This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER

contains documents other than rules or

proposed rules that are applicable to the

public. Notices of hearings and investigations,

committee meetings, agency decisions and

rulings, delegations of authority, filing of

petitions and applications and agency

statements of organization and functions are

examples of documents appearing in this

section.

Notices Federal Register

60976

Vol. 69, No. 198

Thursday, October 14, 2004

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Forest Service 

Tongass National Forest, Admiralty 

National Monument, Juneau, Alaska; 

Notice of Intent To Prepare an 

Environmental Impact State To 

Address the Environmental Effects and 

Necessary Mitigation Measures for the 

Construction, Maintenance, and 

Operation of the Angoon Hydroelectric 

Project on Admiralty Island, in 

Southeast Alaska

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an 

environmental impact statement. 

SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(C) 

of the National Environmental Policy 

Act of 1969, the USDA Forest Service, 

Tongass National Forest, will prepare an 

environmental impact statement (EIS) to 

address the environmental effects and 

necessary mitigation measures for the 

construction, maintenance, and 

operation of the Angoon Hydroelectric 

Project on Admiralty Island, in 

Southeast Alaska. 

The City of Angoon is the only 

permanent community on Admiralty 

Island; it is approximately 60 air miles 

southwest of Juneau, Alaska. The 

project are includes the lower 8,500 feet 

of Thayer Creek and the area between 

Thayer Creek and the City of Angoon, 

located approximately 6 miles to the 

south. In addition, the project area 

includes an underwater crossing of 

Kootznoowoo Inlet for a transmission 

line. All project facilities, except for the 

underwater transmission line crossing 

Kootznoowoo Inlet and the terminus in 

Angoon, would be located on National 

Forest System lands. The project area 

includes portions of Cooper River 

Meridian. T.49S, R67E, and T.50S, 

R67E.

DATES: Comments will be accepted 

throughout the EIS process; to be most 

useful during the analysis, however, 

comments should be received in writing 

on or before December 3, 2004. The 

draft environmental impact statement is 

expected in May 2005, and the final 

environmental impact statement is 

expected in August 2005.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to 

Susan Marthaller, District Ranger, 

Admiralty National Monument, 8461 

Old Dairy Road, Juneau, Alaska, 99801 

or email to smarthaller@fs.fed.us.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Susan Marthaller, District Ranger, 

Admiralty National Monument, 8461 

Old Dairy Road, Juneau, Alaska, 99801; 

phone 907–790–7472; fax 907–586–

8795 or email to smarthaller@fs.fed.us.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The City 

of Angoon has some of the highest 

electric rates in Alaska. The Alaska 

National Interest Lands Conservation 

Act of 1980 (ANILCA) section 

506(a)(3)(B) granted Kootznoowoo, Inc., 

the village corporation of Angoon, ‘‘the 

right to develop hydroelectric resources 

on Admiralty Island within township 49 

south, range 67 east, and township 50 

south, range 67 east, Cooper River Base 

and Meridian, subject to such 

conditions as the Secretary of 

Agriculture shall prescribe for the 

protection of water, fishery, wildlife, 

recreational, and scenic values of 

Admiralty Island.’’ ANILCA also 

recognized the economic and cultural 

needs and expectations associated with 

Kootznoowoo, Inc., (ANILCA Sec. 

506(a)(3)(B). 

Consultants for Kootznoowoo, Inc. 

completed the Angoon Hydroelectric 

Project Feasibility Evaluation Report in 

march 2000 (HDR Alaska 2000). The 

proposed operations are subject to 

approval of a Plan of Operations under 

36 CFR, part 228, which is intended to 

ensure that adverse environmental 

effects on National Forest System lands 

and resources are minimized. 

Purpose and Need for Action 

The purpose and need for the Angoon 

Hydroelectric Project EIS is to 

determine how to develop the project 

while protecting the resources of 

Admiralty Island National Monument. 

ANILCA granted Kootznoowoo, INC the 

right to develop the hydroelectric 

project subject to mitigations prescribed 

by the Forest Service for protection of 

water, fishery, wildlife, recreational and 

scenic values of Admiralty Island. 

