[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 54 (Wednesday, March 20, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12963-12964]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-6677]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


West Bear Vegetation Management Project; Wasatch-Cache National 
Forest, Summit County, UT

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare environmental impact statement.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Forest Supervisor of the Wasatch-Cache National Forest 
gives notice of the agency's intent to prepare an environmental impact 
statement on a proposal to manage forest vegetation in the Bear River 
drainage. The headwaters of this drainage are located on the west end 
of the Evanston Ranger District and are located in Utah about 35 miles 
south of Evanston, Wyoming in the Uinta Mountain Range. The portion of 
this drainage this is National Forest land and is being considered for 
treatment contains approximately 13,000 acres, primarily in the West 
Fork of the Bear River drainage.
    The proposed action was developed to address some of the 
opportunities identified in the West Fork Bear River Assessment. It 
includes silvicultural treatments to restore forest age class 
diversity, species composition, and forest stand structure. These 
proposed treatments included the use of prescribed fire as well as 
timber harvest. New roads would be constructed to provide access for 
timber harvest in portions of the area. The volume of timber and amount 
of new road construction will likely vary among alternatives. The 
proposal also includes reconstruction or relocation of some poorly 
located existing roads and improvement or rehabilitation of some 
existing dispersed recreation sites in the area.
    The purpose of and need for this proposal includes the following:
    1. To restore forest age class diversity, species composition, and 
forest stand structure that were likely to have occurred historically 
in this drainage. Fire suppression and past timber harvesting have 
resulted in prevalence of mature and old forest in portions of the 
area, forest succession from seral species to subalpine fir, and dense 
forest stand conditions not consistent with the historic range of 
conditions. These conditions have adverse effects on habitat for some 
wildlife species as well increasing the risk of forest insect 
epidemics. The project would restore balance to forest conditions 
reducing the effects of past human activities on some species of 
wildlife and maintain or rector properly functioning conditions to 
forest lands in the area.
    2. To reduce adverse environmental effects of the existing road 
system. Many of the roads in this drainage constructed or developed 
prior to the 1970's are poorly located and designed. Portions need to 
be relocated or redesigned to reduce sediment delivery to stream 
channels.
    3. To provide timber for harvest from suitable lands contributing 
opportunities for industry and communities in Utah and Wyoming that are 
dependent on national forest timber for a portion of their supply and 
economy.
    4. To improve and maintain or/rehabilitate existing dispersed 
campsites. Some of the dispersed campsites that have developed over the 
years are on poor locations with poor access roads. There is a need to 
harden or redesign some sites and to close and rehabilitate other sites 
and decommission improperly located access roads to reduce damage to 
soils, vegetation, and streams.
    The Forest Service invites comments and suggestions on the scope of 
the analysis to be included in the draft environmental impact statement 
(DEIS). In addition, the Forest Service gives notice that it is 
beginning a full environmental analysis and decision-making process for 
this proposal so that interested or affected people may know how they 
can participate in the environmental analysis and contribute to the 
final decision. The first public ``scoping'' open house is scheduled 
for March 28, 2002, in Evanston, Wyoming, at the Historic Railroad 
Depot on front Street in Evanston, Wyoming, from 4:00 to 7:00 P.M. The 
purpose of this open house is to learn what issues members of the 
public or interested agencies believe are involved in the proposal. 
Knowledge of the issues will help establish the scope of the Forest 
Service environmental analysis and define the kind and range of 
alternatives to be considered. Forest Service officials wild describe 
and explain the proposed actions and the process of environmental 
analysis and disclosure to be followed in evaluating this proposal. The 
Forest Service welcomes any public comments on the proposal.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis should be received 
in writing by April 19, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Stephen Ryberg, District Ranger, 
Evanston, WY 82930.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Larry Johnson, Environmental Planner, 
(307) 789-3194, or Kent O'Dell, Timber Management Coordinator, (307) 
782-6555.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposal to manage forest vegetation in 
the Bear River drainage includes timber harvesting, prescribed burning, 
construction and reconstruction of roads, and hardening, rehabilitating 
or relocating dispersed campsites and their access roads. There are a 
variety of forest cover types in this drainage, including spruce/fir, 
mixed conifer, lodgepole pine, mixed conifer and aspen, and pure aspen. 
Proposed silvicultural prescriptions include selective management in 
the spruce/fir and mixed conifer, thinning and small patch cuts in the 
lodgepole pine, and conifer removal combined with prescribed fire in 
the mixed conifer/aspen and pure aspen forest cover types.
    Proposed new road construction would be limited to that needed for 
access for management activities. Most of these roads would be closed 
or decommissioned following management activities. Several of these 
roads may be opened for public use to replace existing roads that would 
be decommissioned. There is no proposed road construction in 
inventoried roadless areas.
    Proposed reconstruction or relocation of existing roads would 
emphasize improving design of the roads near stream crossings and 
relocating or improving drainage where the roads are near stream 
channels.
    Proposed hardening, redesign, or relocation of dispersed campsites 
and their access roads would be emphasized where these sites or their 
access roads are resulting in soil erosion, especially near water 
bodies.
    The decision to be made is whether to implement the proposed 
activities listed above.
    The Wasatch-Cache National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan 
provides standards and guides for forest and road management. This 
direction is located in Chapter IV under the Whitney Management Area 
and under Forest-wide Standards and Guides. The proposed action is 
consistent with the Forest Plan.
    A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers ``404 Permit'' for dredging and 
filling waters

[[Page 12964]]

and/or wetlands will be required for any road work in stream channels 
or riparian areas. A determination of effects on Canada lynx will be 
required from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The Forest Service 
will request the U.S. Army Corps and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to 
cooperate in the environmental analysis, and may request cooperation 
from other State or Federal agencies.
    The Deciding Official will be Tom Tidwell, Forest Supervisor, 
Wasatch-Cache National Forest, 8236 Federal Building, 125 South State 
Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84138.
    A draft environmental impact statement is expected to be published 
in 2002, with public comment on the draft material requested for a 
period of 45 days, and completion of a final environmental impact 
statement later in 2002.
    The 45 day public comment period on the draft environmental impact 
statement will commence on the day the Environmental Protection Agency 
publishes a ``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 proposed 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 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 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 
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.) Please note that comments 
you make on the draft environmental impact statement will be regarded 
as public information.

    Dated: March 14, 2002.
Tom Tidwell,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 02-6677 Filed 3-19-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 34210-11-M