[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 217 (Friday, November 8, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68089-68091]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-28458]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


North Fork Eel Grazing Allotments EIS--Six Rivers National Forest

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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

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SUMMARY: The Six Rivers National Forest will prepare an environmental 
impact statement (EIS) on a proposal to authorize grazing 591 cow-calf 
pairs on five allotments encompassing approximately 72,558 acres of 
National Forest System lands in the North Fork Eel River Watershed in 
Trinity County, California. The allotments within the analysis area 
include Zenia, Hoaglin, Soldier Creek, Long Ridge and Van Horn. Small 
portions of the latter three allotments extend into adjacent 
watersheds, for which separate environmental analyses would be 
conducted. They are located in all or portions of the following 
townships: T2SR6E, T2SR7E, T3SR6E, T3SR7E, T3SR8E, T4S6E, T4S7E, 
T4SR8E, T5SR6E, T5SR7E, Humboldt Meridian; T25NR12W, Mount Diablo 
Meridian.
    The purposes of the proposal are to authorize grazing in the five 
cattle allotments under a strategy that protects heritage and natural 
resource values and maintains the biological diversity of rangelands. 
If approved, the Six Rivers National Forest would authorize grazing 
through term grazing permits for up to 10 years. The EIS will be 
designed to satisfy the requirements of the Federal Land Policy and 
Management Act of 1976 and implementing regulations (43 CFR 2310.1).

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received 
on or before 30 days after publication of this notice in the Federal 
Register. The draft environmental impact statement is expected in March 
2003 and the final environmental impact statement is expected in June 
2003.

[[Page 68090]]


ADDRESSES: Send written comments to S. E., ``Lou'' Woltering, Forest 
Supervisor, Six Rivers National Forest, 1330 Bayshore Way, Eureka, CA 
95501-3834. For further information, mail correspondence to Ruben 
Escatell, EIS Team Leader, Mad River Ranger District, Star Route Box 
300, Bridgeville, CA 95526. A public meeting scheduled for December 3, 
2002 will be held at the Mad River Community Hall located at 155-C Van 
Duzen Road, Mad River, CA 95552. Comments may be mailed electronically 
to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ruben Escatell or Clara Bambauer 
Cross, EIS Team Leaders at (707) 574-6233.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Purpose and Need for Action

    The purpose of this analysis is to evaluate the grazing management 
on five allotments within the North Fork Eel River watershed and to 
determine the level and conditions of grazing to be authorized on 
federal lands managed by the Six Rivers National Forest, Mad River 
Ranger District. The allotments within the project area are Hoaglin, 
Long Ridge, Soldier Creek, Van Horn and Zenia. The Six Rivers National 
Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (LRMP) designates the North 
Fork Eel Watershed as a Key Watershed, part of a system of watersheds 
that serve as refugia for at-risk stocks of anadromous salmonids and 
resident fish species. Land management allocations across the analysis 
area include Matrix, Late-successional Reserve, Riparian Reserves, 
Wilderness and Wild River.
    Allotment Management Plans (AMP's) developed from this analysis 
would meet resource protection and enhancement goals in the Six Rivers 
National Forest LRMP, while protecting outstandingly remarkable values 
associated with the segment of the river designated as Wild under the 
Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (1968). These goals and values include the 
following:
    [sbull] Maintenance of water quality for aquatic ecosystems, 
particularly anadromous fish.
    [sbull] Maintenance of rangeland biologic diversity and 
productivity.
    [sbull] Protection of heritage resources.
    [sbull] Protection of habitat for wildlife and plant species of 
concern.
    [sbull] Maintenance of values associated with inclusive Wilderness 
and Wild River designations.
    [sbull] Maintenance of economic stability for the local community 
that relies on public rangelands.
    [sbull] Fulfillment of a trust responsibility to the Round Valley 
Indian Tribes to manage grazing activities and policies so as to not 
adversely impact tribal trust properties and rights downriver of the 
analysis area.
    A number of laws, including the Multiple-Use Sustained Yield Act 
(1960), the Wilderness Act (1964), the California State Wilderness Act 
(1984), the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act 
(1974), the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (1976), and the 
National Forest Management Act (1976), provide direction for grazing on 
public lands. The Six Rivers National Forest LRMP contains provisions 
to implement this direction.

Proposed Action

    The Forest Service proposes to authorize grazing for 591 cow-calf 
pairs on National Forest Systems lands on five cattle allotments within 
the North Fork Eel River watershed and prepare Allotment Management 
Plans to incorporate the elements included within the resulting 
decision. Grazing practices, and construction or restoration of range 
improvements, would be prescribed to protect aquatic systems, water 
quality, anadromous fish habitat, improve livestock distribution, and 
enhance rangeland health and biodiversity.

Responsible Official

    S.E. ``Lou'' Woltering, Forest Supervisor, Six Rivers National 
Forest, USDA Forest Service, 1330 Bayshore Way, Eureka, CA 95501-3834, 
is the Responsible Official for any decision to authorize grazing and 
manage rangelands in the five cattle allotments within the North Fork 
Eel River watershed on National Forest system lands. He will document 
his decisions and rationale in a Record of Decision.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The Forest Supervisor will make the following decision: whether or 
not to authorize cattle grazing in allotments within the North Fork Eel 
River watershed, and if so, the terms and conditions required for the 
term grazing permits and AMP's.

Scoping Process

    The public is encouraged to take part in the scoping process and is 
encouraged to visit with Forest Service officials at any time during 
the analysis and prior to the decision. The Forest Service will be 
seeking information, comments and assistance from Federal, State and 
local agencies and other individuals or organizations who may be 
interested in, or affected by, the proposed action. While public 
participation in this analysis is welcome at any time, comments 
received within 30 days of the publication of this notice will be 
especially useful in the preparation of the Draft EIS. A public meeting 
associated with the project will be held to gain a better understanding 
of public issues and concerns. The meeting will be held in Mad River, 
California at the Mad River Community Hall on December 3, 2002 from 6 
to 8 p.m.
    Information from the meeting will be used in preparation of the 
draft and final EIS. The scoping process will include identifying: 
potential issues, significant issues to be analyzed in depth, 
alternatives to the proposed action, and potential environmental 
effects of the proposal and alternatives.

Early Notice of Importance of Public Participation in Subsequent 
Environmental Review

    A draft environmental impact statement will be prepared for 
comment. 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, at this early stage, 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 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.2wd 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

[[Page 68091]]

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.
    Comments received, including the names and addresses of those who 
comment, will be considered part of the public record on this proposal 
and will be available for public inspection.

(Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7 and 1508.22; Forest Service Handbook 
1909.15, Section 21)

    Dated: October 31, 2002.
S.E. ``Lou'' Woltering,
Forest Supervisor, Six Rivers National Forest.
[FR Doc. 02-28458 Filed 11-7-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M