[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 78 (Monday, April 25, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21173-21174]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-8172]


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 Notices
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  Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 78 / Monday, April 25, 2005 / 
Notices  

[[Page 21173]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Idaho Panhandle National Forest, Idaho--Bussel 484 Project EIS

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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

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SUMMARY: The Forest Service will prepare an environmental impact 
statement on a proposal of ecosystem management in the Bussel 484 
Project Area, which is approximately 14,600 acres in size. 
Opportunities were developed through a comparison of existing project 
are conditions with desired future conditions for all the resources in 
the project area. The proposed action was developed utilizing the Idaho 
Panhandle Forests Forest Plan, a roads analysis, an ecosystem 
assessment at the watershed scale, findings from the St. Joe Geographic 
Assessment and the Upper Columbia River Basin Assessment, the National 
Fire Plan along with trends observewd by interdisciplinary specialists 
conducting on-the-ground assessments.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received 
within 60 days of publication of this notice in the Federal Register. 
The draft environmental impact statement is expected to be available 
for public review in November 2005, and the final environmental impact 
statement is expected to be completed in 2006.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Charles Mark, District Ranger, St. 
Joe Ranger District, 222 South 7th Street Suite 1, St. Maries, Idaho 
83861 or electronically to [email protected]. For further information, 
mail correspondence to Cornie Hudson, Bussel 484 EIS Team Leader at the 
address listed above. Information on this project can also be found on 
the Internet by going to http://www.fs.fed.usi/pnf/ and looking under 
Ecosystems, Management, Index of NEPA Projects and St. Joe Ranger 
District.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Connie Hudson--Bussel 484 Project Team 
Leader, 208-245-2531.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Purpose and Need for Action

    The Forest Service is proposing this project in order to restore 
and accelerate the development of early seral, shade-intolerant species 
(western white pine and western larch); promote and maintain mature 
forests with large trees; reduce stand densities to minimize stresses 
and disturbance risks; reduce the potential for large, severe wild 
fires while promoting conditions for safe and effective control of 
fires; provide fire protection to Bonneville Power Administration 
transmission line; provide wood products for the local timber dependent 
economy; maintain access to National Forest System lands now and in the 
future while reducing resource damage, protecting cultural resources, 
providing recreation opportunities, clarifying motorized and non-
motorized access, providing wildlife security acres in the project 
area, improving aquatic habitat conditions, improving watershed 
conditions, reducing road maintenance costs, reducing possibilities of 
new weed establishment, and promoting sites that are less suitable for 
weeds; work towards restoring Bear Creek and Little Bear Creek to water 
quality that supports designated beneficial uses; and improve stream 
habitat and riparian conditions in project area streams.

Proposed Action

    The proposed action includes timber harvest; road construction; 
storage, and decommissioning; natural and activity fuels reduction; 
tree and shrub planting; access management changes; and woody debris 
placement in streams in the Bussel 484 Project Area.

Responsible Official

    Ranotta K. McNair, Forest Supervisor, Idaho Panhandle National 
Forests, 3815 Schreiber Way, Coeur D'Alene, Idaho 83815.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The St. Joe Ranger District will prepare the EIS. The Forest 
Supervisor of the Idaho Panhandle National Forests will decide whether 
to implement this project, and if so, in what manner. The decision will 
be documented in a Record of Decision (ROD).

Scoping Process

    The project was listed on the Idaho Panhandle National Forests 
Quarterly Schedule of Proposed Actions in January 2005. Public scoping 
packages describing the proposed action were mailed to the Bussel 484 
Project mailing list on April 19, 2005. No public meetings are 
currently scheduled.

Preliminary Issues

    Preliminary issues raised during the development of the proposed 
action include effects to water quality from motorized vehicles 
entering Norton Creek while using the Norton Creek Railroad Grade; 
controversy over changes in access management including loss of 
motorized access on roads and trails and implementation of an area 
restriction which would prohibit cross country motorized travel; and 
removal of site nutrients with vegetative and fuel treatment 
activities.

Comment Requested

    This notice of intent initiates the scoping process which guides 
the development of the environmental impact statement. To assist the 
Forest Service in identifying and considering issues and concerns on 
the proposed action, comments should be as specific as possible. Public 
participation in this analysis is welcome at any time; comments 
received within 60 days of publication of this notice will be 
especially useful in the preparation of the Draft EIS.

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 environment 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

[[Page 21174]]

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, 
533 (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 this proposed 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 Regulation for implementing the 
procedural provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act at 40 
CFR 1503.3 in addressing these points.
    Comments received, including the names and addresses of those who 
comment, will be considered part of the public record on this proposal 
and will be available for public inspection.


    Dated: April 18, 2005.
Ranotta K. McNair,
Forest Supervisor, Idaho Panhandle National Forests.
[FR Doc. 05-8172 Filed 4-22-05; 8:45 am]
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