Beartooth Ranger District Travel Management Plan, Custer National Forest; Sweet Grass, Park, Stillwater, and Carbon Counties, MT, 40829-40831 [07-3616]
Download as PDF
<![CDATA[
rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 142 / Wednesday, July 25, 2007 / Notices
Early Notice of Importance of Public
Participation in Subsequent
Environmental Review
A DEIS will be prepared for comment.
The comment period on the DEIS 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 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 Forest Service
at a time when it can meaningfully
consider them and respond to them in
the final EIS.
To assist the Forest Service in
identifying and considering issues and
concerns on the proposed action,
comments 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.
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.
Comments submitted anonymously will
be accepted and considered; however,
those who submit anonymous
comments will not have standing to
appeal the subsequent decision under
36 CFR part 215. Additionally, pursuant
to 7 CFR 1.27(d), any person may
request the agency to withhold a
VerDate Aug<31>2005
20:22 Jul 24, 2007
Jkt 211001
submission from the public record by
showing how the Freedom of
Information Act (FOIA) permits such
confidentiality.
Persons requesting such
confidentiality should be aware that,
under the FOIA, confidentiality may be
granted in only very limited
circumstances, such as to protect trade
secrets. The Forest Service will inform
the requester of the agency’s decision
regarding the request for confidentiality,
and if the request is denied, the agency
will return the submission and notify
the requester that the comments may be
resubmitted with or without name and
address within a specified number of
days.
(Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7 and 1508.22;
Forest Service Handbook 1909.15, Section
21)
Dated: July 18, 2007.
Nora B. Rasure,
Forest Supervisor, Coconino National Forest.
[FR Doc. 07–3618 Filed 7–24–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–11–M
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Beartooth Ranger District Travel
Management Plan, Custer National
Forest; Sweet Grass, Park, Stillwater,
and Carbon Counties, MT
Forest Service, USDA.
Notice; intent to prepare
environmental impact statement.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
SUMMARY: The Forest Service will
prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) to disclose the effects of
designating National Forest System
roads, trails, and areas available for
public motorized use and changing pack
and saddle stock use on certain nonmotorized trails on the Beartooth Ranger
District, Custer National Forest. The
decision will be to determine whether to
include routes that are not currently
National Forest System roads, trials, and
areas for public motorized use on the
Beartooth Ranger District, establish a
season of use and/or type of vehicle use
for roads, trails, and areas designated for
public motorized use, change dispersed
vehicle camping designations, and
restrict pack and saddle stock use on
select non-motorized trails. A National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
decision is not required to designate
roads, trails, and areas for public
motorized use that are currently part of
the National Forest System of roads,
trails and areas.
Once a decision is made, a Motor
Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) will be
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
40829
prepared, in compliance with the 2005
Forest Service Travel Management Rule
(36 CFR Part 212). The MVUM will
show all the routes that are designated
for public motorized use on the
Beartooth Ranger District. The MVUM
will be the primary tool used to
determine compliance and enforcement
with motorized vehicle use designations
on the ground. Those existing routes
and other non-system routes not
designated open on the MVUM will be
legally closed to motorized travel. The
decisions on motorized travel may
include motorized over-the-snow travel.
DATES: The draft environmental impact
statement is planned to be released in
October 2007 and the final
environmental impact statement is
planned for release in June 2008. The
project was initially released for public
scoping January 30, 2004 through May
1, 2004. However, the scooping period
was extended to September 1, 2004 due
to great public interest and the many
requests asking for an extension of the
scoping period through the field season.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to
Beartooth Ranger District Travel
Management Plan, Custer National
Forest, 1310 Main Street, Billings, MT
59105 or call (406) 657–6205 extension
225.
If you prefer, you can submit
comments on the internet at commentsnorthern-custer-beartooth@fs.fed.us by
typing on the subject line ‘‘Beartooth RD
Travel Management Plan.’’
