This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER

contains documents other than rules or

proposed rules that are applicable to the

public. Notices of hearings and investigations,

committee meetings, agency decisions and

rulings, delegations of authority, filing of

petitions and applications and agency

statements of organization and functions are

examples of documents appearing in this

section.

Notices Federal Register

9501 

Vol. 72, No. 41 

Friday, March 2, 2007 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Forest Service 

Chugach National Forest, Glacier 

Ranger District, Alaska—Spencer 

Mineral Materials Project 

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an 

environmental impact statement. 

SUMMARY: This project proposes the sale 

of mineral materials in the form of 

gravel aggregate and quarry rock from 

up to 570 acres at Spencer on the 

Glacier Ranger District of the Chugach 

National Forest, and will analyze 

removal of these materials within the 

constraints of the Chugach National 

Forest Revised Land and Resource 

Management Plan. 

DATES: Comments and input regarding 

the proposal were requested from the 

public, other groups and agencies via 

direct mailing on November 16, 2006. 

Based on the comments received, the 

Responsible Official has determined 

that an environmental impact statement 

will be prepared for this project. The 

draft environmental impact statement is 

expected in May, 2007 and the final 

environmental impact statement is 

expected August, 2007. 

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to 

Alice Allen, Hell Canyon Ranger 

District, 330 Mt. Rushmore Rd., Custer, 

South Dakota 57730. Comment may also 

be submitted by e-mail to: commentsalaska-chugach-glacier@fs.fed.us with 

‘‘Spencer Minerals’’ as subject. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Alice Allen, Project Coordinator, Black 

Hills National Forest, Hell Canyon 

Ranger District, at 330 Mt. Rushmore 

Rd., phone (605) 673–4853. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Purpose and Need for Action: The 

purpose of the project is to authorize the 

sale of mineral materials (gravel 

aggregate and quarry rock). The EIS will 

determine current conditions, analyze 

environmental consequences of mineral 

extraction on those conditions, and 

assist the decisionmaker in selecting 

management/monitoring strategies 

consistent with meeting desired 

conditions in the CRLRMP, including 

one of the goals for ‘‘Minerals’’. The 

Forest Service seeks to continue to 

provide high quality mineral materials 

for the State of Alaska from the Spencer 

site as a valid multiple use while 

maintaining the integrity of the 

recreational experience at Spencer and 

restoring a more natural landscape. 

Proposed Action: The Forest Service 

will evaluate, analyze and determine the 

ability to develop and extract quarry 

rock and gravel aggregate from a mineral 

materials site at Spencer. Production of 

these materials will be permitted on all 

or a portion of the approximately 570- 

acre site for up to 15 years. The site(s) 

chosen for mineral material extraction 

will be situated and operated so as not 

to conflict with a high quality recreation 

experience at the Spencer Glacier 

Whistle Stop. 

Issues: Key issues identified during 

scoping include impacts of the proposal 

to recreationists at Spencer; conflicts 

with valid existing placer claims; 

impacts on water quality; impacts on 

wildlife and wildlife habitat; economic 

feasibility of the proposal; and public 

safety. 

Possible Alternatives: The No Action 

alternative would not allow extraction 

of mineral materials from the Spencer 

site at this time. Alternative B would 

minimize impacts to recreationists. 

Alternative C would minimize visual 

impacts. Alternative D would allow 

gravel extraction from a larger area than 

Alternative B or C but less than 

Alternative A. 

Responsible Official: The Responsible 

Official for this project on the Glacier 

Ranger District is Joe Meade, Forest 

Supervisor, Chugach National Forest, 

3301 ‘‘C’’ Street, Suite 300, Anchorage, 

Alaska. 

Nature of Decision To Be Made: The 

Forest Service will evaluate the 

proposed action and alternatives. After 

reviewing the proposed action, the 

alternatives, the environmental analysis, 

and considering public comment, the 

Forest Supervisor will reach a decision 

that is in accordance with the purpose 

and need for this project. The decision 

will include, but not be limited to: 

(1) Whether or not to permit 

production of mineral materials from 

the Spencer site. 

(2) What will be the size and location 

of the area(s) permitted for mineral 

materials production. 

(3) What types of equipment and 

facilities will be allowed in the 

permitted area to support minerals 

materials operations. 

(4) What methods of extraction will be 

allowed and/or prohibited. 

(5) What constraints will apply to 

mineral materials operations to provide 

a high quality recreational experience at 

the Spencer Glacier Whistle Stop. 

Public Comment: Comments and 

input regarding the proposal were 

requested from the public, other groups 

and agencies via direct mailing on 

November 16, 2006. Based on the 

comments received, the Responsible 

Official has determined that an 

environmental impact statement will be 

prepared for this project. Additional 

comments will be accepted during a 45- 

day public comment following 

publication of the draft environmental 

impact statement in May, 2007. 

Early Notice of Importance of Public 

Participation in Subsequent 

Environmental Review: A draft 

environmental impact statement will be 

prepared for comment. 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, 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 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 

reviewer’s position and contentions. 

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 Cir. 1986) and Wisconsin 

Heritages, Inc. v. Harris, 490 F. Supp. 

1334, 1338 (E.D. Wis. 1980). Because of 


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9502 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 41 / Friday, March 2, 2007 / Notices 

these courts 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 environmental 

impact statement 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 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 at 40 

CFR 1503.3 in addressing these points. 

