[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 36 (Tuesday, February 24, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8377-8378]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-3907]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Payette National Forest, Idaho; Paddy Flat Vegetation Management 
Project

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 the Paddy Flat Vegetation 
Management Project EIS. The proposed action in the EIS is to harvest 
timber and to do timber stand improvement in stands in the Paddy Flat 
Subdivision. The Payette National Forest invites written comments and 
suggestions on the scope of the analysis and the issues to address. The 
agency gives notice of the full National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA) analysis and decision-making process so that interested and 
affected people know how they may participate and contribute to the 
final decision.

DATES: Comments need to be received by March 29, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to mark J. Madrid, Forest Supervisor, 
Payette National Forest, P.O. Box 1026, McCall, Idaho, 83638.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed action 
should be directed to Dan Anderson, Interdisciplinary Team Leader, at 
the above address, phone (208) 634-0400.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Paddy Flat project area is located in 
the Kennally Creek sub-watershed on the McCall Ranger District. It is 
about 16 miles southeast of McCall, and approximately 6,700 acres in 
size. The purpose and need for this activity is to (1) move stands 
toward the desired condition in the Forest Plan for vegetation and (2) 
reduce the potential for uncharacteristic and/or undesired fire and 
create conditions that in the case of wildfire will tend toward a lower 
risk surface fire on National Forest System lands surrounding the Paddy 
Flat Subdivision.
    The proposed action includes a variety of activities to meet the 
purpose and need. (1) Harvest timber on approximately 594 acres, 
producing approximately 6.3 million board feet (MMBF) of wood products, 
using tractor, jammer, and skyline logging systems. The silvicultural 
methods used would be shelterwood w/reserve tree, clearcut w/reserve 
tree, intermediate treatment, and improvement cut. (2) Excavator pile 
and burn approximately 488 acres, jackpot pile and burn approximately 
14 acres, broadcast burn approximately 82 acres, and lop and scatter 
activity fuels on approximately 10 acres. (3) Regenerate by planting 
with seral species approximately 452 acres. (4) Reduce overall road 
density and reduce impacts to water quality in the project area by 
decommissioning approximately 18.0 miles of unneeded roads. (5) Build 
approximately 2.7 miles of new road to facilitate timber harvest. (6) 
Thin approximately 1,078 acres of plantations to reduce competition and 
increase growth. (7) Reduce the potential for uncharacteristic and/or 
undesirable fire by reducing the density in plantations and reducing 
the crown density of live trees and numbers of dead trees on National 
Forest System lands in proximity to the Paddy Flat Subdivision.
    Preliminary issues for this project include effects on water 
quality, soil productivity, wildlife habitat, and access management.
    A range of reasonable alternatives will be considered. The no-
action alternative will serve as a baseline for comparison of 
alternatives. The proposed action will be considered along with 
additional

[[Page 8378]]

alternatives developed that meet the purpose and need and address major 
issues identified during scoping. Alternatives may have different 
amounts, locations, and types of project activities.
    Comments received in response to this notice, including names and 
addresses of those who comment, will be part of the project record and 
available for public review.
    The Forest Service is seeking information and comments from other 
Federal, State, and local agencies; Tribal governments; organizations; 
and individuals who may be interested in or affected by the proposed 
action. This input will be used in preparation of the EIS.
    Comments will be appreciated throughout the analysis process. The 
comment period on the draft EIS will be 45 days from the date the 
Environmental Protection Agency publishes the notice of availability in 
the Federal Register. It is important that those interested in the 
management of the Payette National Forest participate at that time.
    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 waives or dismissed by the courts. City of Angoon v. Hodel, 803 F.2d 
1016, 1002 (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 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 
raised by 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.
    After the 45-day comment period ends on the draft EIS, the Forest 
Service will analyze comments received and address them in the final 
EIS. The final EIS is scheduled to be completed in 2004. The 
Responsible Official is the Payette National Forest Supervisor. The 
decision will be documented, including the rationale for the decision, 
in a Record of Decision (ROD). The decision will be subject to review 
under the Forest Service administrative appeal regulations at 36 CFR 
215.

    Dated: February 18, 2004.
Mark M. Madrid,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 04-3907 Filed 2-23-04; 8:45 am]
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