[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 147 (Thursday, July 31, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44919-44920]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-19481]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Lost River and Challis Ranger Districts, Salmon-Challis National 
Forest; Idaho; Lost River/Lemhi Grazing Allotments Environmental Impact 
Statement

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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

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SUMMARY: The Lost River and Challis Ranger Districts propose to update 
the livestock grazing plans for twenty-one grazing allotments. These 
include fifteen Cattle and Horse grazing allotments and five Sheep and 
Goat grazing allotments on the Lost River Ranger District and one Sheep 
and Goat grazing allotment on the Challis Ranger District. The 
allotments are located in the Lost River and Lemhi Mountain Ranges and 
are within a 35-mile radius of Mackay, Idaho.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received 
by September 5, 2003. The draft environmental impact statement is 
expected January 2005 and the final environmental impact statement is 
expected May 2005.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Tony Beke, Planning, Salmon-Challis 
National Forest, 50 Hwy 93 South, Salmon, Idaho 83467.
    For further information, mail correspondence to Tony Beke, 
Planning, Salmon-Challis National Forest, 50 Hwy 93 South, Salmon, 
Idaho 83467, or e-mail, [email protected].
    A public meeting will be conducted at the Arco-Butte Business 
Center, 159 N Idaho, Arco, Idaho on August 19, 2003 starting at 6 p.m.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tony Beke, Civil Engineer, Salmon-
Challis National Forest, USDA Forest Service (see address above).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Purpose and Need for Action

    This proposal, in part, is to comply with Public Law 104-19, 
Section 504(a): establish and adhere to a schedule for the completion 
of National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et 
seq.) analysis and decision on all grazing allotments within the 
National Forest System unit for which NEPA is needed (Pub. L. 104-19, 
General Provision 1995). Upon completion of the NEPA analysis and 
decisions for the allotments, the terms and conditions of existing 
grazing permits will be modified, as necessary, to conform to such NEPA 
analysis. In addition, the purpose of the proposed action is to improve 
range condition and trend and achieve desired conditions within the 
project area through livestock grazing.

Proposed Action

    The proposed action is to authorize continued livestock grazing, 
provide analysis and data to update allotment management plans (AMPs), 
and allow permitted livestock grazing that meets or moves existing 
resource conditions toward desired conditions on national forest 
grazing allotments while complying with applicable statutes. Adaptive 
management, which allows flexibility during the implementation of the 
grazing strategy, would allow managers to make adjustments and 
corrections to management based on monitoring. Three of the five Sheep 
and Goat grazing allotments in the Lost River Mountain Range are 
proposed to be converted to Cattle and Horse grazing allotments to 
resolve conflicts between domestic and bighorn sheep, if this use

[[Page 44920]]

is determined to be appropriate. Range improvements may be necessary to 
make this conversion. The conflict between domestic and bighorn sheep 
is a virus that can be transmitted from domestic sheep if they come in 
contact with bighorn sheep. A forest plan amendment will be necessary 
to modify management direction for range management within Management 
Area 16, Borah Peak.

Possible Alternatives

    No Grazing and No Action alternatives will be analyzed to the 
proposed action during the NEPA process. The No Grazing alternative 
would eliminate domestic livestock grazing on allotments. The No Action 
alternative would allow continued livestock grazing as it is currently 
being managed. Other alternatives, arising from issues identified 
through scoping, could be analyzed as well.

Responsible Official

    George Matejko, Forest Supervisor, 50 Hwy 93 South, Salmon, ID 
83467.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The Forest Supervisor will decide whether to authorize continued 
livestock grazing on the allotments' suitable rangelands in accordance 
with the standards in the proposed action or as modified by additional 
mitigation measures and monitoring requirements. The proposed action, 
or as modified by this analysis, will require a Forest Land and 
Resource Management Plan Amendment.

Scoping Process

    This analysis is for twenty-one grazing allotments. The decision 
will have limited environmental effects outside the allotment 
boundaries, and the economic impacts are localized. Scoping will 
include:
    [sbull] Review scoping comments from previous efforts
    [sbull] Publish notice in the Challis Messenger and Salmon Recorder 
Herald, the newspapers of record, and the Arco Advertiser, another 
local newspaper, announcing the public meeting and requesting comments
    [sbull] Mail scoping letters to interested public and grazing 
permittees describing the proposed action and preliminary issues
    [sbull] Conduct public meeting in Arco, Idaho on August 19, 2003
    [sbull] Notify consulting agencies and request comments
    [sbull] Publish in the Quarterly Schedule of Proposed Actions 
(SOPA) notice and mail to interested individuals and groups, and put on 
the Forest's internet site
    [sbull] Contact and consult with the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes
    A public meeting is scheduled for August 19, 2003 at 6 p.m. at the 
Arco-Butte Business Center, 159 N Idaho, Arco, Idaho.

Preliminary Issues

    Concerns identified internally and from previous scoping include:
    [sbull] Riparian and aquatic habitat
    [sbull] Terrestrial wildlife
    [sbull] Effects to other Forest users
    [sbull] Effects on vegetation structure and composition
    [sbull] Tribal Treaty Rights

Comment Requested

    This notice of intent initiates the scoping process which guides 
the development of the environmental impact statement. Substantive 
comments and objections to the proposed action will be considered 
during this analysis.
    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 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 
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: July 24, 2003.
Lyle E. Powers,
Acting Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 03-19481 Filed 7-30-03; 8:45 am]
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