31512 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 97 / Thursday, May 18, 2000 / Notices

District Ranger Decisions

Appalachian Ranger District: The

Asheville Citizen-Times published daily

in Asheville, NC

Cheoah Ranger District: Graham Star,

published weekly (Thursday) in

Robbinsville, NC

Croatan Ranger District: The Sun

Journal, published weekly (Sunday

through Friday) in New Bern, NC

Grandfather Ranger District:

McDowell News, published daily in

Marion, NC

Highlands Ranger District: The

Highlander, published weekly (mid

May-mid Nov Tues & Fri; mid Nov-mid

May Tues only) in Highlands, NC

Pisgah Ranger District: The Asheville

Citizen-Times published daily in

Asheville, NC

Tusquitee Ranger District: Cherokee

Scout, published weekly (Wednesday)

in Murphy, NC

Uwharrie Ranger District:

Montgomery Herald, published weekly

(Wednesday) in Troy, NC

Wayah Ranger District: The Franklin

Press, published by-weekly (Wednesday

and Friday) in Franklin, NC

Ouachita National Forest, Arkansas,

Oklahoma

Forest Supervisor Decisions

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette,

published daily in Little Rock, AR

District Ranger Decisions

Caddo Ranger District: Arkansas

Democrat-Gazette, published daily in

Little Rock AR

Cold Springs Ranger District:

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, published

daily in Little Rock, AR

Fourche Ranger District: Arkansas

Democrat-Gazette, published daily in

Little Rock, AR

Jessieville Ranger District: Arkansas

Democrat-Gazette, published daily in

Little Rock, AR

Mena Ranger District: Arkansas

Democrat-Gazette, published daily in

Little Rock, AR

Oden Ranger District: Arkansas

Democrat-Gazette, published daily in

Little Rock, AR

Poteau Ranger District: Arkansas

Democrat-Gazette, published daily in

Little Rock, AR

Winona Ranger District: Arkansas

Democrat-Gazette, published daily in

Little Rock, AR

Womble Ranger District: Arkansas

Democrat-Gazette, published daily in

Little Rock, AR

Choctaw Ranger District: Tulsa World,

published daily in Tulsa, OK

Kiamichi Ranger District: Tulsa

World, published daily in Tulsa, OK

Tiak Ranger District: Tulsa World,

published daily in Tulsa, OK

Ozark-St. Francis National Forest:

Arkansas

Forest Supervisor Decisions

The Courier, published daily

(Tuesday through Sunday) in

Russellville, AR

District Ranger Decisions

Sylamore Ranger District: Stone

County Leader, published weekly

(Tuesday) in Mountain View, AR

Buffalo Ranger District: Newton

County Times, published weekly in

Jasper, AR

Bayou Ranger District: The Courier,

published daily (Tuesday through

Sunday) in Russellville, AR

Pleasant Hill Ranger District: Johnson

County Graphic, published weekly

(Wednesday) in Clarksville, AR

Boston Mountain Ranger District:

Southwest Times Record, published

daily in Fort Smith, AR

Magazine Ranger District: Southwest

Times Record, published daily in Fort

Smith, AR

St. Francis Ranger District: The Daily

World, published daily (Sunday through

Friday) in Helena, AR

National Forests and Grasslands in

Texas, Texas

Forest Supervisor Decisions

The Lufkin Daily News, published

daily in Lufkin, TX

District Ranger Decisions

Angelina National Forest: The Lufkin

Daily News, published daily in Lufkin,

TX

Davy Crockett National Forest: The

Lufkin Daily News, published daily in

Lufkin, TX

Sabine National Forest: The Lufkin

Daily News, published daily in Lufkin,

TX

Sam Houston National Forest: The

Courier, published daily in Conroe, TX

Caddo & LBJ National Grasslands:

Denton Record-Chronicle, published

daily in Denton, TX

Dated: May 12, 2000.

David G. Holland,

Deputy Regional Forester for Natural

Resources.

[FR Doc. 00–12491 Filed 5–17–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–11–M

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

Booger Placer Claim, Suction Dredging

Nez Perce National Forest, Idaho

County, Idaho

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; intent to prepare

environmental impact statement.

SUMMARY: The Forest Service will

prepare an environmental impact

statement (EIS) to analyze and disclose

the environmental effects of dredging on

the Booger placer claim on Little Elk

Creek. The claimant has proposed using

one eight-inch suction dredge to remove

possible gold deposits from the gravel

and at bedrock in the stream channel of

Little Elk Creek. The operation is

proposed for five years, to operate when

water and weather conditions allow.

The Booger placer claim is located in

Section 33, T30N, R8E, BPM.

DATES: Written comments and

suggestions should be received on or

before June 19, 2000, to receive timely

consideration in the preparation of the

draft EIS.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments and

suggestions on the proposed action or

requests for a map of the proposed

action or to be placed on the project

mailing list to Kevin Martin, District

Ranger, Red River Ranger District, P.O.

Box 416, Elk City, Idaho 83525.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jo

Ellis, District Geologist, Red River

Ranger District, P.O. Box 416, Elk City,

Idaho 83525, phone (208) 842–2245.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

proposed action is proposed pursuant to

the 1872 Mining Law, the Organic

Administration Act of 1897 and Forest

Service mining regulations, Title 36

Code of Federal Regulation (CFR), Part

228, Subpart A. The United States

mining laws at 30 U.S.C. 21–54 Confer

a statutory right to enter upon the public

land to search for and remove certain

minerals. The Forest Service has the

responsibility to make sure that the

activities are conducted so as to

minimize adverse environmental

impacts to National Forest System

lands, 36 CFR, Part 228, Subpart A.

