Commercial Pack Station and Pack Stock Outfitter/Guide Permit Issuance; Inyo National Forest; Inyo, Mono, and Tulare Counties, CA and Mineral County, NV, 46133-46134 [05-15695]
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Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 152 / Tuesday, August 9, 2005 / Notices
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Done at Washington, DC on August 4,
2005.
F. Edward Scarbrough,
U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius.
[FR Doc. 05–15729 Filed 8–8–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–DM–P
Forest Service
Commercial Pack Station and Pack
Stock Outfitter/Guide Permit Issuance;
Inyo National Forest; Inyo, Mono, and
Tulare Counties, CA and Mineral
County, NV
Forest Service, USDA.
Notice of intent to prepare an
environmental impact statement.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
SUMMARY: The USDA Forest Service will
prepare an environmental impact
statement to document and disclose the
environmental impacts of a proposal to
15:52 Aug 08, 2005
Jkt 205001
Comments concerning the scope
of the analysis should be received no
later than September 30, 2005. A draft
environmental impact statement is
expected to be published in February
2006, with public comment on the draft
material requested for a period of 45
days. The final EIS is expected in
August 2006.
DATES:
Send written comments to
Commercial Pack Station and Pack
Stock Outfitter/Guide Permit Issuance,
Inyo National Forest, 351 Pacu Lane,
Suite 200, Bishop, CA 93514. Electronic
comments may be sent to: commentspacificsouthwest-inyo@fs.fed.us.
Include ‘‘Commercial Pack Station and
Pack Stock Outfitter/Guide Permit
Issuance’’ in the subject line.
ADDRESSES:
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
VerDate jul<14>2003
issue long term permits for a variety of
commercial pack stock related activities
to twelve existing Resort Special Use
Permit holders (commercial service
supported by horse). The DEIS also
analyzes a proposal from one current
outfitter and guide (commercial service
supported by burros) and a proposal
from one new outfitter and guide
(commercial service supported by
llamas) to issue permits for their
proposed commercial activities. The
services as proposed would occur on the
Inyo National Forest in the Ansel
Adams (AA), John Muir (JM), Golden
Trout (GT), and South Sierra (SS)
Wildernesses, and the non-wilderness
portions of the Inyo National Forest.
This EIS tiers to the Record of Decision
that will be signed for the Trail and
Commercial Pack Stock Management
Plan Environmental Impact Statement
for all activities and uses proposed in
the AA and JM Wildernesses. Current
activities provided by pack stations
include full service guided trips (guide
remains for the entire trip), dunnage
trips (transport of material and
supplies), spot trips (transport of people
and supplies to a location and guide
leaving), day rides, wild horse viewing
in the Pizona Area (from a base camp
finding and viewing wild horses), and
stock drives (movement of stock to and
from winter range to operating areas).
Activities currently conducted by the
Outfitter and Guides include use of
burros and llamas to provide dunnage
service, backpacking trips, and camp resupply services.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Roger Porter, Interdisciplinary Team
Leader, Inyo National Forest, 351 Pacu
Lane, Suite 200, Bishop, CA 93514,
(760) 873–2449.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
46133
Purpose and Need for Action
There is a need for action on permit
applications from twelve resort pack
stations to issue their term permits for
their existing facilities, activities and
uses, and new uses on all portions of the
Inyo National Forest, including the AA,
JM, GT, and SS Wildernesses and nonwilderness areas. The action is needed
because many of the existing permits are
due to expire in the near future. The
twelve resort pack stations are: Bishop
Pack Outfitters, Cottonwood Pack
Station, Frontier Pack Train, Glacier
Pack Train, Mammoth Lakes Pack
Outfit, McGee Creek Pack Station, Mt.
Whitney Pack Trains, Pine Creek Pack
Station, Rainbow Pack Outfitters, Reds
Meadow/Agnew Meadows Pack
Stations, Rock Creek Pack Station, and
Sequoia Kings Pack Trains. There is also
a need for action on a permit
application from one existing outfitter
and guide to issue their term permit
(Three Corner Round Pack Outfit) and
for action on a permit from one new
outfitter and guide providing llama
service.
