Sequoia National Forest, Western Divide Ranger District; California; Tule River Reservation Protection Project, 50301-50302 [E8-19621]
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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 166 / Tuesday, August 26, 2008 / Notices
The comment period on the Draft EIS
will extend 45 days from the date the
EPA publishes the NOA in the Federal
Register. At that time, copies of the
Draft EIS will be distributed to
interested and affected agencies,
organizations, and members of the
public for their review and comment. It
is very important that those interested
in the management of the Rogue RiverSiskiyou National Forest participate at
that time. Submission of comments in
response to the Draft EIS is a
prerequisite for eligibility to appeal
under the 36 CFR part 217 regulations.
The Final EIS is scheduled to be
completed in February 2009. In the
Final EIS, the Forest Service will
respond to comments 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 the decision.
sroberts on PROD1PC76 with NOTICES
Comment Requested
This Notice of Intent initiates the
scoping process which guides the
development of the Environmental
Impact Statement. 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 Service believes, at this
early stage, it is important to give
reviewers notice of several court rulings
related to public participation in the
environmental review process. First,
reviewers of Draft Environmental
Impact Statements must structure their
participation in the environmental
review of the proposal so that it is
meaningful and alerts an agency to the
reviewer’s position and contentions
(Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp.
v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519, 553 (1978)).
Also, environmental objections that
could be raised at the Draft
Environmental Impact Statement stage,
but that are not raised until after
completion of the Final Environmental
Impact Statement may be waived or
dismissed by the courts. City of Angoon
v. Hodel, 803 F.2d 1016, 1022 (9th Cir.
1986) and Wisconsin Heritages, Inc. v.
Harris, 490 F. Supp. 1334, 1338 (E.D.
Wis. 1980). Because of these court
rulings, it is very important that those
interested in this Proposed Action
participate by the close of the 45 day
comment period so that substantive
comments and objections are made
available to the Forest Service at a time
when it can meaningfully consider them
and respond to them in the Final
Environmental Impact Statement.
VerDate Aug<31>2005
00:53 Aug 26, 2008
Jkt 214001
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 Environmental
Impact Statement. Comments may also
address the adequacy of the Draft
Environmental Impact Statement or the
merits of the alternatives formulated
and discussed in the statement.
Reviewers may wish to refer to the
Council on Environmental Quality
Regulations for implementing the
procedural provisions of the National
Environmental Policy Act at 40 CFR
1503.3 in addressing these points.
(Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7 and 1508.22;
Forest Service Handbook 1909.15, Section
21)
Dated: August 18, 2008.
Scott D. Conroy,
Forest Supervisor, Rogue River-Siskiyou
National Forest.
[FR Doc. E8–19675 Filed 8–25–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–11–M
Forest Service
Sequoia National Forest, Western
Divide Ranger District; California; Tule
River Reservation Protection Project
Forest Service, USDA.
Notice of intent to prepare an
environmental impact statement.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
SUMMARY: The proposed project is to
reduce surface and ladder fuels on
approximately 1,574 acres by
constructing fuel breaks, treating
planted stands, and prescribed burning
between planted stands and fuel breaks.
The purpose of the project is to respond
to a proposal from the Tule River Tribal
Council under the Tribal Forest
Protection Act and to reduce the spread
of wildland fire starting on the Sequoia
National Forest or private lands onto the
Tule River Indian Reservation.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope
of the analysis must be received by
Wednesday, September 24, 2008. The
draft environmental impact statement is
expected June 2009 and the final
environmental impact statement is
expectedNovember 2009.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to
Priscilla Summers, District Ranger,
Western Divide Ranger District, 32588
Hwy 190, Springville, CA 93265.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Teresa Sue, Planner, Western Divide
Frm 00003
Fmt 4703
Ranger District, 32588 Hwy 190,
Springville, CA 93265.
In July
2004, Congress passed the Tribal Forest
Protection Act (Act). The Act was in
response to devastating wildfires that
started on Federal lands and crossed
onto adjacent Tribal lands. The Act
provides a tool for tribes to propose
work that will reduce the threat of fires
starting on Federal lands from spreading
onto trust lands for Indian tribes. The
Act allows tribes to enter into contracts
and agreements with the U.S. Forest
Service or Bureau of Land Management
to accomplish the work.
