Klamath National Forest, California and Oregon, Mt. Ashland LSR Habitat Restoration and Fuels Reduction Project, 58666-58668 [05-20070]
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58666
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 194 / Friday, October 7, 2005 / Notices
NSLP and SBP meals, and the
composition of SFA revenues, including
federal reimbursements, cafeteria sales
and State and local cash assistance in
comparison to costs.
Respondents: State Child Nutrition
(CN) Directors, State Commodity
Distributing Agency (SDA) Directors,
and State Department of Education
(SEA) Finance Officers. For public
school districts participating in the
NSLP: SFA directors and business
managers, local educational agency
(LEA) finance officers, and school
administrators and food service
managers.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
One hundred twenty-two SFA directors
will complete a mail questionnaire with
telephone follow-up and be interviewed
in-person using several different
instruments. One hundred twenty-two
SFA business managers and 122 LEA
finance officers will be interviewed in
person. One food service manager in
each of three schools in each SFA (a
total of 366 food service managers) will
be interviewed by telephone prior to site
visits. During the site visits the 366 food
service managers will be interviewed inperson using several different
instruments. Approximately 25 State CN
directors; 25 SDA directors, and 25 SEA
finance officers will be interviewed by
telephone.
Number of Responses per
Respondent: Each instrument will be
administered once to each respondent
except for food service managers. Food
service managers will be interviewed
once by telephone prior to the site visit;
in addition food service managers will
be interviewed on each day of the fiveday site visit to complete menu and
recipe records.
Estimated Time per Response: The
attached table presents the burden for
each type of respondent.
Estimated time per response
Respondent
Number of
administrations
Number
State CN Director Interview .....................................................
State SDA Administrator ..........................................................
SEA Finance Officer Interview ................................................
SFA Director:
• Pre-Visit Questionnaire .................................................
• School Paid Staff Roster ..............................................
• Central Staff Paid Staff Roster .....................................
• Central Staff Time Allocation Grid ................................
• Food Service Expense Statement ................................
• Off-Budget Staff Roster ................................................
• Off-Budget Time Allocation Grid ...................................
Food service managers/Cooks:
• School Information Summary .......................................
• Kitchen Staff Time Allocation Grid ................................
• Menu Record ................................................................
• Recipe Record ..............................................................
SFA Business Manager ...........................................................
School Administrator Interview ................................................
LEA Finance Officer ................................................................
25
25
25
122
122
122
122
122
122
122
122
366
366
366
366
366
122
366
122
Total Respondent Burden .........................................
..............................
20
20
20
500
500
500
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
30
15
10
10
30
10
10
3,660
1,830
1,220
1,220
3,660
1,220
1,220
1
1
5
5
1
1
1
10
15
15
30
60
80
60
3,660
5,490
27,450
54,900
7,320
29,280
7,320
..............................
..............................
150,950
and reduce the risk of uncharacteristic
wildfires on approximately 5013 acres.
Dated: October 3, 2005.
Roberto Salazar,
Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 05–20255 Filed 10–6–05; 8:45 am]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Comments concerning the scope
of the analysis must be received within
30 days of the publication of this notice
in the Federal Register. The draft
environmental impact statement is
expected by January, 2006, and the final
environmental impact statement is
expected by July, 2006.
Forest Service
ADDRESSES:
Klamath National Forest, California
and Oregon, Mt. Ashland LSR Habitat
Restoration and Fuels Reduction
Project
SUMMARY: The Forest Service will
prepare an environmental impact
statement on a proposal to promote the
development of late-successional habitat
VerDate Aug<31>2005
18:27 Oct 06, 2005
Jkt 208001
DATES:
Send written comments to
Margaret J. Boland, Forest Supervisor,
Klamath National Forest, 1312 Fairlane
Road, Yreka, California 96097. ATTN:
Sue Stresser
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an
environmental impact statement.
