Buckhorn Access Project, Okanogan and Wenatchee National Forests, Okanogan County, WA, 40988-40990 [06-6316]
Download as PDF
40988
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 138 / Wednesday, July 19, 2006 / Notices
cost data must be collected on form
FNS–143.
The form is an intrinsic part of the
accounting system currently being used
by the subject program to ensure proper
reimbursement as well as to facilitate
adequate recordkeeping.
Respondents: The respondents are
sponsoring organizations participating
in the SFSP under the auspices of the
FNS ROAP.
Reporting Burden
Estimated Total Number of
Respondents: 123.
Estimated Number of Responses per
Respondent: 5.
Estimated Hours per Response: .5.
Estimated Annual Reporting Burden
Hours: 307.5.
Estimated Total Number of
Respondents: 123.
Recordkeeping Burden
Estimated Number of Responses per
Respondent: 5.
Estimated Hours per Response: .1875.
Estimated Annual Recordkeeping
Burden Hours: 115.31.
Total Annual Reporting and
Recordkeeping Burden: 423.
Dated: July 7, 2006.
Roberto Salazar,
Administrator, Food and Nutrition.
[FR Doc. E6–11435 Filed 7–18–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–30–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food and Nutrition Service
Agency Information Collection
Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request—Forms FNS–806–
A, Claim for Reimbursement (National
School Lunch and School Breakfast
Programs), and FNS–806–B, Claim for
Reimbursement (Special Milk Program
for Children)
Food and Nutrition Service,
USDA.
ACTION: Notice and request for
comments.
sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: In accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this
notice invites the general public to
comment on the proposed information
collections. The Food and Nutrition
Service (FNS) uses the Claims for
Reimbursement, FNS–806–A and FNS–
806–B, to collect data to determine the
amount of reimbursement school food
authorities participating in the National
School Lunch Program (NSLP), School
Breakfast Program (SBP), and Special
Milk Program for Children (SMP) are
eligible to receive.
VerDate Aug<31>2005
18:28 Jul 18, 2006
Jkt 208001
Written comments on this notice
must be received or postmarked by
September 18, 2006.
ADDRESSES: Comments are invited on:
(a) Whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper
performance of the functions of the
agency, including whether the
information shall have practical utility;
(b) the accuracy of the agency’s estimate
of the burden of the proposed collection
of information, including the validity of
the methodology and assumptions used;
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility,
and clarity of the information to be
collected; and (d) ways to minimize the
burden of the collection of information
on those who are to respond, including
use of appropriate automated,
electronic, mechanical, or other
technological collection techniques or
other forms of information technology.
Comments may be sent to Melissa
Rothstein, Chief, Program Analysis and
Monitoring Branch, Child and Nutrition
Division, Food and Nutrition Service,
USDA, 3101 Park Center Drive, Room
640, Alexandria, Virginia 22302.
Comments may also be submitted via
fax to the attention of Melissa Rothstein
at (703) 305–2879 or via e-mail to
melissa.rothstein@fns.usda.gov.
All written comments will be open for
public inspection at the office of the
Food and Nutrition Service during
regular business hours (8:30 a.m. to 5
p.m., Monday through Friday) at 3101
Park Center Drive, Alexandria, Virginia
22302, Room 640.
All responses to this notice will be
summarized and included in the request
for OMB approval. All comments will
be a matter of public record.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Request for additional information or
copies of this information collection
should be directed to Melissa Rothstein
at (703) 305–2590.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Monthly Claims for
Reimbursement.
OMB Numbers: 0584–0284.
Expiration Date: November 30, 2006.
Type of Request: Revision of a
currently approved information
collection.
Abstract: The NSLP and SBP, and
SMP Claim for Reimbursement, Forms
FNS–806–A and FNS–806–B,
respectively, are used to collect meal
and milk data from school food
authorities whose participation in these
programs are administered directly by
FNS Regional Offices (Regional Office
Administered Programs, or ROAP). The
FNS Regional Office directly
administers the NSLP, SMP, and/or SBP
programs in Virginia, Georgia, Colorado
DATES:
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
and Missouri. In order to determine the
amount of reimbursement for meals and
milk served, the school food authorities
are required to complete these forms.
The completed forms are either sent to
the Child Nutrition Payments Center at
the FNS Mid-Atlantic Regional Office
where they are entered into a
computerized payment system or
submitted electronically via the Internet
directly into the Child Nutrition
Payments Center. The payment system
computes earned reimbursement.
