[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 94 (Tuesday, May 16, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26020-26021]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-11935]



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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service


High Uintas Wilderness Management Plan; Ashley and Wasatch-Cache 
National Forests, Duchesne and Summit Counties, UT

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS).

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SUMMARY: The Forest Service will prepare an environmental impact 
statement on a proposal to preserve the values in the High Uintas 
Wilderness at the resource, social, and managerial conditions described 
in the 1964 Wilderness Act.

DATES: To be most useful, comments concerning the scope of the analysis 
should be received in writing by June 19, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Joseph R. Bistryski, District 
Ranger, Duchesne Ranger District, Ashley National Forest, PO Box 981, 
Duchesne, Utah 84021.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Gayne Sears, ID Team Leader, (801) 722-5018 at the address above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In 1984, 460,000 acres of the Ashley and 
Wasatch-Cache National Forests were designated as the High Uintas 
Wilderness with the passage of the Utah Wilderness Act. The High Uintas 
Wilderness is located within the Uintas Range in northeastern Utah. It 
is the largest designated wilderness in the State of Utah.
    The 1964 Wilderness Act defines wilderness as a place affected 
primarily by nature, where people are visitors who do not remain, and 
where natural ecological processes operate freely. Outstanding 
opportunities for solitude and primitive recreation are available. As 
human use increases and the demand for this type of opportunity grows, 
some areas in the High Uintas Wilderness no longer possess these 
wilderness attributes. Other more remote areas are at risk of losing 
existing wilderness qualities.
    In order to meet the intent of the Wilderness Act, we propose to 
amend the Ashley and Wasatch-Cache Forest Plans to define resource, 
social, and managerial desired conditions to (A) maintain a wilderness 
where ecosystems are influenced primarily by the forces of nature, and 
(B) as consistent with (A) above, provide a diversity of opportunities 
for public use, enjoyment and understanding of wilderness so a high 
quality wilderness resource is preserved for present and future 
generations.
    The proposed action is programmatic in nature and will not result 
in on the ground actions (further NEPA analysis will be required for on 
the ground proposals.) The proposed action divides the wilderness into 
management zones designed to achieve desired wilderness conditions. 
Class I zones are characterized by an unmodified natural environment 
where encounters with others are rare and human impact not evident. 
Class II zones are characterized by a predominantly unmodified natural 
environment where some human impact is evident (but will recover). 
Class III zones are characterized by a predominantly unmodified natural 
environment, however some sites are substantially affected by the 
actions of users. Encounters with others are common; trails are 
developed, maintained, and signed.
    The proposed action assigns class descriptions to portions of the 
wilderness depending upon desired conditions. Alternatives might 
include a map divided into zones favoring human use opportunities, a 
map divided into zones favoring less human influence on natural 
processes, and maps displaying zones with a combination of natural 
processes and human uses. Proposed action maps are available upon 
request.
    In response to existing laws and authorities, the scope of the 
analysis will not include the following: (1) Fish Stocking. As directed 
in Forest Service Manual 2323.34, the Regional Forester will develop a 
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the state outlining a stocking 
policy for the High Uintas Wilderness. (2) Livestock Grazing. Grazing 
decisions (stocking rates, grazing systems, boundary changes, etc.) 
will continue to be made in Allotment Management Plans or the 
[[Page 26021]] equivalent (resource planning decisions). Further public 
participation will be sought during Allotment Management Planning NEPA 
analysis and public scoping.
    Preliminary planning assessments (initiated in 1990) included: 
public sensing, data collection, and analysis for development of 
desired conditions. Public participation is especially important at 
several points during the analysis. Individuals, organizations, 
federal, state, and local agencies who are interested in, or affected 
by the decision are invited to participate in the scoping process. Your 
responses will be used in preparation of the draft EIS.
    The Responsible Officials for this decision are Bert Kulesza, 
Forest Supervisor, Ashley National Forest, 355 N. Vernal Ave., Vernal 
UT 84078, and Bernie Weingardt, Forest Supervisor, Wasatch-Cache 
National Forest, 8230 Federal Building, 125 South State St., Salt Lake 
City, UT 84138.
    To complete the scoping process, we need your comments by June 19, 
1995. The next major opportunity for public input is the draft EIS. The 
draft EIS is expected to be filed with the Environmental Protection 
Agency (EPA) and be available for public review in July, 1995. The 
Final EIS and Record of Decision is expected in November, 1995.
    The comment period on the draft environmental impact statement is 
45 days from the date the Environmental Protection Agency's notice of 
availability appears in the Federal Register. It is very important that 
those interested in this proposed action participate at that time. To 
be the most helpful, comments on the draft environmental impact 
statement should be as specific as possible and may address the 
adequacy of the statement or the merits of the alternatives discussed 
(see 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).
    In addition, Federal court decisions have established that 
reviewers of draft environmental impact statements must structure their 
participation in the environmental review of the proposal so that it is 
meaningful and alerts the agency to the reviewers' 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 stage may be waived if not raised until after completion of the 
final environmental impact statement. City of Angoon v. Hodel, (9th 
Circuit, 1986) and Wisconsin Heritages, Inc. v. Harris, 490 F. Supp. 
1334, 1338 (E.D. Wis. 1980). The reason for this is to ensure 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 a final.

    Dated: May 5, 1995.
Bert Kulesza,
Forest Supervisor, Ashley National Forest.
[FR Doc. 95-11935 Filed 5-15-95; 8:45 am]
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