White River National Forest; Eagle County, CO; Berlaimont Estates Access Route EIS, 65624-65625 [2016-22924]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
• Forest Service

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 185 (Friday, September 23, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65624-65625]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-22924]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


White River National Forest; Eagle County, CO; Berlaimont Estates 
Access Route EIS

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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

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SUMMARY: Berlaimont Estates LLC (Berlaimont) owns a 680-acre private 
inholding completely within the White River National Forest (WRNF) to 
the north of Interstate 70 in the vicinity of Edwards, Colorado. 
Berlaimont desires to develop the property as 19 individual residential 
lots. Currently, the subject property may be accessed by National 
Forest System Roads (NFSR) 774 and 780, which connect to the 
southeastern corner of the horseshoe-shaped subject property. Beyond 
the southeastern corner, NFSR 780 connects to the southwestern corner 
of the property and NFSR 783 connects to the northwestern corner and 
northern areas of the property from the west side. Additionally, the 
northern portion of the property may be accessed via NFSR 778 running 
up Berry Creek which connects with NFSR 783 providing access into the 
northern portion of the property from the east. All NFSR's in this area 
are currently low development, native surfaced roads.
    Berlaimont has applied for an easement to construct, improve, 
utilize, and maintain road segments across the National Forest System 
(NFS) lands in support of their desired development of their property. 
Specifically, Berlaimont is proposing to improve segments of the 
existing NFSR 774 and NFSR 780, as well as construct a new road segment 
across additional NFS lands in order to more directly access the 
northern portion of their property. Their proposed improvements would 
consist of constructing a paved asphalt road with a gravel shoulder, 
vehicle turnouts, retaining walls, traffic signs, guardrails, erosion 
control facilities, and drainage facilities. The Forest Service will be 
analyzing this proposal along with a wider range of potential 
alternatives.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received 
by November 7, 2016. The draft environmental impact statement is 
expected to be available for public review March 2017 and the final 
environmental impact statement is expected June 2017.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Scott Fitzwilliams, Forest 
Supervisor, c/o Matt Klein, Realty Specialist, White River National 
Forest, P.O. Box 190, Minturn, CO 81645. Comments may also be sent via 
email to matthewklein@fs.fed.us (include ``Berlaimont Estate Access 
Route EIS'' in the subject line), electronically at https://cara.ecosystem-management.org/Public//CommentInput?Project=50041, or 
via facsimile to (970) 827-9343.
    All comments, including names and addresses when provided, are 
placed in the record and are available for public inspection and 
copying. The public may inspect comments received at the Holy Cross 
Ranger Station, 24747 U.S. Highway 24, Minturn, CO 81645. Visitors are 
encouraged to call ahead to (970) 827-5715 to facilitate entry into the 
building.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Additional information related to the 
project can be obtained from the project Web page: https://www.fs.fed.us/nepa/nepa_project_exp.php?project=50041 or by contacting 
Matt Klein, Realty Specialist, Eagle/Holy Cross Ranger District, 24747 
U.S. Hwy 24, P.O. Box 190, Minturn, Colorado 81645. Mr. Klein can be 
reached by phone at (970) 827-5182 or by email at 
matthewklein@fs.fed.us.
    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 the proposed project is to provide an improved road 
to Berlaimont's private property.
    The Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) 
directs the Forest Service to provide adequate access to inholdings 
fully contained within national forest lands. The need for the proposed 
project is that Berlaimont desires to develop single family residences 
on their property. The current maintenance level and condition of the 
existing NSFRs are not at the level desired by Berlaimont to meet their 
full objectives. Determination of the level of adequate access under 
ANILCA is not done through a NEPA analysis; however, the effects of 
issuing an easement to provide adequate access do need to be analyzed. 
The level of use and development granted through a Record of Decision 
may equal or exceed the level that shall be identified through the 
separate ANILCA determination.

Proposed Action

    The Proposed Action is to grant an easement to Berlaimont to 
improve, utilize, and maintain segments of the existing NFSR 774 and 
NFSR 780, to the southeastern corner of the property only.
    Amendment to the WRNF Land and Resource Management Plan--For this 
project, a Forest Plan amendment may be necessary because the proposed 
action and some possible alternatives may not be consistent with the 
prescribed standards and guidelines for Management Area 5.41 (Deer and 
Elk Winter Range).

