[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 125 (Thursday, June 27, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33488-33489]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-16364]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service


Cascade Pt. Access Rd. and Development, Tongass National Forest, 
Chatham Area, Juneau Ranger District, Juneau, AK

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Agriculture, Forest Service will prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to disclose the environmental 
impacts of authorizing construction of approximately 3 miles of new 
road on National Forest System (NFS) lands near Echo Cove, 
approximately 40 miles north of Juneau, Alaska. The proposed action is 
to issue a road easement authorizing Goldbelt, Inc., an urban Native 
Corporation authorized by the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, to 
construct a 28 ft. wide gravel road for the purpose of accessing 
Goldbelt, Inc. private lands. Initial development on the private land 
would include a 3 acre staging area and an equipment and log transfer 
bulkhead on the beach. Although the development on private land would 
not be subject to Forest Service authorization, it would require a US 
Army, Corps of Engineers, Section 404 permit for fill in wetlands, as 
well as a Section 10 permit for a structure below Mean High Water in 
Berners Bay. Proposed road construction would also probably require a 
Section 404 permit for fill in wetlands. Since the proposed road 
construction would likely result in development on private land, both 
will be considered in this EIS. The Corps of Engineers has consented to 
be a cooperating agency.
    Dunn Environmental Services, of Juneau Alaska, has been selected as 
a 3rd party contractor to prepare the EIS.
    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.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of this analysis should be 
received on or before July 29, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments or requests for additional information 
to: Jennette de Leeuw, USDA Forest Service, Juneau Ranger District, 
8465 Old Dairy Rd., Juneau, Alaska, 99801, (907) 586-8800; or Art Dunn, 
Dunn Environmental Services, 19890 Cohen Dr., Juneau Alaska 99801 (907) 
463-3243.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose and need for the proposed action 
is to provide access to Goldbelt, for development of privately owned 
lands in Echo Cove. Reasonably foreseeable actions on Goldbelt, Inc. 
private land include: a fast ferry to Haines and Skagway; a lodge/
restaurant, a convenience store and gas station; electrical and water/
sewage facilities, and commercial fishing support facilities. A Master 
Plan for Goldbelt, Inc. lands at Echo Cove has been submitted to the 
City and Borough of Juneau for review and approval. The activities 
mentioned above are described in detail in that document. Other 
activities planned could include housing and related facilities for 
workers at the historic Jualin Mine Exploration site, approximately 5 
miles away. No proposal for development of the Jualin Mine has been 
received, and only continued exploration at the site will be considered 
as reasonably foreseeable.
    The no action and proposed action alternatives will be considered, 
as well as alternatives which address significant issues and meet the 
purpose and need for the proposed action.
    The proposed road alignment is located on a 100 ft. wide strip of 
NFS land acquired from Goldbelt, Inc. in a land trade in 1984, to 
preserve Forest Service land access to NFS lands to the north. An 
Environmental Assessment for a proposed timber sale at that time also 
examined several alternative alignments and chose this proposed 
alignment as the most feasible.
    Preliminary issues that have been identified include impacts to 
recreational opportunities in Echo Cove and the National Forest System 
lands around Berners Bay (Congressionally Legislated LUD II); 
disruption of brown and black bear habitat, mountain goat wintering 
habitat, and pacific herring spawning habitat; and visual and noise 
impacts to Pt. Bridget State Park, approximately 2 miles west of 
Cascade Pt.
    Preliminary scoping comments on the proposal were solicited from 
February 8 through March 1, 1996. An open house meeting was held on 
February 8, 1996 in Centennial Hall, Juneau, Alaska. Over 70 written 
comments were received in response to the meeting.
    Because of this extensive public involvement and information from a 
number of existing studies in the area for other proposals, the draft 
EIS should be available for public distribution in late August of 1996. 
The final EIS is scheduled to be completed in October of 1996. It is 
anticipated that permit applicants for Sec. 404 and Sec. 10 Corps of 
Engineers permits will be incorporated in the DEIS.
    The comment period on the DEIS will be 45 days from the date the 
Environmental Protection Agency publishes the notice of a availability 
in the Federal Register.
    Gary Morrison, the Forest Supervisor, Tongass National Forest, 
Chatham Area, is the official responsible for making the decision. The 
decision to be made is whether or not to issue a road easement for 
construction of an access road on National Forest System land as 
proposed, and if the easement is granted, decide the mitigation 
measures that will be required. The US Army, Corps of Engineers will 
issue a separate decision document, based on the

[[Page 33489]]

common EIS, regarding permits under their jurisdiction.
    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 the 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 45 day comment period so that 
substantive comment 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.
    The Final EIS and Record of Decision is expected to be released in 
August 1996. The Forest Supervisor, Chatham Area, Tongass National 
Forest will, as the responsible official for the EIS, will make a 
decision regarding this proposal considering the comments, responses, 
and environmental consequences discussed in the Final Eis, and 
applicable laws, regulations, and policies. The decision and supporting 
reasons will be documented in the Record of Decision.

    Dated: June 13, 1996.
Gary Morrison,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 96-16364 Filed 6-26-96; 8:45 am]
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