Emerald Creek Garnet Area; Idaho Panhandle National Forests, Benewah and Latah Counties, ID, 5602-5603 [05-2046]
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Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 22 / Thursday, February 3, 2005 / Notices
Done in Washington, DC, this 28th day of
January 2005.
Elizabeth E. Gaston,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E5–409 Filed 2–2–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–34–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Emerald Creek Garnet Area; Idaho
Panhandle National Forests, Benewah
and Latah Counties, ID
Forest Service, USDA.
Notice of intent to prepare an
environmental impact statement.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
SUMMARY: The St. Joe Ranger District of
the Idaho Panhandle National forests is
beginning analysis and preparation of
an Environmental Impact Statement to
address recreational gemstone digging of
the garnet resource in the Emerald Creek
drainage.
The project area produces
extraordinary quality and quantity of
large garnets. Some of the drainages
produce star garnets. The Forest Service
currently manages a public digging area
by fee permit in 281 Gulch, a tributary
to Emerald Creek.
The purpose and need for this project
is based on the fact that the garnet
resource is finite and valuable and there
is considerable public interest in
retaining the recreational digging area.
Gemstone deposits within the current
National Forest recreational digging area
in 281 Gulch are being depleted. If the
Forest Service is going to continue to
provide this unique recreational digging
opportunity another area needs to be
identified and developed. Different
operation methods are also needed to
protect water quality and fish habitat
while still providing a recreational
gemstone collecting experience for the
public.
Responsible Official: Ranotta McNair,
Forest Supervisor, Idaho Panhandle
National Forests, 3815 Schreiber Way,
Coeur d’Alene, ID 83815.
DATES: The Draft Environmental Impact
Statement is expected to be filed by
March 25, 2005. The Final
Environmental Impact Statement is
expected to be filed by September 30,
2005.
Proposed Action: The Forest Service
would continue operating the public
digging area. Several tributaries of the
East Fork of Emerald Creek would be
reserved for future opportunities for
public recreational digging of gemstone
garnets. These areas would not be
VerDate jul<14>2003
19:18 Feb 02, 2005
Jkt 205001
available for commercial lease. A
rehabilitation plan for PeeWee, No
Name and 281 Gulch would be prepared
to improve fish habitat and maintain
water quality. These are streams where
garnet digging has occurred or is
currently active and where fish habitat
can be enhanced. The public dig would
remain in 281 Gulch as long as it is
feasible or until the operations reach
Forest Road 447 on the East Fork of
Emerald Creek (two to three years).
Continuing auger or trench exploration
would be conducted to facilitate future
dig planning.
In two to three years the Forest
Service would move the public dig from
281 Gulch to Garnet Gulch. Forest
Service operation of the public digging
area would change to protect water
quality and fish habitat. This would in
turn change the recreational garnet
collecting experience. Currently an area
along the drainage is marked off and
people can choose where to dig for
garnet-bearing gravels. Gravels are then
washed in a settling pond. This method
would be phased out in the next two to
three years. Equipment would be used
to remove the overburden and stockpile
garnet-bearing gravels. Recreational
diggers would fill a bucket from the
garnet-bearing stockpile and take it to a
sluice for washing.
When operations move to Garnet
Gulch the public would have a longer
walk to the digging area. Currently
recreational garnet diggers walk
approximately one quarter mile to the
dig site. When operations move to
Garnet Gulch the walk would be
approximately one mile. The walk
would have some steeper pitches (up to
20 percent) than the current walk.
The operations plan for Garnet Gulch
would include using equipment for
stream channel work, rehabilitation,
removing overburden, and stockpiling
garnet-bearing gravels. The stream
would only be disturbed once. The
Forest Service would be able to
rehabilitate the area immediately
following overburden removal rather
than at the end of the digging season.
Water for the sluice would be put into
a settling pond, recycled and then
distributed over land.
Issues: Maintaining fish and water
quality are issues of primary
importance. Whether or not to maintain
recreational digging areas is likely to be
an issue. Other issues will be identified
through public involvement and
environmental analysis. A likely
alternative to the proposed action would
include constructing a road that would
allow people to drive all the way to the
sluice site at Garnet Gulch.
