[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 87 (Friday, May 4, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22513-22514]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-11213]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
 or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 87 / Friday, May 4, 2001 / Notices  

[[Page 22513]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Lake Project; Manti-La Sal National Forest, Emery and Sanpete 
Counties, Utah

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare Environmental Impact Statement.

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    Authority: The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), 
as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321-4346); Council on Environmental Quality 
Regulations, Title 40, Code of Federal Regulations, parts 1500-1508 
(40 CFR parts 1500-1508); and U.S. Department of Agriculture NEPA 
Regulations, Part 1b (7 CFR 1b).

SUMMARY: Epidemic populations of spruce beetle are found on the Wasatch 
Plateau. Many susceptible spruce-fir stands have been infested, and it 
is anticipated that many more will soon be infested with spruce beetle 
populations. Obviously, the beetle populations could collapse due to 
natural factors, but at this time the populations remain viable and 
continue to spread. Scattered 5-10 tree pockets of spruce beetle caused 
mortality are present in the south end of the Lake project analysis 
area and if the current level of beetle activity continues without 
check, it is probable that most of the spruce-fir component on the 
Wasatch Plateau would be lost. The beetles have already caused severe 
impacts on several thousand acres of spruce-fir stands adjacent to and 
south of the analysis area. As a consequence, most spruce trees over 
eight inches in diameter in the area to the south are dead or dying. 
The insects are continuing to move in a northward direction and it is 
anticipated they will continue to invade, infest, and kill most of the 
spruce trees eight inches or large in diameter throughout this analysis 
area, as was the case in the adjacent spruce-fir stands to the south.
    The Forest Service will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) to document the analysis and disclose the environmental impacts 
of proposed actions to salvage dead, insect infested and dying trees, 
commercially thin live high risk trees, manage natural and prescribed 
burning, and restock some stands of trees located in the Spring, 
Rolfson, and the north and south forks of Lake Canyon drainages within 
the project analysis area. The project area is located on public lands 
administered by the Ferron/Price Ranger District approximately 20 miles 
northwest of Huntington, Utah. It is bordered on the north by State 
highway 31 located in Huntington Canyon, on the west by Skyline Drive, 
FDR 150, on the east by the Millers Flat road, FDR 014, and on the 
south at the divide between Rolfson and Staker canyons. The need for 
the proposal is to:
     Restore and/or maintain composition, structure, and 
diversity of the landscape by providing for tree species and stand 
density levels that will improve resistance to insects and disease;
     Facilitate rapid reestablishment of Englemann spruce 
through replanting of spruce;
     Enhance the aspen communities that are being lost due to 
conifer invasion/encroachment and lack of natural fire;
     Contribute to a timber source that helps meet National 
demands for forest products and recover some of the economic loss of 
the resource from the dead, dying, insect infested and high-risk green 
trees;
     Improve public safety by removing hazard trees from 
roadsides and from dispersed camping areas within the project area.
    Portions of the Rolfson-Staker Inventoried Roadless Area are 
located within the analysis area but are not included in the Proposed 
Action. The No Action is one alternative that will be considered. 
Additional alternatives will be formulated based on public issues, and 
response analysis. The proposed action involves harvesting/salvaging 
approximately 3.4 MMBF (Million Board Feet) of dead, dying, insect 
infected and high-risk green trees from approximately 783 acres within 
an analysis area of about 5,000 acres. Harvest of trees would be by 
both aerial (helicopter) and ground based methods. Of the 783 acres to 
be treated, about 574 acres (73%) would be by helicopter, and 
approximately 209 acres (25%) by tractor. Sixty percent of the treated 
acres (470) are planned for artificial reforestation (hand planting of 
seedlings) and 40% (323) acres by natural regeneration. Approximately 
3.5 miles of road maintenance, and 2 miles of road construction on 
existing road prisms would be needed for the project. One half mile of 
the two miles constructed would be reclaimed. The proposed action does 
not include road construction, reconstruction or logging in the 
inventoried roadless area.

DATES: Written comments concerning the scope of the analysis described 
in this Notice should be received on or before June 4, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Manti-La Sal National Forest, 599 
West Price River Drive, Price, Utah 84501.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions concerning the proposed 
action and EIS should be addressed to Don Fullmer, Ecosystems Staff, 
Manti-La Sal National Forest, phone (435) 637-2817.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This EIS will tier to the final EIS for the 
Manti-La Sal National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest 
Plan). The Manti-La Sal Forest Plan provides the overall guidance 
(Goals, Objectives, Standards, and Management Area Direction) to 
achieve the Desired Future condition for the area being analyzed, and 
contains specific management area prescriptions for the entire Forest.
    The Forest Service is seeking information and comments from 
Federal, State, and local agencies as well as individuals and 
organizations that may be interested in, or affected by the proposed 
action. The Forest Services invites written comments and suggestions on 
the issues related to the proposal and the area being analyzed. 
Information received will be used in preparation of the Draft EIS and 
Final EIS. For most effective use, comments should be submitted to the 
Forest Service within 30 days from the date of publication of this 
Notice in the Federal Register.
    The Ferron/Price Ranger District of the Manti-La Sal National 
Forest in Emery and Sanpete Counties in the state of Utah would 
administer the proposed management activities for this analysis.

[[Page 22514]]

Agency representatives and other interested people are invited to visit 
with Forest Service officials at any time during the EIS process. Two 
specific time periods are identified for the receipt of formal comments 
on the analysis. The two comment periods are: (1) During the scoping 
process, the next 30 days following publication of this Notice in the 
Federal Register, and (2) during the formal review period of the Draft 
EIS.
    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 it is important to give reviewers notice at this early stage 
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 reviewers' position and intentions.
    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 but that are not raised 
until after 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 Circuit, 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 and concerns on the proposed action, 
comments on the draft statement. Comments may also address the adequacy 
of 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 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, 40 CFR 1503.3 in addressing these points.
    It is projected the final release of the EIS to be March 4, 2002. 
The Forest Supervisor for the Manti-La Sal National forest is the 
responsible official for the EIS. After considering the comments, 
responses, and environmental consequences discussed in the Final 
Environment Impact Statement, and applicable laws, regulations, and 
policies a decision by this official will be made regarding the 
proposal. The reasons for the decision will be documented in a Record 
of Decision. The Forest Supervisor's office of the Manti-La Sal 
National Forest is located at 599 West Price River Drive, Price, Utah 
84501, phone: 435-637-2817.

    Dated: April 27, 2001.
Elaine J. Zieroth,
Forest Supervisor, Manti-La Sal National Forest.
[FR Doc. 01-11213 Filed 5-3-01; 8:45 am]
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