[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 19 (Wednesday, January 29, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4245-4246]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-2120]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service


Environmental Impact Statement, Crystal Creek Timber Harvest on 
the Petersburg Ranger District, Stikine Area, Tongass National Forest, 
Petersburg, Alaska

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY: The Stikine Area of the USDA Forest Service proposes to 
harvest approximately 16 million board feet of timber in the Crystal 
Creek project area, which is near Thomas Bay on the Southeast Alaska 
mainland. A variety of harvest methods and silvicultural prescriptions 
will be used. This project would include the necessary road 
construction for transport of timber. The existing log transfer site 
would be reconstructed at Thomas Bay.
    The purpose and need for this project is to make available for 
harvest approximately 16 million board feet of timber. This will:
    1. Implement direction in the Tongass Land Management Plan,
    2. Contribute to providing a sustained volume of wood to meet local 
and national demand, and
    3. Provide local and regional employment opportunities.
    There may also be opportunities to maintain or enhance forage for 
moose habitat to sustain a huntable population in the area. Activities 
such as commercial and pre-commercial thinning of second growth stands, 
and geographically distributing timber harvest over time and habitat 
will be considered toward achieving this goal.
    A variety of resources and values will be maintained through the 
application of ecosystem management principles in the design of the 
project.
    A range of alternatives will respond to environmental and social 
issues. The no-action alternative will not harvest timber in the area. 
The Thomas Bay log transfer facility will be reconstructed and required 
roads will be constructed or reconstructed as needed.
    The decision to be made is:
    1. Whether or not timber harvest will occur in the Crystal Creek 
project area;
    2. How much timber will be harvested;
    3. Location and design of harvest units;
    4. Location and design of road construction and reconstruction; and
    5. What mitigation measures and monitoring will be implemented.

EFFECTIVE DATE: The Draft Environmental Impact Statement should be 
available for public review by June, 1997. The final Environmental 
Impact Statement is scheduled to be completed by November, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Questions, written comments, and suggestions 
concerning the analysis should be sent to Bruce Sims, Team Leader, 
Petersburg Ranger District, P.O. Box 1328, Petersburg, AK 99833, phone 
(907) 772-3871, fax (907) 772-5995.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: All appropriate agencies will be contacted 
and all required permits will be received before the proposed action is 
implemented. The following permits are anticipated in order to 
implement the proposed action:

[[Page 4246]]

    <bullet> U.S. Army Corps of Engineers approval under Section 404 of 
the Clean Water Act,
    <bullet> State of Alaska, Department of Natural Resources tideland 
permit and lease or easement, and
    <bullet> State of Alaska, Department of Environmental Conservation 
authorization under Section 401 of the Clean Water Act.

Public Comment

    Federal, State, and local agencies, potential contractors, and 
other individuals or organizations who may be interested in, or 
affected by, the decision are invited to participate in the scoping 
process. This process will include:
    1. Identification of potential issues;
    2. Identification of issues to be analyzed in depth;
    3. Determination of potential cooperating agencies and assignment 
of responsibility; and
    4. Examination of various alternatives.
    The Forest Supervisor will hold public meetings during the planning 
process. Interested people are invited to comment. The comment period 
on the Draft EIS will be 45 days from the date the Notice of 
Availability appears in the Federal Register.
    The Forest Service believes, at this early stage, it is important 
to give reviewers notice of several draft environmental impact 
statements must structure their participation in the environmental 
review process. First, reviewers of the draft environmental impact 
statements must structure their participation in the environmental 
review of the proposal so 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, 533 [1978]). Also, environmental objections that 
could have been raised at the Draft EIS stage may be waived if not 
raised until after the completion of the final environmental impact 
statement or dismissed by the courts (City of Angoon v. Hodel, 803 F.2d 
1016, 1022 [9<SUP>th 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 substantive comments and objections are made available to the Forest 
Service at the time when we 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 
helpful if comments refer to specific pages or chapters of the draft 
environmental impact 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 Environment 
Policy Act in 40 CFR 1503.3 while addressing these points.
    The responsible official for the decision is Abigail R. Kimbell, 
Forest Supervisor, Stikine Area, Tongass National Forest, Alaska 
Region, Petersburg, Alaska.

    Dated: January 13, 1997.
Abigail R. Kimbell,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 97-2120 Filed 1-28-97; 8:45 am]
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