Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement, 54786-54788 [E8-22150]
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54786
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 185 / Tuesday, September 23, 2008 / Notices
will help producers and animal health
officials respond quickly and effectively
to animal disease events in the United
States. The ultimate long-term goal of
the NAIS is to provide State and Federal
officials with the capability to identify
all animals and premises that have had
direct contact with a disease of concern
within 48 hours after its discovery.
On December 19, 2007, we published
in the Federal Register a notice 1
(Docket No. APHIS–2007–0148, 72 FR
71871–71873) in which we made
available for review and comment a
draft Business Plan to Advance Animal
Disease Traceability. The Business Plan
recommended seven strategies and
options to enable existing State and
Federal regulated and voluntary animal
health programs, industry-administered
management and marketing programs,
and various identification methods to
work in harmony with the NAIS, with
the goal of creating a comprehensive
animal-disease traceability
infrastructure in order to facilitate 48hour traceback.
We solicited comments on the draft
Business Plan through the NAIS Web
site (https://animalid.aphis.usda.gov/
nais/) for 118 days, through April 15,
2008. We received 183 comments by
that date, from national, regional, and
State industry groups, State departments
of agriculture, national veterinary
organizations, the operator of a horse
racetrack, manufacturers and
distributors of animal identification
devices, veterinarians, extension agents,
university professors, producers, and
private citizens. In response to the
comments we received, we have
modified the draft plan in several
places:
• We now specify throughout the
Business Plan that the long-term focus
of the NAIS is full traceability within
the cattle industries (both beef and
dairy), based on the consistent recording
of all animal movements. The draft
Business Plan focused on implementing
a ‘‘book-end’’ approach, based on
knowledge of the premises of origin and
the most recent premises for the animal,
with fewer references to the recording of
animal movements.
• We now specify throughout the
Business Plan that, while all producers
can benefit from choosing to participate
in national animal health safeguarding
efforts, NAIS standards apply to the
administration of disease programs.
• We now separate out
implementation strategies for the sheep
industry from those for the goat industry
1 To view the notice, go to https://
www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/
main?main=DocketDetail&d=APHIS–2007–0148.
VerDate Aug<31>2005
16:54 Sep 22, 2008
Jkt 214001
to reflect that they are separate and
distinct industries and species.
• We have added an explanation of
how NAIS participation provides
producers with options for meeting
forthcoming country of origin labeling
requirements.
• We now explain future plans for
requiring radio frequency identification
(commonly referred to as RFID) of
animals destined for import and export
when such animals are subject to
individual identification.
• We have added a formal
acknowledgement of the importance of
official brands, and a clarification that
the NAIS is not in conflict with, or a
replacement for, existing brand
programs.
• We have updated the budget for the
NAIS to reflect the allocation for fiscal
year 2008, have adjusted the
benchmarks and timelines for
implementation of animal traceability
by species and for registration of critical
location points, and have made other,
nonsubstantive changes throughout the
plan.
It is important to note, however, that
the final version of the Business Plan
retains the seven core strategies for
harmonizing the NAIS with existing
programs and methods that we outlined
in our draft Business Plan.
We are making the final version of the
Business Plan available on the NAIS
Web site. Paper copies may be obtained
by writing to the following address:
NAIS Program Staff, VS, APHIS, 4700
River Road Unit 200, Riverdale, MD
20737.
Done in Washington, DC, this 17th day of
September 2008.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E8–22192 Filed 9–22–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–34–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Notice of Intent To Prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement
Forest Service, USDA.
Notice of intent to prepare an
environmental impact statement.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
SUMMARY: The Forest Service will
prepare a Draft Environmental Impact
Statement (Draft EIS) to evaluate the
environmental impacts of authorizing
Leavell-McCombs Joint Venture (LMJV)
to access 287.5 acres of private property
surrounded by National Forest System
land. The Forest Service must provide
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adequate access for the reasonable use
and enjoyment of private land. LMJV
intends to construct a resort and other
facilities known as the Village at Wolf
Creek on their property, which lies
entirely within the Wolf Creek Ski Area.
An alternative that evaluates combining
the access for both the Village at Wolf
Creek and the Wolf Creek Ski Area into
a single grade-separated interchange
will be analyzed.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope
of the analysis must be received by
October 31, 2008. The draft EIS is
expected May 2009; the final EIS is
expected December 2009.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to
Wolf Creek Access EIS, C/O Content
Analysis Group, 1584 South 500 West,
Suite 202, Woods Cross, UT, 84010, or
wolfcreek@contentanalysisgroup.com.
