Tongass National Forest; Alaska; Bell Island Geothermal Leases Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, 30303-30305 [2011-12915]
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30303
Notices
Federal Register
Vol. 76, No. 101
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER
contains documents other than rules or
proposed rules that are applicable to the
public. Notices of hearings and investigations,
committee meetings, agency decisions and
rulings, delegations of authority, filing of
petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are
examples of documents appearing in this
section.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Submission for OMB Review;
Comment Request
WReier-Aviles on DSKGBLS3C1PROD with NOTICES
May 20, 2010.
The Department of Agriculture has
submitted the following information
collection requirement(s) to OMB for
review and clearance under the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995,
Public Law 104–13. Comments
regarding (a) Whether the collection of
information is necessary for the proper
performance of the functions of the
agency, including whether the
information will have practical utility;
(b) the accuracy of the agency’s estimate
of burden including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used; (c)
ways to enhance the quality, utility and
clarity of the information to be
collected; (d) ways to minimize the
burden of the collection of information
on those who are to respond, including
through the use of appropriate
automated, electronic, mechanical, or
other technological collection
techniques or other forms of information
technology should be addressed to: Desk
Officer for Agriculture, Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs,
Office of Management and Budget
(OMB), New Executive Office Building,
Washington, DC;
OIRA_Submission@OMB.EOP.GOV or
fax (202) 395–5806 and to Departmental
Clearance Office, USDA, OCIO, Mail
Stop 7602, Washington, DC 20250–
7602. Comments regarding these
information collections are best assured
of having their full effect if received
within 30 days of publication of this
notification. Copies of the submission(s)
may be obtained by calling (202) 720–
8681.
An agency may not conduct or
sponsor a collection of information
unless the collection of information
displays a currently valid OMB control
number and the agency informs
potential persons who are to respond to
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15:12 May 24, 2011
Jkt 223001
the collection of information that such
persons are not required to respond to
the collection of information unless it
displays a currently valid OMB control
number.
National Agricultural Statistics Service
Title: Generic Clearance of Survey
Improvement Projects.
OMB Control Number: 0535–0248.
Summary of Collection: The primary
objectives of the National Agricultural
Statistics Service (NASS) are to prepare
and issue State and national estimates of
crop and livestock production,
economic and environmental statistics
related to agriculture and to conduct the
Census of Agriculture under the general
authority of Title 7 U.S.C. Sec. 2204.
The purpose of this generic clearance is
to allow NASS to continue to develop,
test, evaluate, adopt, and use state-ofthe-art techniques to cover a broad range
of topics designed to improve NASS’
data collection on agriculture.
Need and Use of the Information:
NASS will use a number of survey
improvement techniques, as appropriate
to the individual project under
investigation. These include focus
groups, cognitive and usability
laboratory and field techniques,
exploratory interviews, behavior coding,
respondent debriefing, pilot surveys and
split-panel tests. The information
gathered will be used mainly for
questionnaire development and other
research and evaluation. Additionally,
NASS anticipates the benefit of
increased response rates through
improved survey design; a goal tied
directly to addressing OMB
requirements for higher response rates
and measurement of non-response bias.
Description of Respondents: Farms.
Number of Respondents: 3,300.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting:
On occasion.
Total Burden Hours: 4,950.
National Agricultural Statistics Service
Title: Organic Production Survey
(OPS)
OMB Control Number: 0535–0249.
Summary of Collection: National
Agricultural Statistics Services (NASS)
is authorized under the authority of 7
U.S.C. 2204(a) to collect these data. The
2008 Farm Bill appropriated $1 million
to NASS for assimilating and
disseminating information. The 2011
Organic Production Survey (OPS) will
be a follow-up survey to the 2008 OPS
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which was done as a follow-on survey
to the 2007 Census of Agriculture
Survey. The Risk Management Agency
(RMA) has made a formal agreement to
conduct this as an annual survey. The
pilot survey year would be 2012 for the
reference period 2011.
Need and Use of the Information: The
information is vital to RMA in
determining insurance payments to
certified organic farmers. More
commodity specific questions will be
incorporated that would be directed at
different commodities each year. This
survey will provide organic information
on acreage in production, commodity,
expenses, marketing practices
(handling, distribution, retail, and
consumer purchasing patterns), and
prices received by organic producers.
