22514 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 87 / Friday, May 4, 2001 / Notices

Agency representatives and other

interested people are invited to visit

with Forest Service officials at any time

during the EIS process. Two specific

time periods are identified for the

receipt of formal comments on the

analysis. The two comment periods are:

(1) During the scoping process, the next

30 days following publication of this

Notice in the Federal Register, and (2)

during the formal review period of the

Draft EIS.

The comment period on the draft

environmental impact statement will be

45 days from the date the

Environmental Protection Agency

publishes the notice of availability in

the Federal Register. The Forest Service

believes it is important to give reviewers

notice at this early stage 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

reviewers’ position and intentions.

Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp.

v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519,553 (1978). Also,

environmental objections that could be

raised 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 Circuit, 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 statement.

Comments may also address the

adequacy of 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 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, 40

CFR 1503.3 in addressing these points.

It is projected the final release of the

EIS to be March 4, 2002. The Forest

Supervisor for the Manti-La Sal National

forest is the responsible official for the

EIS. After considering the comments,

responses, and environmental

consequences discussed in the Final

Environment Impact Statement, and

applicable laws, regulations, and

policies a decision by this official will

be made regarding the proposal. The

reasons for the decision will be

documented in a Record of Decision.

The Forest Supervisor’s office of the

Manti-La Sal National Forest is located

at 599 West Price River Drive, Price,

Utah 84501, phone: 435–637–2817.

Dated: April 27, 2001.

Elaine J. Zieroth,

Forest Supervisor, Manti-La Sal National

Forest.

[FR Doc. 01–11213 Filed 5–3–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–11–M

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

I–90 Wilderness Study for the

Wenatchee National Forest, Kittitas

County, WA

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare a

Legislative Environmental Impact

Statement.

SUMMARY: Title VI of the Omnibus

Consolidated and Emergency

Supplemental Appropriations Act for

Fiscal Year 1999 (also known as the

Interstate 90 Land Exchange Act)

directed the Secretary of Agriculture to

review an area of land comprising

approximately 15,000 acres, as generally

depicted on an October 1998 map

entitled ‘‘Alphine Lakes Wilderness

Study Area’’, for its suitability for

preservation as wilderness. This study

is to be completed no later than three

years after the date of enactment of the

Act. As directed by section 610 of the

Interstate 90 Land Exchange Act, the

Forest Service is undertaking the I–90

Wilderness Study in accordance with

the process outlined in 40 CFR 1506.8.

This process includes development of a

legislative environmental impact

statement (EIS) to provide a basis for the

Secretary’s recommendations as to

suitability of specific lands for

wilderness designation by Congress.

This is a non-ground disturbing action

that may result in a land management

allocation change and Wenatchee

National Forest Plan amendment. The

agency invites written comments on the

scope of this project. In addition, the

agency gives notice of this analysis so

that interested and affected people are

aware of how they may participate and

contribute to the final decision.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments

and suggestions to the Cle Elum Ranger

District, Attn: Floyd Rogalski, Project

Manager, 803 West 2nd Street, Cle

Elum, WA 98922.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Floyd Rogalski, Project Manager, Cle

Elum Ranger District 803 West 2nd

Street, Cle Elum, WA 98922, (509) 674–

4411.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

Omnibus Consolidated and Emergency

Supplemental Appropriations Act for

Fiscal Year 1999 (Pub. L. 105–277, 122

Stat. 2681) included special Title VI

legislation known as the Interstate 90

Land Exchange Act of 1998. Section 610

of this act provides that:

In furtherance of the purposes of the

Wilderness Act, if the land exchange directed

by this Act is consummated, the area of land

comprising approximately 15,000 acres, as

generally depicted on a map entitled ‘‘Alpine

Lakes Wilderness Study Area,’’ dated

October 1998, shall be reviewed by the

Secretary of Agriculture as to its suitability

for preservation as wilderness. The Secretary

shall submit a report and findings to the

President, and the President shall submit his

recommendation to the United States House

of Representatives and United States Senate

no later than three years after the date of

enactment of this Act.

As a result of the passage of this Act,

the Forest Service is undertaking the

preparation of a legislative EIS to

support the recommendation to be made

to Congress in accordance with 40 CFR

1506.8. Enactment of the I–90 Exchange

Act occurred with the exchange of

deeds between the Forest Service and

their partners in the exchange, Plum

Creek Timber Company, L.P. on

December 28, 1999. Accordingly, the

EIS and subsequent wilderness

recommendations must be presented to

Congress no later than December 28,

2002.

The area subject to this study is

comprised of Forest Service System

lands adjacent to the existing Alpine

Lakes Wilderness boundary north of the

I–90 corridor on the Cle Elum Ranger

District. The major issues that have been

identified to date include: the impacts

on the mineral potential of the lands in

the study area; the impacts to existing

recreation uses and to existing special

use permittees; identification of those

lands having the characteristics that

would make them valuable as

designated wilderness; and the nature

and effect of the management

restrictions or opportunities that would

exist with respect to any lands allocated

as wilderness. Based on these and other

issues, a range of alternatives will be

Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 87 / Friday, May 4, 2001 / Notices 22515

developed to serve as the basis for the

recommendation to be made to

Congress.