Fax: 801–397–5628. Electronic copies of
the scoping packet will be available on
the World Wide Web at https://
www.fs.fed.us/r2/riogrande/projects/
forcomment/index.shtml.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Becky Bryan, Wolf Creek Access Project
Leader, 401 Fairgrounds Road, Rolla,
MO 65401.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: LMJV
acquired 300 acres surrounded by
National Forest System lands within the
Wolf Creek Ski Area (Ski Area)
boundary in a land-for-land exchange
with the Forest Service in 1987.
Subsequently, LMJV transferred 12.5
acres of that parcel to the Wolf Creek
Ski Corporation for the development of
new ski lifts and ski trails. Mineral
County Board of County
Commissioners, the regulatory authority
on private property development,
approved LMJV’s Final Planned Use
Development (PUD) for a year-round
resort village, known as the Village at
Wolf Creek, on the remaining 287.5
acres in 2004. A lawsuit challenging the
PUD resulted in the following court
order: ‘‘[We] conclude that [the state
statute] requires at a minimum yeararound wheeled vehicle access between
State Highway 160 and the Village.’’
Wolf Creek Ski Corp. v. Board of County
Com’rs of Mineral County, 170 P.3d 821,
830 (Colo.App. 2007). The result of the
state court litigation was to void the
county approval of LMJV’s PUD. While
no PUD is currently in effect, the Forest
Service takes note that the state court
litigation upheld the PUD on all issues
other than access.
In March 2006, Forest Supervisor
Peter Clark (retired), of the Rio Grande
National Forest (RGNF) signed a Record
of Decision (ROD) and issued a Final
Environmental Impact Statement (Final
EIS) for the Application for the
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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 185 / Tuesday, September 23, 2008 / Notices
jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES
Transportation and Utilities Systems
and Facilities for the Village at Wolf
Creek. A lawsuit was filed against the
U.S. Forest Service, challenging the
2006 ROD and Final EIS. All parties
involved reached a settlement
agreement on February 19, 2008 to
resolve the litigation in which the Forest
Service agreed to withdraw the 2006
ROD and initiate a new scoping process
and preparation of a new draft and final
EIS in connection with LMJV’s
application. In June 2008, LMJV
submitted an amended Application for
Transportation and Utility Systems and
Facilities on Federal Lands
(application). This NOI initiates the new
EIS preparation.
Purpose and Need for Action
The purpose of this action is to
provide safe and efficient road access
compatible with Ski Area operations to
the private property surrounded by NFS
lands. This action is needed to meet the
mandate of the Alaska National Interest
Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) (Pub.
L. 96–487) to provide access to private
land. Section 1323(a) of ANILCA
provides that the Forest Service must
grant access across federal lands as the
Forest Service deems adequate to secure
the owners the reasonable use and
enjoyment of their land, subject to
Forest Service rules and regulations.
However, the Forest Service does not
have regulatory authority over the
density of development on the private
land and any parcel of private land
surrounded by Forest Service land
could have a range of reasonable uses.
The Forest Service does not decide
which use of the private property within
the range of reasonable uses will be
allowed. However, the Forest Service
must provide access over National
Forest System lands that are adequate to
allow use and enjoyment of the private
property within that range of reasonable
uses.
A key purpose for the 1987 land
exchange decision was to provide for
private land to be developed for
residential and commercial uses in a
manner that would complement the ski
area. Based on the previously referenced
State of Colorado appellate court ruling,
Mineral County could not approve
subdivision of the Village property for
purposes of residential and commercial
development without ‘‘year-around
wheeled vehicle’’ access. Therefore, the
Forest Service concludes that ANILCA
requires it to grant ‘‘year-around
wheeled vehicle access’’ so that LMJV
may use its property for residential and
commercial purposes as contemplated
by the 1987 land exchange. This
conclusion does not prejudge the
VerDate Aug<31>2005
16:54 Sep 22, 2008
Jkt 214001
density of development that Mineral
County may approve.
Proposed Action
The Proposed Action is to authorize
the construction and use of a safe and
efficient road, approximately 1,650 feet
in length, across NFS land to provide
‘‘year-around wheeled vehicle access’’
to LMJV for their reasonable use and
enjoyment of the proporty. The proposal
includes authorization of rights-of-way
adjacent to the access road for the
installation of utilities to service the
Village property.