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Doug Epperly, Project Coordinator, at
(406) 657–6205 ext. 225.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose and Need for Action
The purpose of the proposal is to
designate a system of roads, trails, and
areas for motor vehicle use, including
over-the-snow travel and existing
recreation use, on the Beartooth Ranger
District, Custer National Forest. The
system of roads, trails, and areas to be
designated will be consistent with the
laws, regulations, and policies
governing the management of National
Forest System lands. Specifically, this
includes the Forest Service 2005 Travel
Management Rule (36 CFR part 212), the
January 2001 Off-Highway Vehicle
Record of Decision and Plan
Amendment for Montana, North Dakota,
and Portions of South Dakota (hereafter
Tri-state OHV Plan), the subsequent
Forest Plan Amendment Number 39, the
1987 Beartooth Travel Plan, and the
Custer National Forest and National
Grasslands Land and Resource
Management Plan (hereafter referred to
E:\FR\FM\25JYN1.SGM
25JYN1
40830
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 142 / Wednesday, July 25, 2007 / Notices
as the Forest Plan, 1986) (Forest Plan
Record of Decision, 1987)).
There is a compelling need to address
travel management on the Beartooth
Ranger District as a result of the Forest
Service 2005 Travel Management Rule,
the Tri-state OHV decision, and
confusion generated in trying to
implement the 1987 Beartooth Travel
Plan. Both the Travel Management Rule
and the Tri-State OHV decision set
timeframes within which to complete,
and/or start (as in the case of the TriState decision), specific route
designation decisions, as necessary. It is
important to note, that identifying
existing National Forest System Roads
and Trails on a MVUM does not
constitute a decision pursuant to the
National Environment Policy Act.
Federal land managers are directed
(Executive Order 11644, 36 CFR 212,
and 43 CFR 8342.1) to ensure that the
use of motorized vehicles and off-road
vehicles will be controlled and directed
so as to protect the resources of those
lands, to promote the safety of users,
minimize conflicts among the various
uses of the federal lands, and to provide
for public use of roads and trails
designated as open.
rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with NOTICES
Proposed Action
The proposed action is to designate
selected roads, trails, and areas open to
public motorized travel, designate
dispersed vehicle camping, and
implement changes in pack and saddle
stock use on non-motorized trails on the
Beartooth Ranger District, Custer
National Forest (NFS lands). The
designations will also set specific
seasons of use, where appropriate, and
specify the type of use (e.g., highway
legal vehicle, ATV’s, motorcycles) for
roads, trails, and areas. The Forest
Service will produce a Motor Vehicle
Use Map (MVUM) depicting those
routes which are open to the general
public for wheeled motorized use. This
alternative, as well as any other action
alternative, will require a Forest Plan
amendment to remove specific road
management contained in the Forest
Plan and provide for management of
those roads in the travel plan decision.
No Action Alternative
The No Action alternative would be to
designate the current Beartooth Ranger
District system motorized roads and
trails for public motorized use, but
would not address existing routes that
are identified as unauthorized (i.e. nonsystem) routes by the Forest Service.
The existing condition would be to
designate all of the system and nonsystem motorized routes identified
during the 1999–2000 Custer National
VerDate Aug<31>2005
19:31 Jul 24, 2007
Jkt 211001
Forest inventory of existing roads and
trails. Alternatives to the Proposed
Action and No Action will depict
differing combinations of routes to
remain open to motorized travel.
A consequence of designating routes
open for public motorized travel is that
those existing routes not designated as
open would be not be available for
public motorized travel.
Decommissioning or obliterating these
routes, which may involve ground
disturbing activities, would not be a part
of the Proposed Action or alternatives,
and would generally require separate
and distinct site-specific NEPA
decisions regarding the implementation
aspects of road closures. The
environmental consequences of having
routes closed to motorized travel will be
evaluated in this environmental
analysis.
Identification of new routes that
would meet the goals and objectives for
a motorized transportation system on
NFS lands will be, as appropriate, a part
of this travel management planning and
identified as an opportunity, but would
require separate, site-specific NEPA
decisions to implement ground
disturbing activities associated with
new route construction.
Responsible Official
The Responsible Official is Steve E.
