[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 137 (Monday, July 17, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44025-44026]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-17946]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


West Gold Project, Idaho Panhandle National Forests, Bonner 
County, Idaho

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY: The USDA Forest Service will prepare an environmental impact 
statement (EIS) to document and disclose the potential environmental 
effects of proposed activities within the West Gold watershed in the 
Sandpoint Ranger District, Idaho Panhandle National Forests. The 
watershed is located about 25 miles south of Sandpoint, Idaho, near the 
town of Lakeview.
    The proposal was designed using science from broad scale 
assessments including the Interior Columbia Basin Ecosystem Management 
Project. The proposal is intended to improve the health and 
productivity of terrestrial and aquatic habitats by: (1) Restoring 
desired forest structures, habitats, and species composition where they 
are decreasing and where root disease occurs, (2) restoring fire as an 
ecological process, (3) reducing the level of forest fuels and the risk 
of catastrophic wildfire; (4) reducing existing and potential sediment 
risks and improving aquatic habitat, and (5) providing public access 
and managing motorized recreation to protect resource values such as 
wildlife and water.
    Activities would include thinning overcrowded stands of trees, 
cutting stands dead or dying from insects and root disease and 
replanting them with longer lived seral species; burning to reduce 
fuels, improve growing conditions, and improve forage for wildlife; 
placing woody debris in stream segments where needed, improving 
drainage structures and the design of existing roads; decommissioning 
or recontouring unneeded road segments; and redesigning gates to allow 
limited, dry season, off-road vehicle use on some existing roads.
    The Sandpoint Ranger District of the Idaho Panhandle National 
Forests in Bonner County, Idaho will administer these activities. The 
EIS will tier to the Idaho Panhandle National Forests Forest Plan 
(September 1987).

DATES: Comments should be postmarked on or before August 16, 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 the project mailing 
list by writing to: West Gold Project, Attn: Judy York Sandpoint Ranger 
District, 1500 Hwy 2, Suite 110, Sandpoint, ID 83864.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Judy York, Project Team Leader, 
Sandpoint Ranger District, 208-265-6665.
    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

[[Page 44026]]

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 legal description for the project area 
includes all or portions of sections 13, 14, 23, 24, 25, 26, 35, and 36 
in Township 53 North; Range 2 West and sections 8, 9, 10, 16, 17, 20, 
21, and 29 in Township 53 North, Ranger 1 West. This project was 
initially presented in a letter to the public in June of 1997, 
soliciting comments on a proposal to be analyzed in an environmental 
analysis. An update letter was sent in October of 1998 describing 
public and Forest Service issues identified and alternatives developed 
by the interdisciplinary team at that time. Key issues identified were 
the effects of logging and road construction on the watershed, aquatic 
habitat, fisheries, wildlife, and noxious weed spread, and how much 
motorized access should occur on existing roads.
    A new proposal has been developed and the Forest Service is now 
preparing an environmental impact statement. In the new proposal, 
treatment of vegetation would occur on about 1,300 acres of a 4,500-
acre project area. Cutting techniques would include thinning to reduce 
competition and increase tree growth within stands. Irregular 
shelterwood, seed tree with reserves, final removal with reserves, and 
rehabilitation would be used to improve forest health and promote 
longer-lived seral species in areas of root disease and insect 
infestations. Prescribed fire would be used to reduce fuels and prepare 
some sites for planting. There would be approximately 3 miles of road 
construction for short-term treatment access, and 15 miles of existing 
road reconstruction (most of which includes road reconditioning) to 
reduce potential sediment risk to the watershed. Of the 3 miles of road 
construction, all except \1/3\ of a mile would be fully recontoured 
upon completion of project activities. An additional 2 miles of 
existing road would be fully recontoured. Logs and other woody debris 
would be placed in headwater areas where needed, and in other areas 
where lacking.
    Two periods are specifically designated for comments on this 
analysis: (1) During the scoping period which is 30 days from the date 
of this notice in the Federal Register and (2) during the draft EIS 
comment period. The mailing list for this project will include those 
individuals who have previously expressed interest in this project as 
well as adjacent landowners and 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 continue to seek information, comments, and 
assistance from Federal, Tribal, State, and local agencies and other 
individuals or organizations that may be interested in or affected by 
the proposed actions. 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.
    Comments from the public and other agencies will be used in 
preparation of the Draft EIS to identify potential issues and concerns, 
potential alternatives to the proposed action and to promote 
communications with members of the public or other agencies.
    The draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) is expected to be 
filed with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and made available 
for public review in September of 2000. The final environmental impact 
statement is expected to be completed in November or December of 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 and 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 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 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 at 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.
    The Idaho Panhandle National Forests Supervisor is the responsible 
official who will make the decision on this project. The 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 upon release of the Final EIS.

    Dated: June 30, 2000.
David J. Wright,
Forest Supervisor, Idaho Panhandle National Forests.
[FR Doc. 00-17946 Filed 7-14-00; 8:45 am]
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