[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 71 (Monday, April 14, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17907-17909]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-8988]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Lower Big Creek, 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 to disclose the environmental effects of timber harvest, 
prescribed burning, and road management in the Lower Big Creek Decision 
Area on the Rexford Ranger District of the Kootenai National Forest. 
The Decision Area is located approximately 15 miles southwest of 
Eureka, Montana.

DATES: Written comments and suggestions should be postmarked or 
received within 30 days following publication of this notice.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and suggestions concerning the scope of the 
analysis should be sent to Glen M. McNitt, District Ranger, Rexford 
Ranger District, 1299 U.S. Highway 93 N, Eureka, MT 59917.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Chris Fox, Interdisciplinary Team 
Leader, Rexford Ranger District, Phone: (406) 296-2536.

[[Page 17908]]


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Decision Area contains approximately 
64,000 acres of land within the Kootenai National Forest. Proposed 
activities within the Decision Area include all or portions of the 
following areas: T34-35N, R29-30W, PMM, Lincoln County, 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, with the exception of 
approximately 840 acres of underburning-only in the Big Creek 
Inventoried Roadless Area.
    Purpose and Need: The purpose and need for the project is to: (1) 
Reduce fuel accumulations to decrease the likelihood that fires would 
become large stand-replacing wildfires; (2) Restore characteristic 
vegetation patterns (patch sizes and stand structure) on the landscape; 
(3) Provide a transportation system that increases security for grizzly 
bears, reduces impacts to aquatic resources, improves riparian wildlife 
habitat, and insures economical and safe access; and (4) Respond to the 
social and economic needs of the public.
    Proposed Activities: The Forest Service proposes to use 
regeneration harvest on approximately 2,650 acres, shelterwood-
commercial thin harvest on approximately 350 acres, commercial thinning 
on approximately 560 acres, and roadside salvage and post and pole 
harvest on approximately 75 acres.
    The Proposed Action would result in nineteen openings over 40 
acres, ranging from 98 to 530 acres. A 60-day public review period, and 
approval by the Regional Forester for exceeding the 40 acre limitation 
for regeneration harvest, would be required prior to the signing of the 
Record of Decision. This 60-day period is initiated with this Notice of 
Intent.
    The Proposed Action includes approximately 3,625 acres of 
prescribed burning in association with timber harvest, and 
approximately 1,100 acres of prescribed burning without timber harvest.
    The Proposed Action also includes maintenance activities on 
portions of approximately 109 miles of road to meet Best Management 
Practices; decommissioning approximately 25 miles of closed roads; 
placing 14 miles of roads (which are currently restricted year-long to 
motor vehicles) in storage; and reconstructing approximately 1.7 miles 
of existing road.
    The Proposed Action includes precommercial thinning of sapling-
sized trees on approximately 300 acres within managed plantations and 
natural stands that have regenerated after wildfire. Precommercial 
thinning would not occur in lynx habitat.
    Forest Plan Amendments: The Proposed Action includes two project-
specific Forest Plan amendments necessary to meet the project's 
objectives:
    An amendment to allow harvest in 15 units adjacent to existing 
openings in Management Area (MA) 12 (Big Game Summer Range). The 
amendment would be needed to suspend Wildlife and Fish Standard 
7 and Timber Standard 2 for this area. These 
standards state that movement corridors and adjacent hiding cover be 
retained. The resulting opening sizes more closely correlate to natural 
disturbance patterns. Snags and down woody material would be left to 
provide wildlife habitat and maintain soil productivity.
    An amendment to allow MA 12 open road density to be managed at 1.18 
miles/square mile during project implementation. The amendment would 
needed to suspend Facilities Standard 3, which states that 
open road density should be maintained at 0.75 miles/square mile. The 
open road density would return to 0.74 following project completion.
    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 will be implemented. Additional 
alternatives will be considered to achieve the project's purpose and 
need for action, and to respond to specific resource issues and public 
concerns.
    Public Involvement and Scoping: In November 2002, efforts were made 
to involve the public in considering management opportunities within 
the Decision Area. A scoping package was mailed for public review on 
November 5, 2002. A field trip was held on November 15, 2002; an open 
house was held on November 21, 2002. Comments received prior to this 
notice will be included in the documentation for the EIS.
    Estimated Dates for Filing: While public participation in this 
analysis is welcome at any time, comments received within 30 days of 
the publication of this notice will be especially useful in the 
preparation of the Draft EIS (DEIS). The DEIS is expected to be filed 
with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and to be available for 
public review by May 2003. At that time EPA will publish a Notice of 
Availability (NOA) of the DEIS in the Federal Register. The comment 
period on the DEIS will be 45 days from the date the EPA publishes the 
NOA in the Federal Register. It is very important that those interested 
in the management of this area participate at that time.
    The final EIS (FEIS) is scheduled to be completed by August 2003. 
In the FEIS, the Forest Service is required to respond to comments and 
responses received during the comment period that pertain to the 
environmental consequences discussed in the DEIS, 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 
DEIS' 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 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 DEIS 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 FEIS.
    To be most helpful, comments on the DEIS 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 (40 CFR 1503.3) for implementing 
the procedural provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act.
    Responsible Official: As the Forest Supervisor of the Kootenai 
National Forest, 1101 U.S. Highway 2 West, Libby, MT 59923, I am the 
Responsible Official. As the Responsible Official, I will decide if the 
proposed project will be implemented. I will document the decision and 
reasons for the decision in the Record of Decision. I have delegated 
the responsibility for preparing the DEIS and FEIS to Glen M. McNitt, 
District Ranger, Rexford Ranger District.


[[Page 17909]]


    Dated: April 3, 2003.
Bob Castaneda,
Forest Supervisor, Kootenai National Forest.
[FR Doc. 03-8988 Filed 4-11-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M