The survey will be conducted in all
States. As part of the Organic Farming
Initiatives, the data will be used to
provide solid production and market
data about the supply of key organic
commodities.
Description of Respondents: Farmers,
ranchers and farm managers self
identified as organic producers.
Number of Respondents: 15,000.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting:
One time.
Total Burden Hours: 5,719.
Charlene Parker,
Departmental Information Collection
Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2011–12945 Filed 5–24–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–20–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Tongass National Forest; Alaska; Bell
Island Geothermal Leases
Supplemental Environmental Impact
Statement
Forest Service, U.S.
Department of Agriculture.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an
environmental impact statement.
AGENCY:
The U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Forest Service, Tongass
National Forest will prepare a
supplemental environmental impact
statement (SEIS) to a 2008 programmatic
environmental impact statement (PEIS)
titled Geothermal Leasing in the
Western United States. This analysis is
needed for consent determination to
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\25MYN1.SGM
25MYN1
30304
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 101 / Wednesday, May 25, 2011 / Notices
WReier-Aviles on DSKGBLS3C1PROD with NOTICES
allow the Bureau of Land Management
(BLM) to issue three pending leases to
a private geothermal developer. These
leases encompass much of Bell Island
and a portion of the Cleveland
Peninsula on the adjacent mainland in
the Alexander Archipelago of Southeast
Alaska.
The agency invites comments and
suggestions on the scope of the analysis
to be included in the draft SEIS. In
addition, the agency gives notice of this
environmental analysis and decision
making process so that interested and
affected people know how they may
participate and contribute to the final
decision.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope
of the analysis must be received by June
24, 2011. The draft SEIS is projected to
be filed with the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) in the fall 2011
and will begin a 45 day comment
period. The Final Environmental Impact
Statement and the Record of Decision
are expected to be published in the
spring of 2012.
ADDRESSES: You may comment on the
project in the following ways: Send
written comments to Ketchikan-Misty
Fiord Ranger District, Tongass National
Forest, Attn: Bell Island Geothermal
Lease, 3031 Tongass Ave., Ketchikan
AK 99901. Comments may also be sent
via e-mail to comments-alaska-tongassketchikan-mistyfiord@fs.fed.us, with
Bell Island on the subject line; or via
facsimile to 907–225–8738. Include
your name, address and organization
name if you are commenting as a
representative of an organization.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Sarah Samuelson, Tongass Minerals
Group, 8510 Mendenhall Loop Road,
Juneau, AK 99801. 1–907–789–6274.
Individuals who use telecommunication
devices for the deaf (TDD) may call the
Federal Information Relay Service
(FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339 between
8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern Time,
Monday through Friday.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose and Need for Action
The purpose of this initiative is to
update the PEIS that was prepared by
the BLM to address compliance actions
and key resource concerns not
previously analyzed in Volume II,
Chapter 11 of the PEIS. Chapter 11
examines whether or not three pending
lease applications on Bell Island and
Cleveland Peninsula are available for
geothermal leasing by the BLM. The
PEIS did not recognize that the lease
applications are in the North Cleveland
Inventoried Roadless Area (IRA) 529,
nor was adequate public scoping or
VerDate Mar<15>2010
15:12 May 24, 2011
Jkt 223001
tribal consultation performed. Thus, the
analysis provided in the PEIS does not
address actual current conditions. The
Tongass National Forest must update
the PEIS to analyze effects to the
roadless area before making a decision
whether or not to consent to leasing the
land.
The action is needed to fulfill the
Forest Service obligations under Section
225 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005
and the Memorandum of Understanding
between the United States Department
of the Interior (USDOI) and the United
States Department of Agriculture
(USDA) regarding geothermal leasing
and permitting. Section 225 of the
Energy Policy Act of 2005 requires that
the USDOI and the U.S. Forest Service
reduce the backlog of geothermal lease
applications by 90 percent by August 8,
2010. Section 222(d) dictates that it is a
priority for the BLM and the Forest
Service to ensure timely completion of
actions such as amendments to land use
plans, as necessary to process the
pending lease applications. This action
responds to the goals and objectives
outlined in the 2008 Tongass Land and
Resource Management Plan (Forest
Plan) and helps move the Tongass
National Forest towards desired
conditions described in this plan.