AGENCY:
Susan Stresser, Wildlife Biologist and
Interdisciplinary Team Leader, Klamath
National Forest, 132 Fairlane Road,
Yreka, California 96097 or call (503)
841–4538.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
PO 00000
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Fmt 4703
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Total minutes
1
1
1
Estimated Total Annual Burden on
Respondents: 2516 hours.
BILLING CODE 3410–30–P
Minutes
Purpose and Need for Action
The purpose of the Mt. Ashland LateSuccessional Reserve (LSR) Habitat
Restoration and Fuels Reduction Project
is to promote the development of habitat
for species dependent on latesuccessional forests and reduce the
vulnerability of these stands and
existing late-successional habitat to
uncharacteristic wildfire. This project is
proposed under the direction of Seciton
7(a)(1) of the Endangered Species Act
that directs federal agencies to carry out
programs for the conservation of
threatened and endangered species.
Agencies are also directed to conduct
habitat restoration and enhance
protection from catastrophic wildfire by
the Healthy Forest Restoration Act,
Northwest Forest Plan as incorporated
in the Klamath National Forest Land
and Resource Management Plan of 1995,
and the National Fire Plan.
The need for actions in these
watersheds results primarily from turn
E:\FR\FM\07OCN1.SGM
07OCN1
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 194 / Friday, October 7, 2005 / Notices
of the century railroad logging; resulting
in mid-successional stands with high
stem densities, altered species
composition, and low diversity that
currently provide limited habitat for
late-successional species. Many of these
stands are unlikely to develop into
functional late-successional habitat
without treatment, and are at risk to
uncharacteristic wildfire. An additional
need is to protect the limited amount of
existing late-successional habitat in
these watersheds from uncharacteristic
wildfire.
Proposed Action
The proposal is to thin midsuccessional stands to promote the
development of late-successional habitat
(habitat promotion areas), construct
strategic fuelbreaks, and thin and reduce
fuels in mid-successional stands, earlysuccessional stands, and riparian
reserves to reduce the risk of
uncharacteristic wildfires.
• Habitat Promotion Areas:
Approximately 70 acres of earlysuccessional and 2549 acres of midsuccessional forest will be treated by
variable-density thinning of trees less
than 20 inches diameter at breast height.
Where site-specific conditions allow,
thinning will promote the historic
species composition. No latesuccessional forest will be thinned.
• Strategic Fuelbreaks: Five defensive
fuel profile zones, a type of strategic
fuelbreak, will be located on prominent
ridges. Encompassing approximately
1714 acres, defensive fuel profile zones
will be treated to reduce ground and
ladder fuels, and maintain canopy
closure at 40 to 50 percent. A small
number of trees greater than 20 inches
diameter at breast height, primarily true
fir, may be felled to achieve density
objectives but will be left on site.
• Riparian Reserve Treatments:
Within 170 feet of streams, ground and
ladder fuels will be treated by hand
thinning and burning of handpiles.
Between 170 and 340 feet from streams,
thinning treatments similar to the
Habitat Promotion Areas may occur.
Within riparian reserves associated with
unstable lands, thinning and fuel
treatment will occur only on low risk
areas. Approximately 412 acres of
Riparian Reserve habitat will be treated.
• Fuel Treatments: All Habitat
Promotion Areas and Strategic
Fuelbreaks will have existing and/or
project-generated fuels treated by a
variety of fuels reduction treatments
including: underburning, handpiling,
lop and scatter, and mastication
(grinding material with ground-based
equipment). Approximately 268 acres
will receive only underburn treatment.
VerDate Aug<31>2005
18:27 Oct 06, 2005
Jkt 208001
Roughly 50 acres of late-successional
forest will be treated to reduce fuels.
The project is located in the portion
of the Mt. Ashland LSR located on the
Klmath National Forest in the upper
reaches of the Beaver Creek Watershed.
