[Federal Register: May 11, 2001 (Volume 66, Number 92)]
[Notices]
[Page 24097-24098]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr11my01-20]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Upper Middle Fork Payette River Project, Boise National Forest,
Idaho
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare environmental impact statement.
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SUMMARY: The Cascade Ranger District of the Boise National Forest will
prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) for a resource
management project in the Middle Fork of the Payette River. The entire
project area is located within watersheds that drain directly into the
Middle Fork of the Payette River or its tributaries. The project area
is located 12 miles east of Cascade, Idaho, and about 100 miles north
of Boise, Idaho.
The agency invites written comments and suggestions on the scope of
the analysis. The agency also hereby gives notice of the environmental
analysis and decision-making process that will occur on the proposal so
interested and affected people are aware of how they may participate
and contribute to the final decision. At this time, no public meetings
to discuss the project are planned.
Proposed Action: Two primary objectives have been identified for
the project: (1) Reduce current and future stand susceptibility to
western spruce budworm, Douglas-fir beetle, and mountain pine beetle by
moving stand densities, structures, and/or species compositions towards
their historic conditions, and; (2) improve long-term stand growth to
or near levels indicative of healthy, sustainable forests.
The Proposed Action would treat an estimated 881 acres in the
15,881 acre project area. Proposed activities would occur within a
portion of the 67,637 acre Gold Fork/Clear Creek Management Area 53. An
estimated 4.0 MMbf of timber would be harvested using ground-based (697
acres), skyline (24 acres), and helicopter (160 acres) yarding systems.
The Proposed Action would employ a variety of silvicultural
prescriptions including commercial thin (169 acres), improvement cut/
sanitation (430 acres), seed cut shelterwood (95 acres), final removal
shelterwood (147 acres), and clearcut with reserve trees (40 acres).
The existing transportation system would be improved to facilitate log
haul and reduce sedimentation with individual sections of 3.3 miles of
road being reconstructed. An estimated 0.5 miles of specified road and
0.2 miles of temporary road would be constructed to facilitate harvest.
In addition, 0.7 miles of the #409F road, currently closed year-round,
would be decommissioned.
Preliminary Issues: Preliminary concerns with the Proposed Action
include: (1) Potential impacts on sediment delivery to area streams;
(2) potential impacts on bull trout, and; (3) potential impacts on the
visual quality of the area.
Possible Alternatives to the Proposed Action: One alternative to
the Proposed Action has been discussed thus far: (1) a no action
alternative. Other alternatives will likely be developed as issues are
identified and information received.
Decisions to be Made: The Boise National Forest Supervisor will
decide the following. Should roads be built and timber harvested within
the project area at this time, and if so; where within the project
area, and how many miles of road should be built; and which stands
should be treated and what silvicultural systems should be used? What
design features and/or mitigation measures should be applied to the
project? Should the decommissioning of existing roads be implemented at
this time?
DATES: Written comments concerning the proposed project and analysis
are encouraged and should be postmarked on or before June 11, 2001.
Schedule: Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS), July 2001.
Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS), September 2001.
ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to Keith Dimmett, Cascade
Ranger District, P.O. Box 696, Cascade, ID 83611. Comments received in
response to this request will be available for public inspection and
will be released in their entirety if requested pursuant to the Freedom
of Information Act.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Further information can be obtained
from Keith Dimmett at the address mentioned above or by calling (208)
382-7430.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The NFMA planning for this project was
initiated in the spring of 2001 with the Upper Middle Fork Payette
River Ecosystem Analysis at the Watershed Scale (EAWS). A letter
announcing plans to complete the EAWS and soliciting comments was
mailed to interest individuals and/or groups in March of 2001.
Roughly 70 percent of the project area occurs within one of two
inventoried roadless areas (IRA's). A portion of the Peace Rock IRA
occupies an estimated 8,947 acres, and a section of the Stony Meadows
IRA another 2,357 acres of the project area. A large portion of the
project area also occurs within Management Area 43 (Peace Rock). The
Proposed Action does not include any management activities within
either IRA or within Management Area 43.
The Middle Fork Payette River originates within, and runs through
the center of the project area. The Forest Plan discloses that that
segment of the river from Railroad Pass to the Middle Fork Bridge on
the #409 road is potentially eligible for inclusion in the National
Wild and Scenic River system as a ``wild'' river. However, in June of
1991 the Forest Plan was corrected to show that this segment of the
river is potentially eligible as a ``recreational'' river.
The comment period on the DEIS will be 45 days from the date of the
Environmental Protection Agency publishes the notice of availability in
the Federal Register.
The Forest Service believes, at this early stage, it is important
to give reviewers notice of several court rulings related to public
participation in the environmental review process. First, reviewers of
the DEIS must structure their participation in the environmental review
of the proposal so that it is meaningful and alerts an agency to the
reviewer's position and contentions. Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp.
v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519, 553 (1978). Also, environmental objections that
could be raised at the DEIS stage but are not raised until after
completion of the FEIS may be waived or dismissed by the courts. City
of Angoon v. Hodel, 803 F. 2d 1016, 1002 (9th Cir., 1986) and Wisconsin
Heritages, Inc. v. Harris, 490 F. Supp. 1334, 1338 (E.D. Wis. 1980).
Because of these court rulings, it is very important that those
interested in this proposed action participate by the close of the DEIS
45-day comment period so that substantive comments and objections are
made available to the
[[Page 24098]]
Forest Service at a time when it can meaningful consider them and
respond to them in the FEIS.
To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues
and concerns on the proposed action, comments on the DEIS should be as
specific as possible. It is also helpful if comments refer to specific
pages or chapters of the draft statement. Reviewers may wish to refer
to the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for implementing
the procedural provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act at
40 CFR 1503.3 in addressing these points.
Responsible Official: Anne F. Archie, Acting Forest Supervisor,
Boise National Forest, 1249 South Vinnell Way, Boise, ID 83709.
Dated: May 3, 2001.
Anne F. Archie,
Acting Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 01-11611 Filed 5-10-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M
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