[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 20 (Wednesday, January 30, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5497-5498]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-1607]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Hiawatha National Forest; Michigan; Niagara EIS

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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

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SUMMARY: The East Administrative Unit of the Hiawatha National Forest 
intends to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) to disclose 
the environmental consequences of a vegetation and transportation 
management project. See the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for the 
purpose of and need for the action.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received 
by February 17, 2008. The draft environmental impact statement is 
expected October 2008 and the final environmental impact statement is 
expected March 2009.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Lyn Hyslop, Niagara Team Leader; 
St. Ignace Ranger District; W1900 W US-2; St. Ignace, Michigan 49781. 
Send electronic comments to [email protected].
    For further information, mail correspondence to Lyn Hyslop, Niagara 
Team Leader; St. Ignace Ranger District; W1900 W US-2; St. Ignace, 
Michigan 49781. See the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for 
information on how to send electronic comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lyn Hyslop, Niagara Team Leader; St. 
Ignace Ranger District; (906) 643-7900. See address above under 
ADDRESSES. Copies of documents may be requested at the same address. 
Another means of obtaining information is to visit the Hiawatha 
National Forest webpage at http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/hiawatha/planning.htm.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Purpose of and Need for Action

    The purpose of and need for the project is to:
     Ensure fully stocked stands of desired forest cover types 
identified in the vegetation composition and size goals for management 
areas 2.3 and 8.3, and provide commercial wood products (Forest Plan, 
pp. 3-10 and 3-42).
     Provide a safe and efficient transportation system for 
managing the National Forest and providing appropriate access to non-
federal land.
     Provide within-stand diversity by increasing white pine 
and hemlock in stands missing this component.
     Reduce the susceptibility of the Niagara area to insect 
and disease outbreaks.

Proposed Action

    To move the project area toward the desired conditions shown in the 
Hiawatha National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan, the 
Hiawatha National Forest would during this decade: (1) Clearcut on 189 
acres, (2) clearcut--salvage mortality on 416 acres, (3) shelterwood 
cut with reserves on 650 acres, (4) seed-tree cut with reserves on 62 
acres, (5) overstory removal cut with reserves on 219 acres, (6) 
single-tree selection cut on 4,154 acres, (7) commercial thin on 879 
acres, (8) site preparation for natural regeneration on 4,487 acres, 
(9) mechanical site preparation for natural regeneration on 409 acres, 
(10) full planting on 219 acres, (11) construct 4 miles of new system 
roads, (12) construct 6 miles of temporary roads, (13) add 2 miles of 
unclassified roads to the National Forest System, (14) close 2

[[Page 5498]]

miles of existing roads, (15) decommission 18 miles of roads, (16) 
construct 19 permanent log landings, and (17) construct 20 temporary 
log landings. The total treatment area is 6,569 acres.

Responsible Official

    Stevan J. Christiansen, District Ranger; St. Ignace Ranger 
District; W1900 W US-2; St. Ignace, Michigan 49781.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The decision to be made is whether or not to manage the vegetation 
on any or all of the 6,569 acres by harvesting, and; whether or not to 
manage the transportation system through construction of temporary and 
permanent roads and log landings, addition of unclassified roads, and 
road closures and decommissioning.

Scoping Process

    The St. Ignace Ranger District proposes to scope for information by 
contacting persons and organizations on the Hiawatha's mailing list and 
landowners within or adjacent to the project area. In addition a legal 
notice will be posted in the local newspapers. An open house is also 
scheduled for January 30, 2008 at the St. Ignace District office at the 
address listed above, from 5-8 p.m. This present solicitation is for 
comments on this Notice of Intent and the scoping materials available 
elsewhere, such as on the Hiawatha National Forest webpage.

Preliminary Issues

    Preliminary or potential issues have been identified from 
experience with similar projects.
    (1) Timber harvesting may adversely impact wildlife species 
requiring early succession habitat.
    (2) Timber harvesting may adversely impact wildlife species 
requiring late succession habitat.
    (3) Closing and decommissioning roads could reduce the amount of 
legal motorized vehicle activity and could increase the amount of 
illegal motorized vehicle activity.
    (4) Closing and decommissioning roads could result in adverse 
effects to soils, riparian areas and wetlands, wildlife, and plants.
    (5) Timber harvesting and road building may adversely impact Canada 
lynx or Hart's tongue fern.
    (6) The karst topography and its dependent above-ground and below-
ground resources may be impacted by the area's ability to produce 
valuable timber products.

Addresses

    Information is available electronically on the Hiawatha National 
Forest webpage: http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/hiawatha/planning.htm--click on 
``Niagara''. Send electronic comments to: [email protected]. When submitting electronic comments, please reference 
the Niagara Project on the subject line. In addition, include your 
name, mailing address, and whether you would like a CD or paper copy of 
the draft EIS.

Comment Requested

    This notice of intent initiates the scoping process which guides 
the development of the environmental impact statement. Comments are 
most valuable if they are within the scope of the proposed action, 
specific to the proposed action, have a direct relationship to the 
proposed action, and include supporting reasons for consideration in 
the environmental impact statement and any subsequent decisions. 
Comments will be used to identify relevant issues, display 
environmental effects, or develop a range of reasonable alternatives to 
the proposed action. Any referenced scientific literature should be 
accompanied by a complete copy of the literature, and rationale as to 
its pertinence to the Niagara Project.
    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: January 23, 2008.
Stevan J. Christiansen,
District Ranger.
 [FR Doc. E8-1607 Filed 1-29-08; 8:45 am]
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