[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 250 (Monday, December 30, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 79561-79562]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-32808]


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

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Interface Recreation Trails Project

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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

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

SUMMARY: This is a revision of the notice of intent published on 
November 22, 2000 (pages 76332-76333). This notice documents changes in 
the information in the previous notice of intent. The changes are: (1) 
A change in the responsible official from the District Ranger to the 
Forest Supervisor, and (2) A delay in filing the draft and final 
environmental impact statement.
    The Forest Service intends to prepare an environmental impact 
statement (EIS) to disclose the environmental consequences of the 
proposed Interface Recreation Trails Project on the Calaveras Ranger 
District of the Stanislaus National Forest. The agency proposes to 
design a system of recreation routes, determine the uses that can occur 
on each route in the system, and develop measures to protect natural 
resources on approximately 8,700 acres on National Forest System lands. 
Hiking, horseback riding, mountain bike riding, off-highway vehicle 
riding, and highway licensed vehicle riding are the uses being 
considered in this analysis. The purpose of the proposal is to provide 
a variety of recreation opportunities for route users while protecting 
the natural resources, minimizing conflicts between recreationists and 
others.

DATES: The comment period for this analysis closed January 8, 2001. 
This is not a solicitation for comments. The draft environmental impact 
statement is expected February 2003 and the final environmental impact 
statement is expected June 2003.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Robert W. Griffith, District 
Ranger, Calaveras Ranger District, Stanislaus National Forest, USDA 
Forest Service, PO Box 500, Hathaway Pines, California, 95233.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Greg Casselberry, Planning Team 
Leader, telephone: (209) 795-1381, extension 321. Email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Purpose and Need for Action

    The existing trail system in the Interface Area developed primarily 
as a result of users adopting old logging and mining roads, skid 
trails, fuel breaks, and abandoned water ditches for their trail use. 
Over time, users constructed additional trails to access new areas, 
avoid impassable sections of existing trails, form loops and connectors 
with other trails, and provide the desired variety of challenges and 
experiences.
    Over the last 30 years, local residents, second homeowners, and 
their friends have used and enjoyed this system of routes for both non-
motorized and motorize recreation. During the mid-1990s, the need for a 
designed trail system and a site-specific management analysis for the 
Interface Area became evident. Increased trails use, resource impacts 
on some trail segments, trail-user conflict, and complaints from 
residents such as those with homes near Forest Road 5N95Y or near trail 
system access points from subdivisions prompted the Forest Service to 
begin project-level analysis and planning in the area.
    The purpose or goal in designing the recreation route system, 
designating uses, and developing resource protection measures is to 
provide a variety of recreation opportunities for all trail users, 
while protecting natural resources, minimizing conflicts between trail 
users and others.

Proposed Action

    The proposed project is located in Calaveras County, California 
within the Calaveras Ranger District of the Stanislaus National Forest 
in portions of sections 1, 2, 11, 12, 13, 14, 23, 24, 26, T.4N., 
R.14E., a portion of section 18, T.4N., R.15E., portions of sections 
13, 24, 25, 26, 35, 36, T.5N., R.14E., and portions of sections 7, 8, 
17, 18, 19, 20, 29, 30, T.5N., R.15E., MDB&M. It is adjacent to the 
western boundary of the communities of Hathaway Pines, Avery, Arnold, 
and White Pines.
    Under the current proposal being analyzed, non-motorized and 
motorized recreation use (shared use) will continue to be allowed on 
19.5 miles of existing trails and roads. 16.6 miles of existing trails 
and roads will be designated and available for non-motorized recreation 
use only. 17.4 miles of existing roads will be routes for highway-
licensed vehicles only. There will be 10.0 miles of multiple use routes 
and 10.7 miles of non-motorized trails constructed. 26.5 miles of 
existing trails and roads will be closed. Five gates will be closed to 
public motorized traffic. One mile of Forest Road 5N95Y will be 
chipsealed. Parking areas will be established on Forest Road 5N52, and 
County Road 323 to access the trail system. A low-water crossing and 
approach will be constructed at Slick Rock Crossing. Street legal 
vehicles only zones that are a minimum of \1/4\ mile wide will be 
established adjacent to subdivisions. A permanent public easement for 
the segment of the trail that crosses private land located in the SW\1/
4\ of the NE\1/4\ of section 30, T.5N., R.15E. will be sought from the 
landowner. Regulatory orders will be developed to enforce trail use 
restrictions, trail closures, street legal zone restrictions, and gate 
closures.

Possible Alternatives

    A range of alternatives to the proposed action will be considered. 
The alternatives will be designed to provide different ways to address 
and respond to significant issues and to fulfill the purpose and need 
for action. A reasonable range of alternatives will be evaluated and 
reasons given for eliminating some alternatives from detailed study. A 
no action alternative is required. Under the no action alternative, the 
recreation route system, recreation route uses, and Forest Service 
management practices would continue unchanged, just as they are today.

Responsible Official

    The Forest Supervisor, Stanislaus National Forest, 19777 Greenley 
Road, Sonora, California, 95370-5909 is the Responsible Official who 
will decide what actions are to be implemented to provide a variety of 
recreation opportunities for route users within the project area. He 
will document his decisions and rationale in a Record of Decision.

[[Page 79562]]

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The decision to be made is whether to implement the proposed action 
as described above, to meet the purpose and need for action through 
some other combination of activities, or take no action at this time.

Scoping Process

    This revised notice of intent is not a solicitation for public 
comment. The comment period for this analysis closed January 8, 2001 
and no additional comments will be considered until the draft 
environmental impact statement is available for public review. The 
scoping process was used to identify potential issues related to the 
proposed action, significant issues to be analyzed in depth, 
alternatives to the proposed action, and potential environmental 
effects of the proposed action and its alternatives.

Preliminary Issues

    Three preliminary issues have been identified: (1) Disturbances by 
human presence and noise on the trails and roads may adversely impact 
wildlife species, (2) sounds of motorized vehicles on the trails and 
roads may have a negative impact on adjacent landowners, and (3) 
opportunities for recreation may be affected by the trail and road 
mileage available as well as by the uses allowed on each route.

Comment Requested

    This Revised Notice of Intent is not a solicitation for public 
comment. The comment period for this analysis closed January 8, 2001 
and no additional commnets will be considered until the draft 
environmental impact statement is made available for public review.

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, 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.

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

    Dated: December 20, 2002.
Glenn Gottschall,
Acting Forest Supervisor--Stanislaus National Forest.
[FR Doc. 02-32808 Filed 12-27-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P