[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 106 (Wednesday, June 2, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Page 31090]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-12393]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Red Pines EIS Project, Nez Perce National Forest, Idaho County, 
ID

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Revision of notice of intent.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

    Authorization: 40 CRF 1508.22.

SUMMARY: The Forest Service published a notice of intent to prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement for the Red Pines Project published in 
the Federal Register on June 13, 2003 (68 FR 35377, June 13, 2003). 
Forest Service Policy mandates that a revised notice of intent (NOI) be 
filed when there is a major change in information included in a notice 
of intent. This notice announces a change in the Red Pines Project. For 
the Red Pines Project there is a major change. The project will now 
include actions that were originally proposed as part of the Red River 
Salvage project that was discussed in a Predecisional Environmental 
Assessment released in August 2003. The project area will increase from 
31,500 acres to approximately 103,500 acres. The Forest Service will 
prepare an environmental impact statement to disclose the environmental 
impacts of implementing fuel hazard reduction and watershed improvement 
activities within the newly defined Red Pines project area.

DATES: Scoping comments received on either the original Red Pines or 
the Red River Salvage project will be addressed in the Red Pines draft 
environmental impact statement, expected to be released in August 2004.
    It is not necessary to submit your comments again for them to be 
considered.

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ester Hutchison, Project Coordinator, 
(208) 983-1950.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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.
    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 an 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 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 the Red Pines project, as now defined, submit comments by 
June 18, 2004, 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.

    Dated: May 26, 2004.
Michael J. Cook,
Acting Forest Supervisor, Nez Perce National Forest.
[FR Doc. 04-12393 Filed 6-1-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M