[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 77 (Thursday, April 21, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22361-22362]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-9655]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Lakeview-Reeder Fuels Reduction, Idaho Panhandle National 
Forests, Idaho, Bonner County

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a supplemental environmental impact 
statement.

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SUMMARY: The Priest Lake Ranger District of the Idaho Panhandle 
National Forests will prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) for the Lakeview-Reeder Fuel Reduction Project. The 
Notice of Availability of the draft EIS for the Lakeview-Reeder Fuels 
Reduction Project was published in the Federal Register (74 FR 5652) on 
January 30, 2009 and the notice of the final EIS (74 FR 28045) was 
published on June 12, 2009. Following the release of the final EIS, two 
pre-decisional objections were lodged against the project under 36 CFR 
part 218. Under administrative review, the project was found to be in 
compliance with existing laws, regulations and policy. Two separate 
records of decision were issued. The Roads Record of Decision (ROD) was 
signed on December 3, 2009. This authorized selected roadwork 
activities analyzed in Alternative 2 that needed to be accomplished 
before fuels reduction activities could be implemented. The Hazardous 
Fuels Reduction ROD was signed on May 10, 2010 and authorized the 
activities analyzed in Alternative 2 that were deferred in the Roads 
ROD. A complaint for injunctive and declaratory relief against the 
Fuels Reduction ROD was filed in the United States District Court for 
the District of Idaho on October 6, 2010. On December 3, 2010, the 
Fuels Reduction ROD was withdrawn to address issues raised by the 
decision in Native Ecosystems Council v. Tidwell,

[[Page 22362]]

599 F.3d 926 (9th Cir. 2010). A supplemental EIS will be prepared to 
address management indicator species, recently designated critical 
habitat for bull trout, and newly designated Sensitive species. 
Treatment acres, harvest prescriptions and mitigation for grizzly bears 
are slightly changed from that presented in the proposed action of the 
final EIS due to ongoing collaborative efforts.

DATES: Scoping is not required for supplements to environmental impact 
statements (40 CFR 1502.9(c)(4)). There was extensive public 
involvement in the development of the proposed action, the 2009 draft 
EIS, and the 2010 final EIS. The Forest Service is not inviting 
comments at this time. The draft supplemental EIS is expected to be 
available in July 2011 and the final supplemental EIS is expected 
September 2011. The comment period for the draft SEIS will be 45 days 
from the date the EPA publishes the notice of availability in the 
Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: Priest Lake Ranger District, 32203 Hwy 57, Priest Lake, 
Idaho 83856.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Albert Helgenberg, IDT Leader, USDA 
Forest Service, Sandpoint Ranger District, 208-263-5111. Individuals 
who use telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD) may call the 
Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 between 8 
a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Forest Supervisor selected Alternative 2 
with modifications as documented in the May 2010 Lakeview-Reeder Fuels 
Reduction Project Record of Decision (ROD). The ROD authorized 
approximately 3,559 acres of vegetation treatment. To improve access to 
fuel reduction treatment areas, the ROD authorized approximately 1.9 
miles of road reconstruction, 19.5 miles of road maintenance, 2.4 miles 
of system road construction and 0.7 miles of temporary road 
construction. The supplemental EIS will contain additional information 
about management indicator species, recently designated critical 
habitat for bull trout, and newly designated Sensitive species. Any 
modifications that come out of the ongoing collaborative effort will 
also be incorporated into the supplemental EIS.
    The mailing list for this project will include those individuals, 
agencies and organizations on the mailing list for the 2009 Draft EIS. 
The comment period for the draft SEIS will be 45 days from the date the 
EPA publishes the notice of availability in the Federal Register. The 
Idaho Panhandle National Forests Supervisor will make a decision on 
this project after considering comments, environmental consequences, 
and applicable laws, regulations, and policies.

Purpose and Need for Action

    The project is needed to reduce hazardous forest fuels to decrease 
the risk of a wildfire negatively impacting the communities in the 
project area, public and firefighter safety, public infrastructure, 
private and National Forest System lands and resource values, and to 
restore, enhance and protect forest ecosystem components to improve 
forest health, increase biological diversity and to reduce threats from 
stand replacing wildfires and insect and disease infestations.

Proposed Action

    The proposed action as described in the FEIS includes approximately 
2,319 acres of fuel reduction treatment that involve commercial timber 
harvest and approximately 1,179 acres of ecosystem burn prescriptions 
that do not involve harvest. Road work includes approximately 19.5 
miles of road maintenance, 1.9 miles of road reconstruction, 2.4 miles 
of new road construction, and 0.7 miles of temporary road construction.

Responsible Official

    The Forest Supervisor of the Idaho Panhandle National Forests is 
the Responsible Official.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The decison for the Lakeview-Reeder Fuels Reduction Project will 
identify the land management activities to be implemented in the 
project area including acres, types, and locations of vegetative 
treatments including timber harvest and fuel treatments, as well as 
miles and locations of road maintenance, construction, reconstruction 
and storage activities. The supplemental EIS is intended to provide 
additional evaluation of management indicator species, recently 
designated critical habitat for bull trout, and newly designated 
Sensitive species and provide that information to the public.

Scoping Process

    Scoping is not required for supplements to environmental impact 
statements (40 CFR 1502.9(c)(4)). There was extensive public 
involvement in the development of the proposed action, the 2009 Draft 
EIS, and the 2010 Final EIS. The Forest Service is not inviting 
comments at this time.

Comment Requested

    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 state, 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 positions 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 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.

    Dated: April 15, 2011.
Ranotta K. McNair,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2011-9655 Filed 4-20-11; 8:45 am]
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