Comments received, including the 

names and addresses of those who 

comment, will be considered part of the 

public record on this proposal and will 

be available for public inspection. 

(Authority, 40 CFR 1501.7 and 1508.22; 

Forest Service Handbook 1909.15, Section 

21) 

Dated: February 15, 2007. 

Joe L. Meade, 

Forest Supervisor, Chugach National Forest. 

[FR Doc. 07–944 Filed 3–1–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–11–M 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Forest Service 

Eastern Washington Cascades 

Provincial Advisory Committee and the 

Yakima Provincial Advisory Committee 

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice of meeting. 

SUMMARY: The Eastern Washington 

Cascades Provincial Advisory 

Committee and the Yakima Provincial 

Advisory Committee will meet on 

Wednesday, March 21, Monday, April 

23, and Friday, May 18, 2007 at the 

Okanogan and Wenatchee National 

Forests Headquarters office, 215 Melody 

Lane, Wenatchee, WA. These meetings 

will begin 9 a.m. and continue until 4 

p.m. During these meetings Provincial 

Advisory Committee members will 

continue discussion on Roadless Area 

considerations and potential Wilderness 

recommendations in conjunction with 

Forest Plan Revision for the Okanogan 

and Wenatchee National Forests. All 

Eastern Washington Cascades and 

Yakima Province Advisory Committee 

meetings are open to the public. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Direct questions regarding this meeting 

to Paul Hart, Designated Federal 

Official, USDA, Wenatchee National 

Forest, 215 Melody Lane, Wenatchee, 

Washington 98801, 509–664–9200. 

Dated: February 26, 2007. 

Paul Hart, 

Designated Federal Official, Okanogan and 

Wenatchee National Forests. 

[FR Doc. 07–943 Filed 3–1–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–11–M 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Grain Inspection, Packers and 

Stockyards Administration 

Cancellation of Minnesota’s Delegation 

AGENCY: Grain Inspection, Packers and 

Stockyards Administration, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The United States Grain 

Standards Act, as amended (Act), 

provides for state agency delegations at 

export port locations within a state. The 

Minnesota Department of Agriculture 

(Minnesota) is delegated to provide 

official export inspection and weighing 

services. Minnesota requested that they 

cease providing official services on 

April 2, 2007. Accordingly, Grain 

Inspection, Packers and Stockyards 

Administration, USDA (GIPSA) is 

announcing that Minnesota’s delegation 

will be cancelled effective April 2, 2007. 

DATES: Effective April 2, 2007. 

ADDRESSES: USDA, GIPSA, Karen 

Guagliardo, Chief, Review Branch, 

Compliance Division, STOP 3604, room 

1647–S, 1400 Independence Ave., SW., 

Washington, DC 20250–3604. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Karen Guagliardo at 202–720–8262, email Karen.W.Guagliardo@usda.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This 

action has been reviewed and 

determined not to be a rule or regulation 

as defined in Executive Order 12866 

and Departmental Regulation 1512–1; 

therefore, the Executive Order and 

Departmental Regulation do not apply 

to this action. 

Section 7(e)(2) of the Act authorizes 

GIPSA’ Administrator to delegate 

authority to a qualified State agency to 

perform all or specified functions 

involved in official inspection at export 

port locations within the state. 

Minnesota has been delegated authority 

to provide official export and weighing 

services since April 7, 1978. On January 

2, 2007, Minnesota requested that they 

cease providing official services on 

April 2, 2007. Accordingly, Minnesota’s 

delegation will be cancelled. For export 

services in Minnesota after April 2, 

2007, contact David Mundwiler, Field 

Office Manager, Toledo, Ohio, 

telephone number 419–259–6276. 

Authority: 7 U.S.C. 71 et seq. 

Pat Donohue-Galvin, 

Acting Administrator, Grain Inspection, 

Packers and Stockyards Administration. 

[FR Doc. E7–3646 Filed 3–1–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–KD–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Grain Inspection, Packers and 

Stockyards Administration 

Opportunity To Comment on the 

Applicants for the Savage (MN) Area 

AGENCY: Grain Inspection, Packers and 

Stockyards Administration, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: GIPSA requests comments on 

the applicants for designation to provide 

official services in Minnesota. 

DATES: Comments must be postmarked 

or electronically dated on or before 

April 2, 2007. 

ADDRESSES: Comments must be 

submitted in writing to USDA, GIPSA, 

Karen Guagliardo, Review Branch Chief, 

Compliance Division, STOP 3604, Room 

1647–S, 1400 Independence Avenue, 

SW., Washington, DC 20250–3604. FAX 

202–690–2755; e-mail 

Karen.W.Guagliardo@usda.gov. All 

comments received will be made 

available for public inspection at the 

above address located at 1400 

Independence Avenue, SW., during 

regular business hours. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Karen Guagliardo at 202–720–7312, email Karen.W.Guagliardo@usda.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This 

action has been reviewed and 

determined not to be a rule or regulation 

as defined in Executive Order 12866 

and Departmental Regulation 1512–1; 

therefore, the Executive Order and 

Departmental Regulation do not apply 

to this action. 

In the December 8, 2006, Federal 

Register (71 FR 71122), GIPSA asked 

persons interested in providing official 

services in the Savage, Minnesota, area 

to submit an application for designation. 

There were three applicants for the 

Savage area: Mid-Iowa Grain Inspection, 

Inc. (Mid-Iowa) and State Grain 

Inspection, Inc. (State Grain) both 


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