LSRs and Riparian Reserves were
established for the Klamath National
Forest as part of the Northwest Forest
Plan management scenario. LSRs were
established to protect and enhance
conditions of late-successional and oldgrowth forest ecosystems, providing
habitat for species such as the northern
spotted owl. Riparian Reserves are
portions of watersheds where ripariandependent resources receive primary
emphasis. This project is authorized
under Section 102 of the Healthy Forest
Restoration Act because it would
provide ‘‘enhanced protection from
catastrophic wildfire’’ for the habitat of
a threatened species, the northern
spotted owl.
Due to past logging, many stands in
the LSR are mid and early successional.
Development of late-successional
characteristics can be accelerated, as the
stands are young and thrifty enough to
respond favorably to density reduction.
Due to past fire suppression, many midsuccessional stands have stocking so
dense that it is not sustainable; the site’s
capacity to support vegetation is
exceeded. Fuels reduction, mainly
removal of small diameter material, and
fuel breaks were identified as high
priority for the area.
Thinned material greater than 9 and
less than 20 inches diameter breast
height will be offered in a timber sale
contract to generate revenues to help
fund the remainder of the work, which
may be offered in one or more service
or stewardship contracts. Of the stands
containing merchantable material, it is
estimated that 1268 acres will be
removed with tractors and tractorendlining, 662 acres with a mechanical
harvester, 1422 acres with cable
equipment, and 605 with a helicopter.
Lead and Cooperating Agencies
The Forest Services is the lead agency
and the United States Fish and Wildlife
Service is a cooperating agency.
Responsible Official
Margaret J. Boland, Forest Supervisor,
USDA Forest Service, 1312 Fairlane
Road, Yreka, California 96097 is the
Responsible Official.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The Forest Service must decide
whether it will implement this proposal,
an alternative design that moves the
area towards the desired condition, or
not implement any project at this time.
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
58667
Scoping Process
The Forest Service and Fish and
Wildlife Service have been collaborating
on a proposal to improve habitat
conditions in the Mt. Ashland LSR since
May 2004. On July 6, 2004, this
restoration project was included under
the category of ‘‘developing proposal’’
in the Klamath National Forest’s
Schedule of Proposed Actions, which
was posted on the Klamath National
Forest’s internet website and mailed to
interested parties. A mailing list for the
project was developed from those
responding to the Schedule of Proposed
Actions, a list of landowners near the
project area, potentially affected Native
American tribes, agencies with special
expertise and groups that might be
interested. Those on the mailing list
were notified of a public field trip to the
project area on Septebmer 29, 2004.
Notices of the field trip were also sent
to the Siskiyou Daily News, Yreka,
California, and the Ashland Daily
Tidings, Ashland, Oregon. A scoping
letter describing the proposed action,
purpose and need for the proposal, and
requesting public comment will be sent
to those on the mailing list. This notice
of intent also invites public comment on
the proposal and initiates the
preparation of the environmental impact
statement. While public participation in
this analysis is welcome at any time,
comments received within 30 days of
the publication of this notice will be
especially useful in the preparation of
the draft environmental impact
statement. The scoping process will
include identifying potential issues,
significant issues to be analyzed in
depth, alternatives to the proposed
action, and potential environmental
effects of the proposal and alternatives.
Comment Requested
This notice of intent initiates the
scoping process, which guides the
development of the environmental
impact statement. The public is
encouraged to take part in the process
and visit with Forest Service and Fish
and Wildlife officials at any time during
the analysis and prior to the decision.
The Forest Service will be seeking
information, comments and assistance
from Federal, State, and local agencies
and other individuals or organizations
that may be interested in, or affected by,
the proposed restoration activities.
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
E:\FR\FM\07OCN1.SGM
07OCN1
58668
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 194 / Friday, October 7, 2005 / Notices
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, 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, 533
(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 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)
Dated: September 30, 2005.
Michael P. Lee,
Deputy Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 05–20070 Filed 10–6–05; 8:45am]
BILLING CODE 3410–11–M
VerDate Aug<31>2005
18:27 Oct 06, 2005
Jkt 208001
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Grain Inspection, Packers and
Stockyards Administration
Solicitation of Nominations for
Members of the Grain Inspection
Advisory Committee
Grain Inspection, Packers and
Stockyards Administration, USDA.
