Tongass National Forest Wrangell Ranger District; Alaska; Wrangell Island Project Environmental Impact Statement; Correction, 49722-49723 [2013-19801]

Download as PDF 49722 Notices Federal Register Vol. 78, No. 158 Thursday, August 15, 2013 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 Forest Service Tongass National Forest Wrangell Ranger District; Alaska; Wrangell Island Project Environmental Impact Statement; Correction SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Forest Service, USDA. Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement; Correction. ACTION: A Notice of Intent (NOI) was first published for this proposal in the Federal Register on December 27, 2010 (75 FR 81210). A corrected NOI was published in the Federal Register on March 13, 2012 (77 FR 14727). This corrected NOI is being published because the project will now fall under the new 36 CFR 218 pre-decisional administrative review process, it has an updated timeline, and the purpose and need and the proposed action have been modified. DATES: All comments received during the previous scoping periods in 2010– 2011 will be considered in the preparation of this EIS. The draft environmental impact statement is expected to be published in December 2013 and the final environmental impact statement is expected to be published July 2014. ADDRESSES: Send written comments to: Tongass National Forest, c/o Tim Piazza, 648 Mission Street, Ketchikan, AK 99901, Attn: Wrangell Island Project EIS. Comments may be hand-delivered to: Wrangell Ranger District, 525 Bennett Drive, Wrangell, AK 99929, Attn: Wrangell Island Project EIS. Comments may be submitted via facsimile to: 907–228–6215, Attn: Wrangell Island Project EIS. Comments may also be sent electronically to: ‘Comment on Project’ link under ‘Get Connected’ via the Wrangell Island Project EIS Web page at https:// www.fs.fed.us/nepa/ emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with NOTICES VerDate Mar<15>2010 17:43 Aug 14, 2013 Jkt 229001 Tim Piazza, Team Leader, Federal Building, Ketchikan, AK, 907–228–6318 or Austin O’Brien, Wrangell Ranger District, Wrangell, AK, 907–874–7575. 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. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: New Federal Regulations AGENCY: SUMMARY: nepa_project_exp.php?project=34831. In all correspondence, please include your name, address, and organization name if you are commenting as a representative of an organization. The United States Department of Agriculture published a final rule in the Federal Register (78 FR 18481–18504) on March 27, 2013 to establish a new process by which the public may file objections seeking predecisional administrative review of proposed projects and activities implementing land management plans and documented with a Record of Decision or Decision Notice (reference 36 CFR part 218). This new process replaces the administrative appeals process at 36 CFR part 215. As the Record of Decision for the Wrangell Island Project is not expected until after September 27, 2013, the Wrangell Island Project is now subject to these new predecisional administrative review procedures. Purpose and Need for Action The purpose and need for the Wrangell Island Project has been modified. The purpose for proposing this project is to contribute to a longterm supply of timber for the timber industry on Wrangell Island and on the Tongass National Forest in general, in a manner that is consistent with the multiple-use goals and objectives of the Tongass Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan). This would contribute to the timber supply that would help sustain the current timber industry while transitioning to a sustainable forest industry based on young-growth management. The need is to provide an economic timber supply that meets market demand annually and for the planning cycle. An additional need identified by this NOI is to develop and manage roads PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 in the project area to support resource management activities. Proposed Action The Proposed Action for the Wrangell Island Project has been modified from proposing timber harvest on approximately 6,500 acres, or 80 MMBF of volume, to approximately 4,500 acres, or 60 MMBF of volume, to reflect better timber volume information gathered from additional field work. The proposed action for the Wrangell Island Project is to harvest timber using a variety of silvicultural treatments on approximately 4,500 acres of suitable and available forested lands using various sizes of timber sales offered over multiple years. Stewardship contracts may be used. An estimated 60 million board feet of sawtimber and utility wood would be made available to industry for harvest. Approximately 35 miles of National Forest System (NFS) and temporary roads would be constructed and about 7 miles of existing NFS roads would be reconstructed. Existing log transfer facilities would be used as needed. Harvest would include helicopter, ground-based, and cable yarding systems using even-aged and unevenaged harvest treatments to achieve stand objectives. All proposed activities would meet the standards and guidelines of the Forest Plan. Possible Alternatives A range of reasonable alternatives, from no action to maximizing harvest will be considered. Alternatives may include Forest Plan amendments to increase the size and connectivity of medium old-growth habitat reserves (OGRs), adjust the boundaries of small and medium OGRs, change land-use designations (LUDs), and modify Visual Priority Travel Routes (VPRs) and Use Areas. Lead and Cooperating Agencies The Forest Service is the lead agency. