Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 15 / Monday, January 26, 2009 / Notices 4369 

other radio stations. An open house is 

planned to occur in early February and 

additional meetings and open houses 

will be provided if there is interest from 

the public. Project information is 

available on the Internet at http:// 

www.fs.fed.us/r9/cnnf/. Click on 

‘‘Project Proposals and Decisions’’, then 

‘‘Twin Ghost Project’’. 

Preliminary Issues 

The following issues will be analyzed 

in the EIS: Effects of the proposed 

activities on forest sustainability, soil 

productivity, water and air quality, 

Regional Forester Sensitive Species 

(plants and wildlife), game and nongame wildlife and bird species, nonnative invasive species, recreation and 

visuals. 

Possible Alternatives 

Two alternatives to the proposed 

action are being developed in response 

to public comments received. One 

alternative would consider different 

types and amounts of silvicultural 

treatments to achieve the vegetation 

related purpose and need objectives. 

The other would provide a higher level 

of motorized access opportunities. 

Comment Requested 

This notice of intent initiates the 

scoping process which guides the 

development of the environmental 

impact statement. 

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, it 

is important that reviewers provide their 

comments at such times and in such 

manner that they are useful to the 

agency’s preparation of the 

environmental impact statement. 

Therefore, comments should be 

provided prior to the close of the 

comment period and should clearly 

articulate the reviewer’s concerns and 

contentions. The submission of timely 

and specific comments can affect a 

reviewer’s ability to participate in 

subsequent administrative appeal or 

judicial review. 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 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, 36 

CFR 220.5(b) and Forest Service Handbook 

1909.15, Section 21) 

Dated: January 16, 2009. 

Jeanne M. Higgins, 

Forest Supervisor. 

[FR Doc. E9–1601 Filed 1–23–09; 8:45 am] 

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

National Agricultural Statistics Service 

Notice of the Advisory Committee on 

Agriculture Statistics Meeting 

AGENCY: National Agricultural Statistics 

Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice of meeting. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Federal Advisory Committee Act, the 

National Agricultural Statistics Service 

(NASS) announces a meeting of the 

Advisory Committee on Agriculture 

Statistics. 

DATES: The Committee meeting will be 

held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, 

February 24, 2009, and from 8 a.m. to 

12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, February 25, 

2009. There will be an opportunity for 

public questions and comments at 9:30 

a.m. on February 25, 2009. 

ADDRESSES: The Committee meeting 

will take place at the Crystal City 

Marriott at Reagan National Airport, 

1999 Jefferson Davis Highway, 

Arlington, Virginia, 22202. Written 

comments may be filed before or within 

a reasonable time after the meeting with 

the contact person identified herein at: 

U.S. Department of Agriculture, 

National Agricultural Statistics Service, 

1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Room 

5041A, South Building, Washington, DC 

20250–2000. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joe 

Reilly, Executive Director, Advisory 

Committee on Agriculture Statistics, 

Telephone: 202–720–4333, Fax: 202– 

720–9013, or e-mail: 

HQ_OA@nass.usda.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

Advisory Committee on Agriculture 

Statistics, which consists of 25 members 

appointed from 7 categories covering a 

broad range of agricultural disciplines 

and interests, has scheduled a meeting 

on February 24–25, 2009. The meeting 

will focus on the following topics: 2007 

Agricultural Census Results and Issues, 

2012 Agricultural Census Content, Data 

Enclave update, and NASS Status of 

Programs. The Agricultural Resource 

Management Survey (ARMS) will hold 

a Data User meeting on Wednesday, 

February 25, from 1:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. in 

the same location. The ARMS meeting 

is optional but open to the public. 

The Committee meeting is open to the 

public. The public may file written 

comments to the USDA Advisory 

Committee contact person before or 

within a reasonable time after the 

meeting. All statements will become a 

part of the official records of the USDA 

Advisory Committee on Agriculture 

Statistics and will be kept on file for 

public review in the office of the 

Executive Director, Advisory Committee 

on Agriculture Statistics, U.S. 

Department of Agriculture, Washington, 

DC 20250. 

Dated January 7, 2009, at Washington, DC. 

Joseph T. Reilly, 

Associate Administrator, National 

Agricultural Statistics Service. 

[FR Doc. E9–1314 Filed 1–23–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–20–P