[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 205 (Thursday, October 23, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60637-60638]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-26722]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Chloride Bush Project, Idaho Panhandle National Forests, Bonner 
County, Idaho

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) to document and disclose the potential environmental 
effects of proposed activities within the Gold Creek watershed on the 
Sandpoint Ranger District, Idaho Panhandle National Forests. The 
watershed is located about 25 miles south of Sandpoint, Idaho, near the 
town of Lakeview.
    The proposal was designed using science from broad scale 
assessments including the Interior Columbia Basin Ecosystem Management 
Project. The proposal is intended to improve the health and 
productivity of aquatic and terrestrial habitats, and provide for human 
uses and values by: (1) Reducing road densities and sediment risks from 
roads and trails, (2) restoring desired forest cover, structure, 
pattern and species composition across the landscape where they are 
outside natural or accepted ranges, (3) maintaining or improving stands 
where desired species are being crowded out, or are declining from 
competition, (4) promoting the long-term persistence and stability of 
wildlife habitat diversity, (5) reducing the level of forest fuels and 
the risk of catastrophic wildfire, (6) providing motorized recreation 
opportunities while protecting resource values such as wildlife and 
water, and (7) producing timber as a byproduct of ecosystem restoration 
and maintenance.
    Activities would include: (1) Selective cutting where opportunities 
exist to maintain or improve stands where desired species are being 
crowded out, or are declining from competition, (2) regenerating stands 
where widespread mortality is being caused by insects and disease and 
replanting them with longer lived seral species, (3) burning to reduce 
fuels, improve growing conditions, and improve forage for wildlife, (4) 
constructing several temporary spur roads to facilitate vegetation 
management activities, (5) decommissioning unneeded road segments, (6) 
placing a system road into storage, (7) converting two existing roads 
to motorized trails, and (8) improving Trail 113 in the 
Packsaddle Inventoried Roadless Area.
    The Sandpoint Ranger District of the Idaho Panhandle National 
Forests in Bonner County, Idaho will administer these activities. The 
EIS will tier to the Idaho Panhandle National Forests Plan (September 
1987).

DATES: Comments should be postmarked within 30 days after publication 
of this notice. Please include your name and address and the name of 
the project you are commenting on.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments and suggestions on the proposed 
management activities or request to be placed on the project mailing 
list by writing to: Chloride Bush Project, Attn: A.J. Helgenberg, 
Sandpoint Ranger District, 1500 Hwy 2, Suite 110, Sandpoint, ID 83864.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: A.J. Helgenberg, Project Team Leader, 
Sandpoint Ranger District at 208-265-6643 or by e-mail at 
[email protected].
    Comments received in response to this solicitation, including names 
and addresses of those who comment, will be considered part of the 
public record on this proposed action and will be available for public 
inspection. Comments submitted anonymously will be accepted and 
considered; however, those who submit anonymous comments will not have 
standing to appeal the subsequent decision under 36 CFR parts 215 or 
217. Additionally, pursuant to 7 CFR 1.27(d), any person may request 
the agency to withhold a submission from the public record by showing 
how the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) permits such confidentiality. 
For persons requesting such confidentiality; it may be granted in only 
very limited circumstances, such as to protect trade secrets. The 
Forest Service will inform the requester of the agency's decision 
regarding the request for confidentiality, and where the request is 
denied, the agency will return the submission and notify the requester 
that the comments may be resubmitted with or without name and address 
within 10 days.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: More information about the Chloride Bush 
Project can be found on the Internet at www.fs.fed.us/ipnf/eco/manage/
nepa/index.html. The legal description for the project area includes 
all or portions of sections 1-3, 10-16, 20-29, and 34-36 in Township 53 
North; Range 1 West and section 18 in Township 53 North; Range 1 East.
    The Forest Service will be preparing an environmental impact 
statement for the following proposed activities and alternative courses 
of action based on public comments. To improve the health of aquatic 
habitats, 10.4 miles of existing classified roads would be 
decommissioned, 7.1 miles of overgrown, undrivable roads would be taken 
off transportation system maps, 5.0 miles of road would be placed into 
storage and 4.8 miles of road would be upgraded. To achieve vegetation 
management objectives, helicopter and road-based logging systems, 
prescribed burning and reforestation would be used. Additionally, 
several short logging spurs totaling 1.8 miles would be constructed to 
access stands for treatment using road-based logging systems. Of the 
9,413 acres in the project area, 860 acres would be selectively cut, 
and 1,637 acres would be regenerated. Prescribed fire would be used on 
regenerated areas, selectively cut dry sites (423 acres), and to 
maintain old growth ponderosa pine stands and shrub fields (145 acres). 
Regenerated areas would be reforested with larch, white pine and 
ponderosa pine seedlings. Motorized recreation opportunities would be 
managed by converting 3.3 miles of road to motorized trail, and 
upgrading 5.0 miles of an existing motorized trail. Preliminary issues 
identified relate to the effects of roads and road construction on 
sediment, water yield, fish habitat, noxious weed spread, motorized 
access, and wildlife security, the effects of logging and creating 
openings on water yield, fish and wildlife habitat and wildlife 
security, and the effects of road decommissioning on private land 
access and ability to manage forest vegetation. Current alternatives 
consist of the proposed action and no action.

[[Page 60638]]

    Two periods are specifically designated for comments on this 
analysis: (1) During the scoping period which is 30 days from the date 
of this notice in the Federal Register and (2) during the draft EIS 
comment period. In accordance with 36 CFR 215.5, as published in the 
Federal Register, Volume 68 No. 107, June 4, 2003, the draft EIS 
comment period will be the designated time in which ``substantive'' 
comments will be considered. The mailing list for this project will 
include those individuals who have expressed interest in this project 
as well as adjacent landowners and those responding to this NOI or to 
the Idaho Panhandle National Forests Quarterly Schedule of Proposed 
Actions. In addition, the public is encouraged to contact or visit with 
Forest Service officials during the analysis and prior to the decision. 
The Forest Service will continue to seek information, comments, and 
assistance from Federal, Tribal, State, and local agencies and other 
individuals or organizations that may be interested in or affected by 
the proposed actions. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service will 
be consulted concerning any effects to threatened and endangered 
species. The agency invites written comments and suggestions on this 
action, particularly in terms of identification of issues and 
alternative development.
    Comments from the public and other agencies will be used in 
preparation of the Draft EIS to identify potential issues and concerns, 
potential alternatives to the proposed action and to promote 
communications with members of the public or other agencies. The draft 
environmental impact statement (DEIS) will be filed with the 
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and made available for public 
review in spring of 2004. The final environmental impact statement is 
expected to be completed in fall of 2004. 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 environment 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 and 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 statement stage but that are not raised until after 
completion of the final environmental 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 
related to 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.
    The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits 
discrimination in its programs on the basis of race, color, national 
origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, and marital 
or familial status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) 
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of 
communication of program information (braille, large print, audiotape, 
etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and 
TDD). To file a complaint, write the Secretary of Agriculture, U.S. 
Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC 20250, or call 1-800-245-6340 
(voice) or 202-720-1127 (TDD). USDA is an equal employment opportunity 
employer.
    The Idaho Panhandle National Forests Supervisor is the Deciding 
Officer on this project. The decision will be made after considering 
comments and responses, environmental consequences discussed in the 
Final EIS, and applicable laws, regulations and policies. The decision 
and supporting reasons will be documented in a Record of Decision upon 
release of the Final EIS.

    Dated: October 16, 2003.
Ranotta K. McNair,
Forest Supervisor, Idaho Panhandle National Forests.
[FR Doc. 03-26722 Filed 10-22-03; 8:45 am]
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