Williams, Forest Supervisor, Custer
National Forest, 1310 Main Street,
Billings, MT 59105.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
Based on the purpose and need for the
proposed action, the Forest Supervisor
will evaluate the Proposed Action and
other alternatives in order to make the
following decisions for the specific
National Forest System lands:
• Determine those non-system roads,
trails, and areas that should be
converted to system roads, trails and
areas, and designate as open to the
public for motorized travel; and,
• Determine the allowed season and/
or type of use for those routes open to
motorized travel
• Determine if any changes in the
extent and nature of dispersed vehicle
camping are warranted.
• Determined those non-motorized
trails where pack and saddle stock use
would be changed to day use or
prohibited.
• Site-specifically amend the Forest
Plan by removing standards and
guidelines for specific roads and trails
from the Forest Plan (for example, see
Forest Plan pages 51, 89, and 91). Travel
management direction for routes that
will not have a change in travel
management direction will be shown on
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
the Motor Vehicle Use Map (pursuant to
36 CFR 212). Routes, for which travel
management direction is being changed,
will be analyzed in the EIS for the
Beartooth Ranger District Travel
Management Plan.
Scoping Process
Public scoping was initiated January
30, 2004 and was planned to close by
May 1, 2004. Several public meetings
were conducted in local communities
that could be affected by the decision.
The scoping period was extended to
September 1, 2004 due to high public
interest. The Forest Service received
over 5000 letters, postcards or other
forms of commenting (i.e. electronically
submitted comments). The project was
delayed due to some key personnel
changes, acts of nature (slides on
Beartooth Highway and the Derby fire),
and release of the 2005 Travel
Management Rule. Hence, additional
public meetings were conducted in July
2006 to update the public on the process
and brief those involved in the process
on the 2005 Travel Management Rule,
and from January through March 2007
collaborative public meetings were
conducted in an effort to find common
ground.
The Forest Service will consider all
public scoping comments and concerns
that have been submitted, as well as
resource related input from the
interdisciplinary team and other agency
resource specialists. This input will be
used to identify issues to consider in the
environmental analysis. A
comprehensive list of issues will be
determined before the full range of
alternatives is developed and the
environmental analysis is begun.
Persons and organizations
commenting during the initial scoping
will be maintained on the mailing list
for future information about Beartooth
Ranger District Travel Management
Planning.
The Responsible Official has
determined, at this time that it is in the
best interest of the Forest Service to
prepare an environmental impact
statement.
Comments Requested
Given that scoping has been
conducted and that numerous public
meetings have been conducted,
comments are not being requested at
this time.
Early Notice of Importance of Public
Participation in Subsequent
Environmental Review
A draft environmental impact
statement will be prepared for public
comment. The comment period on the
E:\FR\FM\25JYN1.SGM
25JYN1
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 142 / Wednesday, July 25, 2007 / Notices
rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with NOTICES
draft environmental impact statement
will be 45 days from the date that the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
publishes the notice of availability in
the Federal Register.
Written comments are preferred and
should include the name and address of
the commenter. Comments submitted
for this proposed action will be
considered part of the public record.
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.
Reviewers of draft environmental
impact statements must structure their
participation in the 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, 409 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 the
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
alternative 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.
Dated: July 18, 2007.
Nancy J. Rusho,
Acting Deputy Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 07–3616 Filed 7–24–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–11–M
VerDate Aug<31>2005
19:31 Jul 24, 2007
Jkt 211001
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
South Project; Hell Canyon Ranger
District, Black Hills National Forest
Custer, SD
Forest Service, USDA.
Notice of intent to prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
AGENCY:
ACTION:
SUMMARY: The Hell Canyon Ranger
District of the Black Hills National
Forest intends to prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
for a proposal to implement multiple
resource management actions within the
South project area as directed by the
Black Hills National Forest Land and
Resource Management Plan. The South
project area is approximately 52,082
acres in size, with 43,045 acres of
National Forest lands, 1,197 acres of
state land and 7,840 acres of private
land. The project proposes to reduce the
risk of large-scale wildfire effects on the
At-Risks Communities (ARC) of Custer,
Pringle and Argyle, South Dakota,
provide for wildlife habitat needs,
reduce risks of mountain pine beetle
infestation, provide a sustainable supply
of commercial timber, and provide
management and public access.
