[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 49 (Tuesday, March 13, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14727-14728]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-5982]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Tongass National Forest Wrangell Ranger District; Alaska; 
Wrangell Island Project Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Corrected Notice of Intent to prepare an environmental impact 
statement.

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SUMMARY: A Notice of Intent (NOI) was first published for this proposal 
in the Federal Register (75 FR 81210) on December 27, 2010. This NOI is 
being published due to the length of time that has passed since the 
first NOI was published and due to changes made to the Purpose and Need 
and Proposed Action in response to public input received during the 
initial scoping period.

DATES: Comments received during the initial scoping period in 2010-2011 
will be considered in the preparation of this EIS. New or additional 
comments must be received by March 15, 2012, 45 days from date of 
publication of this Corrected NOI in the Federal Register. The draft 
environmental impact statement is expected in December 2012, and the 
final environmental impact statement is expected in June 2013.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to: Tongass National Forest, c/o Tim 
Piazza, 648 Mission Street, Ketchikan, AK 99901, Attn: Wrangell Island 
Project EIS. Comments may be hand-delivered to the Wrangell Ranger 
District, 525 Bennett Drive, Wrangell, AK 99929, Attn: Wrangell Island 
Project EIS. Comments may also be sent via email to: [email protected], or via facsimile to 907-228-6215, Attn: 
Wrangell Island Project EIS.

[[Page 14728]]

    In all correspondence, please include your name, address, and 
organization name if you are commenting as a representative of an 
organization.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tim Piazza, Team Leader, Federal 
Building, Ketchikan, AK 99901, (907) 228-6318; or Austin O'Brien, 
Wrangell Ranger District, P.O. Box 51, Wrangell, AK 99929, (907) 874-
2323.
    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:

Purpose and Need for Action

    The purpose of the Wrangell Island Project is to respond to the 
goals and objectives identified by the Forest Plan to guide timber 
management to support the local and regional economies of Southeast 
Alaska, while moving the Wrangell Island Project Area towards the 
desired future condition for all resources.
    The underlying need for the Wrangell Island Project comes from the 
Forest Service's obligation, subject to applicable law, to seek to 
provide a supply of timber from the Tongass that meets market demand 
annually and for the planning cycle, and to restore and improve forest 
resources to a condition where they provide increased benefits to 
society.
    Integrated planning is essential to provide an orderly flow of 
timber to large and small timber purchasers, mill operators, and value-
added wood product industries in Southeast Alaska who contribute to the 
local and regional economies of Wrangell Island and Southeast Alaska 
while also improving forest resource conditions. This project will help 
provide a reliable, long-term supply of timber that will support local 
jobs and facilitate the transition to a sustainable wood product 
industry based on young-growth management.

Proposed Action

    The Forest Service is proposing a multi-year project involving a 
variety of timber harvest, road construction, and forest restoration 
and enhancement activities. The proposed action would include the 
harvest of timber from up to 6,500 acres of forested land using one or 
varying sizes of timber sales, offered over a period of years, within 
the roaded land base on Wrangell Island. Up to 22 miles of National 
Forest System road and about 30 miles of temporary road would be 
constructed. Preliminary analysis shows that up to an estimated 80 
million board feet of sawtimber and utility wood could be made 
available to industry for harvest. Existing log transfer facilities 
would be used as needed. Harvest would include helicopter, ground 
based, and cable-yarding systems and include even-aged and uneven-aged 
harvest prescriptions to achieve stand objectives.
    Integrated restoration and enhancement activities will include road 
maintenance and improvements, invasive species treatments, erosion 
control, fish passage improvements. Other activities may include 
recreation enhancements, wildlife and fisheries habitat improvements, 
and subsistence access enhancement. All proposed activities would meet 
the standards and guidelines of the Tongass Forest Plan.

Possible Alternatives

    In addition to the Proposed Action and No Action alternative, the 
Forest Service is considering a range of action alternatives based on 
public input received to date. These include an alternative which 
adjusts Old Growth Reserve (OGR) boundaries to allow timber harvest 
within the roaded portions of small and medium OGRs on Wrangell Island. 
This alternative would require a Forest Plan amendment as part of the 
Decision. Another alternative is being developed by interested citizens 
and the Borough of Wrangell.

Responsible Official

    The responsible official for the decision on this project is the 
Forest Supervisor, Tongass National Forest, Federal Building, 648 
Mission Street, Ketchikan, Alaska 99901.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The responsible official will decide: (1) The estimated timber 
volume to make available from the project, as well as the location, 
design, and scheduling of timber harvest, road construction and 
reconstruction, and silvicultural practices used; (2) access management 
measures (road, trail, and area restrictions and closures); (3) 
mitigation measures and monitoring requirements; and (4) whether there 
may be a significant restriction on subsistence uses.

Preliminary Issues

    The initial scoping identified preliminary issues and concerns 
which may be analyzed in the EIS to disclose potential effects of the 
project on the following: timber supply, supporting the timber industry 
through the transition from old-growth harvest to young-growth 
management, road and access management, economic and rural stability, 
wildlife habitat, aquatic habitat (fisheries/hydrology/watersheds), 
soil productivity and slope stability, invasive species, heritage 
resources, roadless area characteristics, scenery, recreation, 
subsistence use, and climate change and carbon cycling.

Preliminary List of Permits or Licenses Required

    All necessary permits will be obtained prior to project 
implementation, and may include the following:

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

     Review Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure Plan 
State of Alaska, Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC):
     Solid Waste Disposal Permit State of Alaska, Department of 
Natural Resources (DNR):
     Authorization for occupancy and use of tidelands and 
submerged lands

Scoping Process

    The initial scoping period started when the NOI was published in 
2010. This proposal has been listed on the Tongass National Forest 
Schedule of Proposed Actions since January, 2011. There is an 
opportunity to submit new or additional comments for 45 days after 
publication of this Corrected NOI. Comments submitted previously will 
be considered in the analysis.
    Public scoping meetings were held in Petersburg and Wrangell, 
Alaska, on January 11 and 13, 2011, respectively. An updated scoping 
document has been posted on the Tongass National Forest public Web site 
at http://www.fs.fed.us/r10/tongass/projects/projects.shtml, and a 
project update letter will be mailed out to those who previously 
commented.
    It is important that reviewers provide their comments at such times 
and in such manner that they are useful to the agency's preparation of 
the environmental impact statement. Therefore, comments should be 
provided prior to the close of the comment period and should clearly 
articulate the reviewer's concerns and contentions. Comments received 
in response to this solicitation, including names and addresses of 
those who comment, will be part of the public record. Comments 
submitted anonymously will also be accepted and considered.

    Dated: March 5, 2012.
Forrest Cole,
Forest Supervisor, Tongass National Forest.
[FR Doc. 2012-5982 Filed 3-12-12; 8:45 am]
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