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Frm 00002
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Public Involvement: A scoping letter
was sent to garnet area visitors and
other people who may be interested in
the project to inform them about the
project and solicit comments. News
releases were sent to local and major
newspapers in northern Idaho. This
project is also listed on the Idaho
Panhandle National Forest Web site
(https://www.fs.fed.us/ipnf). Pertinent
documents will be displayed on this
site. In addition, 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. It is the reviewer’s
obligation to comment during the
scoping and/or DEIS review.
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 (1973). 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 Amgoon 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 45day 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.
E:\FR\FM\03FEN1.SGM
03FEN1
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 22 / Thursday, February 3, 2005 / Notices
Comments should be sent
to: Emerald Creek Garnet Area EIS, St.
Joe Ranger District, 222 S 7th Street
Suite 1, St. Maries, ID 83861.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Tracy Gravelle, St. Joe Ranger District,
Avery Office, HC Box 1, Avery, ID
83861, 208–245–6207.
Other Agency Permits: Project
implementation within floodplains
would require Corps of Engineers
Permits (404 permits).
ADDRESSES:
Dated: January 28, 2005.
Ranotta K. McNair,
Forest Supervisor, Idaho Panhandle National
Forests.
[FR Doc. 05–2046 Filed 2–2–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–11–M
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Warren County, PA; Notice of Intent
Forest Service, USDA.
Notice of intent to prepare an
environmental impact statement.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
SUMMARY: The Forest Service, Allegheny
National Forest, Bradford Ranger
District, will prepare a Draft
Environmental Impact Statement to
disclose the environmental
consequences of the proposed West
Branch of Tionesta Project. The Forest
Service is proposing actions that would
move the West Branch of Tionesta
Project Area from the existing condition
towards the Desired Future Condition
(DFC) and would maintain the DFC in
situations where it has been attained.
The DFC is described in the Allegheny
National Forest Land and Resource
Management Plan (Forest Plan).
Proposed activities to meet the
Desired Future Condition fall into four
main categories. (1) Timber harvest and
reforestation treatments consist of:
shelterwood seedcut/removal cut,
shelterwood removal cut, salvage
removal cut, salvage shelterwood seed
cut/removal cut, single tree selection,
group selection, commercial thinning,
intermediate thinning, pre-commercial
thinning, improvement cutting, manual
site preparation and release, herbicide
application, fertilization, fencing,
controlled burning, scarification, and
tree planting. (2) Wildlife habitat
improvement treatments consist of:
noncommercial thinning, oak/hickory/
shrub underplanting, pruning and
release of apple trees, release of white
pine trees, hawthorn release,
constructing new openings, opening
maintenance, planting/fencing shrubs in
openings, mowing, topdressing, seeding
VerDate jul<14>2003
19:18 Feb 02, 2005
Jkt 205001
with wildflowers and grass,
constructing nest/roost boxes. (3)
Transportation treatments consist of:
road decommissioning, road
maintenance, road construction, road
resurfacing, expanding and developing
stone pits, and changing road access. (4)
Watershed treatments consist of: Stream
restoration and enhancement, obliterate
and restore illegal stream crossings,
enclose open top bridges, apply
limestone surfacing within 300 feet of
streams, and restore the natural flow of
the stream.
DATES: Comments and suggestions
concerning the scope of the analysis
should be submitted (postmarked) by
March 4, 2005 to ensure timely
consideration.
ADDRESSES: Submit written, oral, or email comments by: (1) Mail: ‘‘West
Branch of Tionesta Project,’’ ID Team
Leader, 29 Forest Service Drive,
Bradford, PA 16701; (2) phone: (814)
362–4613; (3) e-mail: comments-easternallegheny-bradford@fs.fed.us (please
note: when commenting by e-mail be
sure to list West Branch of Tionesta EIS
in the subject line and include a U.S.