DATES: Comments related to this project
will be most useful to the planning team
if received within 30 days after
publication of this notice in the Federal
Register. The draft environmental
impact statement is expected to be
available January 2008 and the final
environmental impact statement is
expected to be completed by June 2008.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to
Michael D. Lloyd, District Ranger, Black
Hills National Forest, Hell Canyon
Ranger District, 330 Mount Rushmore
Road, Custer, South Dakota 57730.
Telephone number: (605) 673–4853. Fax
number: (605) 673–5461. Electronic
comments must be readable in Word,
RichText or pdf format and must
contain ‘‘South’’ in the subject line.
Electronic comments may be e-mailed
to: comments-rocky-mountain-blackhills-hell-canyon@fs.fed.us.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Betsy Koncerak, Project Leader, at the
address listed above or by phone at
(605) 673–4853.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
actions proposed are in direct response
to management direction provided by
the Black Hills National Forest Land
and Resource Management Plan, as
amended (Forest Plan). The Project Area
is located approximately four miles west
of Custer, South Dakota and is within
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
40831
Custer County. The northernmost point
of the project area lies approximately
four miles north of US Highway 16
along Lightning Creek road. The
southernmost point of the project area is
approximately 12 miles south of US
Highway 16 along Pleasant Valley Road.
Purpose and Need for Action
The purpose and need for action in
the South project area is to reduce the
risk of large-scale wildfire on the AtRisk Communities (ARCs) of Custer,
Pringle and Argyle, South Dakota (66 FR
43384), provide for wildlife habitat
needs, enhance vegetative diversity,
reduce the risk of mountain pine beetle
infestation, and provide a sustainable
supply of commercial timber consistent
with direction in the Revised Forest
Plan for the Black Hills National Forest,
as amended (Forest Plan), while
providing for management and public
access needs. This project is focused on
implementing management actions that
move toward achieving desired
conditions and objectives embodied in
Goals 10 (establish and maintain a
mosaic of vegetation conditions to
reduce occurrences of large-scale fire,
insect, and disease events), 2 (provide
for biologically diverse ecosystems), and
3 (provide for sustained commodity
uses) of the Forest Plan.
Proposed Action
The proposed action includes the
following management actions:
• Commercial thinning to 40 basal
area on approximately 9,621 acres to
reduce fuels around private lands to
reduce the risk of large-scale wildfire. In
addition, approximately 9,400 acres of
prescribed burning is proposed to
reduce fuels in other portions of the
project area to create fuel breaks for
community protection.
• Commercial thinning to 60 basal
area on approximately 2,628 acres to
increase tree growth and vigor, reduce
the potential for mountain pine beetle
infestation and reduce the potential for
spreading crown fires.
• Releasing approximately 11,428
acres of regenerated pine stands through
overstory removal prescriptions.
• Restoration and maintenance of
meadows by removing conifers from
approximately 2,847 acres of these
habitats.
• Reducing the density of the
managed road system, which is
currently 5.4 miles per square mile, by
closing unneeded roads and by
converting needed, unauthorized roads
to system roads.
E:\FR\FM\25JYN1.SGM
25JYN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 142 (Wednesday, July 25, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40829-40831]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-3616]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Beartooth Ranger District Travel Management Plan, Custer National
Forest; Sweet Grass, Park, Stillwater, and Carbon Counties, MT
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice; intent to prepare environmental impact statement.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Forest Service will prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) to disclose the effects of designating National Forest
System roads, trails, and areas available for public motorized use and
changing pack and saddle stock use on certain non-motorized trails on
the Beartooth Ranger District, Custer National Forest. The decision
will be to determine whether to include routes that are not currently
National Forest System roads, trials, and areas for public motorized
use on the Beartooth Ranger District, establish a season of use and/or
type of vehicle use for roads, trails, and areas designated for public
motorized use, change dispersed vehicle camping designations, and
restrict pack and saddle stock use on select non-motorized trails. A
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) decision is not required to
designate roads, trails, and areas for public motorized use that are
currently part of the National Forest System of roads, trails and
areas.