Earned reimbursement in the NSLP,
SBP and SMP is based on performance
that is measured as an assigned rate per
meal or half pint of milk served. To
fulfill the earned reimbursement
requirements set forth in NSLP, SBP and
SMP regulations issued by the Secretary
of Agriculture (7 CFR 210.8 and 220.11;
and 215.10), the meal and milk data
must be collected on Forms FNS–806–
A and FNS–806–B, respectively. These
forms are an intrinsic part of the
accounting system currently being used
by the subject programs to ensure
proper reimbursement as well as to
facilitate adequate recordkeeping.
Respondents: The respondents are
school food authorities and facilities
participating in the NSLP, SBP and SMP
under the auspices of the FNS ROAP.
Reporting Burden
Estimated Number of Respondents:
273.
Estimated Number of Responses per
Respondent: 10.
Estimated Hours per Response: .5.
Estimated Annual Reporting Burden
Hours: 1365.
Recordkeeping Burden
Estimated Number of Respondents:
273.
Estimated Number of Responses per
Respondent: 10.
Estimated Hours per Response: .08.
Estimated Annual Recordkeeping
Burden Hours: 218.
Estimated Total Annual Reporting
and Recordkeeping Burden: 1,583.
Dated: July 6, 2006.
Roberto Salazar,
Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. E6–11441 Filed 7–18–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–30–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Buckhorn Access Project, Okanogan
and Wenatchee National Forests,
Okanogan County, WA
AGENCY:
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Forest Service, USDA.
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Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 138 / Wednesday, July 19, 2006 / Notices
Notice of intent to prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement.
ACTION:
SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that
the USDA, Forest Service will prepare
an Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) for a proposal by Crown Resources
Corporation (Crown) to access their
private lands and unpatented mining
claims on National Forest System lands,
and to utilize their unpatented mining
claims for mining related facilities. The
purpose of the EIS will be to evaluate a
range of reasonable alternatives for this
proposal and take public comment on
the analysis. The proposed project will
comply with the direction in the
December 1989 Okanogan National
Forest Land and Resource Management
Plan (Forest Plan), as amended. The
Forest Plan provides the overall
guidance for management of National
Forest System lands included in this
proposal.
Scoping on this project was initiated
in the Spring of 2005. After preparation
and circulation of a preliminary
Environmental Assessment on the
project, the Forest Service has decided
to prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement, as provided for in the
Council on Environmental Quality’s
Regulations for Implementing the
Procedural Provisions of the National
Environmental Policy Act (40 CFR
1501.4(c)). The Forest Service is giving
notice of this analysis so that interested
and affected individuals are aware of
how they may participate and
contribute to the final decision.
Comments concerning the scope
of this analysis must be received by
August 7, 2006. Individuals who
responded to the scoping done for this
project in April 2005 need not resubmit
those comments. The scope of the
project has not changed since the initial
Spring 2005 scoping, although some
details have changed and will be
displayed in the Draft EIS. The Draft EIS
is expected to be filed in August 2006.
The Final EIS is expected to be filed in
November 2006.
DATES:
Submit written comments
and suggestions concerning the scope of
the analysis to Jan Flatten, Forest
Environmental Coordinator, 1240
Second Avenue South, Okanogan, WA
98840, phone: (509) 826–3277.
ADDRESSES:
sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Direct questions about the proposed
action and EIS to Jan Flatten, Forest
Environmental Coordinator, 1240
Second Avenue South, Okanogan,
Washington 98840, phone: (509) 826–
3277 or Phil Christy, Minerals Program
Manager, Tonasket Ranger District, 1
VerDate Aug<31>2005
18:28 Jul 18, 2006
Jkt 208001
West Winesap, Tonasket, WA 98855,
phone: (509) 486–5137.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose and Need for Action
The purpose and need for the project
is to respond to Crown’s request for
access to their private lands and
unpatented mining claims, and to
utilize their unpatented mining claims
for mining related facilities reasonably
incident to mining activities taking
place on private lands as required by
law, while minimizing impacts to
National Forest System lands and
considering impacts to residents living
along National Forest rights-of-way.