Kootznoowoo, Inc., sent a letter to the 

Regional Forester on November 19, 

2003, requesting that the Forest Service 

begin the NEPA work for the Angoon 

Hydroelectric Project. More recently, on 

April 21, 2004, Kootznoowoo, Inc., 

submitted an application asking for 

Forest Service authorization for the 

project.

Kootznoowoo, Inc., the City of 

Angoon, and the Angoon Community 

Association are pursuing funding to 

develop this hydroelectric project with 

the expectation that it would reduce the 

cost of power generation in Angoon and 

result in lower electric rates for Angoon 

residents. The project is expected to 

benefit the local economy by creating 

construction jobs and providing 

sufficient power for future growth of the 

community. 

Proposed Action 

The Forest Service Proposed Action is 

to authorize, through special use 

permits and easements, the construction 

and operation of a run-of-river 

hydroelectric facility on Thayer Creek. 

‘‘Run-of-river’’ refers to operations in 

which the hydroelectric power facility 

uses only the water that is available in 

the natural flow of the river. Under 

normal conditions, run-of-river facilities 

involve little or not water storage, and 

power generation fluctuates with the 

stream flow. Major improvements 

associated with the 1,000-kilowatt 

hydroelectric power facility include the 

following: 

1. Port facilities located 1.8 miles 

south of the outlet of Thayer Creek 

consisting of mooring buoys and a 

garage for operation and maintenance 

vehicles. 

2. A diversion dam, approximately 10 

feet high, on Thayer Creek, about 1.6 

miles up from the outlet. 

3. An intake structure at the diversion 

dam. 

4. A pipeline, approximately 1.2 miles 

long, from the intake structure to the 

powerhouse. 

5. A penstock, about 510 feet long, 

from the pipeline to the powerhouse. 

6. A surge tank near the junction of 

the pipeline and penstock. 

7. A power plant structure, about 30 

feet by 68 feet and 25 feet high, to house 

two generating units. 

8. Three access roads including a 1.9-

mile road from the port facilities to the 

power plant, a 1.4-mile road from near 

the powerhouse to the diversion dam/

Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 198 / Thursday, October 14, 2004 / Notices 60977

intake structure, and an estimated 4.2-

mile road from the port facilities to 

Kootznoowoo Inlet. 

9. A transmission line consisting of 

two overhead segments, 1.9 miles and 

4.2 miles, and one submarine crossing, 

approximately 0.9 mile. The three 

segments would extend from the 

powerhouse to the port facilities, from 

the port facilities to Kootznoowoo Inlet, 

and last, from the northern shore of 

Kootznoowoo Inlet to the City of 

Angoon, on the opposite shore. 

In addition, various temporary 

facilities, including a barge landing, 

staging areas, and a construction camp, 

would be needed during project 

construction. The Feasibility Evaluation 

Report describes existing Angoon 

electrical loads and resources and 

includes the development schedule and 

an economic analysis. 

The facilities, roads, and transmission 

lines would be designed to meet Forest 

Plan standards and guidelines with an 

emphasis on: 

1. Scenic visibility standards 

2. Minimium impact to beach fringe 

and wetlands 

A plan, subject to approval by the 

Forest Service and agencies with 

permitting jurisdiction, would be 

required before implementation to set 

performance criteria for achieving 

objectives related to beach fringe and 

estuary, scenery, and heritage resources.

Possible Alternatives 

In addition to the Proposed Action 

and No Action, alternatives currently 

under consideration for analysis in the 

EIS include: subterranean/submarine 

transmission line between Thayer Creek 

and Angoon. 

Responsible Official 

Forrest Cole, Forest Supervisor, 

Tongass National Forest, 648 Mission 

Street, Federal Building, Ketchikan, AK 

99901–6591. 

Nature of Decision To Be Made 

The decision to be made by the Forest 

Supervisor of the Tongass National 

Forest is under what terms and 

conditions to authorize, through special 

use permits and easements, the 

construction and operation of a 

hydroelectric facility on Thayer Creek as 

described above. The Forest Supervisor 

will also decide what mitigations, if 

any, would be necessary to implement 

the action. 

Scoping Process 

Public scoping meetings are planned 

in Angoon at the Community Services 

Building from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. on 

Thursday, October 14, 2004, and in 

Juneau at Centennial Hall from 7 p.m. 

until 9 p.m. on Friday, October 15, 

2004. 

