[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 141 (Tuesday, July 23, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48131-48132]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-18514]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Couverden Timber Sale Project

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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

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SUMMARY: The Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, will prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on a proposal to harvest timber 
for the Couverden Timber Sale(s) project on the south end of the 
Chilkat Peninsula north of Icy Strait and west of Lynn Canal on the 
Juneau Ranger District, Tongass National Forest. The proposed action 
provides for: (1) Timber harvest on approximately 1500 acres of 
forested land resulting in the production of an estimated 25 million 
board feet of sawlog and utility timber volume, (2) construction of 
approximately 5 miles of new specified road and 3 miles of temporary 
road, and (3) reconstruction of 19 miles of existing specified road. 
The Record of Decision will disclose how the Forest Service allocates 
timber harvest in the project area using the existing transportation 
infrastructure including existing roads and the permitted log transfer 
facility known as Homeshore LTF.

DATES: A public mailing that outlines the project timeline and public 
involvement opportunities is planned for distribution in Summer 2002. 
Individuals who want to receive this mailing should contact us within 
30 days of the publication of this NOI. To be most useful, comments 
concerning the scope of this project should be received by September 
15, 2002. The Draft Environmental Impact Statement is expected in 
Winter 2003 and will begin a 45-day public comment period. The Final 
Environmental Impact Statement and Record of Decision are expected Fall 
2004.

ADDRESSES: Please send written comments to: District Ranger, Juneau 
Ranger District, ATTN: Couverden EIS, 8465 Old Dairy Road, Juneau, AK 
99801.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stan McCoy, Project Team Leader, 
telephone (907) 790-7431 or Dave Carr, Timber Management Assistant, 
telephone (907) 790-7402. Juneau Ranger District, 8465 Old Dairy Road, 
Juneau, AK 99801.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The proposed timber sale is located about 30 air miles west of 
Juneau, Alaska, 20 air miles southeast of Gustavus, Alaska and 10 air 
miles northeast of Hoonah, Alaska on the south end of the Chilkat 
Peninsula north of Icy Strait and west of Lynn Canal. The project is 
within townships 41 and 42 south, Ranges 61, 62 and 63 west, Copper 
River Meridian. The Juneau Ranger District of the Tongass National 
Forest, Juneau, Alaska, administers the project area. The project area 
contains Value Comparison Units 1170, 1180, 1190, and 1200 as 
designated by Tongass Land and Resource Management Plan. The project 
area includes approximately 66,486 acres. It includes portions of 
Homeshore, Humpy, and Swanson river drainages within the developed 
timber management land use designation. The project area includes one 
medium old growth reserve as designated in Tongass Land and Resource 
Management Plan. Another medium old growth reserve is located north of 
the project area near the community of Excursion Inlet. A Forest Plan 
amendment may be required to modify the old growth reserve boundaries 
associated with this project. Inventoried roadless area 304, 
Chilkat-West Lynn Canal, lies north and east of the project area and 
encompasses 198,525 acres. This Inventoried roadless area is currently 
managed for semi-remote recreation and old growth habitat. The proposed 
action does not include timber harvest or road construction in the 
adjacent inventoried roadless area.
    The purpose and need for the Couverden Project is: (1) To implement 
the direction contained in the 1997 Tongass Land Management Plan and 
the 1997 ROD, including goals, objectives, management prescriptions, 
and standards and guidelines; (2) to maintain wood production from 
suitable timber lands, providing a continuous supply of wood to meet 
societies needs; (3) to help provide a stable supply of timber from the 
Tongass National Forest which meets existing and potential market 
demand and is consistent with sound multiple use and sustained yield 
objectives; and (4) to help meet the desired future condition of the 
landscape as described by the 1997 Tongass Land and Resource Management 
Plan.

Public Participation

    Opportunities for the public to participate in the development of 
the Couverden Timber Sale Environmental Impact Statement will be 
provided throughout the process. The Forest Service will use a 
combination of methods to engage and involve the public, including 
public mailings, postings on the Tongass National Forest internet web 
page, public meetings and the news media. The comment period on the 
Draft Environmental Impact statement will be a minimum of 45 days from 
the date the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) publishes the notice 
of availability in the Federal Register. The Draft EIS is projected to 
be filed with the EPA in Fall 2004.
    The Forest Service believes it is important to give reviewers 
notice of several court rulings 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 U.S. 519, 553, (1978). 
Environmental objections that could have been raised at the draft 
environmental impact statement stage may be waived or dismissed by the 
courts. City of Angoon v. Hodel, 803 F.2nd 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 received by the Forest Service at a

[[Page 48132]]

time when it can meaningfully consider and respond to them in the final 
environmental impact statement.
    To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues 
and concerns with regard to the proposed action, comments during 
scoping and on the Draft Supplemental EIS should be as specific as 
possible. It is helpful if comments refer to specific pages or chapters 
of the document. Comments may also address the adequacy of the Draft 
Supplemental EIS or the merits of the alternatives formulated and 
discussed. 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. Comments received in response to this solicitation, including 
names and addresses of those who comment, will be considered part of 
the public record on this proposed action and will be available for 
public inspection. Comments submitted anonymously will be accepted and 
considered; however, those who submit anonymous comments will not have 
standing to appeal the subsequent decision under 36 CFR parts 215. 
Additionally, pursuant to 7 CFR 1.27(d), any person may request the 
agency to withhold a submission from the public record by showing how 
the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) permits such confidentiality. 
Requesters should be aware that, under FOIA, confidentiality may be 
granted in only very limited circumstances, such as to protect trade 
secrets. The Forest Service will inform the requester of the agency's 
decision regarding the request for confidentiality, and where the 
request is denied, the agency will return the submission and notify the 
requester that the comments may be resubmitted with or without name and 
address within seven days.
    Permits: required for implementation include the following.
    1. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
     Approval of discharge of dredged or fill material into the 
waters of the United States under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act;
     Approval of the construction of structures or work in 
navigable waters of the United States under Section 10 of the Rivers 
and Harbors Act of 1899;
    2. Environmental Protection Agency
     National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (402) 
Permit;
    3. State of Alaska, Department of Natural Resources
     Tideland Permit and Lease or Easement;
    4. State of Alaska, Department of Environmental Conservation
     Solid Waste Disposal Permit;
     Certification of Compliance with Alaska Water Quality 
Standards.

Responsible Official

    The Forest Supervisor, Tongass National Forest, Federal Building, 
Ketchikan, Alaska 99901, is the responsible official. The responsible 
official will consider the comments, responses, disclosure of 
environmental consequences, and applicable laws, regulations, and 
policies in making the decision, and state the rationale for the chosen 
alternative in the Record of Decision.

    Dated: July 16, 2002.
Thomas Puchlerz,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 02-18514 Filed 7-22-02; 8:45 am]
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