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[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 153 (Wednesday, August 8, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39050-39052]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-16884]

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

Tongass National Forest; Ketchikan Misty Fjords Ranger District; 
Alaska; South Revillagigedo Integrated Resource Project Environmental 
Impact Statement

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.

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SUMMARY: The Forest Service will prepare an Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) for the South Revillagigedo Integrated Resource Project 
(South Revilla IRP) which proposes to harvest timber, restore watershed 
function, enhance or restore fish and wildlife habitat, and develop 
recreation opportunities using an integrated approach in the Shelter 
Cove, Shoal Cove, and Thorne Arm areas within the Ketchikan Misty 
Fjords Ranger District, Tongass National Forest. The Proposed Action 
would harvest about 60 million board feet of timber from up to 6,000 
acres over the course of 15 years. In addition, transportation 
management activities such as road construction, reconstruction, 
maintenance, and decommissioning are proposed. At the same time that it 
would approve the proposed project, the Forest Service may approve a 
project-specific Forest Plan amendment to ensure the project is 
consistent with the Plan.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received 
by September 7, 2018. Designated opportunities for additional comments 
will be provided. The draft EIS, is expected to be published July 2019. 
A final EIS is expected July, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Send or hand-deliver specific written comments to the 
Ketchikan Misty Fjords Ranger District, Attn: South Revilla IRP, 3031 
Tongass Avenue, Ketchikan, Alaska 99901; telephone (907) 225-2148. The 
FAX number is (907) 225-8738. Comments may be emailed to: [email protected] with South Revilla IRP in 
the subject line. In all correspondence, include your name, address, 
and organization name if you are commenting as a representative of an 
organization.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Susan Howle, District Ranger, 
Ketchikan Misty Fjords Ranger District, 3031 Tongass Avenue, Ketchikan, 
Alaska 99901; Daryl Bingham, Planning Staff, (907) 228-4114, or Damien 
Zona, Interdisciplinary Team Leader, (907) 228-4126. Individuals who 
use telecommunication devices for the deaf may call the Federal 
Information Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., 
Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This EIS will tier to and incorporate by 
reference the 2016 Tongass Land and Resource Management Plan Final EIS. 
The project area is located on Revillagigedo Island, approximately 17 
miles northeast of Ketchikan, Alaska, within the Ketchikan Misty Fjords 
Ranger District, Tongass National Forest and encompasses about 58,159 
acres of National Forest System lands.

Purpose and Need for Action

    The purpose of the South Revilla IRP is to implement the 2016 
Tongass Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan) direction to 
move the project area toward the desired future conditions described in 
that plan. More specifically, the purpose is to manage the timber 
resource for production of sawtimber and other wood products, improve 
ecosystem and watershed health, and provide a range of recreation 
opportunities to meet public and tourism business demand through an 
integrated approach to meet multiple resource objectives. Maintaining 
existing, and expanding opportunities for the recreation and tourism 
sector would contribute to the local economy.
    There is a need to provide a sustainable level of forest products 
to contribute to the economic sustainability of the region. Providing 
old-growth timber would preserve a viable timber industry during the 
transition to young-growth management and would provide jobs and 
opportunities for Southeast Alaska residents. Past management 
activities have affected watershed function in the project area. There 
is a need to improve and restore the natural range of habitat 
conditions in the project area to support viable wildlife, fish, and 
plant populations and to sustain diversity and production. Restoration 
would contribute to traditional, cultural, and subsistence uses by 
residents of Southeast Alaska. There is a need to provide sustainable 
recreation opportunities to a diverse and growing group of forest 
users. A sustainable recreation program in terms of operations and 
maintenance is needed to maintain infrastructure at an acceptable 
level.

Proposed Action

    The Forest Service proposes to harvest timber, construct and 
reconstruct roads, restore watershed function, enhance or restore fish 
and wildlife habitat, and develop recreation opportunities in the 
Shelter Cove, Shoal Cove and Thorne Arm areas within the Ketchikan 
Misty Fjords Ranger District, Tongass National Forest. The project area 
includes the following land use designations (LUDs): Wilderness, Semi-
remote Recreation, Old-growth Habitat, Special Interest Area, Scenic 
River, Modified Landscape, and Timber Production (Forest Plan, Chapter 
3). Proposed activities will be consistent with Forest Plan direction. 
A proposed action map and information on the 2018 Shelter Cove and 
Saddle Lakes Recreation Area Master Plan is provided on the project web 
page at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=53477.

Forest and Transportation Management

    The Forest Service proposes to harvest about 60 million board feet 
of old-growth timber from up to 6,000 acres of forested land in the 
Modified Landscape and Timber Production LUDs using one or more timber 
sales, with activities that would occur over the course of 15 years. 
The Proposed Action would construct about 30 miles of new National 
Forest System road and reconstruct about 104 miles of existing roads. 
Temporary road construction would include about 105 miles. Existing 
rock quarries would be used as available or new quarries would be 
developed as necessary to provide raw materials for road construction. 
Existing log transfer facilities at Shelter Cove and Shoal Cove could 
be used. Young-growth harvest may be considered during this planning 
phase if it meets the purpose and need of the Proposed Action.

Watershed and Wildlife Habitat Management

    Watershed enhancement and restoration activities would include 
instream and floodplain wood

[[Page 39051]]

placement, riparian thinning, blasting of a partial fish barrier, 
invasive plant management and culvert replacement/removal. Wildlife 
habitat treatments would move habitat toward favorable wildlife 
conditions and will be planned based on project design and identified 
needs.