Proposed Action
The action proposed to meet the
purpose and need is for the Forest
Service to provide a consent
determination to the BLM to issue the
three leases in the Tongass National
Forest to the geothermal lease applicant,
based upon the Reasonably Foreseeable
Development Scenario (RFD) provided
by the PEIS Volume II, Chapter 11. The
RFD describes in general terms the best
professional estimate of the potential
development that may occur. The
decision on this SEIS would only be for
an approving or disapproving consent
determination for the BLM to issue the
leases. Any future site-specific
development of the leases would require
further analysis under NEPA.
The project area is 7,680 acres
encompassing most of Bell Island as
well as a portion of the Cleveland
Peninsula, on the adjacent mainland.
Bell Island is located near the
southeastern end of the Alaskan
Panhandle; approximately 43 miles
north of Ketchikan. Lease boundaries
could be adjusted in the decision to
avoid unacceptable impacts on sensitive
resources. The three leases are described
as follows:
—Lease AK 084543 includes
approximately 2,560 acres, comprised
of four contiguous sections, as
PO 00000
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
follows: T68S R89E S36; T68S R90E
S29, S30, S31
—Lease AK 084544 includes
approximately 2,560 acres, comprised
of the following four contiguous
sections: T68S R90E S15, S21, S22,
and S28
—Lease AK 084545 includes
approximately 2,560 acres, comprised
of the following four contiguous
sections: T68S R90E S12, S13, S14;
T68S R91E S7
Two alternatives were considered in
Volume II, Chapter 11 of the PEIS
analysis. In Alternative A, the NoAction Alternative, the Forest Service
would not issue a consent
determination for any of the lease
applications. For Alternative B, Leasing
with Stipulations, the Forest Service
would issue a consent determination for
the lease applications, and the BLM
would issue the leases with the
stipulations identified in Volume I,
Chapter 2 of the PEIS and any
additional stipulations that the Forest
Service attaches to the record of
decision (ROD).
Responsible Official
The Forest Supervisor, Tongass
National Forest, Federal Building,
Ketchikan, Alaksa, 99901 is the
Responsible Official for making the
decision.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
Given the purpose and need, the
deciding official reviews the proposed
action, the other alternatives, and the
environmental consequences in order to
make the following decisions:
—Will the Tongass National Forest
consent to three pending lease
applications on National Forest
Systems lands?
—If so, what mitigation measures in the
form of lease stipulations will the
Forest Service apply to the lease
application?
—Does the project require a Forest Plan
amendment?
If authorized, the decision would give
consent to BLM to issue three pending
leases with the stipulations identified in
Chapter 2 of the PEIS and any
additional stipulations that the Forest
Service attaches to the ROD.
Preliminary Issues
The Tongass National Forest portions
of the lease sites are within the North
Cleveland IRA 529, comprised of
109,639 acres. A non-discretionary
restriction (roadless area stipulation)
was developed in the PEIS for roadless
areas on any leases with National Forest
Service (NFS) inventoried roadless
E:\FR\FM\25MYN1.SGM
25MYN1
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 101 / Wednesday, May 25, 2011 / Notices
areas. Due to a Tongass 2004 exemption
to the roadless rule, the roadless
designation was not acknowledged in
Volume II, Chapter 11of the PEIS for
Bell Island; therefore, this restriction
was not identified. Before consent to the
lease application can be determined,
stipulations associated with this activity
will need to be identified.
Scoping Process
WReier-Aviles on DSKGBLS3C1PROD with NOTICES
This notice of intent initiates the
scoping process, which guides the
development of the environmental
impact statement. In addition to this
notice, a scoping document will be
posted on the Tongass National Forest
public website at https://www.fs.fed.us/
r10/tongass/projects/projects.shtml.
