Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 243 / Monday, December 20, 2004 / Notices 75899

elements to uneven-aged, small group 

selection and prescribed fire. The 

intention is to implement these 

activities in suitable locations over time 

and to monitor and perform research 

studies on the response of physical, 

chemical, and biological features of the 

Big Creek and Dinkey Creek watersheds. 

The study is a collaborative effort 

between the Sierra National Forest and 

the Pacific Southwest Research Station.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope 

of the analysis must be received by 

January 24, 2005. Mail comments to: 

Ray Porter District Ranger, High Sierra 

Ranger District, PO Box 559 (29688 

Auberry Road), Prather, CA 93651. 

The draft environmental impact 

statement is expected June 2005 and the 

final environmental impact statement is 

expected October 2005.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ross 

Peckinpah, Acting Kings River Project 

Coordinator, (559) 855–5355 x3350.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Purpose and Need for Action 

The Kings River Project is a key part 

of the adaptive management program for 

the Sierra Nevada designed to address 

questions that relate to the uncertainties 

associated with management activities 

and their effects on wildlife habitat, 

watershed condition and modified 

wildfire behavior. 

Proposed Action 

The Sierra National Forest proposes to 

implement the Kings River Project that 

initially involves analyzing in detail 

eight management units for treatment 

between 2006 and 2008. Analysis will 

include an additional 71 management 

units for examination based on existing 

conditions and the potential for 

cumulative effects (of which 10 are no 

treatment-controls units and the 

remaining 61 units for implementation 

between 2011 and 2033). Thus, the EIS 

will be programmatic for the entire 

project with a focused piece for the 

initial eight management units. The EIS 

will address the five planned research 

studies (Kings River experimental 

watershed, California spotted owl, 

fisher, air quality, and uneven-aged 

management) while incorporating the 

National Fire Plan objectives (April 

2000), USDA Forest Service Strategic 

Plan and the Sierra Nevada Framework 

for Conservation and Collaboration 

Record of Decision (January 2001), as 

amended on January 21, 2004.

Lead and Cooperating Agencies 

The Kings River Project is a 

collaborative effort between the Sierra 

National Forest and the Pacific 

Southwest Research Station (PSW). The 

Sierra National Forest is the lead 

agency. 

Responsible Official 

Ed Cole, Forest Supervisor, Sierra 

National Forest, 1600 Tollhouse Ave., 

Clovis, CA 93612. 

Nature of Decision To Be Made 

The decision to be made is whether to 

implement the planned treatment and 

associated studies, an alternative or 

select no action. 

Scoping Process 

The Sierra National Forest will 

conduct a public scoping period that 

coincides with this notice. 

Comment Requested 

This revised notice of intent initiates 

the scoping process which guides the 

development of the environmental 

impact statement. The Sierra National 

Forest is seeking comments regarding 

this proposal to identify issues that may 

be presently unknown to the agency. 

Early Notice of Importance of Public 

Participation in Subsequent 

Environmental Review: A draft 

environmental impact statement will be 

prepared for comment. The comment 

period on the draft environmental 

impact statement will be 60-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. 

MRDC, 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 60-

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 1508.2; Forest 

Service Handbook 1909.15, Section 21)

Dated: December 14, 2004. 

Jane Fertig, 

Acting Forest Supervisor.

[FR Doc. 04–27809 Filed 12–17–04; 8:45 am] 

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service 

Mendocino Resource Advisory 

Committee

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

SUMMARY: The Mendocino County 

Resource Advisory Committee will meet 

January 21, 2005, (RAC) in Willits, 

California. Agenda items to be covered 

include: (1) Approval of minutes (2) 

Public Comment, (3) Sub-committees (4) 

Old Business. (5) Non Attendance/

Informational/action item (6) 

Discussion/approval of projects, (7) 

Matters before the group (8) hand outs 

(9) next agenda items and meeting date.

DATES: The meeting will be held on 

January 21, 2005, from 9 a.m. to 12 

noon.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at 

the Mendocino County Museum, 

located at 400 E. Commercial St., 

Willits, California.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Roberta Hurt, Committee Coordinator, 

USDA, Mendocino National Forest, 

Covelo Ranger District, 78150 Covelo 

Road, Covelo CA 95428. (707) 983–

8503: e-mail rhurt@fs.fed.us.

75900 Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 243 / Monday, December 20, 2004 / Notices 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

meeting is open to the public. Persons 

who wish to bring matters to the 

attention of the Committee may file 

written statements with the Committee 

staff by January 17, 2005. Public 

comment will have the opportunity to 

address the committee at the meeting.

Dated: December 14, 2004. 

Blaine Baker, 

Designated Federal Official.

