[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 136 (Thursday, July 16, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38366-38367]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-19002]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Squaw/Pole II Timber Sale, Boise National Forest, Gem County, ID

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare Environmental Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY: The Boise National Forest will prepare an Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) to document the analysis and disclose the environmental 
impacts of a proposed timber sale in the Second and Third Fork 
drainages on the Emmett Ranger District. The proposed timber sale lies 
within the Snowbank Inventoried Roadless Area (IRA).
    Under this proposal, 313 acres of suitable timber land would be 
harvested, producing about 4.3 million board feet (MMBF) of sawtimber. 
A total of 188 acres would be harvested through shelterwood methods; 55 
acres would be commercially thinned; 36 acres would be harvested 
through seed-tree methods; 20 acres would be harvested through 
sanitation salvage methods; and 14 acres would be clearcut. A total of 
178 acres would be helicopter yarded; 125 acres would be tractor 
skidded; and 10 acres would be skyline yarded. A total of 188 acres 
would be planted. To facilitate natural regeneration and planting 
success, 120 acres would be underburned, and 20 acres would be 
mechanically scarified.
    Stands to be treated would be accessed by existing roads. Included 
are two short road segments of 0.37 and 0.22 mile, respectively, 
constructed in the Snowbank IRA in the fall of 1997. This month (July 
1998), these road segments will be treated to block vehicle access at 
the IRA boundary, using a combination of gates and earth barriers. The 
road surface will also be disked for about 100 feet behind the gate. 
Consequently, the proposed action would include removal of the earth 
barriers, and blading of the disked surface, to facilitate access for 
harvest activities.

DATES: Written comments concerning the scope of the analysis described 
in this notice should be received by August 17, 1998, to ensure timely 
consideration. No scoping meetings are planned at this time.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Morris Huffman, Emmett District 
Ranger, Boise National Forest, 1805 Highway 16, Emmett, ID 83716.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions concerning the proposed 
action and EIS should be directed to Morris Huffman at 208-365-7000.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In August 1995, Deputy Forest Supervisor 
Cathy Barbouletos made a decision to implement the Squaw/Pole timber 
sale in an area that encompassed about 5,500 acres on the Emmett Ranger 
District. The environmental assessment for the Squaw/Pole timber sale 
stated that no activities were planned for the Snowbank IRA as part of 
this project.
    In the fall of 1997, it was discovered that incorrect maps had been 
used in the original analysis regarding the location of the IRA 
boundary, and that 313 acres of ground-based and helicopter harvest 
units had been located within the IRA, and 0.59 mile of new road had 
been constructed within the IRA. Because the roads within the IRA have 
already been constructed, they are considered part of the existing 
condition and will be analyzed as such; however, the no-action 
alternative will include obliteration of the road segments.
    Based on this new information, the Boise National Forest determined 
the proposal may have a significant effect on the roadless resource and 
decided to prepare an EIS. The proposal may result in the reduction of 
approximately 885 acres of the Snowbank IRA from the National Forest 
System. The IRA currently encompasses 35,541 acres. Proposals that may 
substantially alter the undeveloped character of an IRA require the 
preparation of an EIS.
    Initial analysis has identified one preliminary issue; namely, the 
effect of the proposal on the undeveloped character and wilderness 
attributes of the Snowbank IRA. Other potential issues may be 
identified during the current scoping period.
    The Forest Service is seeking information and comments from 
Federal, State, and local agencies, as well as individuals and 
organizations who may be interested in, or affected by, the proposed 
action. The Forest Service invites written comments and suggestions on 
the issues related to the proposal and the area being analyzed.
    Information received will be used in preparation of the draft EIS 
and final EIS. For the most effective use, comments should be submitted 
to the Forest Service within 30 days from the date of publication of 
this notice in the Federal Register.
    The Responsible Official is David D. Rittenhouse, Forest 
Supervisor, Boise National Forest, Boise, Idaho. The decision to be 
made is whether to harvest and replant timber stands in the project 
area and, if so, how should these activities be carried out. The draft 
EIS is expected to be available for public review in November 1998, 
with a final EIS estimated to be completed in March 1999. The comment 
period on the draft EIS 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 EIS's 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 contention (Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power 
Corp. v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519, 553 (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.

[[Page 38367]]

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 EIS.
    To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues 
and concerns on the proposed action, comments on the draft EIS should 
be as specific as possible. It is also helpful if comments refer to 
specific pages or chapter of the draft EIS. Comments may also address 
the adequacy of the draft EIS or the merits of the alternatives 
formulated and discussed in the draft EIS. 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 Part 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 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 10 days.

    Dated: July 8, 1998.
Allan B. McCombie,
Acting Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 98-19002 Filed 7-15-98; 8:45 am]
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