[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 186 (Thursday, September 25, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55369-55370]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-24266]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


American and Crooked River Project, Nez Perce National Forest, 
Idaho County, ID

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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

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SUMMARY: The USDA, Forest Service, Nez Perce National Forest, will 
prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to document the 
analysis and disclose the environment impacts of actions to reduce 
existing and potential forest fuel hazards and salvage associated 
commercial wood products resulting from a mountain pine beetle epidemic 
in lodgepole pine forests in the American and Crooked River watersheds 
near Elk City, Idaho. Additional actions include construction of 
temporary roads, improvements to existing roads, and decommissioning 
existing roads that are no longer needed.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received 
by October 29, 2003. The draft environmental impact statement is 
expected to be released for public comment in March 2004 and the final 
environmental impact statement is expected to be completed in July 
2004.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Bruce Bernhardt, Forest Supervisor, 
Nez Perce National Forest, Rt 2 Box 475, Grangeville, Idaho 83530.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Phil Jahn, Project Coordinator, Nez 
Perce National Forest, Rt 2 Box 475, Grangeville, Idaho 83530, or phone 
(208) 983-1950.

Purpose and Need for Action

    The purpose and need for the project is to reduce existing and 
potential forest fuels, create stand or site conditions that will 
contribute to the maintenance and establishment of long-lived fire 
tolerant tree species, such as Ponderosa pine and western larch, and 
contribute to the economic and social well being of the people within 
the surrounding area.

Proposed Action

    The USDA, Forest Service, Nez Perce National Forest, will prepare 
an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to document the analysis and 
disclose the environmental impacts of the proposed action to reduce 
existing and potential forest fuel hazards, which have been exacerbated 
by a mountain pine beetle epidemic in lodgepole pine forests in the 
American and Crooked River watersheds near Elk City, Idaho. The 
proposed action is to harvest or otherwise treat forest stands by 
salvaging dead, dying, or down trees and removing trees that are at 
risk from mountain pine beetle attack. Lodgepole pine is the primary 
at-risk tree species in the project area. Incidental harvest of trees 
that are dead and dying from other associated insects and disease would 
also be conducted in the project area. This proposal would not treat of 
directly modify forested stands that currently meet the definition of 
``old growth'' under the Old-Growth Forrest Types of the Northern 
Region-USDA Forest Service, R-1 SES 4/92.
    Proposed activities include vegetation and transportation system 
treatment actions on approximately 900 acres in the American River 
watershed and 2,100 acres in the Crooked River watershed. Approximately 
1,900 acres would be harvested using regeneration treatments that would 
reserve groups and single trees within harvest units and approximately 
1,100 acres would be harvested using seed tree, shelterwood, and 
commercial thinning silvicultural treatments. Activity fuels generated 
from harvest on approximately 3,000 acres would be treated using a 
combination of machine piling and broadcast burning.
    An estimated 15 miles of temporary road would be constructed as 
part of the proposed action; these temporary roads

[[Page 55370]]

would be decommissioned after use associated slash treatment or brush 
disposal and reforestation activities. This proposal includes 
reconstruction or improvement of 24 miles of existing roads to provide 
access to proposed harvest units while improving drainage, improving 
fish passage, or reducing the potential for sedimentation. Up to 30 
miles of existing Forest roads, which have been identified through 
roads analysis as being no longer needed for administrative purposes, 
would be decommissioned as part of the proposed action.
    The project does not propose to mechanically treat vegetation or 
construct roads in existing inventoried roadless areas. There is no 
proposed construction of new permanent roads in the proposed action.

Responsible Official

    Bruce Bernhardt, Nez Perce National Forest Supervisor, Nez Perce 
National Forest Headquarters, Rt 2 Box 475 Grangeville, Idaho 83530.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The nature of the decision in attaining the purpose and need is to 
determine the type and level of silvicultural treatments, and 
transportation projects needed within the scope of the Nez Perce 
National Forest Plan, 1987, and to determine a course of action to 
implement these actions.

Scoping Process

    This Notice of Intent provides a description of the proposed action 
for public review and comment. The Forest Service is coordinating 
efforts with the USDI Bureau of Land Management, the Nez Perce Tribe, 
Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Idaho Department of Environmental 
Quality, National Marine Fisheries Service, USDI Fish and Wildlife 
Service, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and other agencies and 
groups. To generate meaningful dialogue with the public, Nez Perce 
National Forest staff will issue local press releases and other 
opportunities for the interested public to meet or discuss the project 
as it develops.

Comment Requested

    This notice of intent initiates the scoping process that guides 
development of the environmental impact statement.

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. Hodle, 803 F.2d 
1016, 1022 (9th Cir. 1986) 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.

(Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7 and 1508.22; Forest Service Handbook 1909.15, 
Section 21)

    Dated: September 12, 2003.
Bruce E. Bernhardt,
Nez Perce Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 03-24266 Filed 9-24-03; 8:45 am]
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