[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 87 (Tuesday, May 6, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23950-23951]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-11098]


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 Notices
                                                 Federal Register
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
 or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
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 delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 68, No. 87 / Tuesday, May 6, 2003 / Notices  

[[Page 23950]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Sawtooth National Forest, Idaho; Fisher Creek and Smiley Creek 
Allotment Management Plans Analysis

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) for the Fisher Creek and Smiley Creek sheep & goat 
allotments. The proposed action in the EIS is to authorize grazing 
through revised allotment management plans (AMPs) for the Fisher Creek 
Allotment and the Smile Creek Allotment. The EIS will analyze the 
effects of the proposed action and alternatives. The agency gives 
notice of the full National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analysis 
and decision malign process on the proposal so interested and affected 
members of the public may participate and contribute to the final 
decision. The Sawtooth National Forest invites written comments and 
suggestions on the scope of the analysis and the issues to address.

DATES: Written comments concerning the proposed project should be 
postmarked within 30 days from the day after publication of this 
announcement in the Federal Register. Comments received in response to 
this solicitation, including the names and addresses of those who 
comment, will be considered part of the public record on this proposal 
and will be available to public inspection. The draft environmental 
impact statement is expected to be available for public review and 
comment in November, 2003 and the final environmental impact statement 
is expected to be available May 2004.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Lisa Stoeffler, Deputy Area Ranger 
at Stanley Ranger Station; HC 64, Box 9900; Stanley, Idaho, 83278. 
Faxes should be sent to 208-774-3003 and e-mail to 
[email protected]/.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed project 
and scope of analysis should be directed to Ed Cannady, Information 
Officer at the Sawtooth National Recreation Area; HC 64, Box 8291; 
Ketchum, Idaho, 83341; or phone at (208) 727-5020.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The analysis area is located in the White 
Cloud and Sawtooth Mountain ranges in Custer and Blaine Counties, south 
of Stanley, ID and is administered by the Sawtooth National Recreation 
Area (SNRA) of the Sawtooth National Forest. The two allotments are 
located in portions of Townships 6-9 North, and Ranges 13-15 East, 
Boise Meridian. The proposed action will be in compliance with the 
Sawtooth National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (FLRMP), as 
amended, which provides overall guidance for management of this area 
and Public Law 92-400, the Organic Act for the Sawtooth National 
Recreation Area.

Purpose and Need for Action

    The purpose of the proposed action is to update the allotment 
management plans to allow for permitted livestock grazing that meets or 
moves towards desired resource conditions. The need for the proposed 
action is to comply with desired resource conditions as described in 
FLRMP Standards.

Proposed Action

    The proposed action of this EIS is to ensure that management of the 
allotments is in compliance with the FLRMP and PL 92-400 by authorizing 
permitted grazing that meets or moves toward desired resource 
conditions. AMPs would be revised to reflect these changes. An adaptive 
management strategy, which would allow for flexibility during the 
implementation of the grazing strategy, would allow permittees to 
respond to changing conditions and unexpected results. Permitted 
numbers and seasons would be modified if necessary to meet standards.

Possible Alternatives

    Possible alternatives include: Alt. 1--continued grazing as 
currently permitted (No change); Alt. 2--revised stocking rate and/or 
permitted area; Alt. 3--No grazing (grazing phased out).

Responsible Official

    The responsible official is the Area Ranger of the Sawtooth 
National Recreation Area, Sawtooth National Forest.

Nature of the Decision To Be Made

    The responsible official will decide if domestic livestock grazing 
can occur within the analysis area, and if so, where within the 
analysis area and under what conditions (timing and duration). In 
accordance with 36 CFR 292.17(b)(10), it defines substantial impairment 
as ``that level of disturbance of the values of the SNRA which is 
incompatible with the standards of the General Management Plan.'' 
Therefore the Area Ranger must also decide if primary SNRA values will 
be substantially impaired by livestock grazing on the allotments.

Scoping Process

    Public notices will be placed in local newspapers.

Comment Requested

    This notice of intent initiates the scoping process which guides 
the development of the environmental impact statement for the Fisher 
Creek and Smiley Creek allotment management plans.

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 
publishes the notice of availability in the Federal Register. 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

[[Page 23951]]

completion of the final environmental impact statement may be waived or 
dismissed by the court. 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 comment period for the draft environmental impact 
statement 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 in identifying and considering issues raised 
by 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 40 CFR 1503.3 in 
addressing these points.

    Dated: April 29, 2003.
Ruth Monahan,
Sawtooth Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 03-11098 Filed 5-5-03; 8:45 am]
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