[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 44 (Thursday, March 6, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10253-10254]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-5543]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service


Clean Slate Ecosystem Management Project; Nez Perce National 
Forest, Idaho County, ID

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; intent to prepare environmental impact statement.

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SUMMARY: The Forest Service will prepare an environmental impact 
statement (EIS) to analyze and disclose the environmental effects of 
applying ecosystem management techniques across the landscape in Main 
Slate and North Fork Slate Creek drainages. The area is located 
approximately 19 air miles south of Grangeville, Idaho. Some activities 
are planned within the North Fork Slate Creek (#1850) Roadless Area. 
This EIS will tier to the Nez Perce National Forest Land and Resource 
Management Plan and EIS, which provide overall guidance for achieving 
the desired forest condition of the area. The purpose of the proposed 
action is to improve overall vegetative conditions and diversity, 
restore impacted aquatic resources, and provide goods and services to 
the public.

DATES: Written comments and suggestions should be received by April 7, 
1997 to receive timely consideration in the preparation of the Draft 
EIS.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments and suggestions on the proposed 
action, requests for a map of the proposed action, or requests to be 
placed on the project mailing list to Jack Carlson, District Ranger, 
Salmon River Ranger District, HC 01, Box 70, White Bird, Idaho 83554.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
 Mike McGee, Planner, Salmon River Ranger District, Nez Perce National 
Forest, HC 01, Box 70, White Bird, Idaho 83554, Phone (208) 839-2211.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The following activities are proposed in the 
Main Slate and North Fork Slate Creek drainages to: Treat approximately 
1,100 acres through the use of helicopter, tractor, and cable logging 
systems, which will produce approximately 8 million board feet (MMBF) 
of timber; introduce fire for the treatment of both activity generated 
and natural fuels; use precommercial thinning of saplings and small 
poles; provide commercial post and pole material; improve watershed 
conditions by implementing actions such as cutslope revegetation, ditch 
rocking, culvert replacement, improvement of road drainage and 
surfacing, partial or complete obliteration on many sections of road, 
and improvement of the trail system; implement wildlife habitat 
improvements; implement practices to manage undesirable exotic 
vegetation; modify existing fish habitat structures in

[[Page 10254]]

Slate Creek; analyze and implement access management prescriptions for 
the existing road and trail system; develop and enhance dispersed 
recreation sites; and provide interpretive sites for the public.
    No new permanent roads would be constructed. Some new construction 
of temporary roads and helicopter log landings would occur and some re-
construction of existing roads would occur. Temporary roads that are 
constructed or re-constructed will be recontoured after use.
    A watershed analysis, called the Slate Creek Implementation Area 
Assessment, was recently undertaken for the entire Slate Creek 
watershed. The Clean Slate project is located within the Slate Creek 
watershed. One of the primary purposes of this watershed analysis was 
to collect and display historic conditions and processes and document 
how management activities have influenced the current conditions of the 
watershed. From this, management opportunities were identified that 
would best fit with the natural character and processes of the 
watershed. This proposal is moving forward with some of the 
recommendations made in the Slate Creek Watershed Assessment.
    The Forest Service will consider a range of alternatives to the 
proposed action. One of these will be the ``no action'' alternative, in 
which none of the proposed action will be implemented. Additional 
alternatives will examine varying levels and locations for the proposed 
activities, including entry into the Roadless Area, to achieve the 
proposal's purposes, as well as to respond to the issues and other 
resource values.
    Public participation is an important part of the project, 
commencing with the 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 Nez Perce 
Tribe, and other individuals or organizations who 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:
    1. Identify potential issues.
    2. Identify major issues to be analyzed in depth.
    3. Eliminate minor issues or those which have been covered by a 
relevant previous environmental analysis, such as the Nez Perce 
National Forest Plan EIS.
    4. Identify alternatives to the proposed action.
    5. 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 to be filed with the Environmental Protection Agency and 
available for public review in May, 1997. 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 is expected to be filed in [July,] 
1997. 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 reviewers notice of several court rulings related to public 
participation in the environmental review process. First, reviewers of 
draft EISs must structure their participation in the environmental 
review of the proposal so that it is meaningful and alerts an agency to 
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 so that substantive comments and objections 
are available to the Forest Service at a time when it can meaningfully 
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.
    I am the responsible official for this environmental impact 
statement.

    Dated: January 31, 1997.
Coy G. Jemmett,
Forest Supervisor, Nez Perce National Forest, Route 2, Box 475, 
Grangeville, ID 83530.
[FR Doc. 97-5543 Filed 3-5-97; 8:45 am]
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