[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 65 (Friday, April 4, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16464-16465]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-8042]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Bighorn National Forest; Wyoming; Woodrock Project EIS.

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 travel 
management, timber harvest, fuels reduction, and watershed 
rehabilitation primarily in the South Tongue Watershed on the Tongue 
Ranger District of the Bighorn National Forest, in Sheridan County, 
Wyoming. The project area is located approximately 25 air miles 
southwest of Sheridan, Wyoming.

DATES: Written comments concerning the scope of the analysis, issues, 
the alternatives, and evaluation of alternatives should be received 
within 45 days of the date of publication of this notice in the Federal 
Register. The Forest Service estimates the Draft EIS will be filed in 
June of 2003. The Final EIS will be filed within 3 months of that date, 
approximately September of 2004. A draft document will be provided upon 
request. Scoping comments previously submitted for this project do not 
need to be submitted again.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Craig Yancey, District Ranger, 
Tounge District, Bighorn National Forest, 2013 Eastside 2nd Street, 
Sheridan, WY, 82801. Send electronic comments to [email protected]; include Woodrock Project as the subject.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Scott Hill, EIS Team Leader Woodrock 
Project, Bighorn National Forest, 2013 Eastside 2nd Street, Sheridan, 
WY, 82801, Electronic mail: [email protected], phone: (307) 674-2649.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Purpose and Need for Action

    The Woodrock Project is being proposed to implement the Forest 
Plan. The project includes: implementation of Forest Plan allocations, 
implementing past forest management decisions and silvicultural 
prescriptions, improve watershed conditions, improve travel management 
and existing road systems, and improve or maintain the forested 
vegetation within the forest plan standard and guidelines and other 
legal requirements.

Proposed Action

    The Forest Service proposes to: improve diversity of forested 
vegetation by mimicking scale and intensity of natural disturbance 
patterns within the project area; reduce impacts to watershed 
conditions from roads and trails by changing travel management 
restrictions, reconstructing, restricting travel, or decommissioning 
existing roads where problems cannot be mitigated; on roads and trails; 
harden, relocate, or close dispersed campsites to meet Forest Plan 
direction; timber harvest of stands to produce wood fiber and reduce 
the spread of forest pests on approximately 1,800 acres.

Responsible Official

    The responsible official for this decision is Bill Bass, Forest 
Supervisor, Bighorn National Forest, 2013 Eastside 2nd Street, 
Sheridan, WY 82801.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The Forest Supervisor will decide: if changes should be made to the 
transportation system within the area; whether and where timber harvest 
should be implemented; if timber harvest occurs, what silvicultural 
systems and size of openings would be created; what noncommercial 
vegetation and fuels treatments should be taken; and what watershed 
improvements should be undertaken. He will decide when, or if, any 
management activities would take place, what mitigation measures would 
be implemented to address concerns, and whether the action requires 
amendment(s) to the Bighorn Forest Plan.

Scoping Process

    The Woodrock project was initially developed as an Environmental 
Assessment. Scoping notices were sent on September 2, 1997 inviting 
comments from Federal, State and local agencies, special interest 
groups and individuals who had expressed interest in National Forest 
projects in the area. Scoping notices were sent to newspapers across 
northern Wyoming. A field trip was held on September 30, 1997. A public 
meeting addressing travel management in the Woodrock area was held at 
Bear Lodge on October 7, 2000. The project has been listed in the 
Quarterly Schedule of Proposed Actions from 1997 to the present.

Preliminary Issues

    Issues associated with this project that have been identified 
during scoping and development of proposed action include the impacts 
of the proposed activities on wildlife and plant species and their 
habitat and effects of travel management on water quality and riparian 
habitat.

Comment Requested

    A 45-day review period for comments on the Draft EIS will be 
provided. Comments received will be considered and included in 
documentation of the Final EIS. The public is encouraged to take part 
in the process and to visit with Forest Service officials at any time 
during the analysis and prior to the decision. The Forest Service has 
sought and will continue to seek information, comments and assistance 
from Federal, State and local agencies and other individuals or 
organizations who may be interested in, or affected by, the proposed 
action. The Forest Service believes, at this early stage, 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)). Due to 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

[[Page 16465]]

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. 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 25, 2003.
Ronald H. Stellingwerf,
Acting Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 03-8042 Filed 4-3-03; 8:45 am]
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