This project is also needed to respond
to a Court Order issued in 2001. The
Court Order required that the Forest
Service reevaluate the existing
management direction and impacts of
commercial pack stock operations on
the Ansel Adams and John Muir
Wildernesses prior to issuing permits
for these operations. The court also
ordered that the cumulative effects
analysis be completed by December
2005 followed by a second NEPA
process to issue individual special use
permits by December 2006. The first
planning effort—the Trail and
Commercial Pack Stock Management in
the Ansel Adams and John Muir
Wildernesses EIS—will analyze the
management direction and cumulative
impacts of these operations. This
Commercial Pack Station and Pack
Stock Outfitter/Guide Permit Issuance
EIS will respond to the portion of the
Court Order requiring the second level
of NEPA analysis related to the reissuance of commercial pack station
permits.
The purpose of the project is to
continue to provide commercial pack
stock services as a part of a wide range
of available recreational activities
available on the Inyo National Forest
and to provide these services in a
manner consistent with existing forest
plan direction.
The Final EIS (FEIS) and Record of
Decision (ROD) for this project will tier
to the Trail and Commercial Pack Stock
Management in the John Muir/Ansel
Adams FEIS and ROD. The Trail and
E:\FR\FM\09AUN1.SGM
09AUN1
46134
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 152 / Tuesday, August 9, 2005 / Notices
Commercial Pack Stock FEIS and ROD
will identify the levels and terms of
commercial pack stock use in the AA
and JM Wilderness. This Permit
Issuance EIS will authorize these uses in
the AA and JM Wildernesses as well as
authorize uses on other areas of the Inyo
National Forest.
Proposed Action
To meet the purpose and need, the
Forest Service proposes to issue long
term permits for a variety of commercial
pack stock related activities to twelve
existing Resort Special Use Permit
holders (commercial service supported
by horses and mules). The Forest
Service also proposes to issue an
outfitter/guide permit for one current
outfitter and guide (commercial service
supported by burros) and an outfitter/
guide permit for one new outfitter and
guide (commercial service supported by
llamas). The services as proposed would
occur on the Inyo National Forest in the
AA, JM, GT, and SS Wildernesses, and
the non-wilderness portions of the Inyo
National Forest. The proposed action
authorizes the terms, conditions, and
appropriate use levels for these
activities. Specifically, the proposed
action includes: (1) Pack station/
outfitter guide-specific use
authorizations in the AA and JM
Wildernesses; (2) pack station/outfitter
guide-specific authorizations in the GT
and SS Wildernesses; (3) grazing/range
readiness standards and approval and
authorization of incidental grazing in
the GT and SS Wildernesses and nonwilderness areas of the Inyo National
Forest; (4) authorizations of pack station
base facilities (including pastures and
corrals) and boundaries; (5) location and
authorization of front country (i.e., nonwilderness) day rides and activities; and
(6) restricting commercial pack stock
travel to existing trails within identified
Concentrated Recreation Areas. The
Proposed Action also contains a number
of actions specific for each of the twelve
pack stations and two outfitter/guides
analyzed in the Draft EIS. A more
detailed description of the proposed
action is available by contacting the
project team leader.
Possible Alternatives
In addition to the Proposed Action, a
No Action alternative, as required by
NEPA will also be analyzed. The No
Action alternative to be analyzed would
allow for the natural expiration of
current Pack Station special use permits
with no new permits being issued.
Responsible Official
The responsible official is Jeffrey E.
Bailey, Forest Supervisor, Inyo National
VerDate jul<14>2003
15:52 Aug 08, 2005
Jkt 205001
Forest, 351 Pacu Lane, Suite 200,
Bishop, CA 93514.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
Given the purpose and need, the
deciding official reviews the proposed
action, the other alternatives, and the
environmental consequences in order to
make the following decision: Whether to
issue the permits with modified terms
and conditions, or not to authorize the
uses and require removal of all facilities
from public land.
Scoping Process
Public participation is an important
part of this analysis. The Forest Service
is seeking information, comments, and
assistance from Federal, State, and local
agencies, tribes, and other individuals
or organizations who may be interested
in or affected by the proposed action.
Comments submitted during the scoping
process should be in writing. They
should be specific to the action being
proposed and should describe as clearly
and completely as possible any issues
the commenter has with the proposal.
This input will be used in preparation
of the draft EIS.
To facilitate public participation,
additional scoping opportunities will
include a public scoping letter, meetings
(dates and locations to be determined),
newsletters, and information posted on
the Inyo National Forest’s Web sites.
Estimated Dates for the Draft and Final
EIS
A draft environmental impact
statement will be prepared for public
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. It is expected that
the Draft EIS will be available for
comment in February 2006.
