[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 226 (Friday, November 22, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70395-70396]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-29730]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


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

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Revised notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact 
statement.

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SUMMARY: This notice is a revision of the original notice of intent (67 
FR 68089) published in the Federal Register on November 8, 2002. The 
Six Rivers National Forest will prepare an environmental impact 
statement (EIS) on a proposal to authorize grazing of up to 396 Animal 
Units 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 the Hoaglin, Soldier Creek, Zenia, Long Ridge and Van Horn. 
Portions of the latter four allotments extend into adjacent watersheds. 
Three units of the Van Horn Allotment located within the Upper Mad 
River Watershed will be evaluated in a separate environmental analysis. 
The analysis area is 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 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. The needs are to meet resource protection and 
enhancement goals in the Six Rivers National Forest Land and Resource 
Management Plan (LRMP), to manage for healthy rangeland ecosystems and 
to authorize grazing in a manner that maintains or improves rangeland 
productivity and desirable species while reducing noxious weeds. 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.

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. There is a need to meet 
resource protection and enhancement goals in the Six Rivers National 
Forest LRMP through the implementation of Allotment Management Plans 
(AMPs) developed from this analysis, while protecting outstandingly 
remarkable values associated with the segment of the North Fork Eel 
River designated as Wild under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (1968). 
The goals and values of the LRMP include the following:
    [sbull] Maintenance of water quality for aquatic ecosystems, 
particularly anadromous fish.
    [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.
    There is also a need to manage for healthy rangeland ecosystems, 
and to authorize grazing in a way that maintains or improves rangeland 
productivity and desirable species while reducing noxious weeds.
    A number of laws provide direction for grazing on public lands, 
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). The Six Rivers National Forest LRMP also contains 
provisions to implement this direction.

[[Page 70396]]

Proposed Action

    The Forest Service proposes to authorize grazing of up to 396 
Animal Units 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 and maintain water 
quality, anadromous fish habitat, and heritage sites, as well as 
improve livestock distribution to enhance rangeland health.

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 AMPs.

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 
will be held to provide information on the proposal as well as on how 
to provide input to this analysis. 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 the 
preparation of the draft and final EIS.

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.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.
    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: November 18, 2002.
Jerry Boberg,
Acting Forest Supervisor, Six Rivers National Forest.
[FR Doc. 02-29730 Filed 11-21-02; 8:45 am]
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