Preliminary Issues 

Potentially significant issues 

identified to date include potential 

effects on the following: (1) Consistency 

with wilderness management objectives, 

(2) visual resources. 

Permits or Licenses Required 

In an order issued January 23, 2001, 

the Federal Energy Regulatory 

Commission (FERC) found that a license 

would not be required for this project. 

FERC concluded that the Commission 

lacks jurisdiction to issue a license for 

the proposed project due to its location 

in a National Monument within the 

National Forest System. Because of this, 

the Forest Service is the lead agency for 

this project, and a Forest Service special 

use permit would be the primary agency 

authorization for the project. Permits 

from other federal and state agencies 

would also be required for specific 

portions of the project. Additional 

permits or licenses may include the 

following: 

1. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 

—Approval of discharge of dredged or 

fill material into the waters of the 

United States under Section 404 of 

the Clean Water Act; 

—Approval of the construction of 

structures or work in navigable waters 

of the United States under Section 10 

of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899; 

2. Environmental Protection Agency 

—National Pollutant Discharge 

Elimination System (402) Permit; 

—Review Spill Prevention Control and 

Countermeasure Plan; 

3. State of Alaska, Department of 

Natural Resources 

—Tideland Permit and Lease or 

Easement; 

4. State of Alaska, Department of 

Environmental Conservation 

—Solid Waste Disposal Permit; 

—Certification of Compliance with 

Alaska Water Quality Standards (401 

Certification) 

Comment Requested 

This notice of intent initiates the 

scoping process, which guides the 

development of the environmental 

impact statement. 

Early Notice of Importance of Public 

Participation in Subsequent 

Environmental Review

A draft environmental impact 

statement (Management Bulletin 

number R10–MB–528) will be prepared 

for comment. The comment period on 

the draft environmental impact 

statement will be 45 days from the date 

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 draft environmental impact 

statements 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 environmental impact 

statement stage but that are not raised 

until after completion of the final 

environmental impact statement may be 

waived or dismissed by the courts. City 

of Angoon v. Hodel, 803 F.2d 1016, 

1022 (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 45-

day comment period so that 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 

environmental impact statement. 

To assist the Forest Service in 

identifying and considering issues and 

concerns on the proposed action, 

comments on the draft environmental 

impact statement should be as specific 

as possible. It is also helpful if 

comments refer to specific pages or 

chapters of the draft statement. 

Comments may also address the 

adequacy of the draft environmental 

impact statement 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 at 40 CFR 

1503.3 in addressing these points. 

Comments received, including the 

names and addresses of those who 

comment, will be considered part of the 

public record on this proposal and will 

be available for public inspection.

(Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7 and 1508.22; 

Forest Service Handbook 1909.15, Section 

21)

60978 Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 198 / Thursday, October 14, 2004 / Notices 

Dated: October 4, 2004. 

Forest Cole, 

Forest Supervisor.

[FR Doc. 04–22969 Filed 10–12–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–11–M

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service 

Notice of Public Meeting, Davy 

Crockett National Forest Resource 

Advisory Committee

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Secure 

Rural Schools and Community Self 

Determination Act of 2000 (Pub. L. No. 

106–393) and the Federal Advisory 

Committee Act of 1972 (FACA), the U.S. 

Department of Agriculture, Forest 

Service, Davy Crockett National Forest 

Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) 

meeting will meet on November 4, 2004.

DATES: The Davy Crockett National 

Forest RAC meeting will be held on 

November 4, 2004.

ADDRESSES: The Davy Crockett National 

Forest RAC meeting will be held at the 

Davy Crockett Ranger Station located on 

State Highway 7, approximately onequarter mile west of FM 227 in Houston 

County, Texas. The meeting will begin 

at 6 p.m. and adjourn at approximately 

9 p.m. A public comment period will be 

at 8:45 p.m.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Raoul Gagne, District Ranger, Davy 

Crockett National Forest, Rt. 1, Box 55 

FS, Kennard, Texas 75847: Telephone: 

936–655–2299 or e-mail at: 

rgagne@fs.fed.us.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Davy 

Crockett National Forest RAC proposes 

projects and funding to the Secretary of 

Agriculture under section 203 of the 

Secure Rural Schools and Community 

Self Determination Act of 2000. The 

purpose of the November 4, 2004 

meeting is to review and approve 

project proposals to submit to the Forest 

Supervisor for National Forests and 

Grasslands in Texas. These meetings are 

open to the public. The public may 

present written comments to the RAC. 