Early Notice of Importance of Public
Participation in Subsequent
Environmental 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 (1978)).
Also, environmental objections that
could be raised at the draft
environmental impact statement stage
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
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;
Forest Service Handbook 1909.15, Section
21)
Jeffrey E. Bailey,
Forest Supervisor, Inyo National Forest.
[FR Doc. 05–15695 Filed 8–8–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–11–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Commercial Pack Station and Pack
Stock Outfitter/Guide Permit Issuance;
Sierra National Forest; Fresno, Madera,
and Mariposa Counties, CA
Forest Service, USDA.
Notice of intent to prepare an
environmental impact statement.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
SUMMARY: The USDA Forest Service will
prepare an environmental impact
statement (EIS) to document and
disclose the environmental impacts of a
proposal to re-issue long term permits
for a variety of commercial pack stock
related activities to seven existing
E:\FR\FM\09AUN1.SGM
09AUN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 152 (Tuesday, August 9, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46133-46134]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-15695]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Commercial Pack Station and Pack Stock Outfitter/Guide Permit
Issuance; Inyo National Forest; Inyo, Mono, and Tulare Counties, CA and
Mineral County, NV
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The USDA Forest Service will prepare an environmental impact
statement to document and disclose the environmental impacts of a
proposal to issue long term permits for a variety of commercial pack
stock related activities to twelve existing Resort Special Use Permit
holders (commercial service supported by horse). The DEIS also analyzes
a proposal from one current outfitter and guide (commercial service
supported by burros) and a proposal from one new outfitter and guide
(commercial service supported by llamas) to issue permits for their
proposed commercial activities. The services as proposed would occur on
the Inyo National Forest in the Ansel Adams (AA), John Muir (JM),
Golden Trout (GT), and South Sierra (SS) Wildernesses, and the non-
wilderness portions of the Inyo National Forest. This EIS tiers to the
Record of Decision that will be signed for the Trail and Commercial
Pack Stock Management Plan Environmental Impact Statement for all
activities and uses proposed in the AA and JM Wildernesses. Current
activities provided by pack stations include full service guided trips
(guide remains for the entire trip), dunnage trips (transport of
material and supplies), spot trips (transport of people and supplies to
a location and guide leaving), day rides, wild horse viewing in the
Pizona Area (from a base camp finding and viewing wild horses), and
stock drives (movement of stock to and from winter range to operating
areas). Activities currently conducted by the Outfitter and Guides
include use of burros and llamas to provide dunnage service,
backpacking trips, and camp re-supply services.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis should be received
no later than September 30, 2005. A draft environmental impact
statement is expected to be published in February 2006, with public
comment on the draft material requested for a period of 45 days. The
final EIS is expected in August 2006.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Commercial Pack Station and Pack
Stock Outfitter/Guide Permit Issuance, Inyo National Forest, 351 Pacu
Lane, Suite 200, Bishop, CA 93514. Electronic comments may be sent to:
comments-pacificsouthwest-inyo@fs.fed.us. Include ``Commercial Pack
Station and Pack Stock Outfitter/Guide Permit Issuance'' in the subject
line.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Roger Porter, Interdisciplinary Team
Leader, Inyo National Forest, 351 Pacu Lane, Suite 200, Bishop, CA
93514, (760) 873-2449.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose and Need for Action
There is a need for action on permit applications from twelve
resort pack stations to issue their term permits for their existing
facilities, activities and uses, and new uses on all portions of the
Inyo National Forest, including the AA, JM, GT, and SS Wildernesses and
non-wilderness areas. The action is needed because many of the existing
permits are due to expire in the near future. The twelve resort pack
stations are: Bishop Pack Outfitters, Cottonwood Pack Station, Frontier
Pack Train, Glacier Pack Train, Mammoth Lakes Pack Outfit, McGee Creek
Pack Station, Mt. Whitney Pack Trains, Pine Creek Pack Station, Rainbow
Pack Outfitters, Reds Meadow/Agnew Meadows Pack Stations, Rock Creek
Pack Station, and Sequoia Kings Pack Trains. There is also a need for
action on a permit application from one existing outfitter and guide to
issue their term permit (Three Corner Round Pack Outfit) and for action
on a permit from one new outfitter and guide providing llama service.
