[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 65 (Wednesday, April 5, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17312-17313]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-8323]



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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, Central Prince of 
Wales Project, Tongass National Forest, Ketchikan Area, AK

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a supplemental environmental impact 
statement.

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SUMMARY: The Tongass National Forest--Ketchikan Area proposes to review 
and analyze information on ``falldown'' and to calculate its effect, if 
any, on ``sustainable'' timber harvest in the Central Prince of Wales 
project area covered in the previous environmental impact statement and 
record of decision issued August 6, 1993. The proposed action is to 
provide approximately 290 million board feet of timber in support of 
the Ketchikan Pulp Company Long-Term Timber Sale Contract, Contract 
Number A10fs-1042.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Forest Supervisor, Tongass NF--
Ketchikan Area, Federal Building, Ketchikan, AK 99901.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Questions concerning the proposed analysis and supplemental 
environmental impact statement should be directed to Pete Griffin, 
Tongass NF--Ketchikan Area, Federal Building, Ketchikan, AK 99901, 
phone: (907) 225-3101.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of the project is to provide 
approximately 290 million board feet of timber in support of the 
Ketchikan Pulp Company Long-Term Timber Sale Contract, Contract Number 
A10fs-1042. The purpose of the supplement is to evaluate information 
available to the Forest Service with regard to falldown. The effects of 
falldown as related to sustainable harvest levels will also be 
analyzed. Factors related to falldown include economic, biological, and 
physical.
    Alternatives to be analyzed will include those alternatives as 
described in the CPOW FEIS including the no action alternative.
    The following issues have been identified:
    1. Falldown.
    2. Sustainability.
    Scoping was completed for the CPOW project in 1992. Council on 
Environmental Quality regulations (40 CFR 1502.9(c)(4)) do not require 
scoping for a supplement. Additional public scoping meetings are not 
planned. Public comment during the analysis is welcome and the public 
will have an opportunity to comment on the draft supplement when 
issued.
    The draft supplemental environmental impact statement is expected 
to be issued in May 1995. The comment period on the draft supplemental 
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 these court rulings, it is very important that those 
interested in this proposed action participate by the close of the 
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 supplemental 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. [[Page 17313]] 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.
    Issuance of the final supplemental environmental impact statement 
is projected in September 1995. The responsible official for the 
decision is the Forest Supervisor, Tongass NF--Ketchikan Area, Federal 
Building, Ketchikan, AK 99901.

    Dated: March 28, 1995.
David D. Rittenhouse,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 95-8323 Filed 4-4-95; 8:45 am]
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