In October 2005, the Tule River Tribal
Council submitted a project proposal to
the Forest Supervisor of the Sequoia
National Forest under the authority of
the Tribal Forest Protection Act of 2004.
The Pacific Southwest RegionalForester
granted authority to work with the Tule
River Tribal Council on their proposal.
This project is the first under this
authority. Subsequent projects will be
analyzed separately.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose and Need for Action
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
PO 00000
50301
Sfmt 4703
To respond to the proposal from the
Tule River Tribal Council under the
TribalForest Protection Act and to
reduce the risk of wildland fire starting
on the Sequoia National Forest or
private lands from spreading onto the
Tule RiverIndian Reservation by
reducing surface and ladder fuels.
Proposed Action
The proposed action is to reduce
surface and ladder fuels on
approximately 1,574 acres along the
northern boundary between the Sequoia
National Forest,Giant Sequoia National
Monument, and the Tule River Indian
Reservation. The proposed action
includes the construction of shaded fuel
breaks along ridgelines, private land,
and roads; the reduction of fuels in
planted stands by thinning, limbing and
removing brush; disposal of resulting
fuels by pile and burning, jackpot
burning, or utilizing biomass as
commercial and/or personal fuel; and
prescribed burn between planted stands
and shaded fuel breaks.
Responsible Official
Tina Terrell, Forest Supervisor,
Sequoia National Forest, 1839 South
NewcombStreet, Porterville, CA 93257.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The decision to be made is whether or
not to approve the fuels reduction
project as described. The decision will
not include a Forest Plan Amendment.
C:\FR\FM\26AUN1.SGM
26AUN1
50302
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 166 / Tuesday, August 26, 2008 / Notices
Scoping Process
Public participation will be especially
important at several points during the
analysis. The Forest Service will be
seeking information, comments, and
assistance from Federal, State, and local
agencies and other individuals or
organizations interested in or affected
by the proposed action.
The comment period on the proposed
action will extend 30 days from the date
the Notice of Intent is published in the
Federal Register.
The draft environmental impact
statement is expected to be filed with
the Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) and to be available for public
review by June 2009. EPA will publish
a notice of availability of the draft EIS
in the Federal Register. The comment
period on the draft EIS will extend 45
days from the date the EPA notice
appears in the FederalRegister. At that
time, copies of the draft EIS will be
distributed to interested and affected
agencies, organizations, and members of
the public for their review and
comment. It is very important that those
interested in the Tule River Reservation
Protection Project participate at that
time.
The final EIS is scheduled to be
completed in November 2009. In the
final EIS, the Forest Service is required
to respond to substantive comments
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 the
decision. Substantive comments are
defined as ‘‘comments within the scope
of the proposed action, specific to the
proposed action, and have a direct
relationship to the proposed action, and
include supporting reasons for the
responsible official to consider’’ (36 CFR
215.2). Submission of substantive
comments is a prerequisite for eligibility
to appeal under the 36 CFR part 215
regulations.
sroberts on PROD1PC76 with NOTICES
Comment Requested
This notice of intent initiates the
scoping process which guides the
development of the environmental
impact statement.
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
environmental impact statement will be
45 days from the date the
Environmental Protection Agency
publishes the notice of availability in
the Federal Register.
VerDate Aug<31>2005
00:53 Aug 26, 2008
Jkt 214001
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
U.S. 519, 553 (1978). Also,
environmental objections that could be
raised at the draft environmental impact
statement stage but that are not raised
until after completion of the final
environmental impact statement may be
waived or dismissed by the courts. City
of Angoon v. Hodel, 803 F.2d 1016,
1022 (9th Cir. 1986) and Wisconsin
Heritages, Inc. v. Harris, 490 F. Supp.