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, and the City and Borough of Wrangell have agreed to participate as cooperating agencies. Responsible Official The responsible official for the decision on this project is the Forest Supervisor of the Tongass National Forest. E:\FR\FM\15AUN1.SGM 15AUN1 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 158 / Thursday, August 15, 2013 / Notices Nature of Decision To Be Made The responsible official will decide whether to authorize timber harvest, associated road construction, and road management on Wrangell Island. Preliminary Issues Preliminary significant issues identified for this project include 1) timber supply and timber sale economics, 2) old-growth reserve designs, and 3) road access and managment. emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with NOTICES Preliminary Permits, Licenses or Other Requirements U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure Plan (SPCC); Facility Response Plan (FRP) required under the Clean Water Act (CWA), as revised by the Oil Pollution Act, or as required under 40 CFR part 112. State of Alaska, Department of Environmental Conservation: Alaska Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (APDES) for point source and stormwater discharges; Certification of Compliance with Alaska Water Quality Standards (401 Certification); Storm water discharge permit/National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System review under Section 402 of the Clean Water Act (402); Solid Waste Disposal Permit. State of Alaska, Department of Natural Resources (DNR): Authorization for occupancy and use of tidelands and submerged lands. Scoping Process This notice of intent reinitiates the scoping process, which guides the development of the environmental impact statement. 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. However, comments submitted anonymously will be accepted and considered. Individuals and entities as defined in 36 CFR 218.2 who have submitted timely, specific written comments regarding this proposed action during this scoping period or any designated opportunity for written public comment may file an objection. Objections will only be accepted from those who have VerDate Mar<15>2010 17:43 Aug 14, 2013 Jkt 229001 previously submitted timely, specific written comments regarding the proposed project during scoping or other designated opportunity for public comment in accordance with 36 CFR 218.5(a). Maps and detailed information on the project are available on the Wrangell Island Project EIS Web page located at: (https://www.fs.fed.us/nepa/ nepa_project_exp.php?project=34831). Dated: August 9, 2013. Patricia O’Connor, Deputy Forest Supervisor. [FR Doc. 2013–19801 Filed 8–14–13; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–11–P DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Forest Service Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forests; Ely Ranger District; Ely Westside Rangeland Project Forest Service, USDA. Notice of Intent to Prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement. AGENCY: ACTION: The Ely Ranger District of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest will prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SETS) on a proposal to authorize continued livestock grazing on National Forest System (NFS) lands within the boundaries administered by the Ely Ranger District. The Project Area is located in White Pine, Lincoln, and Nye counties, Nevada. A Final Environmental Impact Statement and Record of Decision were distributed in September 2011. While considering an appeal on the Record of Decision, it became apparent that clarification of some elements in the selected alternative, Alternative 1 (Proposed Action), was warranted. On January 6, 2012, the Record of Decision was withdrawn. This SETS is being prepared to clarify several elements of Alternative 1 (Proposed Action) and to provide additional information on the development of stocking rates on the allotments in the project area. DATES: The Draft SEIS is expected to be released for public review and comment in August of 2013 and the Final SEIS is expected to be released in November of 2013. ADDRESSES: Send written comments to: Vernon Keller, Environmental Coordinator, Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, 1200 Franklin Way, Sparks, NV 89431. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information, mail SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 49723 correspondence to or contact Vernon Keller, NEPA Coordinator, HumboldtToiyabe National Forest, 1200 Franklin Way, Sparks, NV 89431. The telephone number is: 775–355–5356. Email address is: vkeller@fs.fed.us. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background Initiation of the Ely Westside Rangeland Project began in 2006 with the original Notice of Intent published in the Federal Register on November 27, 2006 (Vol. 71, Number 227). The Draft EIS was released in June of 2011 for a 45 day comment period. The Final EIS and Record of Decision were released simultaneously on September 28, 2011. These documents, which include descriptions of the purpose and need, the proposed action, and two alternatives to the proposed action, can be found at https://www.fs.usda.gov/ goto/htnf/elywestrange. One appeal was filed against the 2011 Record of Decision. On January 6, 2012, the Forest Supervisor withdrew the Record of Decision, finding that additional clarification in the Final Environmental Impact Statement was desirable. Purpose and Need for Action As stated in Final EIS released in 2011, this action is being considered at this time because current and prospective permittees have expressed a desire to graze or continue grazing on allotments in the project area and the Rescissions Act of 1995 directs the Forest Service to establish and adhere to a schedule to complete environmental analyses and decisions on all allotments. The purpose of the proposed federal action is to authorize livestock grazing under terms and conditions designed to sustain and improve the health of the land and protect essential ecosystem functions and values. The need for the proposed federal action is to allow these allotments to continue to contribute to the overall desired Animal Use Month (AUM) production for the Humboldt National Forest while improving the gap between existing and desired rangeland conditions. Proposed Action As outlined in the Final EIS released in 2011, the Proposed Action would authorize domestic livestock grazing on the nine of the twelve allotments in the Project Area. Under this alternative, proper use criteria (forage utilization and streambank alteration) would be based on the current ecological conditions (functioning, functioning-atrisk, or non-functioning) within each allotment. E:\FR\FM\15AUN1.SGM 15AUN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 158 (Thursday, August 15, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49722-49723]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-19801]