[FR Doc. 04–27744 Filed 12–17–04; 8:45 am] 

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service 

Notice of Mineral County Resource 

Advisory Committee Meeting

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of meetings.

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 Lolo National Forest’s Mineral 

County Resource Advisory Committee 

will meet on the first Tuesday of each 

of the next five months from January 

2005 through May 2005. Meetings begin 

at 6 p.m. in Superior, Montana and are 

open to the public. Meetings normally 

last two hours.

DATES: January 4, February 1, March 1, 

April 5, and May 3, 2005.

ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held at 

the Mineral County Courthouse, 300 

River Street, Superior, MT 59872.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Robert Harper, Designated Forest 

Official (DFO), District Ranger, Lolo 

National Forest, at (406) 822–4233.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Agenda 

topics for all five meetings will focus on 

presentation and discussion of new 

project proposals, as authorized under 

Title II of P.L. 106–393. Selection of 

projects will occur at the April and May 

meetings. Meetings will be announced 

in local newspapers, the Mineral 

Independent and the Missoulian.

Dated: December 14, 2004. 

Deborah L. R. Austin, 

Designated Federal Official.

[FR Doc. 04–27813 Filed 12–17–04; 8:45 am] 

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service 

Notice of Southwest Idaho 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 Boise and Payette National 

Forests’ Southwest Idaho Resource 

Advisory Committee will conduct a 

business meeting, which is open to the 

public.

DATES: Wednesday, January 19, 2004, 

beginning at 10:30 a.m.

ADDRESSES: Idaho Counties Risk 

Management Program Building, 3100 

South Vista Avenue, Boise, Idaho.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Agenda 

topics will include review and approval 

of project proposals, and is an open 

public forum.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Dough Gochnour, Designated Federal 

Officer, at 208–392–6681 or e-mail 

dgochnour@fs.fed.us.

Dated: December 14, 2004. 

Lana S. Thurston, 

Administrative Officer, Boise National Forest.

[FR Doc. 04–27815 Filed 12–17–04; 8:45 am] 

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Natural Resource Conservation 

Service 

Beaver Creek Watershed Project; 

Morgan and Washington Counties, 

Colorado

AGENCY: Natural Resource Conservation 

Service, Agriculture.

ACTION: Notice of a Finding of No 

Significant Impact. 

SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)

of the National Environmental Policy 

Act of 1969; the Council on 

Environmental Quality Regulations (40 

CFR Part 1500); and the Natural 

Resource Conservation Service 

Regulations (7 CFR Part 650); the 

Natural Resource Conservation Service, 

U.S. Department of Agriculture, gives 

notice that an environmental impact 

statement is not being prepared for the 

Beaver Creek Watershed Project, Morgan 

and Washington counties, Colorado.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Allen Green, Colorado State 

Conservationist, Natural Resource 

Conservation Service, 655 Parfet St., 

Lakewood, Colorado, 80215–5517, 

telephone (720) 544–2802.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

environmental assessment of this 

federally assisted action documents that 

the project will not cause significant 

local, regional, or national impacts on 

the human environment. The findings of 

Allen Green, State Conservationist, 

indicate that the preparation and review 

of an environmental impact statement is 

not needed for this project. 

The primary project purposes are, (1) 

Agricultural water management—

improve water application effectiveness 

and reduce negative water quality and 

quantity impacts to surface and 

groundwater’s including, the South 

Platte River. These impacts being from 

excessive loading of nitrates, nutrients, 

sediment, and salts. (2) Watershed 

protection—protect the soil resource 

base from excessive irrigation induced 

erosion and sedimentation, improve soil 

health through carbon sequestration. (3) 

Nonagricultural Water Management—

creation and improvement of wetland 

and wildlife habitat as part of a three 

state initiative. 

The planned works of improvement 

include, on-farm underground irrigation 

pipelines, on-farm concrete irrigation 

ditches; sprinkler irrigation systems, 

and structures for water control. These 

enduring practices are accompanied by 

facilitating management practices such 

as Irrigation Water Management. 

This Notice of a Finding of No 

Significant Impact (FONSI) has been 

forwarded to the Environmental 

Protection Agency and to various 

Federal, State and Local agencies and 

interested parties. Copies of the FONSI 

and Plan/Environmental Assessment are 

available by request from Allen Green, 

Colorado State Conservationist. Basic 

data developed during the 

environmental evaluation are on file 

and may be reviewed by contacting 

Allen Green, State Conservationist. 

No administrative action on 

implementation of this project will be 

taken until 30 days after the date this 

Notice is published in the Federal 

Register.

Allen Green, 

State Conservationist. 

(This activity is listed in the Catalog of 

Federal Domestic Assistance under NO. 

10904, Soil and Water Conservation.)

[FR Doc. 04–27777 Filed 12–17–04; 8:45 am] 

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