Scoping letters inviting comments will
be sent to interested parties on the
Tongass National Forest. Any person
who would like to receive a scoping
letter should contact Linda Pulliam at
the Ketchikan Misty Fiord Ranger
District or by e-mail: comments-alaskatongass-ketchikan-mistyfiord@fs.fed.us,
please put ‘‘Bell Island’’ in the subject
line of the e-mail. A public meeting will
be held at Ketchikan-Misty Fiord Ranger
District 3031 Tongass Ave., Ketchikan,
Alaska, 99901 on Thursday, June 2,
2011 from 3–7 p.m.
It is important that reviewers provide
their comments at such times and in
such manner that they are useful to the
agency’s preparation of the
environmental impact statement.
Therefore, comments should be
provided prior to the close of the
comment period and should clearly
articulate the reviewer’s concerns and
contentions.
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
considered, however anonymous
comments will not provide the
respondent with standing to participate
in subsequent administrative review or
judicial review.
Dated: May 16, 2011.
Forrest Cole,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2011–12915 Filed 5–24–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–11–P
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15:12 May 24, 2011
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Grain Inspection, Packers and
Stockyards Administration
Advisory Committee Meeting
Grain Inspection, Packers and
Stockyards Administration, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of advisory committee
meeting.
AGENCY:
Pursuant to the Federal
Advisory Committee Act, this
constitutes notice of the upcoming
meeting of the Grain Inspection, Packers
and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA)
Grain Inspection Advisory Committee
(Advisory Committee). The Advisory
Committee meets twice annually to
advise the GIPSA Administrator on the
programs and services that GIPSA
delivers under the U.S. Grain Standards
Act. Recommendations by the Advisory
Committee help GIPSA better meet the
needs of its customers who operate in a
dynamic and changing marketplace.
DATES: June 21, 2011, 8 a.m. to 4:30
p.m.; and June 22, 2010, 8 a.m. to Noon.
ADDRESSES: The Advisory Committee
meeting will take place at GIPSA’s
Technical Service Division, 10383 N.
Ambassador Drive, Kansas City,
Missouri 64153.
Requests to orally address the
Advisory Committee during the meeting
or written comments may be sent to:
Administrator, GIPSA, U.S. Department
of Agriculture, 1400 Independence
Avenue, SW., Stop 3601, Washington,
DC 20250–3601. Requests and
comments may also be faxed to (202)
690–2173.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Terri L. Henry by phone at (202) 205–
8281 or by e-mail at
Terri.L.Henry@usda.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
purpose of the Advisory Committee is to
provide advice to the GIPSA
Administrator with respect to the
implementation of the U.S. Grain
Standards Act (7 U.S.C. 71–87k).
Information about the Advisory
Committee is available on the GIPSA
Web site at https://www.gipsa.usda.gov.
Under the section, ‘‘I Want To * * *,’’
select ‘‘Learn about the Grain Inspection
Advisory Committee.’’
The agenda will include an overview
of Federal Grain Inspection Service
2011 operations, international programs,
contract review program findings,
exceptions program, sorghum odor, new
rice sheller implementation, moisture
measurement—rice and soybean study
results, wheat gluten tests, rapid test kit
evaluation program status, and the
quality management program.
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
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Fmt 4703
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30305
For a copy of the agenda please
contact Terri L. Henry by phone at (202)
205–8281 or by e-mail at
Terri.L.Henry@usda.gov.
Public participation will be limited to
written statements unless permission is
received from the Committee
Chairperson to orally address the
Advisory Committee. The meeting will
be open to the public.
Persons with disabilities who require
alternative means of communication of
program information or related
accommodations should contact Terri L.
Henry at the telephone number listed
above.
Alan Christian,
Acting Administrator, Grain Inspection,
Packers and Stockyards Administration.
[FR Doc. 2011–12824 Filed 5–24–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–KD–P
COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS
Agenda and Notice of Public Meeting
of the North Dakota State Advisory
Committee
Notice is hereby given, pursuant to
the provisions of the rules and
regulations of the U.S. Commission on
Civil Rights (Commission), and the
Federal Advisory Committee Act
(FACA), that a planning and orientation
meeting of the North Dakota Advisory
Committee to the Commission will
convene via teleconference at 3 p.m.
(MDT) and adjourn at approximately 5
p.m. (MDT) on Monday, June 27, 2011.
The purpose of the planning meeting is
to provide ethics training and
orientation to the new committee. The
Committee will also be briefed on
activities by the Commission, as well as
other SACs in the region.