ACTION: Notice to solicit nominees.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The Grain Inspection, Packers
and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA)
is announcing that nominations are
being sought for persons to serve on
GIPSA’s Grain Inspection Advisory
Committee.
DATES: Form AD–755 must be received
not later than December 6, 2005.
ADDRESSES: Completed AD–755 forms
should be submitted to:
• E-Mail: Send form AD–755 via
electronic mail to
Terri.L.Henry@usda.gov.
• Mail: Send hardcopy of completed
form to Terri Henry, GIPSA, USDA,
1400 Independence Ave., SW., Room
1647–S, Stop 3604, Washington, DC
20250–3604.
• Fax: Send form AD–755 by
facsimile transmission to: (202) 690–
6755.
• Hand Delivery or Courier: Deliver
form AD–755 to: Terri Henry, GIPSA,
USDA, 1400 Independence Ave., SW.,
Room 1647–S, Stop 3604, Washington,
DC 20250–3604.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under
authority of section 21 of the United
States Grain Standards Act (Act) as
amended, the Secretary of Agriculture
established the Grain Inspection
Advisory Committee (Advisory
Committee) on September 29, 1981, to
provide advice to GIPSA’s
Administrator on implementation of the
Act. Section 21 of the United States
Grain Standards Act Amendments of
2000, Public Law 106–580, extended the
authority for the Advisory Committee
through September 30, 2015.
The Advisory Committee presently
consists of 15 members, appointed by
the Secretary, who represent the
interests of grain producers, processors,
handlers, merchandisers, consumers,
and exporters, including scientists with
expertise in research related to the
policies in section 2 of the Act.
Members of the Advisory Committee
serve without compensation. They are
reimbursed for travel expenses,
including per diem in lieu of
subsistence, for travel away from their
homes or regular places of business in
performance of Advisory Committee
service, as authorized under section
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
5703 of title 5, United States Code.
Alternatively, travel expenses may be
paid by Committee members.
Nominations are being sought for
persons to serve on the Advisory
Committee to replace the five members
and the five alternate members whose
terms will expire March 2006.
Persons interested in serving on the
Advisory Committee, or in nominating
individuals to serve, should contact:
GIPSA, by telephone (tel: 202–205–
8281), fax (fax: 202–690–2755), or
electronic mail (e-mail:
Terri.L.Henry@usda.gov) and request
Form AD–755. Form AD–755 may also
be obtained via the Internet through
GIPSA’s homepage at https://
www.gipsa.usda.gov/advcommittee/
ad755.pdf. Nominations are open to all
individuals without regard to race,
color, religion, sex, national origin, age,
mental or physical handicap, marital
status, or sexual orientation. To ensure
that recommendations of the Committee
take into account the needs of the
diverse groups served by the
Department, membership shall include,
to the extent practicable, individuals
with demonstrated ability to represent
minorities, women, and persons with
disabilities.
The final selection of Advisory
Committee members and alternates will
be made by the Secretary.
JoAnn Waterfield,
Acting Administrator, Grain Inspection,
Packers and Stockyards Administration.
[FR Doc. 05–20165 Filed 10–6–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–EN–P
COMMITTEE FOR PURCHASE FROM
PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND OR
SEVERELY DISABLED
Procurement List; Proposed Additions
and Deletions
Committee For Purchase From
People Who Are Blind Or Severely
Disabled.
ACTION: Proposed additions to and
deletions from Procurement List.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The Committee is proposing
to add to the Procurement List products
to be furnished by nonprofit agencies
employing persons who are blind or
have other severe disabilities, and to
delete products and services previously
furnished by such agencies.
Comments Must Be Received on or
Before: November 6, 2005.
ADDRESSES: Committee for Purchase
From People Who Are Blind or Severely
Disabled, Jefferson Plaza 2, Suite 10800,
1421 Jefferson Davis Highway,
Arlington, Virginia, 22202–3259.