Possible Alternatives
In addition to the Proposed Action
and No Action Alternative, where the
access road and Village at Wolf Creek
would not be constructed, one
alternative being considered would
combine the LMJV Village at Wolf Creek
access and Wolf Creek Ski Area access
into one integrated access using a single
grade-separated interchange access
point from U.S. Highway 160.
Lead and Cooperating Agencies
The Forest Service is the lead agency.
Cooperating agencies may include
Colorado Department of Transportation
(CDOT), Army Corps of Engineers
(ACOE), Mineral County, U.S. Fish &
Wildlife Service, Colorado Public
Utilities Commission, Environmental
Protection Agency, Colorado Division of
Water Resources, Colorado Department
of Health and Environmental Resources,
and Colorado Water Conservation
Board.
Responsible Official
Dan S. Dallas, Forest Supervisor of the
Rio Grande National Forest, 1803 West
Hwy 160, Monte Vista, CO 81144.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
Access must be granted to private
inholdings in accordance with ANILCA,
so the decision is not whether to grant
access. The decisions to be made are: (1)
The means, mode, and route of safe and
efficient access across NFS lands that is
adequate for the Applicant to exercise
the reasonable use and enjoyment of the
private property; and (2) whether to
authorize rights-of-way for utility
facilities across NFS lands, and if so, the
location and specifications of such
rights-of-way.
Open House Scoping Meetings
The public is invited to attend any of
three open house scoping meetings to
obtain more information and provide
written comment about the project. Each
open house scoping meeting will begin
at 5 p.m. and end at 7:30 p.m. Dates and
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54787
locations for the open house scoping
meetings are:
October 7—Creede Mining Museum,
503 Forest Service Road 9, Creede, CO
81130.
October 8—Rio Grande County
Annex, 965 6th St., Del Norte, CO
81132.
October 9—Pagosa Springs
Community Building, 451 Hot Springs
Blvd., Pagosa Springs, CO 81147.
Preliminary Issues
Preliminary issues, which will be
refined from this public involvement
and analysis process, include (1)
Compatibility with the Wolf Creek Ski
Area operations, (2) public safety
associated with the traffic levels at U.S.
Highway 160 intersection, (3) public
access to Alberta Park Reservoir, and (4)
potential impacts to wetlands and fens.
Permits or Licenses Required
LMJV will need to obtain a Highway
Access Permit from Colorado
Department of Transportation. LMJV
may also need to obtain an individual
404 permit from the Army Corps of
Engineers.
Comment Requested
This notice of intent initiates the
scoping process which guides the
development of the environmental
impact statement. To assist the Forest
Service in identifying and considering
issues and concerns on the proposed
action, comments on the proposed
action should be as specific as possible.
In addition, the Forest Service
welcomes comments on the alternative
of a single grade-separated interchange
access point from U.S. Highway 160 for
both the Wolf Creek Ski Area and
Village at Wolf Creek.
Importance of Public Participation in
This and Subsequent Environmental
Review
It is important that reviewers provide
their comments at such times and in
such a way that they are useful to the
Agency’s preparation of the EIS.
Therefore, comments should be
provided prior to the close of the
comment period and should clearly
articulate the reviewer’s concerns and
contentions. The submission of timely
and specific comments can affect a
reviewer’s ability to participate in
subsequent administrative review or
judicial review.
Comments received in response to
this solicitation, including names and
addresses of those who comment, will
be part of the public record for this
proposed action. Comments submitted
anonymously will be accepted and
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54788
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 185 / Tuesday, September 23, 2008 / Notices
considered; however, anonymous
comments will not provide the
respondent with standing to participate
in subsequent administrative review or
judicial review.
Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7 and 1508.22, 36
CFR 220.5(b) and Forest Service Handbook
1909.15, Section 21.
Dated: September 11, 2008.
Dan S. Dallas,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. E8–22150 Filed 9–22–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–11–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration
[A–552–802]
Frozen Warmwater Shrimp from the
Socialist Republic of Vietnam:
Extension of Time Limit for the
Preliminary Results of the New Shipper
Review
Import Administration,
International Trade Administration,
Department of Commerce.
