statement 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 at 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 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 at 40 CFR 1503.3 in addressing these points.
The final EIS and Record of Decision is expected to be released in
October, 2000. The Juneau District Ranger, Tongass National Forest
will, as the responsible official for the EIS, make a decision
regarding this proposal considering the comments, responses, and
environmental consequences discussed in the Final EIS, and applicable
laws, regulations, and policies. The decision and supporting reasons
will be documented in the Record of Decision.
Dated: March 9, 2000.
Pete Griffin,
Juneau District Ranger.
[FR Doc. 00-7280 Filed 3-23-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M