Proposed Action
The Forest Supervisor for the
Okanogan and Wenatchee National
Forests proposes to approve Crown
Resource Corporation’s Plan of
Operations to reconstruct 5.25 miles of
the Forest Roads 3550 and 3550–125;
construct 1.5 miles of new access road
off the end of Forest Road 3550–125 to
the lower portal of the mine; and to
build a fence, a pipe line, a treatedwater infiltration area and access roads,
monitoring wells, and underground
utility conduits (power line, telephone
line) on National Forest System lands
and rights-of-way. The Proponent would
be permitted to utilize these roads daily
to haul ore and supplies to and from the
private land inholding once
construction is complete. Trucks,
averaging approximately 55 round trips
per day (50 ore trucks and 5 supply
trucks), would haul along the route,
although average daily trips would
increase just before and after spring
breakup, if hauling is not feasible or
permitted. Employee access, 24 hours/
day, would be allowed on the haul
route, Forest Roads 3575–120, 3575,
3575–100, and 3575–150. Only the haul
route, Forest Roads 3575–120 and 3575–
140 to the water tower, access roads to
the infiltration gallery and pipeline
(3575–120, 3575–125, 3575–127, and
3575–142), and to monitoring wells and
surface water minoring sites may be
snowplowed. In addition, the following
structures would be constructed to
compensate for impacts to wildlife and
range operations from this proposal and
the Buckhorn Mountain Project
currently being planned on private
lands:
• A corral in lower Marias Creek,
• A well servicing three cattle troughs
in mid-Marias Creek,
• A water augmentation line from the
infiltration gallery pipeline to the
Roosevelt Adit and to a new water
trough in upper Marias Creek,
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
40989
• Culvert replacements to allow for
all aquatic life passage, and
• Water guzzlers in the headwaters of
Ethel and South Fork Bolster Creeks.
The Pontiac Ridge/Cow Camp access
route; Forest Road 3575–120, and Forest
Road 3575–140 would be used during
the approximate 3 months it will take to
construct and reconstruct the haul
route. After that time, most construction
traffic to the mine site on private lands
would switch to the haul route.
Implementation is expected to occur in
winter on spring of 2007.
The proposed action would require
amendments to four Forest Plan
standards and guidelines, two relating
to road density, one relating to
designation of an open route through
deer winter range, and one relating to
percent fines in fish bearing creeks.
Road density standards would b
exceeded in MA14–18 and 14–19, the
Marias Creek road would be designated
as an open route where it passes
through deer winter range in MA–14
and MA–26, and fine sediment would
be increased where it is currently above
Forest Plan standards. In addition, the
three small parcels left of MA14–19
after land patenting would be combined
with their adjacent management areas.
Possible Alternatives
Crown’s land on Buckhorn Mountain
can be accessed by three existing road
systems:
• Marias Creek Road 3550 with
powerline buried on the right-of-way.
• Nicholson Creek 3575 with
powerline buried in the right-of-way
except that the shorter route up the
3575–100 road would be used for the
powerline.
• Cow Camp Road 3575–120 with
powerline buried on the right-of-way.
All of these routes will be fully
analyzed in the EIS. No other sites will
be analyzed for the infiltration gallery
because the location proposed by Crown
is the only feasible location.
Lead Agency
The USDA Forest Service will be the
lead agency in accordance with 40 CFR
1501.5(b), and is responsible for
preparation of the EIS.
Nature of the Decision To Be Made
The Forest Supervisor for the
Okanogan and Wenatchee National
Forests must decide whether or not to
approve the Proponent’s Plan of
Operations and road use permit as
submitted, or approve a Plan of
Operations and road use permit for
another route or with additional
mitigation measures and monitoring
items. Additionally, the Forest
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19JYN1
40990
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 138 / Wednesday, July 19, 2006 / Notices
Supervisor must decide whether to
grant a special use permit to the Ferry
County PUD and other providers for
utility access. The Forest Supervisor
will consider both the impacts as a
result of project activities on National
Forest Systems lands and rights-of-way,
and cumulative impacts off of National
Forest System lands, particularly to
home owners along National Forest
System rights-of-way, in choosing the
preferred alternative. The Forest
Supervisor must also decide whether or
not to amend the Okanogan National
Forest Land and Resource Management
Plan to implement the project.
Permits or Licenses Required
Scoping Process
Early Notice of Importance of Public
Participation in Subsequent
Environmental Review
Initial scoping on this project was
completed Spring of 2005, and a
preliminary Environmental Assessment
was sent to the public for comment in
December 2005. Public participation
will continue to be especially important
at several points during the analysis.
