[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 158 (Thursday, August 15, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49722-49723]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-19801]


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 Notices
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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. 78, No. 158 / Thursday, August 15, 2013 / 
Notices  

[[Page 49722]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


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

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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

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SUMMARY: A Notice of Intent (NOI) was first published for this proposal 
in the Federal Register on December 27, 2010 (75 FR 81210). A corrected 
NOI was published in the Federal Register on March 13, 2012 (77 FR 
14727). This corrected NOI is being published because the project will 
now fall under the new 36 CFR 218 pre-decisional administrative review 
process, it has an updated timeline, and the purpose and need and the 
proposed action have been modified.

DATES: All comments received during the previous scoping periods in 
2010-2011 will be considered in the preparation of this EIS. The draft 
environmental impact statement is expected to be published in December 
2013 and the final environmental impact statement is expected to be 
published July 2014.

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: Wrangell Ranger 
District, 525 Bennett Drive, Wrangell, AK 99929, Attn: Wrangell Island 
Project EIS. Comments may be submitted via facsimile to: 907-228-6215, 
Attn: Wrangell Island Project EIS. Comments may also be sent 
electronically to: `Comment on Project' link under `Get Connected' via 
the Wrangell Island Project EIS Web page at http://www.fs.fed.us/nepa/nepa_project_exp.php?project=34831. 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, 907-228-6318 or Austin O'Brien, Wrangell 
Ranger District, Wrangell, AK, 907-874-7575. 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: 

New Federal Regulations

    The United States Department of Agriculture published a final rule 
in the Federal Register (78 FR 18481-18504) on March 27, 2013 to 
establish a new process by which the public may file objections seeking 
predecisional administrative review of proposed projects and activities 
implementing land management plans and documented with a Record of 
Decision or Decision Notice (reference 36 CFR part 218). This new 
process replaces the administrative appeals process at 36 CFR part 215. 
As the Record of Decision for the Wrangell Island Project is not 
expected until after September 27, 2013, the Wrangell Island Project is 
now subject to these new predecisional administrative review 
procedures.

Purpose and Need for Action

    The purpose and need for the Wrangell Island Project has been 
modified. The purpose for proposing this project is to contribute to a 
long-term supply of timber for the timber industry on Wrangell Island 
and on the Tongass National Forest in general, in a manner that is 
consistent with the multiple-use goals and objectives of the Tongass 
Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan). This would contribute 
to the timber supply that would help sustain the current timber 
industry while transitioning to a sustainable forest industry based on 
young-growth management.
    The need is to provide an economic timber supply that meets market 
demand annually and for the planning cycle. An additional need 
identified by this NOI is to develop and manage roads in the project 
area to support resource management activities.

Proposed Action

    The Proposed Action for the Wrangell Island Project has been 
modified from proposing timber harvest on approximately 6,500 acres, or 
80 MMBF of volume, to approximately 4,500 acres, or 60 MMBF of volume, 
to reflect better timber volume information gathered from additional 
field work. The proposed action for the Wrangell Island Project is to 
harvest timber using a variety of silvicultural treatments on 
approximately 4,500 acres of suitable and available forested lands 
using various sizes of timber sales offered over multiple years. 
Stewardship contracts may be used. An estimated 60 million board feet 
of sawtimber and utility wood would be made available to industry for 
harvest. Approximately 35 miles of National Forest System (NFS) and 
temporary roads would be constructed and about 7 miles of existing NFS 
roads would be reconstructed. Existing log transfer facilities would be 
used as needed. Harvest would include helicopter, ground-based, and 
cable yarding systems using even-aged and uneven-aged harvest 
treatments to achieve stand objectives. All proposed activities would 
meet the standards and guidelines of the Forest Plan.

Possible Alternatives

    A range of reasonable alternatives, from no action to maximizing 
harvest will be considered. Alternatives may include Forest Plan 
amendments to increase the size and connectivity of medium old-growth 
habitat reserves (OGRs), adjust the boundaries of small and medium 
OGRs, change land-use designations (LUDs), and modify Visual Priority 
Travel Routes (VPRs) and Use Areas.

Lead and Cooperating Agencies

    The Forest Service is the lead agency. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, and the City and 
Borough of Wrangell have agreed to participate as cooperating agencies.

Responsible Official

    The responsible official for the decision on this project is the 
Forest Supervisor of the Tongass National Forest.

[[Page 49723]]

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The responsible official will decide whether to authorize timber 
harvest, associated road construction, and road management on Wrangell 
Island.

Preliminary Issues

    Preliminary significant issues identified for this project include 
1) timber supply and timber sale economics, 2) old-growth reserve 
designs, and 3) road access and managment.

Preliminary Permits, Licenses or Other Requirements

    U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Spill Prevention Control and 
Countermeasure Plan (SPCC); Facility Response Plan (FRP) required under 
the Clean Water Act (CWA), as revised by the Oil Pollution Act, or as 
required under 40 CFR part 112.
    State of Alaska, Department of Environmental Conservation: Alaska 
Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (APDES) for point source and 
stormwater discharges; Certification of Compliance with Alaska Water 
Quality Standards (401 Certification); Storm water discharge permit/
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System review under Section 
402 of the Clean Water Act (402); Solid Waste Disposal Permit.
    State of Alaska, Department of Natural Resources (DNR): 
Authorization for occupancy and use of tidelands and submerged lands.

Scoping Process

    This notice of intent reinitiates the scoping process, which guides 
the development of the environmental impact statement. 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 for this proposed action. However, 
comments submitted anonymously will be accepted and considered.
    Individuals and entities as defined in 36 CFR 218.2 who have 
submitted timely, specific written comments regarding this proposed 
action during this scoping period or any designated opportunity for 
written public comment may file an objection. Objections will only be 
accepted from those who have previously submitted timely, specific 
written comments regarding the proposed project during scoping or other 
designated opportunity for public comment in accordance with 36 CFR 
218.5(a).
    Maps and detailed information on the project are available on the 
Wrangell Island Project EIS Web page located at: (http://www.fs.fed.us/nepa/nepa_project_exp.php?project=34831).

    Dated: August 9, 2013.
Patricia O'Connor,
Deputy Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2013-19801 Filed 8-14-13; 8:45 am]
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