Boulder Project; Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, Oconto and Langlade Counties, Wisconsin, 1863-1864 [05-482]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
• Forest Service

[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 7 (Tuesday, January 11, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1863-1864]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-482]


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                                                Federal Register
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Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 7 / Tuesday, January 11, 2005 / 
Notices

[[Page 1863]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Boulder Project; Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, Oconto and 
Langlade Counties, Wisconsin

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; intent to prepare environmental impact statement.

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SUMMARY: The Forest Service will prepare an environmental impact 
statement (EIS) to document the analysis and disclose the environmental 
impacts of proposed land management activities, and corresponding 
alternatives, within the Boulder Project area.
    The purpose of the Boulder Project is to implement land management 
activities that are consistent with direction in the Chequamegon-
Nicolet National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan) 
and respond to specific needs identified in the project area. The 
project-specific needs include: addressing forest age and density, 
stand tending and reforestation, road closures, and wildlife habitat 
maintenance and improvement.
    The Boulder Project area is located primarily on National Forest 
System lands, administered by the Lakewood/Laona Ranger District, north 
of Lakewood, Wisconsin. The legal description for the project area is: 
Township 31 North, Range 14 East, sections 1 and 12; Township 31 North, 
Range 15 East, sections 1-36; Fourth Principal Meridian.

DATES: Comments concerning the proposed land management activities 
should be received within 30 days following publication of this notice 
to receive timely consideration in the preparation of the draft EIS.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments concerning the proposed land 
management activities or requests to be placed on the project mailing 
list to: Anne Archie, c/o Paul Sweeney, NEPA Coordinator; Attention: 
Boulder Project, Lakewood/Laona Ranger District, 15085 State Rd. 32, 
Lakewood, Wisconsin 54138. You are welcome and encouraged to submit 
electronic comments in acceptable formats [plain text (.txt), rich text 
(.rtf) or Word (.doc)] to: comments-eastern-chequamegon-nicolet-
lakewood@fs.fed.us.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul Sweeney, Project Leader/NEPA 
Coordinator, Lakewood/Laona Ranger District, 15085 State Rd. 32, 
Lakewood, Wisconsin 54138, phone (715) 276-6333, e-mail: 
pfsweeney@fs.fed.us.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The information presented in this notice is 
included to help the reviewer determine if they are interested in or 
potentially affected by the proposed land management activities. The 
information presented in this notice is summarized. Those who wish to 
provide comments, or are otherwise interested in or affected by the 
project, are encouraged to obtain additional information from the 
contact identified in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section.
    Proposed Actions--The proposed land management activities (proposed 
actions) include the following, with approximate acreage and mileage 
values: (1) Forest age and density--selection harvest 1747 acres, thin 
2835 acres, clearcut harvest 489 acres, overstory removal harvest 79 
acres, shelterwood harvest 382 acres (other actions needed include 1.7 
miles of road construction and 14.7 miles of road reconstruction); (2) 
stand tending and reforestation--hand release 1589 acres of young 
plantations, prescribe burn 26 acres, plant 1338 acres of white pine 
and eastern hemlock in the understories of existing stands, plant fully 
on 54 acres, mechanically scarify 259 acres for natural regeneration, 
and fence 29 acres to protect hemlock; (3) road closures--close 1.4 
miles of roads currently open, and decommission from the Forest's 
classified road system 32.5 miles of roads; (4) wildlife habitat 
maintenance and improvement--hand release 99 acres of wildlife openings 
using brush cutters, and plant fruit-bearing shrubs on 20 acres.
    Responsible Official--The Forest Supervisor of the Chequamegon-
Nicolet National Forest, Anne Archie, is the Responsible Official for 
making project-level decisions from the project.
    Decision Space--Decisionmaking will be limited to specific 
activities relating to the proposed actions. The primary decision to be 
made will be whether or not to implement the proposed actions or 
another action alternative that responds to the project's purpose and 
needs.
    Project History--In 2004, the Forest Service was developing a 
proposal for the Boulder Opportunity Area. In January of 2005, the 
Boulder Project is being presented to the public for comment (scoping) 
prior to undertaking preparation of an Environmental Assessment. Years 
of experience have shown that the effects of implementing similar 
activities in the area are not significant. We therefore do not feel 
that an EIS is required. However, due to the increase in appeals and 
litigation and for wise fiscal efficiency, an EIS will be prepared for 
the Boulder Project.
    Preliminary Issues--Comments from American Indian tribes, the 
public, and other agencies will be considered in identifying 
preliminary issues. Issues raised in similar projects have included: 
Effects to threatened, endangered, and sensitive species; effects to 
management indicator species; effects from road construction and road 
closures; effects to motorized recreational access.
    Public Participation--The Forest Service is seeking comments from 
Federal, State, and local agencies, as well as local Native American 
tribes and other individuals or organizations that may be interested in 
or affected by the proposed actions. Comments received in response to 
this notice will become a matter of public record. While public 
participation is welcome at any time, comments on the proposed actions 
received within 30 days of this notice will be especially useful in the 
preparation of the draft EIS. Timely comments will be used to identify: 
Potential issues with the proposed actions, alternatives to the 
proposed actions that respond to the identified needs and significant 
issues, and potential environmental effects of the proposed actions and 
alternatives considered in detail. In addition, the public is 
encouraged to contact and/or visit Forest Service officials at any time 
during the planning process.
    The decisions associated with the analysis of this project will be 
consistent with the Chequamegon-Nicolet Forest Plan.

[[Page 1864]]

    Estimated Dates for Filing--The draft EIS is expected to be filed 
with the Environmental Protection Agency and available for public 
review in December 2005. A 45-day comment period will follow 
publication of a Notice of Availability of the draft EIS in the Federal 
Register. Comments received on the draft EIS will be used in 
preparation of the final EIS, expected in April 2006. A Record of 
Decision (ROD) will also be issued at that time along with the 
publication of a Notice of Availability of the final EIS and ROD in the 
Federal Register.
    Reviewer's Obligation to Comment--The Forest Service believes it is 
important at this early stage to give reviewers notice of several court 
rulings related to public participation in the environmental review 
process. First, reviewers of the draft EIS must structure their 
participation in the environmental review of the proposal in such a way 
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, 513 (1978). Also, environmental objections that could be raised at 
the draft EIS stage but that are not raised until after completion of 
the final 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 45-day comment period 
of the draft EIS in order that substantive comments and objections are 
available to the Forest Service at a time when it can meaningfully 
consider them and respond to them in the final EIS. To assist the 
Forest Service in identifying and considering issues and concerns on 
the proposed action, comments should be as specific as possible. 
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.

    Dated: January 5, 2005.
Anne Archie,
Forest Supervisor, Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest.
[FR Doc. 05-482 Filed 1-10-05; 8:45 am]
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