[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 179 (Friday, September 14, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56808-56809]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-22366]


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 Notices
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  Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 179 / Friday, September 14, 2012 / 
Notices  

[[Page 56808]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National 
Grassland; Larimer County, CO; Middle Bald Mountain Public Safety Radio 
Communications Site

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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

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SUMMARY: The Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National 
Grassland is preparing an environmental impact statement to consider 
and disclose the environmental effects of constructing and operating a 
government-only, public safety radio communications facility near the 
summit of Middle Bald Mountain, in the Roosevelt National Forest. The 
Larimer County Sheriff's Office has proposed construction of a site to 
improve public safety radio communications among government agencies, 
such as County and State law enforcement, local fire departments, 
Larimer County Search and Rescue, U.S. Forest Service, FBI, and other 
emergency responders and public service providers operating in the 
north central portions of the County. The proposed communication 
facility would also improve radio communication in areas of the Cache 
la Poudre Canyon (the Canyon) and State Highway 14 which currently have 
poor or no radio communication.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received 
by October 29, 2012. The draft environmental impact statement is 
expected to be issued for public review in February, 2013, and the 
final environmental impact statement is expected to be issued in April, 
2013.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Middle Bald Communication Site 
Comments, c/o Logan Simpson Design, 123 N. College Ave., Ste. 206, Fort 
Collins, CO 80524. Comments may also be sent via email to 
[email protected]. Include ``Middle Bald Comment'' in the 
subject line.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Visit the Forest Service and County 
project Web sites, http://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/arp/middlebald and 
http://larimer.org/baldmountain/, or contact Carol Kruse, Special 
Projects Coordinator, at (970) 295-6663. Further information will also 
be available at two public open houses to be scheduled in early 
October; the exact dates, times, and locations will be announced 
locally.
    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 and need for this action are to improve poor or non-
existent VHF and 800 MHz radio coverage in the north central part of 
Larimer County, including Red Feather Lakes, Crystal Lakes, Glacier 
Meadows, the Canyon, State Highway 14, and in recreational areas in the 
Roosevelt National Forest. This lack of radio coverage also affects 
other public safety users, including local fire departments, FBI, 
Larimer County Search and Rescue, County Road and Bridge Department, 
the U.S. Forest Service, Colorado Department of Transportation, and the 
Colorado State Patrol. The principal land mobile radio system for 
Larimer County first responders is the 800 MHz State of Colorado 
Digital Trunked Radio System (DTRS); the County also operates a legacy 
VHF radio system.
    The Forest Service has identified a need to provide reliable, all-
weather, VHF and 800 MHz communications capabilities in north central 
Larimer County and in additional reaches of the Canyon that would allow 
fire and medical first-responders, law enforcement, and other 
government public safety and public service agencies to more-quickly 
and better assist the residents and recreational visitors during both 
emergency and routine incidents in those areas. The need was reinforced 
this summer during the Hewlett Gulch and High Park wildfires.
    Installation of the proposed radio communications facility under 
the proposed action would meet the purpose and need by improving VHF 
and 800 MHz coverage and reliability in north central Larimer County 
and the Canyon for existing fire and medical first-responders, law 
enforcement, and other local, State, and Federal emergency and public 
services users of the VHF and 800 MHz radio systems.

Proposed Action

    The proposed action is to construct a government-only public safety 
radio communications facility on Middle Bald Mountain for both VHF and 
800 MHz communications equipment. On-the-ground testing of both VHF and 
800 MHz radio signal coverage and signal strength indicates that a 
tower at that location would provide substantially improved VHF and 800 
MHz coverage in northwestern Larimer County and in the Canyon. An 
approximately 70-foot high, 3-legged steel lattice tower and 200 
square-foot building would hold equipment for use by Larimer County, 
local fire departments, the State of Colorado, the Forest Service, and 
search and rescue organizations.
    During construction a 2,900-foot long and 10-foot wide access road 
passable by heavy construction vehicles would need to be built from 
National Forest Service Road (NFSR) 517 to the proposed site facilities 
near the summit. Post-construction, the access road could be 
rehabilitated to a level required by the Forest Service. Gates could be 
installed at the junction with NFSR 517 and where the access road exits 
treeline onto the open meadow of the Middle Bald Mountain summit, if 
required by the Forest Service.
    Power for the communication facility would be provided by extension 
of the commercial electrical power grid from a location in Section 32, 
Township 10 North and Range 73 West. The approximately 12-mile long 
powerline would be installed overhead beginning in the Redfeather Lakes 
area, alongside County Road 162 (Deadman Road) to NFSR 300, alongside 
NFSR 300 to NFSR 517, alongside NFSR 517 to the point at which the 
proposed access road would leave NFSR 517, and alongside the access 
road to the point at which the access road exits the trees into the 
open meadow of the summit. From that point the powerline would be 
buried under

[[Page 56809]]

the access road to the communication facilities. The proposed facility 
would include a backup 20 kilowatt diesel generator for use in the 
event of interruption of commercial power.
    It is anticipated that facility construction would take three to 
four months and would occur in a single summer season.

Possible Alternatives

    The Environmental Impact Statement will analyze the proposed 
action, No Action (no communication site on Middle Bald Mountain), and 
other action alternatives that may be developed after scoping. Other 
action alternatives could consider alternative power sources, powerline 
alignments, and installation methods; alternative access road 
alignments and designs; alternative building designs; and alternative 
site locations for the tower and building near the summit of Middle 
Bald Mountain.

Responsible Official

    The responsible official is the Forest Supervisor for the Arapaho 
and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National Grassland.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The responsible official will decide whether or not to permit the 
proposed action or other action alternative that may be developed by 
the Forest Service as a result of scoping.

Permits or Licenses Required

    A Special Use permit from the Forest Service would be required to 
implement the proposal or other action alternative that may be 
developed by the Forest Service after scoping. A non-significant Forest 
Plan amendment would also be necessary if the decision is to permit a 
communication site on Middle Bald Mountain.

Scoping Process

    This notice of intent initiates the scoping process, which guides 
the development of the environmental impact statement. The Forest 
Service is soliciting comments from Federal, State, and local agencies, 
and other individuals or organizations who may be interested in or 
affected by implementation of the proposed project. Input provided by 
interested and/or affected individuals, organizations, and governmental 
agencies will be used to identify resource issues that will be analyzed 
in the Draft EIS. The Forest Service will identify key issues raised 
during the scoping process and use them to formulate alternatives, 
prescribe mitigation measures and project design features, and analyze 
environmental effects.
    It is important that reviewers provide their comments at such times 
and in such a 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. There will be two 
public open houses approximately three weeks into the scoping period, 
at which written public comments will be accepted. Those meeting dates, 
times, and locations will be announced locally.
    Comments received in response to this solicitation, including names 
and addresses of those who comment, will be part of the public record 
for this proposed action. Comments submitted anonymously will be 
accepted and considered.

    Dated: September 5, 2012.
Glenn P. Casamassa,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2012-22366 Filed 9-13-12; 8:45 am]
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