Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 126 / Thursday, June 29, 2000 / Notices 40077

0–9 age class woodland habitat, (11)

improve existing river access and

parking facilities for canoeists, (12)

relocate an existing river access site and

access road for public safety and

watershed concerns, (13) close a range

allotment to future cattle grazing for soil

and water resource protection, (14)

connect several miles of existing

unconnected non-motorized trails, (15)

enhance habitat for upland game

wildlife species on approximately 50

acres by planting food plots, (16)

construct approximately 10 miles of

temporary roads (which will be closed

after use) to facilitate wildlife habitat

improvement and the removal of wood

products, (17) close approximately 1

mile of existing system road, and (18)

rehab approximately 2 miles of old road

corridor for watershed protection.

The overall objective is to move

Management Area 3.4–18 toward the

desired future condition outlined in the

Mark Twain Forest Plan.

The scope of this analysis is limited

to activities related to the purpose and

need and measures necessary to mitigate

the effects these activities may have on

the environment. The decision will

include if, when, how, and where to

schedule: wildlife habitat improvement

activities, watershed, glade, and

savanna improvement activities,

temporary road construction and

closure, forest habitat treatments,

prescribed burning, recreation site

improvement and access management,

resource protection measures,

monitoring, and other follow-up

activities.

A project in the same vicinity was

originally presented to the public for

review and comment (scoping) in April

of 1997 (Project Name: MA 3.4–18) prior

to undertaking preparation of an

Environmental Assessment (EA). In

1999 after modification to the MA 3.4–

18 project boundary, the project was

presented to the public again (Project

Name: Crossroads Projects). Since

September 1999, additional changes

have been made to the proposal and

today the decision has been made to

prepare an EIS. Many years of

experience implementing similar types

of activities in the same vicinity have

shown us that the effects are not

significant. We therefore do not feel that

an EIS is required. However, due to the

increase in appeals and litigation over

the last few years and for wise fiscal

efficiency, we have decided to try a new

public participation approach for this

particular project and prepare an EIS.

This Notice of Intent serves as notice of

the intent to prepare an EIS for the

Crossroads Project. The comments

received as a result of the public

participation for the analysis will be

brought forward for the EIS.

Preliminary comments made by the

public and agencies were considered in

the development of the tentative or

preliminary issues. These are as follows:

effects on Threatened, Endangered, and

Sensitive (TES) species and

Management Indicator Species (MIS);

concern over new road construction,

and road closures; concern over

motorized recreational access; direct,

indirect and cumulative effects; current

and designated old growth; forest

health, in relation to the current

vegetative patterns, structures, and

species composition; and, effects of

restoration activities to the overall

watershed.

Public participation will continue to

be an important part of the project,

commencing with the EIS 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 Osage 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: identify potential issues;

identify additional alternatives to the

proposed action; and, 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 top be

filed with the Environmental Protection

Agency and available for public review

in August 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 we expect to file 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

reviews notice of several court rulings

related to public participation in the

environmental review process. First,

reviewers of the draft EIS 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 of the draft EIS in

order that substantive comments and

objections and available to the Forest

Service at a time when it can

meaningful 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.

The responsible official for this

environmental impact statement is

Randy Moore, Forest Supervisor, Mark

Twain National Forest.

Dated: June 15, 2000.

John C. Bisbee,

District Ranger, Houston/Rolla/Cedar Creek

Ranger District, Mark Twain National Forest,

108 South Sam Houston Boulevard, Houston,

Missouri 65483.

[FR Doc. 00–16452 Filed 6–28–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–11–M

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Natural Resources Conservation

Service

Notice of Availability of Proposed

Changes to Conservation Practice

standards in Section IV of the Field

Office Technical Guide of the NRCS in

South Dakota for Review and

Comment

SUMMARY: It is the intention of the NRCS

in South Dakota to issue revised

conservation practice standards in

Section IV of the FOTG for the practice

‘‘Animal Trails and Walkways.’’

DATES: Comments on this notice must be

received within 30 days from the

publication date in the Federal Register.

40078 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 126 / Thursday, June 29, 2000 / Notices

ADDRESSES: All comments concerning

the proposed conservation practice

standard changes should be addressed

to: Dean Fisher, State Conservationist,

NRCS, 200 Fourth Street SW, Huron,

South Dakota 57350. A copy of this

standard will be made available upon

written request.