The proposal involves processing

streambed gravel to bedrock over the

entire 4,020 foot length of the claim.

Deeps of the gravel are between three

and six feet deep. The stream channel,

between high water marks, varies from

six to ten feet in width. This work

would take place over five years of more

whenever water and weather conditions

allow operations.

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 97 / Thursday, May 18, 2000 / Notices 31513

The process involves utilizing highpressure water pumps driven by

gasoline-powered motors, which create

suction in a flexible intake pipe. A

mixture of streambed sediment and

water is vacuumed into the intake pipe

and passed over a sluice box mounted

on a floating barge. Dense particles

(including gold) are trapped in the

sluice box. The remainder of the

entrained material is discharged into the

stream as tailings or spoils. A hole is

created in the gravel so bedrock is

exposed. Cracks in the bedrock are then

cleared with the suction. Cable attached

to a winch move large boulders or

rootwads.

The Forest Service will consider a

range of alternatives to the proposed

action. One of these will be the ‘‘no

action’’ alternative, in which the Plan of

Operations would not be approved.

Additional alternatives will examine

varying intensity and duration of the

proposed activities, including

restrictions on the size of equipment

and length of seasonal operation, as well

as respond to the issues and other

resource values.

Public participation is an important

part of the project, commencing with

the initial scoping process (40 CFR

1501.7), which starts with publication of

this notice and continues for the next 30

days. In addition, the public is

encouraged to visit with Forest Service

officials at any time during the analysis

and prior to the decision. The Forest

Service will be seeking information,

comments, and assistance from Federal,

State, and local agencies, the Nez Perce

Tribe, and other individuals or

organizations that may be interested in

or affected by the proposed action.

Comments from the public and other

agencies will be used in preparation of

the draft EIS. The scoping process will

be used to:

1. Identify potential issues;

2. Identify major issues to be analyzed

in depth;

3. Eliminate minor issues or those that

have been covered by a relevant

previous environmental analysis,

such as the Nez Perce National

Forest Plan EIS;

4. Identify alternatives to the proposed

action;

5. Identify potential environmental

effects of the proposed action and

alternatives (i.e., direct, indirect,

and cumulative effects).

While public participation in this

analysis is welcome at any time,

comments received within 30 days of

the publication of this notice will be

especially useful in the preparation of

the draft EIS, which is expected to be

filed with the Environmental Protection

Agency and available for public review

in July 2000. A 45-day comment period

will follow publication of a Notice of

Availability of the draft EIS in the

Federal Register. The comments

received will be analyzed and

considered in preparation of a final EIS,

which is expected to be filed in October

2000. A Record of Decision will be

issued not less than 30 days after

publication of a Notice of Availability of

the final EIS in the Federal Register.

The Forest Service believes it is

important at this early stage 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 in such a way

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, 513

(1978). Also, environmental objections

that could be raised at the draft EIS

stage but that are not raised until after

completion of the final EIS 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 in order that

substantive comments and objections

are 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 and

concerns on the proposed action,

comments should be as specific as

possible. 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.

Kevin Martin is the responsible

official for this environmental impact

statement.

Dated: May 5, 2000.

Kevin Martin,

District Ranger, Red River Ranger District,

Nez Perce National Forest.

[FR Doc. 00–12476 Filed 5–17–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–11–M

COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS

Agenda and Notice of Public Meeting

of the Illinois Advisory Committee

Notice is hereby given, pursuant to

the provisions of the rules and

regulations of the U.S. Commission on

Civil Rights, that a meeting of the

Illinois Advisory Committee to the

Commission will convene at 10:00 a.m.

and adjourn at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday,

June 13, 2000, at the 55 West Monroe

Street, Suite 525, Chicago, Illinois

60603. The purpose of the meeting is to

discuss civil rights issues of interest and

plan future activities.

Persons desiring additional

information, or planning a presentation

to the Committee, should contact

Committee Chairperson James E. Scales,

618–453–1045, or Constance M. Davis,

Director of the Midwestern Regional

Office, 312–353–8311 (TDD 312–353–

8362). Hearing-impaired persons who

will attend the meeting and require the

services of a sign language interpreter

should contact the Regional Office at

least ten (10) working days before the

scheduled date of the meeting.

The meeting will be conducted

pursuant to the provisions of the rules

and regulations of the Commission.

Dated at Washington, DC, May 12, 2000.

Lisa M. Kelly,

Special Assistant to the Staff Director,

Regional Programs Coordination Unit.

[FR Doc. 00–12501 Filed 5–17–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6335–01–P

COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS

Agenda and Notice of Public Meeting

of the Wisconsin Advisory Committee

Notice is hereby given, pursuant to

the provisions of the rules and

regulations of the U.S. Commission on

Civil Rights, that a meeting of the

Wisconsin Advisory Committee to the

Commission will convene at 12:00 p.m.

and adjourn at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday,

June 7, 2000, at the Milwaukee Hilton,

509 West Wisconsin Avenue,

Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202. The

purpose of the meeting is to discuss

civil rights issues and plan future

activities.

Persons desiring additional

information, or planning a presentation

to the Committee, should contact

Committee Chairperson Geraldine

McFadden, 414–444–1952, or Constance

M. Davis, Director of the Midwestern

Regional Office, 312–353–8311 (TDD

312–353–8362). Hearing-impaired

persons who will attend the meeting

and require the services of a sign