[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 12 (Friday, January 17, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2494-2495]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-1139]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Fortine Timber Sales and Associated Activities; Kootenai National 
Forest, Lincoln County, MT

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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

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SUMMARY: The USDA, Forest Service, will prepare an Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) to disclose the environmental effects of timber 
harvest, prescribed fire, road management, and watershed rehabilitation 
in the Fortine Analysis Area on the Fortine Ranger District of the 
Kootenai National Forest. The Fortine Analysis Area is located 
approximately 30 air miles northeast of Libby, Montana, near the 
communities of Trego and Fortine, Montana.
    Scoping Comment Date: Written comments and suggestions should be 
postmarked or received by February 24, 2003.

ADDRESSES: The Responsible Official is Edward C. Monnig, District 
Ranger, Fortine Ranger District, P.O. Box 116, Fortine, Montana, 59918. 
Written comments and suggestions concerning the scope of the analysis 
may be sent to him at that address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joleen Dunham, Project Leader, Fortine 
Ranger District. Phone: (406) 882-4451.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Fortine Decision Area contains 
approximately 25,110 acres of land within the Kootenai National Forest 
in Lincoln County, Montana. The legal location of the Fortine Decision 
Area is as follows: all or portions of T33N, R26W; T32N, R26W; T32N, 
R27W; and T31N, R26W; PMM, Lincoln County, Montana. All of the proposed 
projects would occur on National Forest lands in the Upper Fortine 
drainage seven miles south of the town of Trego, Montana. All proposed 
activities are outside the boundaries of any roadless area or any areas 
considered for inclusion to the National Wilderness System as 
recommended by the Kootenai National Forest Plan or by any past or 
present legislative wilderness proposals.
    The purpose and need for this project is to: (1) Manage forest 
ecosystems to improve forest health and provide habitat for plant and 
animal populations; (2) manage for stable stream channels, productive 
habitats for aquatic species, and water quality that meet or exceeds 
State of Montana water quality goals; (3) reduce existing and expected 
future fuel accumulations and the potential risk of high intensity 
wildland fire and subsequent risk to private property; (4) provide 
timber to support local, regional, and national needs; and (5) maintain 
and manage a cost effective, long-term road system that meets present 
and future resource management needs, increases security for wildlife, 
and insures safe access.
    The Forest Service proposes to harvest timber through application 
of a variety of harvest methods on approximately 2358 acres of 
forestland within the Fortine Decision Area. Use of existing, temporary 
and permanent roads would be needed to access timber harvest areas. An 
estimated 0.75 miles of existing roads would be reconstructed in 
addition to 1.1 miles of new road construction to facilitate timber 
removal and improve access for resource management. The temporary road 
would be obliterated following completion of sale related activities. 
An

[[Page 2495]]

additional 17 miles of road no longer needed for resource management, 
at this time, would be decommissioned by various methods, such as 
removal of culverts, recontouring, ripping and seeding, and installing 
barriers. The method of decommissioning would be selected for each road 
or portions of road on a site-specific basis. An estimated 2 miles of 
existing road would be restricted seasonally with 12 miles of existing 
road restricted year-round to reduce the potential loss of snags in old 
growth habitat, improve habit security for wildlife, and reduce 
sediment delivery to live streams. An estimated 11 miles of existing 
road would be restricted to reduce open road densities within and 
adjacent to designated old growth stands. More specifically management 
activities in this proposal include:
    Regeneration Harvest: This harvest would leave approximately 20 
large trees per acre, where feasible, to provide future snags and down 
woody material for wildlife habitat. A total of approximately 734 acres 
would be harvested through this method.
    Intermediate Harvest: The following types of intermediate harvest 
are proposed: (1) Commercial thinning of condominate and subdominate 
trees while retaining a stocked stand of overstory trees on 
approximately 1522 acres; (2) harvest of post and pole sized lodgepole 
pine from approximately 71 acres; (3) salvage harvest on 31 acres would 
remove merchantable dead lodgepole pine while protecting desirable live 
trees in the stand.
    Underburning: Underburning is proposed on approximately 179 acres 
outside harvest units to reduce fuel loads and reduce fire risk.
    Roadside Fuel Reduction: Fuel reduction through slashing, hand 
piling and burning while maintaining the integrity of the stand is 
proposed within the first 100 feet of timber adjacent to open roads, on 
approximately 65 acres.
    Burning of Natural Fuels and Slash: Burning of natural fuels and 
slash resulting from timber harvest is proposed on approximately 2358 
acres.
    Watershed/Fish Habitat Improvement: Watershed improvement projects 
include controlling cattle access to creeks, removing failed culverts, 
and applying best management practices on approximately 104 miles of 
existing road.
    Range of Alternatives: The Forest Service will consider a range of 
alternatives. One of these will be the ``no action'' alternative in 
which none of the proposed activities would be implemented. Additional 
alternatives will examine varying levels and locations for the proposed 
activities to achieve the proposal's purposes, as well as to respond to 
the issues and other resource values.
    Public Involvement and Scoping: In July 1999 preliminary efforts 
were made to involve the public in considering management opportunities 
within the Fortine Decision Area. Comments received prior to this 
notice will be included in the documentation for the EIS. This proposal 
includes openings greater than 40 acres, ranging from 46 to 60 acres. A 
60 day public review period, and approval by the Regional Forester for 
exceeding the 40 acre limitation for regeneration harvest will occur 
prior to the signing of the Record of Decision. This 60 day period is 
initiated with this notice of intent.
    Estimated Dates for Filing: The Draft EIS is expected to be filed 
with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and available for public 
review by September 2003. At that time, EPA will publish a notice of 
availability of the Draft EIS in the Federal Register. The comment 
period on the Draft EIS will be a minimum of 45 days from the date the 
EPA publishes the notice of availability in the Federal Register. It is 
very important that those interested in the management of this area 
participate at that time.
    The Final EIS is scheduled to be complete by December 2003. In the 
Final EIS, the Forest Service will respond to comments and responses 
received during the comment period that pertain to the environmental 
consequences discussed in the Draft EIS and applicable laws, 
regulations, and policies considered in making a decision regarding the 
proposal.
    Reviewer's Obligations: 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 EIS's 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 EIS stage 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 Draft EIS 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 and respond to them in the Final EIS.
    To be most helpful, comments on the Draft EIS should be as specific 
as possible and may address the adequacy of the statement or the merit 
of the alternatives 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.
    Responsible Official: Edward C. Monnig, District Ranger, Fortine 
Ranger District, Kootenai National Forest, P.O. Box 116, Fortine, 
Montana 59918, is the Responsible Official. As the Responsible 
Official, he will decide if the proposed project will be implemented 
and will document the decision and reasons for the decision in the 
Record of Decision. That decision will be subject to Forest Service 
Appeal Regulations.

    Dated: January 9, 2003.
Greg Kujawa,
Acting Forest Supervisor, Kootenai National Forest.
[FR Doc. 03-1139 Filed 1-16-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M