[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 14 (Monday, January 23, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3454-3455]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-555]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
 or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 14 / Monday, January 23, 2006 / 
Notices  

[[Page 3454]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Navy Timber Sale Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION:  Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, will prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on a proposal to harvest timber in 
the Navy Timber Sale project area on the Wrangell Ranger District, 
Tongass National Forest. The Proposed Action for this project is to 
harvest 70-80 million board feet from approximately 2,900 acres in one 
or more offerings and would construct approximately 33 files of new 
temporary and classified road to facilitate access for logging. The 
Proposed Action includes harvest units and road construction within 
Inventoried Roadless Areas, as identified in the Forest Plan SEIS. The 
Proposed Action includes the use of the existing Log Transfer Facility 
(LTF) at Anita Bay as well as the construction of a new LTF at the 
entrance to Burnett Inlet near Navy Creek. The Proposed Action includes 
a non-significant amendment to the Forest Plan to relocate and/or 
modify the boundaries of the Mosman and Quiet small old-growth 
reserves. The Forest Supervisor will decide if and how much timber 
harvest and road building will occur within the project area, as well 
as whether to modify the existing small old-growth reserves. The 
decision will be documented in a Record of Decision based on the 
information disclosed in the EIS.

DATES: A public mailing that outlines the project timeline and public 
involvement opportunities (Schedule of Proposed Actions) was 
distributed in January 2006. Individuals interested in receiving a 
scoping package should contact us at the address listed in the 
addresses section within 30 days of the publication of this Notice of 
Intent (NOI). Opportunities for comment are available throughout the 
process. Comments on this project would be most helpful if received by 
February 17, 2006. Additional opportunities for comment will be 
provided after release of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement 
(DEIS). The DEIS is projected to be filed with the Environmental 
Protection Agency (EPA) in April 2007 and will begin a 45-day comment 
period. The Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) and Record of 
Decision are anticipated to be published in October 2007.

ADDRESSES: Please send written comments to Wrangell Ranger District, 
Attn: Navy EIS, P.O. Box 51, Wrangell, AK 99929. Electronic comments 
can be e-mailed to [email protected]. Please 
include the word ``Navy'' in the subject line.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jamie Roberts, Planning Team Leader, 
or Mark Hummel, District Ranger, Wrangell Ranger District, P.O. Box 51, 
Wrangell, AK 99929, telephone (907) 874-2323.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Navy project area is located on central 
Etolin Island approximately 22 air miles southwest of Wrangell, Alaska. 
The project area is within portions of Value Comparison Units 
464, 465, 466, 467 and 468. Portions of two Inventoried 
Roadless Areas, North Etolin 232 and Mosman 233 as 
identified in the Forest Plan SEIS, are located within the project 
area. Timber harvest and road building is proposed within the 
Inventoried Roadless Areas. The project area includes three small old-
growth reserves (Mosman, Quiet and Burnett) as designated in the Forest 
Plan. A Forest Plan amendment would be required if a decision is made 
to modify any old-growth reserve. The Forest Supervisor will decide if 
and how much timber harvest and road building will occur within the 
project area, as well as whether to modify the existing small old-
growth reserves. The decision will be based on the information that is 
disclosed in the EIS. The Forest Supervisor will consider comments, 
responses, the disclosure of environmental effects, and applicable 
laws, regulations, and policies in making the decision. The rationale 
for the decision will be included in the Record of Decision.
    Purpose and Need for Action: The purpose and need for the Navy 
timber Sale is: (1) To manage suitable lands to achieve 1997 Forest 
Plan goals and objectives in order to reach the desired future 
conditions prescribed for the Land Use Designations; (2) to assist in 
providing a continuous wood supply to meet society's needs; (3) to 
contribute to the job market and the overall economy of southeast 
Alaska; and (4) to harvest 50-80 million board feet of timber.
    Public participation: Public participation has been an integral 
component of the study process and will continue to be especially 
important at several points during the analysis. The Forest Service 
will seek information, comments and assistance from tribal governments, 
federal, state and local agencies, individuals and organizations that 
may be interested in or affected by the proposed activities. Written 
scoping comments have been solicited through a preliminary scoping 
package that was sent to persons on the project mailing list in 
November 2005. Additional written scoping comments are being solicited 
through a scoping package that will be sent to the project mailing list 
concurrent with the publication of this NOI. For the Forest Service to 
best use the scoping input, comments should be received by February 17, 
2006. If comments have already been submitted during the November 2005 
preliminary scoping period, they are being considered and it is not 
necessary to re-submit the same comments. Based on the results of 
scoping and the resource concerns and capabilities within the project 
area, alternatives including a no-action alternative will be developed 
for the DEIS. Subsistence hearings, as provided for in Title VIII, 
Section 810 of the Alaska National interest Lands Conservation Act 
(ANILCA), will be provided, if necessary, during the comment period on 
the DEIS.
    Electronic Filing Address: Electronic comments can be emailed to 
[email protected]. Please include the word 
``Navy'' in the subject line.
    Preliminary Issues: Tentative issues identified for analysis in the 
EIS include the potential effects of the project on and the 
relationship of the project to: (1) Timber sale economics, (2) 
conflicts

[[Page 3455]]

with permitted outfitter/guides and other users of this area, (3) 
conflicts with Special Use permit holders in the vicinity of this area, 
(4) proximity to the South Etolin Wilderness area, (5) timber harvest 
and road building in Inventoried Roadless Areas, (6) economic trade-
offs, and (7) modification of small old-growth reserves.
    Range of Alternatives: The range of alternatives that will be 
developed to respond to the significant issues, besides no action, 
could range from 15-120 million board feet.
    Draft environmental Impact Statement: A Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement (DEIS) will be prepared for comment. The comment period on 
the DEIS 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 
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 
DEIS stage but that are not raised until after completion of the Final 
Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) 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 action participate by the close of 
the 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 FEIS. To assist the Forest 
Service in identifying and considering issues and concerns on the 
proposed action, comments on the DEIS 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 DEIS 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. 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.
    Responsible Official: Forrest Cole, Forest Supervisor, Tongass 
National Forest, Federal Building, Ketchikan, Alaska 99901, is the 
responsible official. The responsible official will consider comments, 
responses, the disclosure of environmental effects, and applicable 
laws, regulations, and policies in making the decision. The rationale 
for the decision will be included in the Record of Decision.

(Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7 and 1508.22; Forest Service Handbook 
1909.15, Section 21)

Dennis Neill,
Acting Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 06-555 Filed 1-20-06 8:45am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M