[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 191 (Monday, October 4, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59183-59184]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-22190]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Payette National Forest, ID; Revision of Travel Plan

AGENCY: USDA, Forest Service.

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

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SUMMARY: The Forest Service gives notice of the intent to prepare an 
environmental impact statement (EIS) to revise the Payette National 
Forest Travel Plan. The proposed action would designate a site-specific 
transportation system and prohibit indiscriminant cross-country 
traffic. The EIS will analyze the effects of the proposed action and 
alternatives. The Payette National Forest invites written comments and 
suggestions on the scope of analysis and the issues to address. The 
agency gives notice of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) 
analysis and decision-making process on the proposal so interested and 
affected members of the public may participate and contribute to the 
final decision.

DATES: Comments need to be received in writing by December 7, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to: Travel Plan Revision, Forest 
Supervisor's Office, Payette National Forest, P.O. Box 1026, McCall, ID 
83638, fax (208) 634-0744.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed project 
and scope of analysis should be directed to Ana Egnew, Land Management 
Planner, Payette National Forest, P.O. Box 1026, McCall, ID 83638, or 
by phone to (208) 634-0624.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Purpose and Need

    The need for revision of the Travel Plan was identified in the 2003 
Payette National Forest Land and Resource Plan (Forest Plan) (p. III-
63), and in the Forest Service proposed rule (for Travel Management 
(July 15, 2004); specifically, to establish a system of roads and 
trails and areas designated for motor vehicle use and to prohibit the 
use of motor vehicles off the designated system. The purpose of the 
revision is to (1) meet Forest Plan and national direction, (2) 
designate a reasonable system of roads, trails, and over-snow use 
areas, (3) balance management considerations with recreation demands, 
(4) reduce impacts to Forest resources, and (5) reduce recreation user 
conflicts. The analysis will be conducted across the 13 Management 
Areas that comprise the 1,583,681 acres of the Payette National Forest 
outside designated Wilderness.

The Proposed Action

    The proposed action would revise the current Travel Plan by 
designating a site-specific transportation system for snow-free and 
over-snow travel. Motorized snow-free travel off the transportation 
system would be prohibited on 1,583,681 acres (an increase of 544,863 
acres).
    The transportation system for snow-free travel would include:
    <bullet> 1,505 miles of open roads (reduction of 14 miles)
    <bullet> 612 miles of seasonally open roads (reduction of 28 miles)
    <bullet> 76 miles of trail open to All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) 
(increase of 22 miles)
    <bullet> 546 miles of trail open to 2-wheel motorized use 
(reduction of 98 miles)
    <bullet> 621 miles of trail open to non-motorized travel (increase 
of 87 miles)
    <bullet> 2.7 miles of undetermined road added to the system.
    The transportation system for over-snow travel would include:
    <bullet> 183 miles of open road (unchanged)
    <bullet> 1,106,480 acres open to motorized activities (reduction of 
17,400 acres)
    <bullet> 477,801 acres reserved for non-motorized over-snow 
activities

Responsible Official

    The responsible official is the Forest Supervisor of the Payette 
National Forest.

Decision To Be Made

    The decision to be made is: whether to adopt the proposed revision 
to the Travel Plan, in whole, or in part, or to adopt another 
alternative, and with what mitigation measures and management 
requirements.

Issues

    Preliminary issues identified by the Forest Service 
interdisciplinary team include effects to: water quality and wetlands; 
threatened, endangered, sensitive, and management indicator fish 
species and habitat; threatened, endangered, sensitive, and management 
indicator wildlife species and habitat; rare plants; and recreation 
opportunities.

[[Page 59184]]

Range of Alternatives

    A range of reasonable alternatives will be considered. The no-
action alternative will serve as a baseline for comparison of 
alternatives. The proposed action will be considered along with 
additional alternatives developed that meet the purpose and need and 
address significant issues identified during scoping. Alternatives may 
allow different locations, types, and seasons of travel activities.

Public Participation

    Public participation will be important at several points during the 
analysis. This notice of intent initiates the scoping process. The 
scoping process will identify issues to be analyzed in detail and lead 
to the development of alternatives to the proposal.
    The Forest Service is seeking information and comments from other 
Federal, State, and local agencies; Tribal governments; organizations; 
and individuals who may be interested in or affected by the proposed 
action. Comments received in response to this notice, including the 
names and addresses of those who comment, will be part of the project 
record and available for public review.
    Public meetings are scheduled during the 60-day scoping period and 
following issuance of the draft EIS. The public scoping meetings are: 
September 30, in Riggins, Salmon River High School; October 6 in 
Weiser, Vendome Conference Center; October 12 in McCall, Forest 
Supervisor's Office; October 14 in Council, Adams County Fairground 
Exhibit Hall; and October 21 in New Meadows, New Meadows Ranger 
District Office. All meetings are 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.
    The second major opportunity for public input is with the draft 
EIS. The draft EIS will be filed with the Environmental Protection 
Agency (EPA) and is anticipated to be available for public review 
during the summer of 2005. The comment period on the draft EIS will be 
60 days. It is important that those interested in travel management on 
the Payette National Forest participate at that time.
    The Forest Service believes it is important to give reviewers 
notice of several court rulings related to public participation in the 
environmental review process. First, reviewers of draft EISs 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 draft EIS stage, but that are 
not raised until completion of the final EIS, 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 
important that those interested in this proposed action participate by 
the close of the 60-day comment period so substantive comments and 
objections are made available to the Forest Service at a time when it 
can meaningfully consider them and respond to them in the final EIS.
    To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues 
raised by the proposed action, comments on the draft EIS should be as 
specific as possible. It is also helpful if comments refer to specific 
pages or chapters of the draft EIS. Comments may also address the 
adequacy of the draft EIS or the merits of the alternatives formulated 
and discussed in the statement. (Reviewers may wish to refer to the 
Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for implementing the 
procedural provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act 40 CFR 
1503.3 in addressing these points.)
    After the 60-day comment period ends on the draft EIS, the Forest 
Service will analyze comments received and address them in the final 
EIS. The final EIS is scheduled to be released in December 2005. In the 
final EIS, the Forest Service will respond to substantive comments 
received during the comment period. The Responsible Official (Forest 
Supervisor, Payette National Forest) will document the decision and 
rationale in a Record of Decision (ROD). The decision will be subject 
to review under Forest Service appeal regulations at 36 CFR part 215.

    Dated: September 24, 2004.
Mark J. Madrid,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 04-22190 Filed 10-1-04; 8:45 am]
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