1334, 1338 (ED. Wis. 1980). Because of
these court rulings, it is very important
that those interested in this proposed
action participate by the close of the 45
day comment period so that substantive
comments and objections are made
available to the Forest Service at a time
when it can meaningfully consider them
and respond to them in the final
environmental impact statement.
To assist the Forest Service in
identifying and considering issues and
concerns on the proposed action,
comments on the draft environmental
impact statement should be as specific
as possible. It is also helpful if
comments refer to specific pages or
chapters of the draft statement.
Comments may also address the
adequacy of the draft environmental
impact statement or the merits of the
alternatives formulated and discussed in
the statement. Reviewers may wish to
refer to the Council on Environmental
Quality Regulations for implementing
the procedural provisions of the
National Environmental PolicyAct 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: August 18, 2008.
Tina J. Terrell,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. E8–19621 Filed 8–25–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–11–M
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Business-Cooperative Service
Notice of a Public Meeting on
Implementation of Title IX, Energy
Authorities of the Food, Conservation
and Energy Act of 2008
Rural Business-Cooperative
Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of public meeting.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The Business and Cooperative
Programs, an Agency in the Rural
Development Mission Area of the
United States Department of
Agriculture, will hold a public meeting
September 4, 2008, entitled ‘‘Expanding
Rural Renewable Energy
Opportunities—Inviting a Dialogue with
the Public on the new authorities of the
Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of
2008 (Pub. L. 110–234) (‘‘the Act’’).’’
The purpose of this event is to gather
public comments and suggestions on
how to implement certain new
authorities authorized under Title IX of
the Act.
DATES: The meeting will be held on
Thursday, September 4, 2008.
Registration will start at 8 a.m.; the
program will begin at 8:30 a.m. and
conclude by 4 p.m. Eastern Time.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held in
the Jefferson Auditorium, South
Agriculture Building, U.S. Department
of Agriculture, 1400 Independence
Avenue, SW., Washington, DC.
Participants should enter the building
through the 5th wing entrance of the
South Building located on
Independence Avenue between 12th
and 14th Street. Valid photo
identification is required for clearance
by building security personnel.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Robin Robinson, Confidential Assistant,
Office of the Administrator, USDA,
Rural Development, Business and
Cooperative Programs, Room 5803,
South Agriculture Building, STOP 3201,
1400 Independence Avenue, SW.,
Washington, DC 20250–3201,
Telephone: (202) 690–4730, E-mail:
robin.robinson@wdc.usda.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Specifically, USDA has an interest in
initiating a dialogue on the following
sections of Title IX of the Act:
Section numbers below refer to
sections of the Farm Security and Rural
Investment Act that are amended by
section 9001 of the Food, Conservation,
and Energy Act of 2008.
Section 9003, Biorefinery
Assistance—Provides loan guarantees to
fund the development, construction,
C:\FR\FM\26AUN1.SGM
26AUN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 166 (Tuesday, August 26, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50301-50302]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-19621]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Sequoia National Forest, Western Divide Ranger District;
California; Tule River Reservation Protection Project
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The proposed project is to reduce surface and ladder fuels on
approximately 1,574 acres by constructing fuel breaks, treating planted
stands, and prescribed burning between planted stands and fuel breaks.
The purpose of the project is to respond to a proposal from the Tule
River Tribal Council under the Tribal Forest Protection Act and to
reduce the spread of wildland fire starting on the Sequoia National
Forest or private lands onto the Tule River Indian Reservation.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received
by Wednesday, September 24, 2008. The draft environmental impact
statement is expected June 2009 and the final environmental impact
statement is expectedNovember 2009.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Priscilla Summers, District Ranger,
Western Divide Ranger District, 32588 Hwy 190, Springville, CA 93265.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Teresa Sue, Planner, Western Divide
Ranger District, 32588 Hwy 190, Springville, CA 93265.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In July 2004, Congress passed the Tribal
Forest Protection Act (Act). The Act was in response to devastating
wildfires that started on Federal lands and crossed onto adjacent
Tribal lands. The Act provides a tool for tribes to propose work that
will reduce the threat of fires starting on Federal lands from
spreading onto trust lands for Indian tribes. The Act allows tribes to
enter into contracts and agreements with the U.S. Forest Service or
Bureau of Land Management to accomplish the work.
