[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 61 (Thursday, March 29, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17192-17194]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-7803]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

(OR-931-6320 DB; GP1-0115)


Oregon Seed Orchard; Environmental Impact Statements, Notice of 
Intent

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Revised Notice; intent to prepare for three environmental 
impact statements.

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SUMMARY: On March 26,1999, the Department of Interior, Bureau of Land 
Management, (BLM) published a Notice of Intent to prepare a 
consolidated draft and final environmental impact statement (EIS) for 
proposed pest management programs at each of our four Oregon Seed 
Orchards (See Federal Register/Vol. 64, No. 58/Friday, March 26, 1999/ 
Notices, page 14747-14748). To improve efficiency and provide for more 
site specific management prescriptions, including pest management and 
fertilization programs, the Salem, Eugene and Medford BLM Districts 
will prepare separate draft and final EISs. The Seed Orchards are: the 
Horning Seed Orchard (Salem District) near Colton, in Clackamas County 
Oregon; the Tyrrell Seed Orchard (Eugene District) near Lorane, in Lane 
County, Oregon; the Sprague Seed Orchard (Medford District) near 
Merlin, in Josephine County, Oregon and the Provolt Seed Orchard 
(Medford District) near Grants Pass, in Jackson and Josephine Counties, 
Oregon.
    The BLM Salem, Eugene and Medford Districts invite written comments 
on the scope of the analysis. In addition, the Salem, Eugene and 
Medford Districts will give notice of the environmental analysis and 
decision making process that will occur on the proposed action to 
ensure that the interested and affected public has information 
concerning how they may participate and contribute to the final 
decision. These notices will be published in local newspapers and 
mailed to known persons or groups of interest in the local areas.
    Each of the four seed orchards is also subject to land use 
allocations and management direction as defined in the 1995 Resource 
Management Plan (RMP) for the applicable District. Since the seed 
orchard management plans may include one or more alternatives which 
would amend portions of the applicable RMP, the planning process will 
also be completed in conformance with 43 CFR 1610.2 and 1610.5-5. Any 
proposed RMP amendments would be expected to clarify long-term 
management direction for the seed orchard lands, support new or renewed 
protective lands withdrawals and describe any

[[Page 17193]]

conditions for discretionary land uses which may be compatible with 
seed orchard management objectives.

