[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 133 (Friday, July 11, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41295-41296]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-17559]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Sheep Creek Fire Salvage, Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, 
Beaverhead County, Montana

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The USDA, Forest Service, will prepare an environmental impact 
statement (EIS) to disclose the environmental effects of the salvage 
harvest of timber killed as a result of fire in the Canyon Creek, 
Boulder Creek, Cascade Creek, Sage Creek, and Runaway Creek drainages 
(herein referred to as the Sheep Creek Project). The project area is 
located 15 miles west of Wisdom, Montana, north of State Highway 43, 
just west of the Placer Creek Road. The project area is outside of 
inventoried roadless areas.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be postmarked 
within 30 days of the date of publishing of this legal notice. The 
draft environmental impact statement is expected February, 2004 and the 
final environmental impact statement is expected June of 2004.

ADDRESSES: Written comments concerning this notice or a request to be 
placed on the project mailing list should be addressed to Chris 
Tootell, TEAMS, 200 East Broadway, suite 251, Missoula, Montana, 59807. 
Comments may also be sent via e-mail to [email protected]. 
(Please not that there is a ``one'' after the letter r, not an ``L.'') 
The subject line in the e-mail message should contain the title ``Sheep 
Creek Fire Salvage Project.'' If you choose to comment by e-mail, 
please include your name and regular mailing address with the comment. 
Comments may also be sent via facsimile to (406) 689-3245, C/O Dennis 
Havig, Wisdom Ranger District.
    All comments, including names and addresses when provided, are 
placed in the record and are available for public inspection and 
copying. The public may inspect comments received at the Wisdom Ranger 
District, Wisdom, MT. Visitors are encouraged to call ahead to (406) 
689-3243 to facilitate entry to the building.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Chris Tootell, Environmental Resource 
Coordinator, TEAMS Enterprise unit, USDA Forest Service (406) 329-3459. 
Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD) may 
call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 
between 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed project area is located within 
sections 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 & 18, T.2S., R.17W., and sections 1, 12 and 
13. T.2S., R.18W.

Purpose and Need for Action

    The purpose and need for the proposed action is to move toward the 
desired conditions as described in the Beaverhead National Forest Land 
and Resource Management Plan (LRMP). The proposed action is located on 
lands classified as ``available and suitable for timber production'' 
(LRMP, p. III-48 and III-63). Congress has recognized the treatments; 
the estimated timber volume to make available from the project area; 
the estimated amount of temporary road construction needed; and 
mitigation measures and monitoring requirements.

Scoping Process

    Public participation is important to this analysis. Part of the 
goal of public involvement is to identify additional issues and to 
refine the general, tentative issues. The Beaverhead-Deerlodge National 
Forest has developed a listing of individuals and organizations that 
have expressed an interest in being informed of and providing input to 
vegetation management and fuel redcution projects. This list of 
individuals and organizations include private citizens, businesses, 
various organizations, Native American groups, and federal, state and 
county agencies. All of these contacts will be sent the initial scoping 
document.

Preliminary Issues

    The following list of preliminary issues was developed for the 
project area by the Forest Service

[[Page 41296]]

Interdisciplinary Team (ID Team). This list was developed after review 
of issues from previous post fire management projects, including 
previous public involvement, and specific internal agency scoping. 
General categories have been used to focus key topics. This list will 
be amended and/or expanded after review of the Sheep Creek Project 
public comments. During the analysis, alternatives to the proposed 
action will be developed responding to the final list of issues. In 
response to the issues, the alternatives developed may include 
different levels of activity and may include different prescriptions.
    [sbull] Timber sale value.
    [sbull] Potential reduction of big game ``security cover'' within 
harvest units may result in a need for a nonsignificant site specific 
Forest Plan amendment for elk effective cover standards.
    [sbull] Loss of future potential Lynx denning habitat by removal of 
heavy fuels.
    [sbull] Potential for introduction and spread of noxious weeds from 
logging and log hauling.
    [sbull] Potential soil disturbance.
    [sbull] Residual fuel loads exceeding desired thresholds within 
treatment units.
    [sbull] Potential for introduction of sediment to streams impacting 
fish species.
    [sbull] Loss of habitat for snag dependent and cavity nesting 
species.

Comment Requested

    This notice of intent initiates the scoping process which guides 
the development of the draft environmental impact statement, including 
the identification of the range of alternatives to be considered. While 
public participation is strictly optional at this stage, the Forest 
Service believes that it is important to give reviewers notice of 
several court rulings related to public participation in the subsequent 
environmental review process. First, reviewers of draft 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).
    Because of these court rulings, it is very important that those 
interested in this proposed action participate by the close of the 45 
day draft environmental impact statement 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 also may 
address the adequacy of the draft environmental impact statement or the 
merits of the alternatives formulated and discussed in the statement. 
In addressing these points, reviewers may wish to refer to the Council 
on Environmental Quality regulations which implement the procedural 
provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act at 40 CFR 1503.3.

    Dated: July 3, 2003.
Thomas K. Reilly,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 03-17559 Filed 7-10-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M