43694 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 158 / Friday, August 15, 1997 / Notices

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Public

participation will be an integral

component of the study process and

will be especially important at several

points during the analysis. The first is

during the scoping process. The Forest

Service will be seeking information,

comments, and assistance from Federal,

State, local agencies, individuals and

organizations that may be interested in,

or affected by, the proposed activities.

The scoping process will include: (1)

Identification of potential issues; (2)

identification of issues to be analyzed in

depth; and (3) elimination of

insignificant issues or those which have

been covered by a previous

environmental review. Written scoping

comments are being solicited through a

scoping package that will be sent to the

project mailing list. For the Forest

Service to best use the scoping input,

comments should be received by

September 30, 1997. Tentative issues

identified for analysis in the EIS include

the potential effects of the project on

and the relationship of the project to:

Subsistence resources, old-growth

ecosystem management and the

maintenance of habitat for viable

populations of wildlife and plant

species, timber supply, scenery and

recreational resources, anadromous and

resident fish habitat, soil and water

resources, wetlands, cultural resources

and others.

Based on results of scoping and the

resource capabilities within the project

area, alternatives including a ‘‘no

action’’ alternative will be developed for

the Draft Environmental Impact

Statement (Draft EIS). The Draft EIS is

projected to be filed with the

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

in April 1998. Subsistence hearings, as

provided for in Title VIII, Section 810 of

the Alaska National Interest Lands

Conservation Act (ANILCA), are

planned during the comment period on

the Draft EIS. The Final EIS is

anticipated by April 1999.

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).

Environmental objections that could

have been raised at the draft

environmental impact statement stage

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 of the proposed action,

comments during scoping and

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 in response to

this solicitation, including names and

addresses of those who comment, will

be considered part of the public record

on this proposed action and will be

available for public inspection.

Comments submitted anonymously will

be accepted and considered; however,

those who submit anonymous

comments will not have standing to

appeal the subsequent decision under

36 CFR Parts 215 or 217. Additionally,

pursuant to 7 CFR 1.27(d), any person

may request the agency to withhold a

submission from the public record by

showing how the Freedom of

Information Act (FOIA) permits such

confidentiality. Requesters should be

aware that, under FOIA, confidentiality

may be granted in only very limited

circumstances, such as to protect trade

secrets. The Forest Service will inform

the requester of the agency’s decision

regarding the request for confidentiality,

and where the request is denied, the

agency will return the submission and

notify the requester that the comments

may be resubmitted with or without

name and address within 7 days.

Permits: Permits required for

implementation include the following:

1. U.S. Army Corp 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

Countermeasures 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)

Responsible Official: Bradley E.

Powell, Forest Supervisor, Ketchikan

Area, Tongass National Forest, Federal

Building, Ketchikan, Alaska 99901, is

the responsible official. The responsible

official will consider the comments,

response, disclosure of environmental

consequences, and applicable laws,

regulations, and policies in making the

decision and stating the rationale in the

Record of Decision.

Dated: July 25, 1997.

Bradley E. Powell,

Forest Supervisor.

[FR Doc. 97–21657 Filed 8–14–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–11–M

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

Eastern Washington Cascades

Provincial Advisory Committee

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of field tour.

SUMMARY: The Eastern Washington

Cascades Provincial Advisory

Committee will meet on September 24,

1997, at the Wenatchee National Forest

Supervisors Office, 215 Melody Lane,

Wenatchee, Washington. The Provincial

Advisory Committee members will meet

at the Supervisors Office at 9:00 a.m.,

then proceed to the field tour in the

Leavenworth Ranger District (Beehive

and Mission Creek areas). The tour will

end at 4:00 p.m. This field tour will

focus on dry forest management

projects. All Eastern Washington
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 158 / Friday, August 15, 1997 / Notices 43695

Cascades Province Advisory Committee

meetings are open to the public.

Interested citizens are welcome to

attend.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Direct questions regarding this meeting

to Paul Hart, Designated Federal

Official, USDA, Wenatchee National

Forest, 215 Melody Lane, Wenatchee,

Washington 98801, 509–662–4335.

Dated: August 5, 1997.

Sonny J. O’Neal,

Forest Supervisor, Wenatchee National

Forest.

[FR Doc. 97–21626 Filed 8–14–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–11–M

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

Southwest Oregon Provincial

Interagency Executive Committee

(PIEC), Advisory Committee

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of Meeting.

SUMMARY: The Southwest Oregon PIEC

Advisory Committee will meet on

August 26 at the Illinois Valley Visitor

Center in Cave Junction, Oregon. The

meeting will begin at 9:00 a.m. and

continue until 5:00 p.m. The meeting

will be primarily a field tour.

