[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 212 (Friday, November 1, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65609-65610]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-26049]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests and Thunder Basin National 
Grassland; Wyoming; Thunder Basin National Grassland Prairie Dog 
Amendment 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) for this proposal was first published 
in the Federal Register on September 13, 2013 (78 FR 56650). This 
corrected NOI is being published to reinitiate the scoping period to 
allow for the rescheduling of public meetings that were cancelled 
during the original scoping period due to the lapse in government 
funding; to identify adjustments in project timelines; and to identify 
the State of Wyoming and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service 
(USFWS) as Cooperating Agencies. No changes to the Proposed Action or 
Purpose of and Need for Action have been made.

DATES: Comments in response to this corrected NOI should be received by 
January 3, 2014. Please note that all comments received during the 
previous scoping period (ended October 28, 2013) will be considered in 
the preparation of the environmental impact statement (EIS). The Draft 
EIS is expected to be published in June 2014 and the Final EIS is 
expected to be published in October 2014.

ADDRESSES: Written comments concerning this notice should be addressed 
to: Responsible Official, Douglas Ranger District, 2250 East Richards 
Street, Douglas, Wyoming 82633. Comments may also be sent via email to 
[email protected] or via facsimile to 
(307) 358-7107.
    All comments, including names and addresses when provided, are 
placed in the record and are available for public inspection and 
copying. The public may inspect comments received at the address 
provided above. Visitors are encouraged to call ahead (307-358-4690) to 
facilitate entry into the building.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas Whitford, District Ranger, 
Douglas Ranger District, Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests and 
Thunder Basin National Grassland. Telephone: (307) 358-4690.
    Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD) 
may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 
between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, Monday through 
Friday.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Lead and Cooperating Agencies

    The United States Forest Service, Medicine Bow-Routt National 
Forests and Thunder Basin National Grassland, is the lead agency. The 
United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the State of 
Wyoming would be cooperating agencies.

Responsible Official

    The Forest Supervisor, Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests and 
Thunder Basin National Grassland, 2468 Jackson Street, Laramie, Wyoming 
82070, is the official responsible for making the decision on this 
action.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    Site-specific management proposals, alternatives to the Proposed 
Action, and the effects of the activities proposed in the alternatives 
will be analyzed in the Thunder Basin National Grassland Prairie Dog 
Amendment EIS. The EIS will form the basis for the Responsible Official 
to determine:
    1. Whether the Proposed Action will proceed as proposed, as 
modified by an alternative, or not at all; and
    2. Design criteria and monitoring requirements necessary for 
project implementation.

Scoping Process

    This notice of intent reinitiates the scoping process, which guides 
the development of the environmental impact statement. While public 
comments are welcome at any time, comments received during the scoping 
period are most useful for the identification of issues and the 
development and analysis of alternatives to the Proposed Action. More 
detailed information specific to the Proposed Action (e.g., scoping 
document and maps) is located on the World Wide Web at: http://www.fs.fed.us/nepa/nepa_project_exp.php?project=42753.
    Along with this opportunity to comment, the Forest Service will 
also be hosting four Open House/Presentation meetings for the Thunder 
Basin National Grassland Prairie Dog Amendment. The Open House/
Presentation meetings will be held on November 18th, 19th, 20th, and 
21st, 2013.

 November 18th: Douglas, Wyoming--Douglas National Guard 
Armory--315 Pearson Road
 November 19th: Newcastle, Wyoming--USDA Hell Canyon Ranger 
District Office--1225 Washington Boulevard
 November 20th: Wright, Wyoming--Wright Town Hall--Council 
Room--201 Wright Boulevard
 November 21st: Cheyenne, Wyoming--Laramie County Library--
Sunflower Room--2200 Pioneer Avenue

    The meetings will begin at 4:00 p.m. and generally last until 7:00 
p.m. The meetings will begin with a 30-minute Open House, followed by a 
short presentation and time for public comment, and ending with 
additional time for viewing of Open House materials and displays. 
Forest Service employees assigned to the Thunder Basin National 
Grassland Prairie Dog Amendment will be available to discuss and answer 
questions the public may have about the Proposed Action.
    The Forest Service will be operating under the new Part 218--
Project-level Pre-decisional Administrative Review Process (hereinafter 
referred to as `objection'), 36 CFR 218 subparts A and B, for this 
analysis. Per these regulations, individuals and entities who submit 
timely, specific written comments regarding a proposed project or 
activity during any designated opportunity for public comment will have 
standing to file an objection. This includes requests for comments 
during this initial scoping period as well as comments submitted during 
the 45-day comment period for the Draft EIS.
    It is the responsibility of persons providing comments to submit 
them by the close of established comment periods. Only those who submit 
timely

[[Page 65610]]

and specific written comments will have eligibility (36 CFR 218.5) to 
file an objection under 36 CFR 218.8. For objection eligibility, each 
individual or representative from each entity submitting timely and 
specific written comments must either sign the comment or verify 
identity upon request. Individuals and organizations wishing to be 
eligible to object must meet the information requirements in Sec.  
218.25(a)(3). Names and contact information submitted with comments 
will become part of the public record and may be released under the 
Freedom of Information Act.

    Dated: October 25, 2013.
Phil Cruz,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2013-26049 Filed 10-31-13; 8:45 am]
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