The participation agencies are seeking
information, comments, and assistance
from Federal, State, local agencies,
Native American Tribe and other
individuals and organizations who may
be interested in or affected by the
proposed project. Input submitted
during initial scoping, comments
received on the preliminary
Environmental Assessment and input
during this scoping period will be used
in preparation of the Draft EIS. The
scoping process includes:
• Identifying potential issues.
• Identifying major issues to be
analyzed in depth and identify those
that are not significant and can be
eliminated from detailed study.
• Exploring alternatives to the
proposed action.
• Identifying potentail environmental
effects of this project.
• Determining potential cooperating
agencies and task assignments.
• Notifying interested members of the
public of opportunities to participate
through personal contacts or written
comment.
sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES
Issues
A number of issues were identified in
the preliminary Environmental
Assessment including effects of fence
construction, effects of road
construction and reconstruction, effects
of heavy mine traffic, effects to wildlife,
spread of noxious weeds, cumulative
impacts with the mine and borrow site,
dust suppression and snow removal
chemical on water, effects on residents
and Colville Tribal members, and effects
on water quality and quantity from the
infiltration gallery.
VerDate Aug<31>2005
18:28 Jul 18, 2006
Jkt 208001
Upon approval of this proposal, a
final plan of operations, road use permit
and special use permits for utility
companies would be prepared.
Comment Opportunity
This notice re-initiates the scoping
process, which guides development of
the EIS. The Forest Service is seeking
public and agency comment on the
proposed action to determine if any
additional issues arise. Additional
issues may lead either to other
alternatives, or additional mitigation
measures and monitoring requirements.
A draft EIS will be prepared for
comment. Copies will be distributed to
interested and affected agencies,
organizations, and members of the
public for their review and comment.
The comment period on the draft EIS
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 a draft EIS 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 EIS stage but that are
not raised until after the 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 so that substantive
comments and objections are made
available to the participating agencies at
a time when it can meaningfully
consider them and respond to them in
the final EIS.
To assist the participating agencies in
identifying and considering issues and
concerns on the proposed action,
comments on the draft EIS 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
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Frm 00008
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
adequacy of the draft EIS 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.
In the final EIS, the Forest Service is
required to respond to comments and
responses received during the comment
period that pertain to the environmental
consequences discussed in the draft EIS
and applicable laws, regulations, and
policies considered in making a
decision regarding the proposal.
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.
The Forest Supervisor for the
Okanogan and Wenatchee National
Forest will be the responsible official for
this EIS and it’s Record of Decision. As
the responsible official, the Forest
Supervisor will document the decision
and reasons for the decision in the
Record of Decision. That decision will
be subject to Forest Service Appeal
Regulations (36 CFR Part 215).
Dated: July 10, 2006.
James L. Boynton,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 06–6316 Filed 7–18–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–11–M
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Ravalli County Resource Advisory
Committee
Forest Service, USDA.
Notice of meeting.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
SUMMARY: The Ravalli County Resource
Advisory Committee will be meeting for
presentations on 2006 projects
submitted and hold a short public forum
(question and answer session). The
meeting is being held pursuant to the
authorities in the Federal Advisory
Committee Act (Pub. L. 92–463) and
under the Secure Rural Schools and
Community Self-Determination Act of
2000 (Pub. L. 106–393). The meeting is
open to the public.
DATES: The meeting will be held on July
25, 2006, 6:30 p.m.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at
the Bitterroot National Forest
Supervisors Office, 1801 North First,
Hamilton, Montana. Send written
comments to Daniel G. Ritter, District
Ranger, Stevensville Ranger District, 88
E:\FR\FM\19JYN1.SGM
19JYN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 138 (Wednesday, July 19, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40988-40990]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-6316]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Buckhorn Access Project, Okanogan and Wenatchee National Forests,
Okanogan County, WA
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
[[Page 40989]]
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the USDA, Forest Service will
prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a proposal by Crown
Resources Corporation (Crown) to access their private lands and
unpatented mining claims on National Forest System lands, and to
utilize their unpatented mining claims for mining related facilities.
The purpose of the EIS will be to evaluate a range of reasonable
alternatives for this proposal and take public comment on the analysis.
The proposed project will comply with the direction in the December
1989 Okanogan National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest
Plan), as amended. The Forest Plan provides the overall guidance for
management of National Forest System lands included in this proposal.