Agenda its to be covered include: (1)

Marbled Murrelet habitat; (2)

information management; (3) Regional

Ecosystem Office presentation; (4)

Forest Service and National Park local

issues; (5) Oregon Caves tour; and (6)

field stops for mining issues. All

Province Advisory Committee meetings

are open to the public. Interested

citizens need to contact Chuck

Anderson ahead of time for this field

trip.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Direct questions regarding this meeting

to Chuck Anderson, Province Advisory

Committee staff, USDA, Forest

Service,Rogue River National Forest,

333 W. 8th Street, Medford, Oregon

97501, phone 541–858–2322.

Dated: August 7, 1997.

Charles J. Anderson,

Acting Forest Supervisor, Designated Federal

Official.

[FR Doc. 97–21663 Filed 8–14–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–11–M

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

Yakima Provincial Advisory Committee

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of field tour.

SUMMARY: The Yakima Provincial

Advisory Committee will meet on

September 25, 1997, at the Cle Elum

Ranger District Office, 803 W. 2nd

Street, Cle Elum, Washington. The

Provincial Advisory Committee

members will meet at the Ranger

District Office at 9:00 a.m., then proceed

to the field tour in the Swauk Creek

drainage area. The tour will end at 4:00

p.m. This field tour will focus primarily

on dry forest management projects. All

Yakima Province Advisory Committee

meetings are open to the public.

Interested citizens are welcome to

attend.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Direct questions regarding this meeting

to Paul Hart, Designated Federal

Official, USDA, Wenatchee National

Forest, 215 Melody Lane, Wenatchee,

Washington 98801, 509–662–4335.

Dated: August 5, 1997.

Sonny J. O’Neal,

Forest Supervisor, Wenatchee National

Forest.

[FR Doc. 97–21627 Filed 8–14–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–11–M

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Grain Inspection, Packers and

Stockyards Administration

United States Standards for Whole Dry

Peas, Split Peas, and Lentils

AGENCY: Grain Inspection, Packers and

Stockyards Administration, USDA.

ACTION: Notice with Opportunity to

Comment.

SUMMARY: The Grain Inspection, Packers

and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA)

is proposing to revise the United States

Standards for Whole Dry Peas, Split

Peas and Lentils. Specifically, GIPSA is

proposing to eliminate the classes

Persian and Mixed lentils, and to

establish a new class, Miscellaneous

peas, and a new grading factor for

lentils, Inconspicuous Admixture.

GIPSA is proposing to change these

standards to facilitate the marketing of

peas and lentils.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on

or before September 15, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Written comments may be

submitted to Sharon Vassiliades at

GIPSA, USDA, STOP 3649, 1400

Independence Avenue, SW,

Washington, DC 20250–3649; faxed to

(202) 720–4628; or e-mailed to

svassili@fgisdc.usda.gov.

All comments received will be made

available for public inspection at the

above address during regular business

hours (7 CFR 1.27(b)).

The current United States Standards

for Whole Dry Peas, Split Peas and

Lentils, along with the proposed

changes, is available either through the

above addresses or by accessing GIPSA’s

Home Page on the Internet at:

www.usda.gov/gipsa/strulreg/standard.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Contact Sharon Vassiliades at (202)

720–1738.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section

203(c) of the Agricultural Marketing Act

of 1946, as amended, directs and

authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture

‘‘to develop and improve standards of

quality, condition, quantity, grade, and

packaging and recommend and

demonstrate such standards in order to

encourage uniformity and consistency

in commercial practices * * *.’’ GIPSA

is committed to carrying out this

authority in a manner that facilitates the

marketing of agricultural commodities

and makes copies of official standards

available upon request. The United

States Standards for Whole Dry Peas,

Split Peas and Lentils do not appear in

the Code of Federal Regulations but are

maintained by the U.S. Department of

Agriculture.

GIPSA is proposing to change the

United States Standards for Whole Dry

Peas, Split Peas and Lentils using the

procedures it published in the Federal

Register on February 13, 1997 (62 FR

6705). Specifically, GIPSA is proposing

to eliminate the classes Persian and

Mixed lentils, and to establish a new

class, Miscellaneous peas, and a new

grading factor for lentils, Inconspicuous

Admixture.

GIPSA representatives are continually

meeting with pea and lentil producers,

processors, handlers, and merchandisers

concerning the U.S. Standards for

Whole Dry Peas, Split Peas, and Lentils

in order to gain a better understanding

of their views on changes needed to

improve the existing standards. On the

basis of comments received and other

available information, GIPSA is

proposing several changes to the

standards.

Classes of Lentils

The present U.S. Standards for Lentils

provide for three classes of lentils:

Lentils, Persian Lentils, and Mixed