[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 226 (Wednesday, November 22, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70332-70333]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-29886]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Interface Recreation Trails Project

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The Forest Service intends to prepare an environmental impact 
statement to disclose the environmental consequences of the proposed 
Interface Recreation Trails Project on the Calaveras Ranger District of 
the Stanislaus National Forest. The agency proposes to design a system 
of recreation routes, determine the uses that can occur on each route 
in the system, and develop measures to protect natural resources on 
approximately 8,600 acres of National Forest System lands. Hiking, 
horseback riding, mountain bike riding, off-highway vehicle riding, and 
street legal vehicle riding are the uses being considered in this 
analysis. The purpose of the proposal is to provide a variety of 
recreation opportunities for route users while protecting the natural 
resources, minimizing conflicts between recreationists and others, and 
promoting public safety.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis should be received 
in writing on or before January 8, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Calaveras Ranger District, 
Stanislaus National Forest, USDA Forest Service, P.O. Box 500, Hathaway 
Pines, California, 95233. Comments may be sent by electronic mail (e-
mail) to [email protected]. Please reference the 
Interface Recreation Trails project on the subject line and include 
your name and mailing address with your comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Greg Casselberry, Planning Team 
Leader, telephone: (209) 795-1381, extension 321.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Forest Service is preparing an 
environmental impact statement (EIS) to disclose the environmental 
consequences of a proposed interface recreation trails project on the 
Calaveras Ranger District of the Stanislaus National Forest. The 
proposed project is located in Calaveras County, California, within the 
Calaveras Ranger District of the Stanislaus National Forest in portions 
of sections 1, 2, 11, 12, 13, 14, 23, 24, 26, T.4N., R.14E., a portion 
of section 18, T.4N., R.15E., portions of sections 13, 24, 25, 26, 35, 
36, T.5N., R.14E., and portions of sections 7, 8, 17, 18, 19, 20, 29, 
30, T.5N., R.15E., MDB&M. It is adjacent to the western boundary of the 
communities of Hathaway Pines, Avery, Arnold, and White Pines.
    Under the current proposal being analyzed, non-motorized and 
motorized recreation use (multiple use) would continue to be allowed on 
19.5 miles of existing trails and roads; 16.6 miles of existing trails 
and roads would be available for non-motorized recreation use only; 
17.4 miles of existing roads would be routes for street legal (highway 
licensed) vehicles only. Also, there would be 10.0 miles of multiple 
use routes and 10.7 miles of non-motorized trails constructed and 26.5 
miles of existing trails and roads closed. Five gates would be closed 
to public motorized traffic and one mile of Forest Road 5N95Y would be 
chipsealed. Parking areas would be established on Forest Road 5N52 and 
County Road 323 to access the trail system. A low-water crossing and 
approach would be constructed at Slick Rock Crossing. Street legal 
vehicle and non-motorized uses only zones that are a minimum of a one-
quarter mile wide would be established adjacent to subdivisions. A 
permanent public easement for the segment of the trail that crosses 
private land located in the SW1/4 of the NE1/4 of section 30, T.5N., 
R.15E. would be sought from the landowner. Written orders would be 
issued to enforce trail use restrictions, trail closures, zone 
restrictions, and gate closures.

Decision To Be Made

    The decision to be made is whether to implement the proposed action 
as described above, to meet the purpose and need for action through 
some other combination of activities, or to take no action at this 
time.

Responsible Official

    Robert W. Griffith, District Ranger, Calaveras Ranger District, 
P.O. Box 500, Hathaway Pines, California, 95233 is the Responsible 
Official who will decide what actions are to be implemented to provide 
a variety of recreation opportunities for route users within the 
project area. He will document his decisions and rationale in a Record 
of Decision.

Preliminary Issues

    Three preliminary issues have been identified: (1) Disturbances by 
human presence and noise on the trails and

[[Page 70333]]

roads may adversely impact wildlife species, (2) sounds of motorized 
vehicles on the trails and roads may have a negative impact on adjacent 
landowners and the experiences of other forest visitors, and (3) 
opportunities for recreation may be affected by the trail and road 
mileage available as well as by the uses allowed on each route.

Alternatives To Be Considered

    A range of alternatives to the proposed action will be considered. 
The alternatives will be designed to provide different ways to address 
and respond to significant issues and to fulfill the purpose and need 
for action. A reasonable range of alternatives will be evaluated and 
reasons given for eliminating some alternatives from detailed study. A 
``no action'' alternative is required, which is that current management 
practices and the current trail system and uses would continue as they 
currently exist.

Public Involvement

    The Forest Service will be seeking information, comments, and 
assistance from Federal, State, and local agencies, and other 
individuals or organizations that may be interested in, or affected by, 
the proposed action. While public participation in this analysis is 
welcome at any time, comments received by January 8, 2001, will be 
especially useful in the preparation of the draft EIS. The scoping 
process will include identifying potential issues, significant issues 
to be analyzed in depth, alternatives to the proposed action, and 
potential environmental effects of the proposal and alternatives.

Estimated Dates for Filing

    The draft EIS is expected to be filed with the Environmental 
Protection Agency and to be available for public review in March 2001. 
At that time, the Environmental Protection Agency will publish a notice 
of availability of the draft EIS in the Federal Register. The comment 
period on the draft EIS will be 45 days from the date the Environmental 
Protection Agency publishes the notice of availability in the Federal 
Register. It is very important that those individuals interested in the 
management of this area participate by providing comment during that 
time. In the final EIS, tentatively scheduled for May 2001, the Forest 
Service is required to respond to comments and responses received 
during the comment period that pertain to the environmental 
consequences discussed in the draft EIS.

The Reviewers Obligation to Comment

    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 
a 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). Also, environmental objections 
that could be raised at the draft EIS stage but that are not raised 
until after completion of the final EIS 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 prior to 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 EIS 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 EIS 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: November 16, 2000.
Ben L. Del Villar,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 00-29886 Filed 11-21-00; 8:45 am]
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