E:\FR\FM\07OCN1.SGM
07OCN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 194 (Friday, October 7, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58666-58668]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-20070]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Klamath National Forest, California and Oregon, Mt. Ashland LSR
Habitat Restoration and Fuels Reduction Project
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Forest Service will prepare an environmental impact
statement on a proposal to promote the development of late-successional
habitat and reduce the risk of uncharacteristic wildfires on
approximately 5013 acres.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received
within 30 days of the publication of this notice in the Federal
Register. The draft environmental impact statement is expected by
January, 2006, and the final environmental impact statement is expected
by July, 2006.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Margaret J. Boland, Forest
Supervisor, Klamath National Forest, 1312 Fairlane Road, Yreka,
California 96097. ATTN: Sue Stresser
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Susan Stresser, Wildlife Biologist and
Interdisciplinary Team Leader, Klamath National Forest, 132 Fairlane
Road, Yreka, California 96097 or call (503) 841-4538.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose and Need for Action
The purpose of the Mt. Ashland Late-Successional Reserve (LSR)
Habitat Restoration and Fuels Reduction Project is to promote the
development of habitat for species dependent on late-successional
forests and reduce the vulnerability of these stands and existing late-
successional habitat to uncharacteristic wildfire. This project is
proposed under the direction of Seciton 7(a)(1) of the Endangered
Species Act that directs federal agencies to carry out programs for the
conservation of threatened and endangered species. Agencies are also
directed to conduct habitat restoration and enhance protection from
catastrophic wildfire by the Healthy Forest Restoration Act, Northwest
Forest Plan as incorporated in the Klamath National Forest Land and
Resource Management Plan of 1995, and the National Fire Plan.
The need for actions in these watersheds results primarily from
turn
[[Page 58667]]
of the century railroad logging; resulting in mid-successional stands
with high stem densities, altered species composition, and low
diversity that currently provide limited habitat for late-successional
species. Many of these stands are unlikely to develop into functional
late-successional habitat without treatment, and are at risk to
uncharacteristic wildfire. An additional need is to protect the limited
amount of existing late-successional habitat in these watersheds from
uncharacteristic wildfire.
Proposed Action
The proposal is to thin mid-successional stands to promote the
development of late-successional habitat (habitat promotion areas),
construct strategic fuelbreaks, and thin and reduce fuels in mid-
successional stands, early-successional stands, and riparian reserves
to reduce the risk of uncharacteristic wildfires.
Habitat Promotion Areas: Approximately 70 acres of early-
successional and 2549 acres of mid-successional forest will be treated
by variable-density thinning of trees less than 20 inches diameter at
breast height. Where site-specific conditions allow, thinning will
promote the historic species composition. No late-successional forest
will be thinned.
Strategic Fuelbreaks: Five defensive fuel profile zones, a
type of strategic fuelbreak, will be located on prominent ridges.
Encompassing approximately 1714 acres, defensive fuel profile zones
will be treated to reduce ground and ladder fuels, and maintain canopy
closure at 40 to 50 percent. A small number of trees greater than 20
inches diameter at breast height, primarily true fir, may be felled to
achieve density objectives but will be left on site.
Riparian Reserve Treatments: Within 170 feet of streams,
ground and ladder fuels will be treated by hand thinning and burning of
handpiles. Between 170 and 340 feet from streams, thinning treatments
similar to the Habitat Promotion Areas may occur. Within riparian
reserves associated with unstable lands, thinning and fuel treatment
will occur only on low risk areas. Approximately 412 acres of Riparian
Reserve habitat will be treated.
Fuel Treatments: All Habitat Promotion Areas and Strategic
Fuelbreaks will have existing and/or project-generated fuels treated by
a variety of fuels reduction treatments including: underburning,
handpiling, lop and scatter, and mastication (grinding material with
ground-based equipment). Approximately 268 acres will receive only
underburn treatment. Roughly 50 acres of late-successional forest will
be treated to reduce fuels.