Once a decision is made, a Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) will be
prepared, in compliance with the 2005 Forest Service Travel Management
Rule (36 CFR Part 212). The MVUM will show all the routes that are
designated for public motorized use on the Beartooth Ranger District.
The MVUM will be the primary tool used to determine compliance and
enforcement with motorized vehicle use designations on the ground.
Those existing routes and other non-system routes not designated open
on the MVUM will be legally closed to motorized travel. The decisions
on motorized travel may include motorized over-the-snow travel.
DATES: The draft environmental impact statement is planned to be
released in October 2007 and the final environmental impact statement
is planned for release in June 2008. The project was initially released
for public scoping January 30, 2004 through May 1, 2004. However, the
scooping period was extended to September 1, 2004 due to great public
interest and the many requests asking for an extension of the scoping
period through the field season.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Beartooth Ranger District Travel
Management Plan, Custer National Forest, 1310 Main Street, Billings, MT
59105 or call (406) 657-6205 extension 225.
If you prefer, you can submit comments on the internet at comments-
northern-custer-beartooth@fs.fed.us by typing on the subject line
``Beartooth RD Travel Management Plan.''
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Doug Epperly, Project Coordinator, at
(406) 657-6205 ext. 225.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose and Need for Action
The purpose of the proposal is to designate a system of roads,
trails, and areas for motor vehicle use, including over-the-snow travel
and existing recreation use, on the Beartooth Ranger District, Custer
National Forest. The system of roads, trails, and areas to be
designated will be consistent with the laws, regulations, and policies
governing the management of National Forest System lands. Specifically,
this includes the Forest Service 2005 Travel Management Rule (36 CFR
part 212), the January 2001 Off-Highway Vehicle Record of Decision and
Plan Amendment for Montana, North Dakota, and Portions of South Dakota
(hereafter Tri-state OHV Plan), the subsequent Forest Plan Amendment
Number 39, the 1987 Beartooth Travel Plan, and the Custer National
Forest and National Grasslands Land and Resource Management Plan
(hereafter referred to
[[Page 40830]]
as the Forest Plan, 1986) (Forest Plan Record of Decision, 1987)).
There is a compelling need to address travel management on the
Beartooth Ranger District as a result of the Forest Service 2005 Travel
Management Rule, the Tri-state OHV decision, and confusion generated in
trying to implement the 1987 Beartooth Travel Plan. Both the Travel
Management Rule and the Tri-State OHV decision set timeframes within
which to complete, and/or start (as in the case of the Tri-State
decision), specific route designation decisions, as necessary. It is
important to note, that identifying existing National Forest System
Roads and Trails on a MVUM does not constitute a decision pursuant to
the National Environment Policy Act.
Federal land managers are directed (Executive Order 11644, 36 CFR
212, and 43 CFR 8342.1) to ensure that the use of motorized vehicles
and off-road vehicles will be controlled and directed so as to protect
the resources of those lands, to promote the safety of users, minimize
conflicts among the various uses of the federal lands, and to provide
for public use of roads and trails designated as open.
Proposed Action
The proposed action is to designate selected roads, trails, and
areas open to public motorized travel, designate dispersed vehicle
camping, and implement changes in pack and saddle stock use on non-
motorized trails on the Beartooth Ranger District, Custer National
Forest (NFS lands). The designations will also set specific seasons of
use, where appropriate, and specify the type of use (e.g., highway
legal vehicle, ATV's, motorcycles) for roads, trails, and areas. The
Forest Service will produce a Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) depicting
those routes which are open to the general public for wheeled motorized
use. This alternative, as well as any other action alternative, will
require a Forest Plan amendment to remove specific road management
contained in the Forest Plan and provide for management of those roads
in the travel plan decision.