Postal Service address so we may add
you to our mailing list). For further
information contact O’Dell E. Tucker,
project team leader, Bradford Ranger
District, at (814) 362–4613 or mail/email correspondence to addresses listed
above. The scoping letter and maps for
the West Branch of Tionesta EIS are
posted on the ANF Web site: https://
www.fs.fed.us/r9/forests/allegheny.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
Allegheny National Forest Land and
Resource Management Plan (Forest
Plan) sets site-specific goals for the
management of forest resources. The
West Branch of Tionesta Project
includes portions of Management Area
(MA) 3.0, which emphasizes timber
harvesting as a means to make desired
changes to forest vegetation and satisfy
the public demand for wood products.
The project area also includes portions
of MA 6.1, which emphasizes providing
habitat for wildlife, attractive scenery,
and opportunities for semi-primitive
motorized recreation; and portions of
MA 8.0, which emphasizes protection of
unique ecosystems for scientific
purposes and dispersed recreation.
Finally, the project area contains
portions of MA 9.1, which emphasizes
forest area to be managed with minimal
investments only to protect the
environment and the incidental forest
users.
Preliminary Issues were identified
based on past projects in the area
(environmental assessments), issues
developed for similar projects, and site-
PO 00000
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
5603
specific concerns raised by the resource
specialists. These issues, listed below,
will provide a framework that the Forest
Service will use to analyze a range of
alternatives, including No Action for the
Project Area.
(1) Roads—The West Branch of
Tionesta project area contains heavily
roaded areas due to extensive oil and
gas developments in the northwestern
and eastern portions of the project area.
Water quality and stream flow regimes
are the primary concerns of heavy road
densities. Sedimentation of streams and
riparian areas is also a concern from
roads due to impacts to stream channel
morphology and aquatic habitat. The
West Branch of Tionesta Roads Analysis
Project (RAP) team will continue
evaluating these and other road related
issues, and will present their findings in
a RAP document that will be available
to the public.
(2) Special Designation Waters—
Wildcat Run and Arnot Run are
designated ‘‘Exceptional Value
Watersheds’’ by the Pennsylvania
Department of Environmental
Protection. Slater Run, while not a State
special designated water, flows directly
into the Allegheny River where
threatened, endangered, and sensitive
species are located. The special status of
waterways in these watersheds will
increase sensitivity towards land
disturbing activities such as vegetation
and road management.
(3) Biological Diversity and Wildlife
Habitat—The area is dominated by fiftyone to one hundred and ten year ageclasses. There is a shortage of habitat
provided by younger age classes and old
growth. Existing younger age classes
will develop into older age classes in
the next decades as they mature. Certain
wildlife species require different ages of
vegetation. Other wildlife species need
a variety of forest types positioned near
each other or perhaps near water.
Management practices should reflect a
balance of activities that assure
biological diversity is maintained or
enhanced. Concepts of biological
diversity suggest that land management
should encourage a variety of habitats.
(4) Proposed Special Emphasis
Areas—There are proposed management
activities within the project area
identified by Allegheny Defense Project
for special management. Proposed
vegetation management activities in
these areas follow current forest plan
direction.
Project Area and Roads Analysis
Project Public Meeting: The public
meeting for the project area and the RAP
for WBTPA has been scheduled for
Saturday, February 19, 2005 at 10 a.m.
to 2 p.m. We will meet at the Bradford
E:\FR\FM\03FEN1.SGM
03FEN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 22 (Thursday, February 3, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5602-5603]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-2046]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Emerald Creek Garnet Area; Idaho Panhandle National Forests,
Benewah and Latah Counties, ID
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The St. Joe Ranger District of the Idaho Panhandle National
forests is beginning analysis and preparation of an Environmental
Impact Statement to address recreational gemstone digging of the garnet
resource in the Emerald Creek drainage.
The project area produces extraordinary quality and quantity of
large garnets. Some of the drainages produce star garnets. The Forest
Service currently manages a public digging area by fee permit in 281
Gulch, a tributary to Emerald Creek.
