[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 124 (Wednesday, June 29, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Page 37324]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-12786]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Environmental Assessment for the North Light Creek Bridge 
Replacement, Hiawatha National Forest, Munising Ranger District, Alger 
County, MI

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: The Forest Service is seeking public comment on proposed 
replacement of the North Light Creek Bridge, located within the Grand 
Island Research Natural Area and Grand Island National Recreation Area, 
Munising Ranger District, Alger County, Michigan.
    The Responsible Official for decisions on permanent structures 
within Research Natural Areas, such as the proposed replacement bridge, 
is Dale Bosworth, Chief of the Forest Service (36 CFR 251.23). Forest 
Service appeal regulations require that legal notice of opportunity to 
comment on proposed actions be published in the Federal Register and 
the newspaper of record (36 CFR 215.5).

DATES: Comments on the proposed action must be received at the Munising 
Ranger District on or before 30 days from the date of publication in 
the newspaper of record, the ``Mining Journal,'' located in Marquette, 
Michigan. If the comment period ends on a Saturday, Sunday, or Federal 
holiday, comments will be accepted until the end of the next Federal 
working day.

ADDRESSES: The environmental assessment for the proposal is available 
on-line at http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/hiawatha/planning.htm, and in print 
from the Munising Ranger District, 400 East Munising Avenue, Munising, 
MI 49862, Attn: NLCB. Comments may be submitted orally, in writing, or 
via electronic mail. For oral comments, call Teresa Chase, District 
Ranger, at (906) 387-2512, extension 14. Written comments may be 
addressed to the Munising District Ranger at the above address or faxed 
to (906) 387-2070. Electronic mail comments must be sent to: [email protected]. Please include ``North Light Creek 
Bridge Comments'' in the subject line of the e-mail. Office hours for 
hand delivered or oral (in person or by telephone) comments are 8 a.m. 
to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Teresa Chase, Munising District 
Ranger, at (906) 387-2512, extension 14. Individuals who use 
telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD) may call 906-387-3371 
between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Central Daylight Time, Monday through 
Friday.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The North Light Creek Bridge is located 
within the Grand Island National Recreation Area. The bridge is an 
integral part of an historic travel route around the rim of the island. 
The bridge is currently in severe disrepair and is closed to traffic. 
Visitors to Grand Island place themselves at risk by crossing North 
Light Creek. Repair or replacement is needed for visitor safety, 
maintenance of the historic travel route, and sustaining the long-term 
recreation objectives in the Grand Island Management Plan. The Forest 
Service is proposing to replace the bridge, and is considering three 
alternatives: No action/no replacement (Alternative 1), replacement 
with a glue-laminate arch bridge with a treated wood deck (Alternative 
2), and replacement with a steel pony truss bridge with a treated wood 
deck (Alternative 3).
    Opportunity for public comment was previously provided in the 
newspaper of record, the ``Mining Journal,'' Marquette, Michigan, on 
October 7, 2004. However, notice was not published in the Federal 
Register as required by 36 CFR 215.5 when the Chief of the Forest 
Service is the Responsible Official. This opportunity to comment 
corrects the original omission. Substantive comments that were timely 
submitted in response to the October 7, 2004, notice in the newspaper 
of record need not be re-submitted and will be considered in arriving 
at a decision or in determining standing to appeal the decision.
    Only those who submit timely and substantive comments will be 
accepted as appellants. Substantive comments that are within the scope 
of the proposed action, specific to the proposed action, or that have a 
direct relationship to the proposed action and include supporting 
reasons, are most helpful to the Forest Service in arriving at a 
decision (36 CFR 215.2). For appeal eligibility, each individual or 
representative from each organization submitting substantive comments 
must either sign the comments or verify identity upon request. 
Acceptable formats for electronic comments are text or HTML e-mail, 
Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF), and Microsoft Office formats.

    Dated: June 23, 2005.
Timothy DeCoster,
Acting Deputy Chief, Programs, Legislation & Communications.
[FR Doc. 05-12786 Filed 6-28-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P