This project is also needed to respond to a Court Order issued in
2001. The Court Order required that the Forest Service reevaluate the
existing management direction and impacts of commercial pack stock
operations on the Ansel Adams and John Muir Wildernesses prior to
issuing permits for these operations. The court also ordered that the
cumulative effects analysis be completed by December 2005 followed by a
second NEPA process to issue individual special use permits by December
2006. The first planning effort--the Trail and Commercial Pack Stock
Management in the Ansel Adams and John Muir Wildernesses EIS--will
analyze the management direction and cumulative impacts of these
operations. This Commercial Pack Station and Pack Stock Outfitter/Guide
Permit Issuance EIS will respond to the portion of the Court Order
requiring the second level of NEPA analysis related to the re-issuance
of commercial pack station permits.
The purpose of the project is to continue to provide commercial
pack stock services as a part of a wide range of available recreational
activities available on the Inyo National Forest and to provide these
services in a manner consistent with existing forest plan direction.
The Final EIS (FEIS) and Record of Decision (ROD) for this project
will tier to the Trail and Commercial Pack Stock Management in the John
Muir/Ansel Adams FEIS and ROD. The Trail and
[[Page 46134]]
Commercial Pack Stock FEIS and ROD will identify the levels and terms
of commercial pack stock use in the AA and JM Wilderness. This Permit
Issuance EIS will authorize these uses in the AA and JM Wildernesses as
well as authorize uses on other areas of the Inyo National Forest.
Proposed Action
To meet the purpose and need, the Forest Service proposes to issue
long term permits for a variety of commercial pack stock related
activities to twelve existing Resort Special Use Permit holders
(commercial service supported by horses and mules). The Forest Service
also proposes to issue an outfitter/guide permit for one current
outfitter and guide (commercial service supported by burros) and an
outfitter/guide permit for one new outfitter and guide (commercial
service supported by llamas). The services as proposed would occur on
the Inyo National Forest in the AA, JM, GT, and SS Wildernesses, and
the non-wilderness portions of the Inyo National Forest. The proposed
action authorizes the terms, conditions, and appropriate use levels for
these activities. Specifically, the proposed action includes: (1) Pack
station/outfitter guide-specific use authorizations in the AA and JM
Wildernesses; (2) pack station/outfitter guide-specific authorizations
in the GT and SS Wildernesses; (3) grazing/range readiness standards
and approval and authorization of incidental grazing in the GT and SS
Wildernesses and non-wilderness areas of the Inyo National Forest; (4)
authorizations of pack station base facilities (including pastures and
corrals) and boundaries; (5) location and authorization of front
country (i.e., non-wilderness) day rides and activities; and (6)
restricting commercial pack stock travel to existing trails within
identified Concentrated Recreation Areas. The Proposed Action also
contains a number of actions specific for each of the twelve pack
stations and two outfitter/guides analyzed in the Draft EIS. A more
detailed description of the proposed action is available by contacting
the project team leader.
Possible Alternatives
In addition to the Proposed Action, a No Action alternative, as
required by NEPA will also be analyzed. The No Action alternative to be
analyzed would allow for the natural expiration of current Pack Station
special use permits with no new permits being issued.
Responsible Official
The responsible official is Jeffrey E. Bailey, Forest Supervisor,
Inyo National Forest, 351 Pacu Lane, Suite 200, Bishop, CA 93514.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
Given the purpose and need, the deciding official reviews the
proposed action, the other alternatives, and the environmental
consequences in order to make the following decision: Whether to issue
the permits with modified terms and conditions, or not to authorize the
uses and require removal of all facilities from public land.
Scoping Process
Public participation is an important part of this analysis. The
Forest Service is seeking information, comments, and assistance from
Federal, State, and local agencies, tribes, and other individuals or
organizations who may be interested in or affected by the proposed
action. Comments submitted during the scoping process should be in
writing. They should be specific to the action being proposed and
should describe as clearly and completely as possible any issues the
commenter has with the proposal. This input will be used in preparation
of the draft EIS.
To facilitate public participation, additional scoping
opportunities will include a public scoping letter, meetings (dates and
locations to be determined), newsletters, and information posted on the
Inyo National Forest's Web sites.
Estimated Dates for the Draft and Final EIS
A draft environmental impact statement will be prepared for public
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. It is
expected that the Draft EIS will be available for comment in February
2006.
Early Notice of Importance of Public Participation in Subsequent
Environmental 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 (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; Forest Service Handbook
1909.15, Section 21)
Jeffrey E. Bailey,
Forest Supervisor, Inyo National Forest.
[FR Doc. 05-15695 Filed 8-8-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P
