[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 56 (Monday, March 24, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14178-14179]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-6899]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


East Fork Fire Salvage Project; Wasatch-Cache National Forest, 
Summit County, Utah

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare environmental impact statement.

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SUMMARY: The Forest Supervisor of the Wasatch-Cache National Forest 
gives notice of the agency's intent to prepare an environmental impact 
statement on a proposal to harvest timber in the Bear River and Blacks 
Fork drainages. The headwaters of these drainages are located on the 
Evanston Ranger District about 40 miles south of Evanston, Wyoming in 
the Uinta Mountain Range. The proposed action was developed to salvage 
timber burned in the East Fork fire in June and July of 2002. The fire 
perimeter includes approximately 14,200 acres out of the 71,200 acres 
within the analysis area. The proposal addresses lands located 
primarily in the East Fork of the Bear River, Mill Creek, and West Fork 
of the Blacks Fork drainages located in Township 2 North, Ranges 10 
East and 11 East, Salt Lake Meridian.
    Temporary roads would be constructed to provide access for timber 
harvest in portions of the area. The proposal also includes 
reconstruction or relocation of some poorly designed or located 
existing roads.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received 
in writing by April 18th, 2003. A draft environmental impact statement 
is expected to be published in June 2003, with public comment on the 
draft material requested for a period of 45 days, and completion of 
final environmental impact statement is expected in September, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Stephen Ryberg, District Ranger, 
Evanston Ranger District, PO Box 1880, Evanston, WY 82930. Electronic 
mail may be sent to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Larry Johnson, Environmental Planner, 
(307) 789-3194, or Kent O'Dell, Timber Management Coordinator, (307) 
782-6555, USDA Forest Service, Evanston Ranger District (See address 
above.)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Purpose and Need for Action

    1. To salvage timber killed by the fire before the commercial value 
is lost. There is an urgent need for harvest, because fire-killed trees 
typically do not maintain their merchantability for lumber for more 
than 1 to 3 years, depending upon species and size. Sapwood staining, 
checking, woodborer damage, and decay will affect volume and quality 
after that time. Smaller diameter trees typically will not be 
merchantable for lumber within a year while larger diameter trees can 
retain their merchantability longer but will lose their value as wood 
products in time.
    2. Contributing opportunities for industry and communities in Utah 
and Wyoming that are dependent on national forest timber for a portion 
of their supply and economy.

Proposed Action

    The proposal to salvage includes timber harvesting, construction of 
temporary roads, and minor reconstruction of existing system roads. 
Treatment will be limited to the salvage harvest of trees killed by the 
fire or expected to die within the next year due to fire damage. 
Primarily spruce, lodgepole pine, and subalpine fir trees will be 
salvaged. The proposal includes removing merchantable trees, while 
retaining green trees, unmerchantable trees, and large diameter snags 
for wildlife habitat. Approximately 1,148 acres within 24 units would 
be treated under the proposal. An estimated 6.5 miles of temporary 
roads would be needed to harvest timber under the proposal.
    Proposed new road construction would be limited to that needed for 
access for harvest activities. These roads would be temporary, and 
decomissioned (restored) following harvest activities. There is no 
proposed road construction or timber harvest in inventioned roadless 
areas.
    Some existing roads that will be used as haul routes would be 
reconstructed to improve the drainage design of the roads near stream 
crossings or relocated where the roads are near stream channels.

Responsible Official

    The Responsible Official is Thomas L. Tidwell, Forest Supervisor, 
Wasatch-Cache National Forest, 8236 Federal Building, 125 South State 
Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84138.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The decision to be made is whether to implement the proposed 
activities listed above.
    A determination of effects on Canada lynx will be required from the 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Scoping Process

    The Forest Service invites comments and suggestions on the scope of 
the analysis to be included in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement 
(DEIS). In addition, the Forest Service gives notice that it is 
beginning a full environmental analysis and decision-making process for 
this proposal so that interested or affected people may know how they 
can participate in the environmental analysis and contribute to the 
final decision. A public ``scoping'' open house is scheduled for March 
18, 2003, in Evanston, Wyoming, at the Historic Railroad Depot on Front 
Street in Evanston, Wyoming, from 4 to 7 p.m. The purpose of this open 
house is to learn what issues members of the public or interested 
agencies believe are involved in the proposal. Knowledge of the issues 
will help establish the scope of the Forest Service environmental 
analysis and define the kind and range of alternatives to be 
considered. Forest Service officials will describe and explain the 
proposed actions and the process of environmental analysis and 
disclosure to be followed in evaluating this proposal. The Forest 
Service welcomes any public comments on the proposal.

[[Page 14179]]

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's 
notice of availability appears in the Federal Register. It is very 
important that those interested in this proposed action participate at 
that time. To be the most helpful, comments on the draft environmental 
impact statement should be as specific as possible and may address the 
adequacy of the statement or merits of the alternatives discussed.
    The Forest Service believes it is important to give reviewers 
notice at this early stage 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, 443 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 
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: March 17, 2003.
Thomas L. Tidwell,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 03-6899 Filed 3-21-03; 8:45 am]
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