DATES: Previous written comments received by May 10, 1999, have been 
forwarded to appropriate seed orchards. Additional comments concerning 
the scope of the analysis should be received in writing by April 19, 
2001, to ensure timely consideration.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to: Jim Hallberg, Orchard Manager, 
Horning Seed Orchard, 27004 S. Sheckly Road, Colton, OR 97017; Glenn 
Miller, Orchard Manager, Tyrrell Seed Orchard, P. O. Box 121 (26350 
Siuslaw River Road), Lorane, OR 97451; Harvey Koester, Orchard Manager, 
Sprague Seed Orchard, 1980 Russell Road, Merlin, OR 97532 and Provolt 
Seed Orchard, 14171 Williams Highway, Grants Pass, OR 97527.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim Hallberg, Orchard Manager, Horning 
Seed Orchard, (503) 630-8406; Glenn Miller, Orchard Manager, Tyrrell 
Seed Orchard, (541) 683-6445; and Harvey Koester, Orchard Manager, 
Sprague and Provolt Seed Orchards (541) 618-2401.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BLM Seed Orchards are managed primarily 
for the production of native tree and grass seed. The seed is used to 
produce seedlings for reforestation and restoration on BLM lands in 
Oregon and for use in cooperative orchard efforts. The primary 
objective of the orchards is to produce seed of high quality and 
sufficient quantity to meet the needs of the BLM and of their 
cooperative partnerships. Use of integrated pest management and 
fertilization technology and products is necessary to achieve this 
goal.
    There are grass beds, greenhouses, and tree orchards (Douglas fir, 
sugar pine, western hemlock, noble fir, western red cedar and western 
white pine) at the Horning Seed Orchard; grass beds and tree orchards 
(Douglas fir, Port Orford cedar and multi-species orchards) at the 
Tyrrell Seed Orchard; grass beds, greenhouses, and tree orchards (sugar 
pine and ponderosa pine) at the Sprague Seed Orchard; and grass and 
hardwood beds and tree orchards (Douglas fir and sugar pine) at the 
Provolt Seed Orchard.
    The BLM Districts will conduct an environmental analysis to 
determine the type of pest management and fertilization programs to be 
used at the Horning, Tyrrell, Sprague, and Provolt Seed Orchards in 
western Oregon, to produce seed and seedlings for the BLM and its 
cooperators in Oregon. The pest management practices which will be 
analyzed include, but are not limited to, control of unwanted 
vegetation by mechanical and chemical methods; control of diseases 
using sanitation, cultural techniques, biological control organisms, 
and fungicides; control of insect pests with biological and chemical 
insecticides, cultural and mechanical methods, and use of sanitation; 
and control of animal pests through mechanical and preventative 
measures. Fertilization practices include mechanical broadcast and hand 
application methods.
    In preparing the EISs, the BLM Districts will identify and consider 
a range of alternative pest management and fertilization programs. One 
alternative in each EIS will contain a ``no action'' alternative. 
Another alternative will be a pest management program without the use 
of chemical pesticides and fertilizers. Other alternatives will include 
pest management programs comprised of various combinations of control 
methods.
    Public participation will be especially important at several points 
during the analysis. The first point is during the scoping process (40 
CFR 1501.7), which includes:
    1. Defining the scope of the analysis and nature of the decision to 
be made.
    2. Identifying the issues and determining the significant issues 
for consideration and analysis within the environmental impact 
statement.
    3. Defining the proper make-up of the interdisciplinary team.
    4. Exploring possible alternatives.
    5. Identifying potential environmental effects.
    6. Determining potential cooperating agencies.
    7. Identifying groups or individuals interested or affected by the 
decision.
    The BLM Districts will be seeking information, comments, and 
assistance from federal, state, and local agencies and other 
individuals or organizations interested in or affected by the proposed 
action.
    Public participation will be solicited by person to person contact, 
and/or by mail to known interested and affected publics and key 
contacts regarding scope of the analysis. In addition, news releases 
will be used to give the public general notice. Input from interested 
people and organizations will be used in preparation of the draft EIS. 
Comments, including names and street addresses of respondents, will be 
available for public review at the seed orchards during regular hours 
(7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.), Monday through Friday, except holidays, and 
may be published as part of the EIS or other related documents. 
Individual respondents may request confidentiality. If you wish to 
withhold your name or address from public review or from disclosure 
under the Freedom of Information Act, you must state this prominently 
at the beginning of your written comment. Such requests will be honored 
to the extent allowed by law. All submissions from organizations or 
businesses, and from individuals identifying themselves as 
representatives or officials of organization or businesses, will be 
made available for public inspection in their entirety.
    The draft EISs are expected to be filed with the Environmental 
Protection Agency (EPA) and available for public review in the fall 
2001 (for the Horning Seed Orchard), and later for Tyrrell, Sprague and 
Provolt Seed Orchards. At that time, EPA will publish a notice of 
availability of the draft EIS in the Federal Register. The Bureau will 
also publish a notice of availability of the EIS in the Federal 
Register and local media. The document will be mailed to persons and 
groups requesting copies and will be available on the applicable 
District websites. Districts' website addresses are: www.or.blm.gov/salem for Salem District, www.edo.blm.gov/nepa for Eugene District, and 
www.or.blm.gov/medford for Medford District.
    The comment period on the draft EIS will be 45 days from the date 
the EPA's notice of availability as it appears in the Federal Register. 
It is very important that those interested in the proposed action 
participate at 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 Council on 
Environmental Quality Regulations for implementing the procedural 
provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act 40 CFR 1503.3).
    In addition, federal court decisions have established that 
reviewers of draft EISs must structure their participation in the 
environmental review of the proposal so that it is meaningful and 
alerts an agency to the reviewers' 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, 803 F.2d 1016, 1022 (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 BLM at a time

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when it can seriously consider and respond to them in the final.
    Following the comment period on the draft EIS, substantive comments 
will be analyzed, considered, and responded to by the BLM Districts in 
preparing the final EIS. The final EIS is scheduled to be completed in 
spring 2002 for the Horning Seed Orchard, and later for Tyrrell, 
Sprague and Provolt Seed Orchards.
    The responsible officials will consider the comments and responses; 
environmental consequences discussed in the EIS; and applicable laws, 
regulations, and policies in making a decision regarding this proposal. 
The decision and rationale for the decision will be documented in the 
Record of Decision. Each District will prepare a Record of Decision for 
its seed orchard.
    The responsible officials for each of these seed orchards are as 
follows:
    Denis Williamson, Salem District Manager (Horning Seed Orchard), 
Julia Dougan, Eugene District Manager (Tyrrell Seed Orchard), and 
Ronald Wenker, Medford District Manager (Sprague and Provolt Seed 
Orchards).

    Dated: March 20, 2001.
Charles E. Wassinger,
Associate State Director.
[FR Doc. 01-7803 Filed 3-28-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-33-P