EFFECTIVE DATE: April 4, 2008.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Emeka Chukwudebe, AD/CVD
Operations, Office 9, Import
Administration, International Trade
Administration, U.S. Department of
Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution
Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230;
telephone: (202) 482–0219.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
AGENCY:
On April 4, 2008 the Department
published a notice of initiation of the
new shipper review of certain frozen
warmwater shrimp from the Socialist
Republic of Vietnam covering the period
February 1, 2007 through January 1,
2008. See Frozen Warmwater Shrimp
from the Socialist Republic of Vietnam:
Initiation of Antidumping Duty New
Shipper Review, 73 FR 18510 (April 4,
2008). The preliminary results of this
new shipper review are currently due
no later than September 22, 2008.
Statutory Time Limits
jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES
Extension of Time Limit of Preliminary
Results
The Department determines that this
new shipper review involves
extraordinarily complicated
methodological issues regarding the use
of an intermediate input methodology,
potential affiliation issues, the
examination of importer information
and the evaluation of the bona fide
nature of company sales. Therefore, in
accordance with section 751(a)(2)(B)(iv)
of the Act and 19 CFR 351.214(i)(2), the
Department is extending the time limit
for these preliminary results by 120
days, until no later than January 20,
2009. The final result continues to be
due 90 days after the publication of the
preliminary result.
We are issuing and publishing this
notice in accordance with sections
751(a)(2)(B)(iv) and 777(i) of the Act.
Dated: September 17, 2008.
Stephen J. Claeys,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Import
Administration.
[FR Doc. E8–22289 Filed 9–22–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–DS–S
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Section 751(a)(2)(B)(iv) of the Tariff
Act of 1930, as amended (the ‘‘Act’’),
provides that the Department will issue
the preliminary results of a new shipper
review of an antidumping duty order
within 180 days after the day on which
the review was initiated. See also 19
CFR 351.214 (i)(1). The Act further
provides that the Department may
extend that 180-day period to 300 days
if it determines that the case is
16:54 Sep 22, 2008
Jkt 214001
appropriate to ensure safe operations of
all NIST programs. The agenda for this
meeting will focus on NIST safety and
management structure at the Boulder
laboratories. The agenda may change to
accommodate Commission business.
The final agenda will be posted on the
NIST Web site at https://www.nist.gov/
director/blueribbon/.
DATES: The meeting will convene on
October 6, 2008 at 9 a.m., and will
adjourn at 4 p.m.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held in
Building 1, Room 1103/1105, at the
National Institute of Standards and
Technology, Boulder, Colorado 80305.
To enable NIST to make arrangements
to admit visitors to the NIST campus,
anyone wishing to attend this meeting
should submit name, e-mail address and
phone number to Mary Lou Norris
(marylou.norris@nist.gov) no later than
October 2, 2008.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mary Lou Norris, National Institute of
Standards and Technology, Building
101, MS 1071, 100 Bureau Drive,
Gaithersburg, MD 20899; telephone:
(301) 975–2002; e-mail:
marylou.norris@nist.gov.
Dated: September 18, 2008.
Patrick D. Gallagher,
Deputy Director.
[FR Doc. E8–22351 Filed 9–19–08; 11:15 am]
National Institute of Standards and
Technology
BILLING CODE 3510–13–P
NIST Blue Ribbon Commission on
Management and Safety
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Institute of Standards
and Technology, Department of
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of public meeting.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
AGENCY:
Background
VerDate Aug<31>2005
extraordinarily complicated. See 19 CFR
351.214 (i)(2).
SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Federal
Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. app.
2, notice is hereby given that the NIST
Blue Ribbon Commission on
Management and Safety, National
Institute of Standards and Technology
(NIST) will meet Monday, October 6,
from 9 a.m.–4 p.m., in the NIST
laboratory in Boulder, CO. This notice is
the second meeting of the Blue Ribbon
Commission on Management and
Safety.
The purpose of this meeting is to
continue a high level review of NIST’s
management structure and systems as
they relate to safety at the Institute. The
Commission will ultimately provide
consensus advice to the Department of
Commerce on whether (a) The training,
safety, security, and response protocols,
(b) the implementation of those
protocols and internal controls, and (c)
the management structure at NIST are
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Availability of Seats for the Monterey
Bay National Marine Sanctuary
Advisory Council
National Marine Sanctuary
Program (NMSP), National Ocean
Service (NOS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration,
Department of Commerce (DOC).
