[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 213 (Monday, November 5, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62428-62429]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-5467]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Black Hills National Forest, Bearlodge Ranger District, WY and 
Northern Hills Ranger District, SD, North Zone Range 08 Analysis

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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

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

SUMMARY: The Forest Service proposes to revise Rangeland Allotment 
Management Plans (RAMP) for ten allotments comprising approximately 
92,800 acres within two Ranger Districts of the Black Hills National 
Forest and analyze continuation of grazing within the constraints of 
the Revised Black Hills National Forest Land and Resource Management 
Plan, as amended (BHNF LRMP).

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received 
by December 3, 2007. The draft environmental impact statement is 
expected April 2008 and the final environmental impact statement is 
expected August 2008.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Rhonda O'Byrne, Northern Hills 
Ranger District, 2014 N. Main, Spearfish, SD 57783. Comment may also be 
submitted by e-mail to: [email protected] with ``North Zone Range 08'' as subject.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom Smith at Northern Hills Ranger 
District, 2014 N. Main, Spearfish, SD 57783, phone (605) 642-4622; or 
Julie Wheeler at Bearlodge Ranger District, P.O. Box 680, Sundance, WY 
82729, phone (307) 283-1361.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Purpose and Need for Action

    The purpose of the project is to authorize livestock grazing in an 
environmentally acceptable manner. The EIS will determine current 
conditions, analyze environmental consequences of grazing management 
actions on those conditions, and assist the decision maker in selecting 
management/monitoring strategies consistent with meeting desired 
conditions in the BHNF LRMP, including Goals 1, 2 and 3. The need for 
the action is to revise allotment management plans, reverse any 
existing undesirable conditions, and ensure that authorized uses and 
associated management activities move them towards desired BHNF LRMP 
conditions. There is also a need to respond to requests for grazing 
permits on lands not currently being grazed.

Proposed Action

    The Northern Hills and Bearlodge Ranger Districts propose to 
implement best management practices and activities with adaptive 
management and monitoring strategies to allow livestock grazing 
consistent with Forest Plan desired conditions, standards and 
guidelines.

Possible Alternatives

    The Current Management Alternative would not change current 
permitted livestock grazing. The No Grazing Alternative would eliminate 
any livestock grazing on the project area.

Responsible Official

    The Responsible Official for the allotments on the Bearlodge Ranger 
District is Steve Kozel, District Ranger, Black Hills National Forest, 
Bearlodge Ranger District, 121 S. 21st Street, Sundance, Wyoming 82729. 
The Responsible Official for the allotments on the Northern Hills 
Ranger District is Rhonda O'Byrne, District Ranger, Black Hills 
National Forest, Northern Hills Ranger District, 2014 N. Main St., 
Spearfish, South Dakota 57783.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The decision to be made is whether to continue to permit livestock 
grazing on all, part, or none of these allotments and, if so, under 
what terms and

[[Page 62429]]

conditions to ensure that desired condition objectives are met, or that 
movement occurs toward those objectives. Whether or not to allow 
livestock grazing on three recently acquired parcels and one vacant 
grazing unit will also be decided, and if so, under what conditions.

Scoping Process

    Comments and input regarding the proposal are currently being 
requested from the public, other groups and agencies via direct 
mailing. Comments are due by December 3, 2007. Response to the draft 
EIS will be sought from the interested public in May and June 2008.

Comment Requested

    This notice of intent initiates the scoping process which guides 
the development of the environmental impact statement. It is the 
District's desire to involve interested parties in identifying the 
issues related to grazing management. Comments will help the planning 
team identify key issues used to develop adaptive management tools, 
monitoring strategies, and alternatives. Persons who submitted comments 
previously need not resubmit those same comments in response to this 
request. Comments submitted previously will continue to be considered.
    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 environmental 
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 
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 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 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 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.

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

    Dated: October 30, 2007.
Craig Bobzien,
Forest Supervisor, Black Hills National Forest.
[FR Doc. 07-5467 Filed 11-2-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M