Scoping on this project was initiated in the Spring of 2005. After
preparation and circulation of a preliminary Environmental Assessment
on the project, the Forest Service has decided to prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement, as provided for in the Council on
Environmental Quality's Regulations for Implementing the Procedural
Provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act (40 CFR 1501.4(c)).
The Forest Service is giving notice of this analysis so that interested
and affected individuals are aware of how they may participate and
contribute to the final decision.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope of this analysis must be received
by August 7, 2006. Individuals who responded to the scoping done for
this project in April 2005 need not resubmit those comments. The scope
of the project has not changed since the initial Spring 2005 scoping,
although some details have changed and will be displayed in the Draft
EIS. The Draft EIS is expected to be filed in August 2006. The Final
EIS is expected to be filed in November 2006.
ADDRESSES: Submit written comments and suggestions concerning the scope
of the analysis to Jan Flatten, Forest Environmental Coordinator, 1240
Second Avenue South, Okanogan, WA 98840, phone: (509) 826-3277.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Direct questions about the proposed
action and EIS to Jan Flatten, Forest Environmental Coordinator, 1240
Second Avenue South, Okanogan, Washington 98840, phone: (509) 826-3277
or Phil Christy, Minerals Program Manager, Tonasket Ranger District, 1
West Winesap, Tonasket, WA 98855, phone: (509) 486-5137.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose and Need for Action
The purpose and need for the project is to respond to Crown's
request for access to their private lands and unpatented mining claims,
and to utilize their unpatented mining claims for mining related
facilities reasonably incident to mining activities taking place on
private lands as required by law, while minimizing impacts to National
Forest System lands and considering impacts to residents living along
National Forest rights-of-way.
Proposed Action
The Forest Supervisor for the Okanogan and Wenatchee National
Forests proposes to approve Crown Resource Corporation's Plan of
Operations to reconstruct 5.25 miles of the Forest Roads 3550 and 3550-
125; construct 1.5 miles of new access road off the end of Forest Road
3550-125 to the lower portal of the mine; and to build a fence, a pipe
line, a treated-water infiltration area and access roads, monitoring
wells, and underground utility conduits (power line, telephone line) on
National Forest System lands and rights-of-way. The Proponent would be
permitted to utilize these roads daily to haul ore and supplies to and
from the private land inholding once construction is complete. Trucks,
averaging approximately 55 round trips per day (50 ore trucks and 5
supply trucks), would haul along the route, although average daily
trips would increase just before and after spring breakup, if hauling
is not feasible or permitted. Employee access, 24 hours/day, would be
allowed on the haul route, Forest Roads 3575-120, 3575, 3575-100, and
3575-150. Only the haul route, Forest Roads 3575-120 and 3575-140 to
the water tower, access roads to the infiltration gallery and pipeline
(3575-120, 3575-125, 3575-127, and 3575-142), and to monitoring wells
and surface water minoring sites may be snowplowed. In addition, the
following structures would be constructed to compensate for impacts to
wildlife and range operations from this proposal and the Buckhorn
Mountain Project currently being planned on private lands:
A corral in lower Marias Creek,
A well servicing three cattle troughs in mid-Marias Creek,
A water augmentation line from the infiltration gallery
pipeline to the Roosevelt Adit and to a new water trough in upper
Marias Creek,
Culvert replacements to allow for all aquatic life
passage, and
Water guzzlers in the headwaters of Ethel and South Fork
Bolster Creeks.
The Pontiac Ridge/Cow Camp access route; Forest Road 3575-120, and
Forest Road 3575-140 would be used during the approximate 3 months it
will take to construct and reconstruct the haul route. After that time,
most construction traffic to the mine site on private lands would
switch to the haul route. Implementation is expected to occur in winter
on spring of 2007.
The proposed action would require amendments to four Forest Plan
standards and guidelines, two relating to road density, one relating to
designation of an open route through deer winter range, and one
relating to percent fines in fish bearing creeks. Road density
standards would b exceeded in MA14-18 and 14-19, the Marias Creek road
would be designated as an open route where it passes through deer
winter range in MA-14 and MA-26, and fine sediment would be increased
where it is currently above Forest Plan standards. In addition, the
three small parcels left of MA14-19 after land patenting would be
combined with their adjacent management areas.
