[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 52 (Monday, March 17, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14201-14202]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-5131]


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 Notices
                                                 Federal Register
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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. 73, No. 52 / Monday, March 17, 2008 / 
Notices  

[[Page 14201]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Black Hills National Forest, Northern Hills Ranger District, 
South Dakota, Telegraph Forest Management Project

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 to implement multiple resource management 
actions within the Telegraph Forest Management Project Area to 
implement the Black Hills National Forest Land and Resource Management 
Plan. The Telegraph Project Area covers approximately 56,172 acres of 
National Forest System land and approximately 7,436 acres of 
interspersed private land about five miles directly south of Lead, 
South Dakota. Proposed actions include a combination of vegetation and 
fuels treatments to limit the spread of mountain pine beetle and 
further reduce the risk of infestation. Actions are also intended to 
reduce the risk of catastrophic fire and to improve vegetative and 
structural diversity. Treatments are proposed for approximately 31,722 
acres of National Forest System Lands. Approximately 83 miles of new 
road construction would be necessary to carry out the proposed 
treatments.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis would be most 
helpful if received by April 14, 2008. The draft environmental impact 
statement is expected to be available July 2008, and the final 
environmental impact statement is expected to be completed by September 
2008.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Rhonda O'Byrne, District Ranger, 
Northern Hills Ranger District at 2014 North Main Street, Spearfish, SD 
57783. Oral comments may be submitted by telephone at (605) 642-4622. 
Electronic comments may be submitted via e-mail at [email protected]. If submitting electronic 
comments, please include ``Telegraph Project'' in the subject line.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jackie Groce, Natural Resource 
Planner, Northern Hills Ranger District, 2014 North Main Street, 
Spearfish, SD 57783. Telephone number: (605) 642-4622.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Purpose of and Need for Action

    The primary purpose of and need for action in the Telegraph project 
area is to reduce the risk of catastrophic fire and insect events. 
Existing conditions indicate that insect risk ratings and fire hazard 
ratings are higher than desired. There is an opportunity to move toward 
Forest-wide objectives outlined for managing insect risk and fire 
hazard in the current Black Hills National Forest Land and Resource 
Management Plan (Forest Plan).
    In addition, there is a need to enhance structural and vegetative 
diversity within the project area. Existing conditions indicate that 
movement toward a more desirable distribution of structural stages for 
ponderosa pine stands in areas managed for a resource production 
emphasis could be achieved through vegetation treatments. There are 
also opportunities to enhance the condition of lodgepole pine and aspen 
stands in the project area to help ensure their continued persistence.
    Finally, in line with Forest Plan objectives, there is a need to 
contribute to local and regional economies by providing commercial 
timber harvest opportunities.

Proposed Action

    The proposed action is intended to be responsive to the purpose of 
and need for action specified for this project and to move conditions 
within the project area toward more desirable conditions as described 
in the Forest Plan. The proposed action includes a variety of 
commercial and non-commercial vegetation and fuels treatments. Some 
treatments will stand alone, while others include initial treatments as 
well as follow-up treatments. The following proposed activities will be 
designed so that they are consistent with Forest Plan Standards and 
Guidelines:
     Commercial Hardwood Enhancement (1611 acres)
     Commercial Lodgepole Pine Enhancement (405 acres)
     Commercial Overstory Removal/Pre-commercial Thinning (9350 
acres)
     Commercial Overstory Removal/Pre-commercial Thinning/
Prescribed Burning (1037 acres)
     Commercial Seed Cut/Pre-commercial Thinning/Prescribed 
Burning (2741 acres)
     Commercial Thinning/Pre-commercial Thinning/Prescribed 
Burning (8675 acres)
     Meadow Enhancement (293 acres)
     Pre-commercial Thinning (3055 acres)
     Pre-commercial Thinning/Prescribed Burning (177 acres)
     Prescribed Burning (4312 acres)
     Planting of Native Species (66 acres)
    To facilitate these vegetation treatments, an estimated 83 miles of 
new National Forest System road would need to be constructed, and 29 
miles of currently unclassified road would be added to the system. 
These roads would be closed following harvest activities. The proposal 
would also require use of approximately 166 miles of existing National 
Forest System road. These system roads would need to be prepared for 
use. Preparation could range from minimal maintenance activities to 
reconstruction of the road template, depending on the current condition 
of the road.

Responsible Official

    Rhonda O'Byrne, District Ranger, Northern Hills Ranger District, 
2014 North Main Street, Spearfish, SD 57783.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The decision to be made is whether or not to approve the proposed 
action or alternatives at this time. No Forest Plan amendments are 
proposed.

Scoping Process

    Comments and input regarding the proposed action are being 
requested from the public and other interested parties in conjunction 
with this notice of intent. The comment period will be open for thirty 
days, beginning on the date of publication of this notice of intent. 
Public information meetings regarding this proposal are being scheduled 
for early April.

[[Page 14202]]

Comment Requested

    This notice of intent initiates the scoping process which guides 
the development of the environmental impact statement. It is our desire 
to involve interested parties and especially adjacent landowners in 
identifying the issues related to proposed activities.
    Comments will assist in identification of key issues and 
opportunities to develop project alternatives and design criteria.

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 (beginning approximately in July 2008) 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 (40 CFR 1501.7 and 1508.22; 
Forest Service Handbook 1909.15, Section 21).

    Dated: March 10, 2008.
Dennis Jaeger,
Deputy Forest Supervisor, Black Hills National Forest.
[FR Doc. E8-5131 Filed 3-14-08; 8:45 am]
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