No Action Alternative
The No Action alternative would be to designate the current
Beartooth Ranger District system motorized roads and trails for public
motorized use, but would not address existing routes that are
identified as unauthorized (i.e. non-system) routes by the Forest
Service. The existing condition would be to designate all of the system
and non-system motorized routes identified during the 1999-2000 Custer
National Forest inventory of existing roads and trails. Alternatives to
the Proposed Action and No Action will depict differing combinations of
routes to remain open to motorized travel.
A consequence of designating routes open for public motorized
travel is that those existing routes not designated as open would be
not be available for public motorized travel. Decommissioning or
obliterating these routes, which may involve ground disturbing
activities, would not be a part of the Proposed Action or alternatives,
and would generally require separate and distinct site-specific NEPA
decisions regarding the implementation aspects of road closures. The
environmental consequences of having routes closed to motorized travel
will be evaluated in this environmental analysis.
Identification of new routes that would meet the goals and
objectives for a motorized transportation system on NFS lands will be,
as appropriate, a part of this travel management planning and
identified as an opportunity, but would require separate, site-specific
NEPA decisions to implement ground disturbing activities associated
with new route construction.
Responsible Official
The Responsible Official is Steve E. Williams, Forest Supervisor,
Custer National Forest, 1310 Main Street, Billings, MT 59105.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
Based on the purpose and need for the proposed action, the Forest
Supervisor will evaluate the Proposed Action and other alternatives in
order to make the following decisions for the specific National Forest
System lands:
Determine those non-system roads, trails, and areas that
should be converted to system roads, trails and areas, and designate as
open to the public for motorized travel; and,
Determine the allowed season and/or type of use for those
routes open to motorized travel
Determine if any changes in the extent and nature of
dispersed vehicle camping are warranted.
Determined those non-motorized trails where pack and
saddle stock use would be changed to day use or prohibited.
Site-specifically amend the Forest Plan by removing
standards and guidelines for specific roads and trails from the Forest
Plan (for example, see Forest Plan pages 51, 89, and 91). Travel
management direction for routes that will not have a change in travel
management direction will be shown on the Motor Vehicle Use Map
(pursuant to 36 CFR 212). Routes, for which travel management direction
is being changed, will be analyzed in the EIS for the Beartooth Ranger
District Travel Management Plan.
Scoping Process
Public scoping was initiated January 30, 2004 and was planned to
close by May 1, 2004. Several public meetings were conducted in local
communities that could be affected by the decision. The scoping period
was extended to September 1, 2004 due to high public interest. The
Forest Service received over 5000 letters, postcards or other forms of
commenting (i.e. electronically submitted comments). The project was
delayed due to some key personnel changes, acts of nature (slides on
Beartooth Highway and the Derby fire), and release of the 2005 Travel
Management Rule. Hence, additional public meetings were conducted in
July 2006 to update the public on the process and brief those involved
in the process on the 2005 Travel Management Rule, and from January
through March 2007 collaborative public meetings were conducted in an
effort to find common ground.
The Forest Service will consider all public scoping comments and
concerns that have been submitted, as well as resource related input
from the interdisciplinary team and other agency resource specialists.
This input will be used to identify issues to consider in the
environmental analysis. A comprehensive list of issues will be
determined before the full range of alternatives is developed and the
environmental analysis is begun.
Persons and organizations commenting during the initial scoping
will be maintained on the mailing list for future information about
Beartooth Ranger District Travel Management Planning.
The Responsible Official has determined, at this time that it is in
the best interest of the Forest Service to prepare an environmental
impact statement.
Comments Requested
Given that scoping has been conducted and that numerous public
meetings have been conducted, comments are not being requested at this
time.
Early Notice of Importance of Public Participation in Subsequent
Environmental Review
A draft environmental impact statement will be prepared for public
comment. The comment period on the
[[Page 40831]]
draft environmental impact statement will be 45 days from the date that
the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) publishes the notice of
availability in the Federal Register.
Written comments are preferred and should include the name and
address of the commenter. Comments submitted for this proposed action
will be considered part of the public record.
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. Reviewers of draft
environmental impact statements must structure their participation in
the 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, 409
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 the 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 alternative
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.
Dated: July 18, 2007.
Nancy J. Rusho,
Acting Deputy Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 07-3616 Filed 7-24-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M