ACTION: Notice and request for
applications.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The Monterey Bay National
Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS or
Sanctuary) is seeking applicants for the
Tourism alternate on its Sanctuary
Advisory Council. Applicants chosen as
the Tourism alternate should expect to
serve until February 2011. Applicants
are chosen based upon their particular
expertise and experience in relation to
the alternate position for which they are
applying; community and professional
affiliations; philosophy regarding the
protection and management of marine
resources; and possibly the length of
E:\FR\FM\23SEN1.SGM
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 185 (Tuesday, September 23, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54786-54788]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-22150]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Forest Service will prepare a Draft Environmental Impact
Statement (Draft EIS) to evaluate the environmental impacts of
authorizing Leavell-McCombs Joint Venture (LMJV) to access 287.5 acres
of private property surrounded by National Forest System land. The
Forest Service must provide adequate access for the reasonable use and
enjoyment of private land. LMJV intends to construct a resort and other
facilities known as the Village at Wolf Creek on their property, which
lies entirely within the Wolf Creek Ski Area. An alternative that
evaluates combining the access for both the Village at Wolf Creek and
the Wolf Creek Ski Area into a single grade-separated interchange will
be analyzed.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received
by October 31, 2008. The draft EIS is expected May 2009; the final EIS
is expected December 2009.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Wolf Creek Access EIS, C/O Content
Analysis Group, 1584 South 500 West, Suite 202, Woods Cross, UT, 84010,
or wolfcreek@contentanalysisgroup.com. Fax: 801-397-5628. Electronic
copies of the scoping packet will be available on the World Wide Web at
https://www.fs.fed.us/r2/riogrande/projects/forcomment/index.shtml.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Becky Bryan, Wolf Creek Access Project
Leader, 401 Fairgrounds Road, Rolla, MO 65401.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: LMJV acquired 300 acres surrounded by
National Forest System lands within the Wolf Creek Ski Area (Ski Area)
boundary in a land-for-land exchange with the Forest Service in 1987.
Subsequently, LMJV transferred 12.5 acres of that parcel to the Wolf
Creek Ski Corporation for the development of new ski lifts and ski
trails. Mineral County Board of County Commissioners, the regulatory
authority on private property development, approved LMJV's Final
Planned Use Development (PUD) for a year-round resort village, known as
the Village at Wolf Creek, on the remaining 287.5 acres in 2004. A
lawsuit challenging the PUD resulted in the following court order:
``[We] conclude that [the state statute] requires at a minimum year-
around wheeled vehicle access between State Highway 160 and the
Village.'' Wolf Creek Ski Corp. v. Board of County Com'rs of Mineral
County, 170 P.3d 821, 830 (Colo.App. 2007). The result of the state
court litigation was to void the county approval of LMJV's PUD. While
no PUD is currently in effect, the Forest Service takes note that the
state court litigation upheld the PUD on all issues other than access.
In March 2006, Forest Supervisor Peter Clark (retired), of the Rio
Grande National Forest (RGNF) signed a Record of Decision (ROD) and
issued a Final Environmental Impact Statement (Final EIS) for the
Application for the
[[Page 54787]]
Transportation and Utilities Systems and Facilities for the Village at
Wolf Creek. A lawsuit was filed against the U.S. Forest Service,
challenging the 2006 ROD and Final EIS. All parties involved reached a
settlement agreement on February 19, 2008 to resolve the litigation in
which the Forest Service agreed to withdraw the 2006 ROD and initiate a
new scoping process and preparation of a new draft and final EIS in
connection with LMJV's application. In June 2008, LMJV submitted an
amended Application for Transportation and Utility Systems and
Facilities on Federal Lands (application). This NOI initiates the new
EIS preparation.
Purpose and Need for Action
The purpose of this action is to provide safe and efficient road
access compatible with Ski Area operations to the private property
surrounded by NFS lands. This action is needed to meet the mandate of
the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) (Pub. L.
96-487) to provide access to private land. Section 1323(a) of ANILCA
provides that the Forest Service must grant access across federal lands
as the Forest Service deems adequate to secure the owners the
reasonable use and enjoyment of their land, subject to Forest Service
rules and regulations. However, the Forest Service does not have
regulatory authority over the density of development on the private
land and any parcel of private land surrounded by Forest Service land
could have a range of reasonable uses. The Forest Service does not
decide which use of the private property within the range of reasonable
uses will be allowed. However, the Forest Service must provide access
over National Forest System lands that are adequate to allow use and
enjoyment of the private property within that range of reasonable uses.