========================================================================
Notices
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________

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.

========================================================================


Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 158 / Thursday, August 15, 2013 / 
Notices

[[Page 49722]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Tongass National Forest Wrangell Ranger District; Alaska; 
Wrangell Island Project Environmental Impact Statement; Correction

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement; 
Correction.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: A Notice of Intent (NOI) was first published for this proposal 
in the Federal Register on December 27, 2010 (75 FR 81210). A corrected 
NOI was published in the Federal Register on March 13, 2012 (77 FR 
14727). This corrected NOI is being published because the project will 
now fall under the new 36 CFR 218 pre-decisional administrative review 
process, it has an updated timeline, and the purpose and need and the 
proposed action have been modified.

DATES: All comments received during the previous scoping periods in 
2010-2011 will be considered in the preparation of this EIS. The draft 
environmental impact statement is expected to be published in December 
2013 and the final environmental impact statement is expected to be 
published July 2014.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to: Tongass National Forest, c/o Tim 
Piazza, 648 Mission Street, Ketchikan, AK 99901, Attn: Wrangell Island 
Project EIS. Comments may be hand-delivered to: Wrangell Ranger 
District, 525 Bennett Drive, Wrangell, AK 99929, Attn: Wrangell Island 
Project EIS. Comments may be submitted via facsimile to: 907-228-6215, 
Attn: Wrangell Island Project EIS. Comments may also be sent 
electronically to: `Comment on Project' link under `Get Connected' via 
the Wrangell Island Project EIS Web page at https://www.fs.fed.us/nepa/nepa_project_exp.php?project=34831. In all correspondence, please 
include your name, address, and organization name if you are commenting 
as a representative of an organization.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tim Piazza, Team Leader, Federal 
Building, Ketchikan, AK, 907-228-6318 or Austin O'Brien, Wrangell 
Ranger District, Wrangell, AK, 907-874-7575. 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: 

New Federal Regulations

    The United States Department of Agriculture published a final rule 
in the Federal Register (78 FR 18481-18504) on March 27, 2013 to 
establish a new process by which the public may file objections seeking 
predecisional administrative review of proposed projects and activities 
implementing land management plans and documented with a Record of 
Decision or Decision Notice (reference 36 CFR part 218). This new 
process replaces the administrative appeals process at 36 CFR part 215. 
As the Record of Decision for the Wrangell Island Project is not 
expected until after September 27, 2013, the Wrangell Island Project is 
now subject to these new predecisional administrative review 
procedures.