Dated: June 13, 2000.

Dean Fisher,

State Conservationist, Natural Resources

Conservation Service, Huron, South Dakota

57350.

[FR Doc. 00–16408 Filed 6–28–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–16–U

COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS

Agenda and Notice of Public Meeting

of the Rhode Island 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 Rhode

Island Advisory Committee to the

Commission will convene at 9 a.m. and

adjourn at 12:30 p.m. on Friday, July 21,

2000, at the Rhode Island State House,

Providence, Rhode Island 02601. The

Committee will release its report, The

Impact of the Personal Responsibility

and Work Opportunity Reconciliation

Act of 1996 on Legal Immigrants in

Rhode Island. Updated information will

be provided by invited civil rights

advocates who participated in the

original factfinding meeting. The

Committee will also plan for future

projects.

Persons desiring additional

information, or planning a presentation

to the Committee, should contact

Committee Chairperson Olga Noguera,

401–464–1876, or Ki-Taek Chun,

Director of the Eastern Regional Office,

202–376–7533 (TDD 202–376–8116).

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, June 23, 2000.

Lisa M. Kelly,

Special Assistant to the Staff Director,

Regional Programs Coordination Unit.

[FR Doc. 00–16427 Filed 6–28–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6335–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Minority Business Development

Agency

[Docket No. 000623192–0192–01]

RIN 0640–ZA07

Solicitation of Applications for the

Minority Business Capital Access

Policy Institute

AGENCY: Minority Business

Development Agency, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The Minority Business

Development Agency (MBDA)

published a document in the Federal

Register of June 8, 2000, (65 FR 36411),

concerning solicitation of competitive

applications from organizations seeking

to establish a Minority Business Capital

Access Policy Institute (MBCAPI). This

document extends the closing date of

the award to no later than 5:00 p.m. on

July 24, 2000.

DATES: The closing date for receipt of

applications has been extended until

July 24, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Applicants must submit one

signed original plus two (2) copies of

the application. Completed application

packages must be submitted to: Office of

Financial Access, Room 5600, Minority

Business Development Agency, U.S.

Department of Commerce, 14th &

Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington,

DC 20230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Jason Everett at (202) 482–1940.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In the

Federal Register issue of June 8, 2000,

in FR Doc. 65–111, on page 36412, in

the first column (second paragraph),

change the date from July 10, 2000 to

July 24, 2000. Applications will be

accepted until 5:00 p.m. Eastern

Daylight Time.

Glenn Clark,

Financial Management Officer, Minority

Business Development Agency.

Juanita E. Berry,

Federal Register Liaison Officer, Minority

Business Development Agency.

[FR Doc. 00–16444 Filed 6–28–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–21–P

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

[I.D. 091799D]

Notice of Additional Public

Involvement Opportunities/Re-opening

of Comment Period for the Preparation

of an Environmental Impact Statement

to Allow Incidental Take of Multiple

Species by Nonindustrial Private

Landowners in Lewis County, WA

AGENCIES: Fish and Wildlife Servce,

Interior; National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Notice to re-open public

comment period.

SUMMARY: This notice advises other

agencies and the public that the Fish

and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and

National Marine Fisheries Service

(NMFS) (collectively, the Services) are

re-opening the initial 30-day public

comment period and will hold three

additional scoping workshops to assist

in gathering information for the

preparation of an Environmental Impact

Statement (EIS). This EIS pertains to the

proposed issuance of Incidental Take

Permits by NMFS and USFWS, and

Enhancement of Survival Permits by

USFWS (collectively, Permits) to

nonindustrial forest landowners for

forest-management activities conducted

in Lewis County, WA. The proposed

Permits would authorize take of

federally listed species in accordance

with the Endangered Species Act of

1973, as amended (Act), and certain

other unlisted species should they be

listed in the future. As required by the

Act, a Conservation Plan is being

prepared in voluntary cooperation with

interested Lewis County parties. Since

the Permits are likely to involve

multiple landowners, the Conservation

Plan will be developed as a

programmatic Plan, titled the Family

Forest Conservation Project (Plan). The

USFWS will also use additional

landowner agreements available under

Section 10 of the Act, such as

Enhancement of Survival Permits for

Safe Harbor Agreements and Candidate

Conservation Agreements with

Assurances, as appropriate. This notice

supplements the notice of intent

published in the September 23, 1999,

Federal Register.