Public participation will be especially

important at several points during the

analysis. The Forest Service will be

seeking information, comments, and

assistance from Federal, State, Tribe,

and local agencies, and other

individuals or organizations who may

be interested in or affected by the

proposed actions. This information will

be used in preparation of the draft

legislative EIS. Public open houses to

discuss this study are scheduled from 4

to 8 p.m. at the following locations:

Monday, May 7, 2001, Snoqualmie

Ranger District, 42404 SE North Bend

Way, North Bend, Washington;

Tuesday, May 8, 2001, Summit Inn, 603

State Route 906, Snoqualmie Pass,

Washington; and Thursday, May 10,

2001, Hal Holms Community Center,

201 N. Ruby, Ellensburg, Washington.

The draft legislative EIS is expected to

be filed with the Environmental

Protection Agency (EPA) and is to be

available for public review by October

2001. The comment period on the draft

legislative EIS will be 60 days from the

date the EPA 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 ruling

related to public participation in the

environmental review process. First,

reviewers of a draft legislative EIS 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 Cor. v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519, 553

(1978). Also, environmental objections

that could be raised at the draft

legislative EIS stage but that are not

raised until after completion of the final

legislative 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 60 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

legislative EIS.

To assist the Forest Service is

identifying and considering issues and

concerns on the proposed action,

comments on the draft legislative EIS

should be as specific as possible. It is

also helpful if comments refer to

specific pages or chapters of the draft

statement. Comments may also address

the adequacy of the draft legislative EIS

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.

The final legislative EIS is schedule to

be completed by October 2002. The

Forest Service will respond to the

comments received during the comment

period in the final legislative EIS. These

comments will be forwarded to the

Congressional committee with

jurisdiction over the proposal along

with the final legislative EIS and study

report.

Dated: April 24, 2001.

Sonny J. O’Neal,

Forest Supervisor.

[FR Doc. 01–11214 Filed 5–3–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–11–M

COMMITTEE FOR PURCHASE FROM

PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND OR

SEVERELY DISABLED

Procurement List Additions

AGENCY: Committee for Purchase From

People Who Are Blind or Severely

Disabled.

ACTION: Additions to the procurement

list.

SUMMARY: This action adds to the

Procurement List commodities and a

service to be furnished by nonprofit

agencies employing persons who are

blind or have other severe disabilities.

EFFECTIVE DATE: June 4, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Committee for Purchase

From People Who Are Blind or Severely

Disabled, Jefferson Plaza 2, Suite 10800,

1421 Jefferson Davis Highway,

Arlington, Virginia 22202–3259.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Patrick T. Mooney (703) 603–7740.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On August

25, 2000, February 16 and March 9,

2001 the Committee for Purchase From

People Who Are Blind or Severely

Disabled published notices (65 FR

51794, 66 FR 10664 and 14123) of

proposed additions to the Procurement

List.

After consideration of the material

presented to it concerning capability of

qualified nonprofit agencies to provide

the commodities and service and impact

of the additions on the current or most

recent contractors, the Committee has

determined that the commodities and

service listed below are suitable for

procurement by the Federal Government

under 41 U.S.C. 46–48c and 41 CFR 51–

2.4.

I certify that the following action will

not have a significant impact on a

substantial number of small entities.

The major factors considered for this

certification were:

1. The action will not result in any

additional reporting, recordkeeping or

other compliance requirements for small

entities other than the small

organizations that will furnish the

commodities and service to the

Government.

2. The action will not have a severe

economic impact on current contractors

for the commodities and service.

3. The action will result in

authorizing small entities to furnish the

commodities and service to the

Government.

4. There are no known regulatory

alternatives which would accomplish

the objectives of the Javits-WagnerO’Day Act (41 U.S.C. 46–48c) in

connection with the commodities and

service proposed for addition to the

Procurement List.

Accordingly, the following

commodities and service are hereby

added to the Procurement List:

Commodities

Power Duster

7045–00-NIB–0164

7045–00-NIB–0165

7045–00-NIB–0166

Wipes, White Board

7510–01–454–1159

Service

Microfilming, Commodities Future Trading

Commission, 1155 21st Street,

Washington, DC.

This action does not affect current

contracts awarded prior to the effective

date of this addition or options that may

be exercised under those contracts.

Patrick T. Mooney,

Director, Pricing and Program Operations.

[FR Doc. 01–11302 Filed 5–3–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6353–01–P

COMMITTEE FOR PURCHASE FROM

PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND OR

SEVERELY DISABLED

Procurement List; Proposed Additions

and Deletions

AGENCY: Committee for Purchase From

People Who Are Blind or Severely

Disabled.

ACTION: Proposed Additions to and

Deletions from Procurement List.