This meeting is available to the public
through the following toll-free call-in
number: (800) 516–9896, followed by
Conference ID #: 8334. Any interested
member of the public may call this
number and listen to the meeting.
Callers can expect to incur charges for
calls they initiate over wireless lines,
and the Commission will not refund any
incurred charges. Callers will incur no
charge for calls they initiate over landline connections to the toll-free
telephone number. For persons with
hearing impairments, dial 711 for relay
services and enter 1–800–516–9896
followed by the Conference ID #: 8334.
Members of the public are entitled to
submit written comments; the
comments must be received in the
regional office by July 27, 2011.
Comments may be mailed to the Rocky
Mountain Regional Office, U.S.
E:\FR\FM\25MYN1.SGM
25MYN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 101 (Wednesday, May 25, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30303-30305]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-12915]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Tongass National Forest; Alaska; Bell Island Geothermal Leases
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement
AGENCY: Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Tongass
National Forest will prepare a supplemental environmental impact
statement (SEIS) to a 2008 programmatic environmental impact statement
(PEIS) titled Geothermal Leasing in the Western United States. This
analysis is needed for consent determination to
[[Page 30304]]
allow the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to issue three pending leases
to a private geothermal developer. These leases encompass much of Bell
Island and a portion of the Cleveland Peninsula on the adjacent
mainland in the Alexander Archipelago of Southeast Alaska.
The agency invites comments and suggestions on the scope of the
analysis to be included in the draft SEIS. In addition, the agency
gives notice of this environmental analysis and decision making process
so that interested and affected people know how they may participate
and contribute to the final decision.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received
by June 24, 2011. The draft SEIS is projected to be filed with the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the fall 2011 and will begin a
45 day comment period. The Final Environmental Impact Statement and the
Record of Decision are expected to be published in the spring of 2012.
ADDRESSES: You may comment on the project in the following ways: Send
written comments to Ketchikan-Misty Fiord Ranger District, Tongass
National Forest, Attn: Bell Island Geothermal Lease, 3031 Tongass Ave.,
Ketchikan AK 99901. Comments may also be sent via e-mail to comments-alaska-tongass-ketchikan-mistyfiord@fs.fed.us, with Bell Island on the
subject line; or via facsimile to 907-225-8738. Include your name,
address and organization name if you are commenting as a representative
of an organization.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sarah Samuelson, Tongass Minerals
Group, 8510 Mendenhall Loop Road, Juneau, AK 99801. 1-907-789-6274.
Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD) may
call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339
between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose and Need for Action
The purpose of this initiative is to update the PEIS that was
prepared by the BLM to address compliance actions and key resource
concerns not previously analyzed in Volume II, Chapter 11 of the PEIS.
Chapter 11 examines whether or not three pending lease applications on
Bell Island and Cleveland Peninsula are available for geothermal
leasing by the BLM. The PEIS did not recognize that the lease
applications are in the North Cleveland Inventoried Roadless Area (IRA)
529, nor was adequate public scoping or tribal consultation performed.
Thus, the analysis provided in the PEIS does not address actual current
conditions. The Tongass National Forest must update the PEIS to analyze
effects to the roadless area before making a decision whether or not to
consent to leasing the land.
The action is needed to fulfill the Forest Service obligations
under Section 225 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and the Memorandum
of Understanding between the United States Department of the Interior
(USDOI) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
regarding geothermal leasing and permitting. Section 225 of the Energy
Policy Act of 2005 requires that the USDOI and the U.S. Forest Service
reduce the backlog of geothermal lease applications by 90 percent by
August 8, 2010. Section 222(d) dictates that it is a priority for the
BLM and the Forest Service to ensure timely completion of actions such
as amendments to land use plans, as necessary to process the pending
lease applications. This action responds to the goals and objectives
outlined in the 2008 Tongass Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest
Plan) and helps move the Tongass National Forest towards desired
conditions described in this plan.
