[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 111 (Tuesday, June 10, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Page 33171]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-13508]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 111 / Tuesday, June 10, 2014 / 
Notices  

[[Page 33171]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest; Washington State; Notice of 
Cancellation of the Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed 
Green Mountain Lookout Removal Project, Darrington, Washington

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of cancellation of preparation of environmental impact 
statement.

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SUMMARY: The Forest Service announces that it has discontinued 
preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the court 
ordered removal of Green Mountain Lookout. The Forest Service 
discontinued preparation of the EIS due to the passage and signing of 
the ``Green Mountain Lookout Heritage Protection Act'' (Pub. L. 113-
99). The Act amends the Washington State Wilderness Act of 1984 by 
striking the period at the end and inserting the following: ``and 
except that with respect to the lands described in section 3(5), the 
designation of such lands as a wilderness area shall not preclude the 
operation and maintenance of Green Mountain Lookout.'' Furthermore, the 
Act prohibits the Forest Service from moving the lookout from its 
current location on Green Mountain unless the Secretary of Agriculture 
determines that moving the Lookout is necessary to preserve the Lookout 
or to ensure the safety of individuals on or around Green Mountain.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Todd Griffin, Project Leader, at (360) 
677-2258. 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: In 2010, a lawsuit was filed against the 
Forest Service seeking declaratory judgment and injunction requiring 
the removal of the lookout. The plaintiff alleged that the Forest 
Service violated the Wilderness Act and the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) with the removal and reassembly of the lookout, and 
the use of mechanized transport. The court agreed with the plaintiff's 
claims and ordered the Forest Service to remove the lookout. In an 
amended decision, the court granted a motion that the Forest Service 
should be afforded the opportunity to determine how to move forward to 
implement the court's order to remove the lookout. On May 2, 2013, the 
Forest Service published in the Federal Register a Notice of Intent 
(NOI) to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (78 FR 25693). The 
NOI included a description of the proposed action and described the 
purpose and need for the project. After receiving a congressional 
request to extend the scoping period, the Forest Service, on June 3, 
2013, published a second NOI in the Federal Register extending the 
scoping period for 30 days (78 FR 33048). Due to legislation, a Notice 
of Availability was not published in the Federal Register.

    Dated: May 29, 2014.
Jennifer Eberlien,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2014-13508 Filed 6-9-14; 8:45 am]
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