Purpose and Need for Action

    The purpose and need for the Wrangell Island Project has been 
modified. The purpose for proposing this project is to contribute to a 
long-term supply of timber for the timber industry on Wrangell Island 
and on the Tongass National Forest in general, in a manner that is 
consistent with the multiple-use goals and objectives of the Tongass 
Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan). This would contribute 
to the timber supply that would help sustain the current timber 
industry while transitioning to a sustainable forest industry based on 
young-growth management.
    The need is to provide an economic timber supply that meets market 
demand annually and for the planning cycle. An additional need 
identified by this NOI is to develop and manage roads in the project 
area to support resource management activities.

Proposed Action

    The Proposed Action for the Wrangell Island Project has been 
modified from proposing timber harvest on approximately 6,500 acres, or 
80 MMBF of volume, to approximately 4,500 acres, or 60 MMBF of volume, 
to reflect better timber volume information gathered from additional 
field work. The proposed action for the Wrangell Island Project is to 
harvest timber using a variety of silvicultural treatments on 
approximately 4,500 acres of suitable and available forested lands 
using various sizes of timber sales offered over multiple years. 
Stewardship contracts may be used. An estimated 60 million board feet 
of sawtimber and utility wood would be made available to industry for 
harvest. Approximately 35 miles of National Forest System (NFS) and 
temporary roads would be constructed and about 7 miles of existing NFS 
roads would be reconstructed. Existing log transfer facilities would be 
used as needed. Harvest would include helicopter, ground-based, and 
cable yarding systems using even-aged and uneven-aged harvest 
treatments to achieve stand objectives. All proposed activities would 
meet the standards and guidelines of the Forest Plan.

Possible Alternatives

    A range of reasonable alternatives, from no action to maximizing 
harvest will be considered. Alternatives may include Forest Plan 
amendments to increase the size and connectivity of medium old-growth 
habitat reserves (OGRs), adjust the boundaries of small and medium 
OGRs, change land-use designations (LUDs), and modify Visual Priority 
Travel Routes (VPRs) and Use Areas.

Lead and Cooperating Agencies

    The Forest Service is the lead agency. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, and the City and 
Borough of Wrangell have agreed to participate as cooperating agencies.

Responsible Official

    The responsible official for the decision on this project is the 
Forest Supervisor of the Tongass National Forest.

[[Page 49723]]

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The responsible official will decide whether to authorize timber 
harvest, associated road construction, and road management on Wrangell 
Island.

Preliminary Issues

    Preliminary significant issues identified for this project include 
1) timber supply and timber sale economics, 2) old-growth reserve 
designs, and 3) road access and managment.

Preliminary Permits, Licenses or Other Requirements

    U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Spill Prevention Control and 
Countermeasure Plan (SPCC); Facility Response Plan (FRP) required under 
the Clean Water Act (CWA), as revised by the Oil Pollution Act, or as 
required under 40 CFR part 112.
    State of Alaska, Department of Environmental Conservation: Alaska 
Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (APDES) for point source and 
stormwater discharges; Certification of Compliance with Alaska Water 
Quality Standards (401 Certification); Storm water discharge permit/
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System review under Section 
402 of the Clean Water Act (402); Solid Waste Disposal Permit.
    State of Alaska, Department of Natural Resources (DNR): 
Authorization for occupancy and use of tidelands and submerged lands.

Scoping Process

    This notice of intent reinitiates the scoping process, which guides 
the development of the environmental impact statement. 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. However, 
comments submitted anonymously will be accepted and considered.
    Individuals and entities as defined in 36 CFR 218.2 who have 
submitted timely, specific written comments regarding this proposed 
action during this scoping period or any designated opportunity for 
written public comment may file an objection. Objections will only be 
accepted from those who have previously submitted timely, specific 
written comments regarding the proposed project during scoping or other 
designated opportunity for public comment in accordance with 36 CFR 
218.5(a).
    Maps and detailed information on the project are available on the 
Wrangell Island Project EIS Web page located at: (https://www.fs.fed.us/nepa/nepa_project_exp.php?project=34831).

    Dated: August 9, 2013.
Patricia O'Connor,
Deputy Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2013-19801 Filed 8-14-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P

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