Recreation Management

    Recreation opportunities will be developed using the 2018 Shelter 
Cove and Saddle Lakes Recreation Area Master Plan and ongoing public 
input. The Proposed Action will be refined through public involvement 
to meet the Purpose and Need for the project and consistency with the 
Forest Plan. The 2008 Access and Travel Management Plan and its 
associated Motor Vehicle Use map would be reviewed and updated as 
needed.

Proposed Forest Plan Amendment

    The 2012 Planning Rule (36 CFR 219.13(b)(2)) requires the 
Responsible Official to identify which substantive requirements of the 
Rule are likely to be directly related to a proposed land management 
plan amendment (36 CFR 219.13(b)(5) and 36 CFR 219.8 through 219.11) in 
the initial notice for the amendment (36 CFR 219.16(a)(1)). At this 
time, the Responsible Official believes that a modification to Scenic 
Integrity Objectives in the Forest Plan may be necessary for this 
project (see Possible Alternatives section.)

Possible Alternatives

    Scoping comments will be used to develop a range of alternatives to 
the Proposed Action in response to significant issues that are 
identified. A No-action Alternative will be analyzed as the baseline 
for comparison of action alternatives. Other alternative(s) may include 
a project-specific Tongass Forest Plan amendment to lower the Scenic 
Integrity Objectives (Forest Plan, p. 4-54 to 4-56), if needed, on 
portions of timber analysis areas in the project area to meet the 
Purpose and Need. If included in the South Revilla IRP, this plan 
amendment would only apply to the commercial timber sales undertaken as 
part of this specific project only; therefore, the notification 
requirements and objection procedures of 36 CFR 218, subparts A and B, 
apply rather than the notification requirements of 36 CFR 219. The 2012 
Planning Rule (36 CFR 219.13(b)(2)) requires the Responsible Official 
to identify which substantive requirements of the Rule are likely to be 
directly related to the a proposed land management plan amendment. At 
this time, the Responsible Official believes the following requirements 
of the Rule are likely to apply to an amendment that would modify the 
Scenic Integrity Objectives of the Forest Plan for this project: 36 CFR 
219.8(b)(2); 36 CFR 219.10(a)(1); and 36 CFR 219.10(b)(1)(i).

Lead and Cooperating Agencies

    The Forest Service will be the lead agency for this project. 
Invited cooperating agencies include: Ketchikan Indian Community, 
Organized Village of Saxman, Metlakatla Indian Community, State of 
Alaska Department of Fish and Game, State of Alaska Department of 
Forestry, and Ketchikan Gateway Borough.

Responsible Official

    The Responsible Official for this project is M. Earl Stewart, 
Forest Supervisor, Tongass National Forest.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    Given the Purpose and Need, the Forest Supervisor will review 
alternatives, and consider the environmental consequences to make 
decisions including: (1) Whether to select the Proposed Action or 
another alternative; (2) the locations, design, and scheduling of 
restoration activities, habitat improvements, road construction and 
reconstruction, and recreation development or decommissioning 
opportunities; (3) mitigation measures and monitoring; (4) whether 
there may be a significant restriction to subsistence resources; and 
(5) whether a project-specific Forest Plan amendment to lower Scenic 
Integrity Objectives (Forest Plan, p. 4-54 to 4-57) is necessary.

Preliminary Issues

    Preliminary concerns identified by the interdisciplinary team 
include: (1) Designing an economical timber sale(s) that meets market 
demand; (2) effects of Forest Plan scenery direction on the ability to 
design an economical timber sale; (3) effects of timber harvest and 
road construction on wildlife habitat and travel corridors; (4) effects 
of timber harvest and road construction on watershed condition; (5) 
effects of timber harvest and road construction to rare and sensitive 
plants; and (6) effects of herbicide use on other resources.

Permits or Licenses Required

    All necessary permits will be obtained prior to project 
implementation.

Scoping Process

    This Notice of Intent initiates the scoping process, which guides 
the development of the EIS. To help determine the location and types of 
activities, and how they will occur across the landscape, the Forest 
Service is seeking information, comments, and assistance from Tribal 
Governments; Federal, State, and local agencies; stakeholders, 
individuals and organizations interested in or affected by the proposed 
activities. In addition, a legal notice will be published in the 
Ketchikan Daily News, the newspaper of record for this project. A 
scoping document has been prepared and will be distributed to 
interested parties who have subscribed through an electronic mailing 
list to receive project information. Individuals and organizations 
wishing to subscribe may do so at https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDAFS/subscriber/new?preferences=true.
    Additionally, there will be in-person opportunities for involvement 
including open houses and subsistence hearings held in Ketchikan, 
Alaska. Project information, meeting announcements, legal notices, and 
documents will be provided on the project web page at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=53477.
    Forest Service regulations at 36 CFR part 218, subparts A and B (78 
FR 18481-18504) regarding the project-level predecisional 
administrative review process applies to projects and activities 
implementing land management plans that are not authorized under the 
Healthy Forests Restoration Act. The South Revilla IRP is an activity 
implementing the Forest Plan and is subject to 36 CFR 218.
    Only individuals or entities who submit timely and specific written 
comments concerning this project during this or another public comment 
period established by the Responsible Official will be eligible to file 
an objection. It is important that reviewers provide their comments at 
such times and in such manner that they are useful to the agency's 
preparation of the EIS. Therefore, comments should be provided prior to 
the close of the comment period and should clearly articulate the 
reviewer's concerns and contentions.
    Comments received in response to this solicitation, including names 
and addresses of those who comment, will be part of the public record 
for this proposed action. Comments submitted anonymously will be 
accepted and considered. Anonymous commenters will not gain standing to 
object as defined in 36 CFR 218.2.

[[Page 39052]]

    Dated: July 26, 2018.
Chris French,
Associate Deputy Chief, National Forest System.
[FR Doc. 2018-16884 Filed 8-7-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3411-15-P
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