Proposed Action
The action proposed to meet the purpose and need is for the Forest
Service to provide a consent determination to the BLM to issue the
three leases in the Tongass National Forest to the geothermal lease
applicant, based upon the Reasonably Foreseeable Development Scenario
(RFD) provided by the PEIS Volume II, Chapter 11. The RFD describes in
general terms the best professional estimate of the potential
development that may occur. The decision on this SEIS would only be for
an approving or disapproving consent determination for the BLM to issue
the leases. Any future site-specific development of the leases would
require further analysis under NEPA.
The project area is 7,680 acres encompassing most of Bell Island as
well as a portion of the Cleveland Peninsula, on the adjacent mainland.
Bell Island is located near the southeastern end of the Alaskan
Panhandle; approximately 43 miles north of Ketchikan. Lease boundaries
could be adjusted in the decision to avoid unacceptable impacts on
sensitive resources. The three leases are described as follows:
--Lease AK 084543 includes approximately 2,560 acres, comprised of four
contiguous sections, as follows: T68S R89E S36; T68S R90E S29, S30, S31
--Lease AK 084544 includes approximately 2,560 acres, comprised of the
following four contiguous sections: T68S R90E S15, S21, S22, and S28
--Lease AK 084545 includes approximately 2,560 acres, comprised of the
following four contiguous sections: T68S R90E S12, S13, S14; T68S R91E
S7
Two alternatives were considered in Volume II, Chapter 11 of the
PEIS analysis. In Alternative A, the No- Action Alternative, the Forest
Service would not issue a consent determination for any of the lease
applications. For Alternative B, Leasing with Stipulations, the Forest
Service would issue a consent determination for the lease applications,
and the BLM would issue the leases with the stipulations identified in
Volume I, Chapter 2 of the PEIS and any additional stipulations that
the Forest Service attaches to the record of decision (ROD).
Responsible Official
The Forest Supervisor, Tongass National Forest, Federal Building,
Ketchikan, Alaksa, 99901 is the Responsible Official for making the
decision.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
Given the purpose and need, the deciding official reviews the
proposed action, the other alternatives, and the environmental
consequences in order to make the following decisions:
--Will the Tongass National Forest consent to three pending lease
applications on National Forest Systems lands?
--If so, what mitigation measures in the form of lease stipulations
will the Forest Service apply to the lease application?
--Does the project require a Forest Plan amendment?
If authorized, the decision would give consent to BLM to issue
three pending leases with the stipulations identified in Chapter 2 of
the PEIS and any additional stipulations that the Forest Service
attaches to the ROD.
Preliminary Issues
The Tongass National Forest portions of the lease sites are within
the North Cleveland IRA 529, comprised of 109,639 acres. A non-
discretionary restriction (roadless area stipulation) was developed in
the PEIS for roadless areas on any leases with National Forest Service
(NFS) inventoried roadless
[[Page 30305]]
areas. Due to a Tongass 2004 exemption to the roadless rule, the
roadless designation was not acknowledged in Volume II, Chapter 11of
the PEIS for Bell Island; therefore, this restriction was not
identified. Before consent to the lease application can be determined,
stipulations associated with this activity will need to be identified.
Scoping Process
This notice of intent initiates the scoping process, which guides
the development of the environmental impact statement. In addition to
this notice, a scoping document will be posted on the Tongass National
Forest public website at https://www.fs.fed.us/r10/tongass/projects/projects.shtml. Scoping letters inviting comments will be sent to
interested parties on the Tongass National Forest. Any person who would
like to receive a scoping letter should contact Linda Pulliam at the
Ketchikan Misty Fiord Ranger District or by e-mail: comments-alaska-tongass-ketchikan-mistyfiord@fs.fed.us, please put ``Bell Island'' in
the subject line of the e-mail. A public meeting will be held at
Ketchikan-Misty Fiord Ranger District 3031 Tongass Ave., Ketchikan,
Alaska, 99901 on Thursday, June 2, 2011 from 3-7 p.m.
It is important that reviewers provide their comments at such times
and in such manner that they are useful to the agency's preparation of
the environmental impact statement. Therefore, comments should be
provided prior to the close of the comment period and should clearly
articulate the reviewer's concerns and contentions.
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 considered, however anonymous comments will not provide
the respondent with standing to participate in subsequent
administrative review or judicial review.
Dated: May 16, 2011.
Forrest Cole,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2011-12915 Filed 5-24-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P
