[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 201 (Friday, October 17, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54039-54040]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-27569]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Squirrel Meadows-Grand Targhee Resort Land Exchange; Targhee 
National Forest, Teton County, Wyoming

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare environmental impact statement.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service will 
prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) to document the 
analysis and disclose the environmental impacts of a proposed land 
exchange with Booth Creek, Inc., dba Grand Targhee Resort.
    In this proposed exchange the Targhee National Forest would trade 
parcels of National Forest System Lands totaling about 265 acres to 
Booth Creek, Inc., for a private parcel totaling approximately 330 
acres. The National Forest System lands to be conveyed are located at 
the base of the Grand Targhee Resort, 7 miles east of Alta, Wyoming. 
The lands to be acquired are located at Squirrel Meadows, 26 miles east 
of Ashton, Idaho.
    Values of the parcels will be appraised following a process 
stipulated for Federal land adjustments. In order for the exchange to 
take place, the appraised values of the lands must be equal. 
Differences in appraised values may be made up by reducing the acreage 
of National Forest System lands offered for exchange, or by including a 
cash payment. The cash value may not exceed 25 percent of the appraised 
value of the Federal lands to be conveyed.

DATES: Written comments concerning the scope of the analysis described 
in this notice should be received on or before December 1, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Teton Basin Ranger District, Attn: 
Jack Haddox, PO Box 777, Driggs, ID 83422. The responsible official for 
this decision is Robert W. Ross, Jr., Director, Recreation and Lands, 
USDA Forest Service, Intermountain Region, 324 25th Street, Ogden, UT 
84401.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Questions concerning the proposed action and EIS should be directed to 
Patty Bates, Teton Basin District Ranger, Targhee National Forest, 
phone: (208) 354-2312.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Targhee National Forest is proposing to 
exchange up to 265 acres of National Forest System lands within the 
Grand Targhee Resort permit area for 330 acres of private land at 
Squirrel Meadows. The final acreage will be decided through an 
appraisal process pursuant to the Uniform Federal Appraisal Standards 
for land adjustments. Values must be equal in order for the exchange to 
proceed. If it becomes necessary to equalize values the National Forest 
System acreage may be reduced from the proposed 265 acres. In the event 
the values cannot be equalized by the adjustment a cash equalization 
payment of up to 25 percent of the appraised value of the Federal lands 
may be made by either party.
    The decision to be made is whether to proceed with the exchange as 
proposed; modify the exchange; or withdraw from the exchange. Public 
scoping will be completed through letters, news releases and public 
meetings. Dates have not yet been set.
    Preliminary issues identified are:
    (1) Impacts from potential development of the exchanged lands at 
Grand Targhee on the base area and in Teton Valley, Idaho.
    (2) Impacts on wildlife in the area of Grand Targhee from potential 
development and increased use of the area in general.
    (3) Impacts on the Jedediah Smith Wilderness from the potential 
increased use and development of the grand Targhee area.
    (4) Creation of a private inholding within the boundary of the 
Targhee National Forest.
    (5) The effects on grizzly bears (listed as threatened under the 
Endangered Species Act) and other threatened, endangered and sensitive 
species from the potential development of the exchanged lands and 
potential development of the lands if they are not exchanged.
    Other issues may be identified during the scoping period. Written 
suggestions and comments are invited on the issues related to the 
proposal and the area being analyzed. Information received will be used 
in the preparation of the Draft EIS and Final EIS. For most effective 
use, comments should be submitted to the Forest Service within 45 days 
from the date of publication of this notice in the Federal Register.
    The Forest Service is the lead agency. The Forest Service estimates 
the draft EIS will be filed in May, 1998, and the final EIS will be 
filed in December, 1998.
    The comment period on the draft environmental impact statement will 
be 45 days from the date the Environmental Protection Agency's notice 
of availability appears in the Federal Register.
    The Forest Service believes, at this early stage, it is important 
to give

[[Page 54040]]

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, 
533 (1978). Also, environmental objections that could be revised 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 Circ 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 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 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 
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. 
Persons requesting such confidentiality should be aware that, under the 
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 15 
days.

    Dated: October 9, 1997.
Jack A. Blackwell,
Deputy Regional Forester, Intermountain Region, USDA Forest Service.
[FR Doc. 97-27569 Filed 10-16-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M