[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 23 (Wednesday, February 4, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Page 5312]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-2245]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 23 / Wednesday, February 4, 2004 / 
Notices  

[[Page 5312]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Bighorn National Forest; Wyoming; Woodrock Project EIS

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Revision of notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The Forest Supervisor of the Bighorn National Forest, 
responsible official for the Woodrock Project EIS, is designating the 
Tongue District Ranger as the responsible official for the action 
listed in the Federal Register Friday April 4, 2003, volume 68, number 
65, pp. 16464 to 16465. All other project proposed actions are 
unchanged.

DATES: Scoping and the comment period have been completed. The Forest 
Service estimates the Final EIS will be filed approximately September 
of 2004.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Scott Hill, EIS Team Leader Woodrock 
Project, Bighorn National Forest, 2013 Eastside 2nd Street, Sheridan, 
WY, 82801, electronic mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Purpose and Need for Action

    The Woodrock Project proposed to implement the Forest Plan. The 
project includes: implementation of Forest Plan allocations, 
implementing past forest management decisions and silvicultural 
prescriptions, improve watershed conditions, improve travel management 
and existing road systems, and improve or maintain the forested 
vegetation within the forest plan standard and guidelines and other 
legal requirements.

Proposed Action

    The Forest Service proposes to: Improve diversity of forested 
vegetation by mimicking scale and intensity of natural disturbance 
patterns within the project area; reduce impacts to watershed 
conditions from roads and trails by changing travel management 
restrictions, reconstructing, restricting travel, or decommissioning 
existing roads where problems cannot be mitigated; on roads and trails; 
harden, relocate, or close dispersed campsites to meet Forest Plan 
direction; timber harvest of stands to produce wood fiber and reduce 
the spread of forest pests on approximately 1,800 acres.

Responsible Official

    The designated responsible official for this project is the Tongue 
District Ranger, Bighorn National Forest, National Forest, 2013 
Eastside 2nd Street, Sheridan, WY, 82801.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The District Ranger will decide: If changes should be made to the 
transportation system within the area; whether and where timber harvest 
should be implemented; if timber harvest occurs, what silvicultural 
systems and size of openings would be created; what noncommercial 
vegetation and fuels treatments should be taken; and what watershed 
improvements should be undertaken. He will decide when, or if, any 
management activities would take place, what mitigation measures would 
be implemented to address concerns, and whether the action requires 
amendment(s) to the Bighorn Forest Plan.

Scoping Process

    The NOA for the DEIS was published in the Federal Register November 
11, 2003, on page 63085. The NOI was originally mailed and posted in 
the Federal Register on April 4, 2003. The Woodrock project was 
initially developed as an Environmental Assessment. Scoping notices 
were sent on September 2, 1997, inviting comments from Federal, State 
and local agencies, special interest groups and individuals who had 
expressed interest in National Forest projects in the area. Scoping 
notices were sent to newspapers across northern Wyoming. A field trip 
was held on September 30, 1997. A public meeting addressing travel 
management in the Woodrock area was held at Bear Lodge on October 7, 
2000. The project has been listed in the Quarterly Schedule of Proposed 
Actions from 1997 to the present.
    A 60-day review period for comments on the Draft EIS was completed 
January 9, 2004. Comments received are being considered and included in 
documentation of the Final EIS. Comments which have been received, 
including the names and addresses of those who commented, are 
considered part of the public record on this proposal and are available 
for public inspection (Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7 and 1508.22; Forest 
Service Handbook 1909.15, section 21).

    Dated: January 29, 2004.
Bernard R. Bornong,
Acting Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 04-2245 Filed 2-3-04; 8:45 am]
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