Possible Alternatives

    An alternative will also be analyzed that includes the proposed 
action with the addition of constructing, utilizing, and maintaining a 
new road segment across NFS lands in order to access the northern 
portion of the property. Further alternatives may include improving 
other sections of NFSR's 780, 783 or 778 to the northern portion of the 
property.

Responsible Official

    The Responsible Official is Mr. Scott Fitzwilliams, Forest 
Supervisor, c/o Matt Klein, Realty Specialist, White River National 
Forest, P.O. Box 190, Minturn, CO 81645.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    Based on the analysis that will be documented in the forthcoming 
EIS, the Responsible Official will decide whether or not to implement, 
in whole or in part, the Proposed Action or another alternative that 
may be developed by the Forest Service as a result of scoping.

Preliminary Issues

    The proposed road improvement may have an impact on:
    Wildlife--The area of NFS lands surrounding the property is 
identified in the WRNF's Land and Resource Management Plan as deer and 
elk winter range managed to provide adequate amounts of quality forage, 
cover and solitude.
    Visual Resource Management--Each alternative road alignment and 
degree of improvement (streetlamps, for example) may affect the visual 
aesthetics of the north Edwards viewshed from either the valley floor 
or the north-facing hillsides on the opposite side of the valley.
    Soils--Road design and construction could present both short-term

[[Page 65625]]

(construction) and long-term (operation and use) effects on soil 
stability and erosion prevention.
    Water Quailty--As with the potential soil impacts described above, 
road construction and use could alter runoff patterns for stormwater 
and snowmelt in such a way as to potentially effect water quality of 
nearby creeks and streams through sedimentation and turbidity or the 
introduction of foreign chemicals.
    Outdoor Recreation/Public Access--NFSR 774 is a popular route with 
the public for accessing the Red and White Mountain area. This route is 
a point of entry for a multitude of recreational activities, including 
hiking, mountain biking, wildlife viewing, OHV riding, hunting, and 
snowmobile riding. NFSR's 778, 780 and 783 provide public access into 
the areas completely surrounding Berlaimont's private land. Use of any 
of these routes by Berlaimont residents and guests could increase user 
conflicts with WRNF visitors. Phyiscal improvments to the roadway could 
be benficial to some types of recreational activities, while 
simultaneously having a determential effect on others.
    Grazing--The NFS lands surrounding the subject property are 
currently used as an active grazing allotment for up to 2,900 sheep.

Permits or Licenses Required

    This Proposed Action considers the issuance of a road easement from 
the Forest Service to Berlaimont under the authority of the Federal 
Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA).

Scoping Process

    This Notice of Intent initiates the scoping process, which guides 
the development of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The Forest 
Service is soliciting comments from Federal, State and local agencies 
and other individuals or organizations that may be interested in or 
affected by implementation of the proposed project. Public questions 
and comments regarding this proposal are an integral part of this 
environmental analysis process. Input provided by interested and/or 
affected individuals, organizations and governmental agencies will be 
used to identify alternative actions and resource issues that will be 
analyzed in the EIS. The Forest Service will identify significant 
issues raised during the scoping process, and use them to formulate 
alternatives, prescribe mitigation measures and project design 
features, or analyze environmental effects.
    A public open house meeting was held on Wednesday, September 7th, 
2016 in Edwards, CO to inform the public and help to shape this 
proposal.
    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 EIS. 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 those comments will not provide the 
commenter with standing to appeal the subsequent decision.
    There will be an additional opportunity to comment when the Notice 
of Availability of the Draft EIS is published in the Federal Register. 
It is anticipated that another public meeting will be held at that time 
to discuss the Draft EIS. For objection eligibility, each individual or 
representative from each entity submitting written comments must either 
sign the comment or verify identity upon request. Individuals and 
organizations wishing to be eligible to object must meet the 
information requirements in 36 CFR 218.25(a)(3).

    Dated: September 19, 2016.
Scott Fitzwilliams,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2016-22924 Filed 9-22-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3411-15-P