The purpose and need for this project is based on the fact that the
garnet resource is finite and valuable and there is considerable public
interest in retaining the recreational digging area. Gemstone deposits
within the current National Forest recreational digging area in 281
Gulch are being depleted. If the Forest Service is going to continue to
provide this unique recreational digging opportunity another area needs
to be identified and developed. Different operation methods are also
needed to protect water quality and fish habitat while still providing
a recreational gemstone collecting experience for the public.
Responsible Official: Ranotta McNair, Forest Supervisor, Idaho
Panhandle National Forests, 3815 Schreiber Way, Coeur d'Alene, ID
83815.
DATES: The Draft Environmental Impact Statement is expected to be filed
by March 25, 2005. The Final Environmental Impact Statement is expected
to be filed by September 30, 2005.
Proposed Action: The Forest Service would continue operating the
public digging area. Several tributaries of the East Fork of Emerald
Creek would be reserved for future opportunities for public
recreational digging of gemstone garnets. These areas would not be
available for commercial lease. A rehabilitation plan for PeeWee, No
Name and 281 Gulch would be prepared to improve fish habitat and
maintain water quality. These are streams where garnet digging has
occurred or is currently active and where fish habitat can be enhanced.
The public dig would remain in 281 Gulch as long as it is feasible or
until the operations reach Forest Road 447 on the East Fork of Emerald
Creek (two to three years). Continuing auger or trench exploration
would be conducted to facilitate future dig planning.
In two to three years the Forest Service would move the public dig
from 281 Gulch to Garnet Gulch. Forest Service operation of the public
digging area would change to protect water quality and fish habitat.
This would in turn change the recreational garnet collecting
experience. Currently an area along the drainage is marked off and
people can choose where to dig for garnet-bearing gravels. Gravels are
then washed in a settling pond. This method would be phased out in the
next two to three years. Equipment would be used to remove the
overburden and stockpile garnet-bearing gravels. Recreational diggers
would fill a bucket from the garnet-bearing stockpile and take it to a
sluice for washing.
When operations move to Garnet Gulch the public would have a longer
walk to the digging area. Currently recreational garnet diggers walk
approximately one quarter mile to the dig site. When operations move to
Garnet Gulch the walk would be approximately one mile. The walk would
have some steeper pitches (up to 20 percent) than the current walk.
The operations plan for Garnet Gulch would include using equipment
for stream channel work, rehabilitation, removing overburden, and
stockpiling garnet-bearing gravels. The stream would only be disturbed
once. The Forest Service would be able to rehabilitate the area
immediately following overburden removal rather than at the end of the
digging season. Water for the sluice would be put into a settling pond,
recycled and then distributed over land.
Issues: Maintaining fish and water quality are issues of primary
importance. Whether or not to maintain recreational digging areas is
likely to be an issue. Other issues will be identified through public
involvement and environmental analysis. A likely alternative to the
proposed action would include constructing a road that would allow
people to drive all the way to the sluice site at Garnet Gulch.
Public Involvement: A scoping letter was sent to garnet area
visitors and other people who may be interested in the project to
inform them about the project and solicit comments. News releases were
sent to local and major newspapers in northern Idaho. This project is
also listed on the Idaho Panhandle National Forest Web site (https://
www.fs.fed.us/ipnf). Pertinent documents will be displayed on this
site. In addition, 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. It
is the reviewer's obligation to comment during the scoping and/or DEIS
review.
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 (1973). 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 Amgoon 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.
[[Page 5603]]
ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to: Emerald Creek Garnet Area EIS,
St. Joe Ranger District, 222 S 7th Street Suite 1, St. Maries, ID
83861.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tracy Gravelle, St. Joe Ranger
District, Avery Office, HC Box 1, Avery, ID 83861, 208-245-6207.
Other Agency Permits: Project implementation within floodplains
would require Corps of Engineers Permits (404 permits).
Dated: January 28, 2005.
Ranotta K. McNair,
Forest Supervisor, Idaho Panhandle National Forests.
[FR Doc. 05-2046 Filed 2-2-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M
