[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 18 (Tuesday, January 28, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4165-4166]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-1822]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Record of Decision on the Woodpecker Project Area Final 
Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; record of decision.

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SUMMARY: The USDA Forest Service, Tongass National Forest, has prepared 
the record of decision for the Woodpecker Project Area. The project 
area is located within the Petersburg Ranger District, on Mitkof 
Island, about 27 miles south of Petersburg, Alaska. Thomas Puchlerz, 
Forest Supervisor for the Tongass National Forest, has selected a 
modification of Alternative 6 from the final Environmental Impact 
Statement (final EIS, August 2001). This decision includes: (a) Harvest 
of approximately 5.4 million board feet of timber from approximately 
400 acres, (b) parking turnouts, (c) improvement of dispersed 
recreation use areas, (d) closure of approximately ten miles of 
existing road for watershed improvement, and (e) adjustment of three 
small old-growth habitat reserves. Approximately 2.5 miles of temporary 
road will be constructed to access the timber. No new classified road 
designed for long-term use will be constructed. An existing log 
transfer facility will be used.

DATES: The legal notice of this decision was published in the Juneau 
Empire, the newspaper of record, published in Juneau, Alaska, on 
January 23, 2003. This began the 45-day appeal period, which will close 
on Monday, March 10, 2003. This decision may be implemented no sooner 
than 5 business days after close of the appeal period, if no appeal is 
received. If an appeal is received, this decision may be implemented no 
sooner than 15 days following disposition of the appeal.

ADDRESSES: Requests for copies of the record of decision of final EIS 
may be directed to: Cynthia Sever, Petersburg Ranger District, P.O. Box 
1328, Petersburg, Alaska 99833, Phone (907) 772-3871; fax (907) 772-
5995; or e-mail [email protected]. The Responsible Official is Thomas 
Puchlerz, Forest Supervisor, Tongass National Forest, 648 Mission 
Street, Ketchikan, AK 99901. The Regional Forester is the Appeal 
Deciding Officer. Written notices of appeal must be addressed to: 
Regional Forester, Alaska Region, USDA, Forest Service, P.O. Box 21628, 
Juneau, AK 99802-1628.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for further information

[[Page 4166]]

concerning the final EIS or the record of decision may be directed to 
Patricia Grantham, District Ranger, or Cynthia Sever, Interdisciplinary 
Team Leader, Petersburg Ranger District, 907-772-3871. Copies of the 
record of decision have been mailed directly to those people who 
requested to be on the project mailing list. Additional copies may be 
obtained from the Petersburg Ranger District or reviewed at public 
libraries throughout southeast Alaska. The record of decision is also 
posted on the Tongass National Forest website at www.fs.fed.us/r10/
tongass.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background: The August 13, 2001 record of 
decision for the Woodpecker Project Area was reversed on appeal because 
of some data discrepancies in the final EIS. A supplemental information 
report was prepared to determine whether these discrepancies influenced 
the effects analysis. This review concluded that only minor changes to 
information in the final EIS were necessary, and that the analysis 
presented in the final EIS was valid. The modifications to Alternative 
6 for this record of decision were made to comply with the injunction 
issued on April 26, 2002, by the U.S. District Court, District of 
Alaska, in Sierra Club v. Rey (J00-0009 CV (JKS)). The Selected 
Alternative includes timber harvest and road construction only within 
roaded areas, as defined by the court. This decision is subject to 
administrative review (appeal) pursuant to 36 CFR part 215. The legal 
notice of this decision was published in the Juneau Empire, the 
newspaper of record, published in Juneau, Alaska, on January 23, 2003. 
The 45-day appeal filing period will close on Monday, March 10, 2003. A 
written notice of appeal that includes sufficient evidence of why this 
decision should be changed and requirements of 36 CFR part 215 must be 
postmarked by this date and filed with the Appeal Deciding Officer: 
Regional Forester, Alaska Region, USDA Forest Service, PO Box 21628, 
Juneau, AK 99802-1628.
    Responsible Official: Thomas Puchlerz, Forest Supervisor, Tongass 
National Forest, Federal Building, Ketchikan, Alaska 99901, is the 
responsible official.

(Authority: 40 CFR 1505.2 and 1506.6; Forest Service Handbook 
1909.15, section 28)

    Dated: January 21, 2003.
Thomas Puchlerz,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 03-1822 Filed 1-27-03; 8:45 am]
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