Each formal RAC meeting will also have 

time, as identified above, allocated for 

hearing public comments. Depending on 

the number of persons wishing to 

comment and time available, the time 

for individual oral comments may be 

limited.

Dated: October 7, 2004. 

Raoul W. Gagne, 

Designated Federal Officer, Davy Crockett 

National Forest RAC.

[FR Doc. 04–23019 Filed 10–13–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–11–M

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service 

Notice of Lincoln County Resource 

Advisory Committee Meeting

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the authorities in 

the Federal Advisory Committee Act 

(Pub. L. 92–463) and under the Secure 

Rural Schools and Community SelfDetermination Act of 2000 (Pub. L. 106–

393) the Kootenai National Forests’

Lincoln County Resource Advisory 

Committee will meet on Wednesday 

November 3, at 6 p.m. at the Supervisors 

Office in Libby, Montana for a business 

meeting. The meeting is open to the 

public.

DATES: November 3, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Kootenai National Forest, 

Supervisor’s Office, 1101 U.S. Hwy 2 

West, Libby, Montana.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Barbara Edgmon, Committee 

Coordinator, Kootenai National Forest at 

(406) 293–6211, or e-mail 

bedgmon@fs.fed.us.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Agenda 

topics include status of approved 

projects, prepare for the re-application 

process, and receiving public comment. 

If the meeting date or location is 

changed, notice will be posted in the 

local newspapers, including the Daily 

Interlake based in Kalispell, Montana.

Dated: October 6, 2004. 

Bob Castaneda, 

Forest Supervisor.

[FR Doc. 04–23020 Filed 10–13–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–11–M

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service 

Southwest Washington Provincial 

Advisory Committee Meeting Notice

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

SUMMARY: The Southwest Washington 

Provincial Advisory Committee will 

meet on Wednesday, October 27, 2004, 

at the Ward Road Fire Hall #88 in 

Orchards/Vancouver, WA, 6701 NE 

147th Ave., Vancouver, WA 98682. The 

meeting will begin at 9 a.m. and 

continue until 3 p.m. 

The purpose of the meeting is to share 

information on the following programs: 

An update on current activity at Mount 

St. Helens; a Washington State 

Department Ecology assessment of 

Gifford Pinchot National Forest stream 

temperatures; the Western Washington 

Sustainable Harvest Environmental 

Impact Statement for State lands; an 

update on the Forest Service Region 6 

invasive species Environmental Impact 

Statement, and to share information 

among members. 

All Southwest Washington Province 

Advisory Committee meetings are open 

to the public. Interested citizens are 

encouraged to attend. The ‘‘open forum’’

is scheduled to occur at 1 p.m. 

Interested speakers will need to register 

prior to the open forum period. The 

committee welcomes the public’s 

written comments on committee 

business at any time.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Direct questions regarding this meeting 

to Tom Knappenbeger, Public Affairs 

Officer, at (360) 891–5005, or write 

Forest Headquarters Office, Gifford 

Pinchot National Forest, 10600 NE 51st 

Circle, Vancouver, WA 98682.

Dated: October 6, 2004. 

Claire Lavendel, 

Forest Supervisor.

[FR Doc. 04–23021 Filed 10–13–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–11–M

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Submission for OMB Review; 

Comment Request 

DOC has submitted to the Office for 

Management and Budget (OMB) for 

clearance the following proposal for 

collection of information under the 

provisions of the Paperwork Reduction 

Act of 1995, Public Law 104–13. 

Bureau: International Trade 

Administration. 

Title: SABIT: Applications and 

Questionnaires. 

Agency Form Number: ITA–4143P–5. 

OMB Number: 0625–0225. 

Type of Request: Regular Submission. 

Burden: 5988 hours. 

Number of Respondents: 2370. 

Avg. Hours Per Response: 4 hour per 

participant. 

Needs and Uses: The Department of 

Commerce, International Trade 

Administration, SABIT Office supports 

technical assistance and training for 

professionals from Eurasia, while 

promoting information exchange and