Possible Alternatives
Crown's land on Buckhorn Mountain can be accessed by three existing
road systems:
Marias Creek Road 3550 with powerline buried on the right-
of-way.
Nicholson Creek 3575 with powerline buried in the right-
of-way except that the shorter route up the 3575-100 road would be used
for the powerline.
Cow Camp Road 3575-120 with powerline buried on the right-
of-way.
All of these routes will be fully analyzed in the EIS. No other
sites will be analyzed for the infiltration gallery because the
location proposed by Crown is the only feasible location.
Lead Agency
The USDA Forest Service will be the lead agency in accordance with
40 CFR 1501.5(b), and is responsible for preparation of the EIS.
Nature of the Decision To Be Made
The Forest Supervisor for the Okanogan and Wenatchee National
Forests must decide whether or not to approve the Proponent's Plan of
Operations and road use permit as submitted, or approve a Plan of
Operations and road use permit for another route or with additional
mitigation measures and monitoring items. Additionally, the Forest
[[Page 40990]]
Supervisor must decide whether to grant a special use permit to the
Ferry County PUD and other providers for utility access. The Forest
Supervisor will consider both the impacts as a result of project
activities on National Forest Systems lands and rights-of-way, and
cumulative impacts off of National Forest System lands, particularly to
home owners along National Forest System rights-of-way, in choosing the
preferred alternative. The Forest Supervisor must also decide whether
or not to amend the Okanogan National Forest Land and Resource
Management Plan to implement the project.
Scoping Process
Initial scoping on this project was completed Spring of 2005, and a
preliminary Environmental Assessment was sent to the public for comment
in December 2005. Public participation will continue to be especially
important at several points during the analysis. The participation
agencies are seeking information, comments, and assistance from
Federal, State, local agencies, Native American Tribe and other
individuals and organizations who may be interested in or affected by
the proposed project. Input submitted during initial scoping, comments
received on the preliminary Environmental Assessment and input during
this scoping period will be used in preparation of the Draft EIS. The
scoping process includes:
Identifying potential issues.
Identifying major issues to be analyzed in depth and
identify those that are not significant and can be eliminated from
detailed study.
Exploring alternatives to the proposed action.
Identifying potentail environmental effects of this
project.
Determining potential cooperating agencies and task
assignments.
Notifying interested members of the public of
opportunities to participate through personal contacts or written
comment.
Issues
A number of issues were identified in the preliminary Environmental
Assessment including effects of fence construction, effects of road
construction and reconstruction, effects of heavy mine traffic, effects
to wildlife, spread of noxious weeds, cumulative impacts with the mine
and borrow site, dust suppression and snow removal chemical on water,
effects on residents and Colville Tribal members, and effects on water
quality and quantity from the infiltration gallery.
Permits or Licenses Required
Upon approval of this proposal, a final plan of operations, road
use permit and special use permits for utility companies would be
prepared.
Comment Opportunity
This notice re-initiates the scoping process, which guides
development of the EIS. The Forest Service is seeking public and agency
comment on the proposed action to determine if any additional issues
arise. Additional issues may lead either to other alternatives, or
additional mitigation measures and monitoring requirements.
Early Notice of Importance of Public Participation in Subsequent
Environmental Review
A draft EIS will be prepared for comment. Copies will be
distributed to interested and affected agencies, organizations, and
members of the public for their review and comment. The comment period
on the draft EIS 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
a draft EIS 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 EIS stage but that are not raised
until after the 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 so that substantive comments and
objections are made available to the participating agencies at a time
when it can meaningfully consider them and respond to them in the final
EIS.
To assist the participating agencies in identifying and considering
issues and concerns on the proposed action, comments on the draft EIS
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 EIS 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.
In the final EIS, the Forest Service is required to respond to
comments and responses received during the comment period that pertain
to the environmental consequences discussed in the draft EIS and
applicable laws, regulations, and policies considered in making a
decision regarding the proposal.
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.
The Forest Supervisor for the Okanogan and Wenatchee National
Forest will be the responsible official for this EIS and it's Record of
Decision. As the responsible official, the Forest Supervisor will
document the decision and reasons for the decision in the Record of
Decision. That decision will be subject to Forest Service Appeal
Regulations (36 CFR Part 215).
Dated: July 10, 2006.
James L. Boynton,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 06-6316 Filed 7-18-06; 8:45 am]
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