[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 235 (Thursday, December 6, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Page 63358]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-30237]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


USDA Forest Service and State of Florida Land Exchange, National 
Forests in Florida, Baker, Citrus, Franklin, Hernando, Lake, Liberty, 
Okaloosa, Osceola, Pasco, Santa Rosa, and Sumter Counties, FL

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.

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SUMMARY: The USDA Forest Service is issuing this notice to advise the 
public that an environmental impact statement (EIS) will be prepared 
for a proposed land exchange between the State of Florida and the 
Forest Service in Baker, Citrus, Franklin, Hernando, Lake, Liberty, 
Okaloosa, Osceola, Pasco, Santa Rosa, and Sumter counties, Florida. The 
Forest Service invites written comments and suggestions on the scope of 
the environmental analysis for the EIS from Federal, State, and local 
agencies, federally recognized Tribes, and other individuals or 
organizations that may be interested in or affected by the proposed 
action.

DATES: Comments should be submitted by January 18, 2002 at the address 
listed below. A draft EIS is expected to be completed in July 2002. The 
final EIS is scheduled to be completed in October 2002.

ADDRESSES: To ensure that the full range of issued related to the 
proposed action is addressed and all significant issues are identified, 
comments and suggestions are invited from all interested parties. You 
may request to be placed on the project mailing list or you may direct 
questions, comments and suggestions to Mr. Gary Hegg, NEPA Coordinator, 
Apalachicola National Forest, 57 Taff Drive, Crawfordville, Florida 
32327, telephone (850) 926-3561.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mrs. Chris Zajicek, Lands Program 
Manager, USDA Forest Service, 325 John Knox Road Suite F-100, 
Tallahassee, Florida 32303, telephone (850) 942-9328.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Forest Service is proposing a value for 
value exchange of federal land and mineral rights for state lands. The 
federal lands are from three locations, the Choctawhatchee 
(357acres), Apalachicola (4,053acres), and the 
Ocala National Forests (237acres). The federal mineral 
rights are from two locations, lands under the Blackwater 
(182,300acres) and Withlacoochee State Forests 
(114,000acres). The Lands that the State would exchange are 
in two locations, Pinhook Swamp (33,700acres) and Seminole 
State Forest Lands (214acres). Newsletters describing the 
proposed action and soliciting comments will be sent to appropriate 
Federal, State and local agencies, and to organizations and citizens 
who express interest in this proposal. Preliminary issues include the 
different levels of protection between state and federal ownership 
regarding cultural resources and Tribal consultation rights and 
protection provided for Proposed, Endangered, Threatened and Sensitive 
(PETS) species. Possible other alternatives under consideration 
include: Taking no action, purchasing the land to be acquired, an 
alternative that does not include the Tate's Hell Tract, and an 
alternative where only the mineral rights are exchanged for an equal 
value of land in the Pinhook Swamp. 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. The 
Forest Service believes, at this early state, 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 US. 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 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 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 it 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.

    Dated: November 28, 2001.
Marsha Kearney,
Forest Supervisor, National Forests in Florida.
[FR Doc. 01-30237 Filed 12-5-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M