In October 2005, the Tule River Tribal Council submitted a project
proposal to the Forest Supervisor of the Sequoia National Forest under
the authority of the Tribal Forest Protection Act of 2004. The Pacific
Southwest RegionalForester granted authority to work with the Tule
River Tribal Council on their proposal. This project is the first under
this authority. Subsequent projects will be analyzed separately.
Purpose and Need for Action
To respond to the proposal from the Tule River Tribal Council under
the TribalForest Protection Act and to reduce the risk of wildland fire
starting on the Sequoia National Forest or private lands from spreading
onto the Tule RiverIndian Reservation by reducing surface and ladder
fuels.
Proposed Action
The proposed action is to reduce surface and ladder fuels on
approximately 1,574 acres along the northern boundary between the
Sequoia National Forest,Giant Sequoia National Monument, and the Tule
River Indian Reservation. The proposed action includes the construction
of shaded fuel breaks along ridgelines, private land, and roads; the
reduction of fuels in planted stands by thinning, limbing and removing
brush; disposal of resulting fuels by pile and burning, jackpot
burning, or utilizing biomass as commercial and/or personal fuel; and
prescribed burn between planted stands and shaded fuel breaks.
Responsible Official
Tina Terrell, Forest Supervisor, Sequoia National Forest, 1839
South NewcombStreet, Porterville, CA 93257.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The decision to be made is whether or not to approve the fuels
reduction project as described. The decision will not include a Forest
Plan Amendment.
[[Page 50302]]
Scoping Process
Public participation will be especially important at several points
during the analysis. The Forest Service will be seeking information,
comments, and assistance from Federal, State, and local agencies and
other individuals or organizations interested in or affected by the
proposed action.
The comment period on the proposed action will extend 30 days from
the date the Notice of Intent is published in the Federal Register.
The draft environmental impact statement is expected to be filed
with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and to be available for
public review by June 2009. EPA will publish a notice of availability
of the draft EIS in the Federal Register. The comment period on the
draft EIS will extend 45 days from the date the EPA notice appears in
the FederalRegister. At that time, copies of the draft EIS will be
distributed to interested and affected agencies, organizations, and
members of the public for their review and comment. It is very
important that those interested in the Tule River Reservation
Protection Project participate at that time.
The final EIS is scheduled to be completed in November 2009. In the
final EIS, the Forest Service is required to respond to substantive
comments 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 the decision.
Substantive comments are defined as ``comments within the scope of the
proposed action, specific to the proposed action, and have a direct
relationship to the proposed action, and include supporting reasons for
the responsible official to consider'' (36 CFR 215.2). Submission of
substantive comments is a prerequisite for eligibility to appeal under
the 36 CFR part 215 regulations.
Comment Requested
This notice of intent initiates the scoping process which guides
the development of the environmental impact statement.
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 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 U.S. 519, 553 (1978). Also,
environmental objections that could be raised at the draft
environmental impact statement stage but that are not raised until
after completion of the final environmental impact statement may be
waived or dismissed by the courts. City of Angoon v. Hodel, 803 F.2d
1016, 1022 (9th Cir. 1986) and Wisconsin Heritages, Inc. v. Harris, 490
F. Supp. 1334, 1338 (ED. Wis. 1980). Because of these court rulings, it
is very important that those interested in this proposed action
participate by the close of the 45 day comment period so that
substantive comments and objections are made available to the Forest
Service at a time when it can meaningfully consider them and respond to
them in the final environmental impact statement.
To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues
and concerns on the proposed action, comments on the draft
environmental impact statement should be as specific as possible. It is
also helpful if comments refer to specific pages or chapters of the
draft statement. Comments may also address the adequacy of the draft
environmental impact statement or the merits of the alternatives
formulated and discussed in the statement. Reviewers may wish to refer
to the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for implementing
the procedural provisions of the National Environmental PolicyAct 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: August 18, 2008.
Tina J. Terrell,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. E8-19621 Filed 8-25-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M
