[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 250 (Monday, December 30, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 79559-79560]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-32862]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Payette National Forest, Idaho, Upper West Fork Weiser Vegetation 
Project

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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

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SUMMARY: The USDA Forest Service published a Notice of Intent to 
prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) for the West Fork 
Weiser Watershed Projects in the Federal Register on March 11, 1999 
(Vol. 64, No 47, pages 12150-12151). A revised Notice of Intent is 
being issued due to two major changes (Forest Service Handbook 1909.15 
part 21.2):
    1. It has been more than six months since filing the original 
Notice of Intent; and
    2. There has been a change in the proposed action and project area. 
The USDA Forest Service will prepare the Upper West Fork Weiser 
Vegetation Management Project EIS. The proposed action in the EIS is to 
manage timber stands to improve their health, species diversity and 
productivity. Additionally, the proposed action is to obliterate roads 
and landings to meet the 1988 Payette National Forest Land and Resource 
management Plan standard for Total Soil Resource Commitment (TSRC). The 
Payette National Forest invites written comments and suggestions on the 
scope of the analysis and the issues to address. The agency gives 
notice of the full National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analysis 
and decision-making process so that interested and affected people know 
how they may participate and contribute to the final decision.

DATES: Comments need to be received by February 7, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Kimberly A. Brandel, District 
Ranger, New Meadows Ranger District, Payette National Forest, P.O. Box 
J, New Meadows, Idaho, 83654.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed action 
should be directed to Sylvia Clark, Interdisciplinary Team Leader, at 
the above address, phone (208) 347-0300.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Upper West Fork Weiser project area is 
located in the Upper Lost Creek, East fork Lost Creek, West Branch of 
the Weiser River, and East Branch of the Weiser River sub-watersheds on 
the New Meadows Ranger District. It is about ten miles north and west 
of New Meadows, and approximately 22,434 acres in size. The purpose and 
need for this activity is to (1) Maintain and restore a diverse and 
sustainable landscape structure, (2) Restore species composition, stand 
structure, and stand density to more closely mimic historic conditions, 
and (3) Maintain and restore stand health, growth, and yield.
    The proposed action includes a variety of activities to meet the 
purpose and need. (1) Harvest timber on approximately 845 acres, 
producing approximately 5.7 million board feet (MMBF), using tractor 
and skyline logging systems. The silvicultural methods used would be 
overstory removal, reserve shelterwood/seed tree and some commercial 
thin. (2) Salvage dead and dying timber killed by fir engraver beetle 
and other pests, or weakened due to light, water, or nutrient 
competition. (3) Restore approximately 216 acres of unproductive soil 
by obliterating roads, skid trails, and/or landings to meet the 1988 
Forest Plan Standard for Total Soil Resource Commitment (TSCR). (4) 
Improve approximately 56 miles of road to provide access for timber 
activities. (5) Ensure desired species composition by planting and/or 
natural regeneration of fire-tolerant Douglas-fir, ponderosa pine, and 
western larch seedlings on 457 acres following timber harvest 
activities. (6) Treat harvest-generated fuels on approximately 809 
acres. Treatments would include machine piling and burning (excavator 
piling would be used where slopes exceed 35 percent), broadcast 
burning, and/or yarding tops. (7) Fence regeneration units on slopes 
less than 35% in cattle allotment. (8) Monitor and treat noxious weeds.
    Preliminary issues for this project include effects on water 
quality, soil productivity, wildlife habitat, recreation, access 
management, visual quality, and fish habitat.
    A range of reasonable alternatives will be considered. The non-
action alternative will serve as a baseline for comparison of 
alternatives. The proposed action will be considered along with 
additional alternatives developed that meet the purpose and need and 
address major issues identified during scoping. Alternatives may have 
different amounts, locations, and types of project activities.
    Comments received in response to this notice, including names and 
addresses of those who comment, will be part of the project record and 
available for public review.
    The Forest Service is seeking information and comments from other 
Federal, State, and local agencies; Tribal governments; organizations; 
and individuals who may be interested in or affected by the proposed 
action. This input will be used in preparation of the draft EIS.
    A draft EIS will be prepared for comment. The draft EIS will be 
filed with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and is anticipated 
to be available for public review by fall 2003. The comment period on 
the draft EIS will be 45 days. It is important that those interested in 
the management of the Payette National forest participate during this 
initial scoping period and during the 45-day draft EIS comment period.
    The Forest Service believes, at this early state, it is important 
to five reviewers notice of several court rulings related to public 
participation in the environmental review process. First, reviewers of 
draft EISs 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, 1002 (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 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

[[Page 79560]]

raised by the proposed action, comments on the draft EIS 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.
    After the 45-day comment period ends, the Forest Service will 
analyze comments received and address them in the final EIS. The final 
EIS is scheduled to be completed in 2004. The Responsible Official is 
the Payette National Forest Supervisor. The decision will be 
documented, including the rationale for the decision, in a Record of 
Decision (ROD). The decision will be subject to review under the Forest 
Service Appeal Regulations at 36 CFR 215.

    Dated: December 20, 2002.
Mark Madrid,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 02-32862 Filed 12-27-02; 8:45 am]
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