The project is located in the portion of the Mt. Ashland LSR
located on the Klmath National Forest in the upper reaches of the
Beaver Creek Watershed. LSRs and Riparian Reserves were established for
the Klamath National Forest as part of the Northwest Forest Plan
management scenario. LSRs were established to protect and enhance
conditions of late-successional and old-growth forest ecosystems,
providing habitat for species such as the northern spotted owl.
Riparian Reserves are portions of watersheds where riparian-dependent
resources receive primary emphasis. This project is authorized under
Section 102 of the Healthy Forest Restoration Act because it would
provide ``enhanced protection from catastrophic wildfire'' for the
habitat of a threatened species, the northern spotted owl.
Due to past logging, many stands in the LSR are mid and early
successional. Development of late-successional characteristics can be
accelerated, as the stands are young and thrifty enough to respond
favorably to density reduction. Due to past fire suppression, many mid-
successional stands have stocking so dense that it is not sustainable;
the site's capacity to support vegetation is exceeded. Fuels reduction,
mainly removal of small diameter material, and fuel breaks were
identified as high priority for the area.
Thinned material greater than 9 and less than 20 inches diameter
breast height will be offered in a timber sale contract to generate
revenues to help fund the remainder of the work, which may be offered
in one or more service or stewardship contracts. Of the stands
containing merchantable material, it is estimated that 1268 acres will
be removed with tractors and tractor-endlining, 662 acres with a
mechanical harvester, 1422 acres with cable equipment, and 605 with a
helicopter.
Lead and Cooperating Agencies
The Forest Services is the lead agency and the United States Fish
and Wildlife Service is a cooperating agency.
Responsible Official
Margaret J. Boland, Forest Supervisor, USDA Forest Service, 1312
Fairlane Road, Yreka, California 96097 is the Responsible Official.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The Forest Service must decide whether it will implement this
proposal, an alternative design that moves the area towards the desired
condition, or not implement any project at this time.
Scoping Process
The Forest Service and Fish and Wildlife Service have been
collaborating on a proposal to improve habitat conditions in the Mt.
Ashland LSR since May 2004. On July 6, 2004, this restoration project
was included under the category of ``developing proposal'' in the
Klamath National Forest's Schedule of Proposed Actions, which was
posted on the Klamath National Forest's internet website and mailed to
interested parties. A mailing list for the project was developed from
those responding to the Schedule of Proposed Actions, a list of
landowners near the project area, potentially affected Native American
tribes, agencies with special expertise and groups that might be
interested. Those on the mailing list were notified of a public field
trip to the project area on Septebmer 29, 2004. Notices of the field
trip were also sent to the Siskiyou Daily News, Yreka, California, and
the Ashland Daily Tidings, Ashland, Oregon. A scoping letter describing
the proposed action, purpose and need for the proposal, and requesting
public comment will be sent to those on the mailing list. This notice
of intent also invites public comment on the proposal and initiates the
preparation of the environmental impact statement. While public
participation in this analysis is welcome at any time, comments
received within 30 days of the publication of this notice will be
especially useful in the preparation of the draft environmental impact
statement. The scoping process will include identifying potential
issues, significant issues to be analyzed in depth, alternatives to the
proposed action, and potential environmental effects of the proposal
and alternatives.
Comment Requested
This notice of intent initiates the scoping process, which guides
the development of the environmental impact statement. The public is
encouraged to take part in the process and visit with Forest Service
and Fish and Wildlife officials at any time during the analysis and
prior to the decision. The Forest Service will be seeking information,
comments and assistance from Federal, State, and local agencies and
other individuals or organizations that may be interested in, or
affected by, the proposed restoration activities.
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
[[Page 58668]]
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, 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, 533 (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 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)
Dated: September 30, 2005.
Michael P. Lee,
Deputy Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 05-20070 Filed 10-6-05; 8:45am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M