A key purpose for the 1987 land exchange decision was to provide
for private land to be developed for residential and commercial uses in
a manner that would complement the ski area. Based on the previously
referenced State of Colorado appellate court ruling, Mineral County
could not approve subdivision of the Village property for purposes of
residential and commercial development without ``year-around wheeled
vehicle'' access. Therefore, the Forest Service concludes that ANILCA
requires it to grant ``year-around wheeled vehicle access'' so that
LMJV may use its property for residential and commercial purposes as
contemplated by the 1987 land exchange. This conclusion does not
prejudge the density of development that Mineral County may approve.
Proposed Action
The Proposed Action is to authorize the construction and use of a
safe and efficient road, approximately 1,650 feet in length, across NFS
land to provide ``year-around wheeled vehicle access'' to LMJV for
their reasonable use and enjoyment of the proporty. The proposal
includes authorization of rights-of-way adjacent to the access road for
the installation of utilities to service the Village property.
Possible Alternatives
In addition to the Proposed Action and No Action Alternative, where
the access road and Village at Wolf Creek would not be constructed, one
alternative being considered would combine the LMJV Village at Wolf
Creek access and Wolf Creek Ski Area access into one integrated access
using a single grade-separated interchange access point from U.S.
Highway 160.
Lead and Cooperating Agencies
The Forest Service is the lead agency. Cooperating agencies may
include Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), Army Corps of
Engineers (ACOE), Mineral County, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service,
Colorado Public Utilities Commission, Environmental Protection Agency,
Colorado Division of Water Resources, Colorado Department of Health and
Environmental Resources, and Colorado Water Conservation Board.
Responsible Official
Dan S. Dallas, Forest Supervisor of the Rio Grande National Forest,
1803 West Hwy 160, Monte Vista, CO 81144.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
Access must be granted to private inholdings in accordance with
ANILCA, so the decision is not whether to grant access. The decisions
to be made are: (1) The means, mode, and route of safe and efficient
access across NFS lands that is adequate for the Applicant to exercise
the reasonable use and enjoyment of the private property; and (2)
whether to authorize rights-of-way for utility facilities across NFS
lands, and if so, the location and specifications of such rights-of-
way.
Open House Scoping Meetings
The public is invited to attend any of three open house scoping
meetings to obtain more information and provide written comment about
the project. Each open house scoping meeting will begin at 5 p.m. and
end at 7:30 p.m. Dates and locations for the open house scoping
meetings are:
October 7--Creede Mining Museum, 503 Forest Service Road 9, Creede,
CO 81130.
October 8--Rio Grande County Annex, 965 6th St., Del Norte, CO
81132.
October 9--Pagosa Springs Community Building, 451 Hot Springs
Blvd., Pagosa Springs, CO 81147.
Preliminary Issues
Preliminary issues, which will be refined from this public
involvement and analysis process, include (1) Compatibility with the
Wolf Creek Ski Area operations, (2) public safety associated with the
traffic levels at U.S. Highway 160 intersection, (3) public access to
Alberta Park Reservoir, and (4) potential impacts to wetlands and fens.
Permits or Licenses Required
LMJV will need to obtain a Highway Access Permit from Colorado
Department of Transportation. LMJV may also need to obtain an
individual 404 permit from the Army Corps of Engineers.
Comment Requested
This notice of intent initiates the scoping process which guides
the development of the environmental impact statement. To assist the
Forest Service in identifying and considering issues and concerns on
the proposed action, comments on the proposed action should be as
specific as possible. In addition, the Forest Service welcomes comments
on the alternative of a single grade-separated interchange access point
from U.S. Highway 160 for both the Wolf Creek Ski Area and Village at
Wolf Creek.
Importance of Public Participation in This and Subsequent Environmental
Review
It is important that reviewers provide their comments at such times
and in such a way that they are useful to the Agency's preparation of
the EIS. Therefore, comments should be provided prior to the close of
the comment period and should clearly articulate the reviewer's
concerns and contentions. The submission of timely and specific
comments can affect a reviewer's ability to participate in subsequent
administrative review or judicial review.
Comments received in response to this solicitation, including names
and addresses of those who comment, will be part of the public record
for this proposed action. Comments submitted anonymously will be
accepted and
[[Page 54788]]
considered; however, anonymous comments will not provide the respondent
with standing to participate in subsequent administrative review or
judicial review.
Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7 and 1508.22, 36 CFR 220.5(b) and Forest
Service Handbook 1909.15, Section 21.
Dated: September 11, 2008.
Dan S. Dallas,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. E8-22150 Filed 9-22-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P