Superior National Forest; Minnesota; Application for Withdrawal, 4282-4284 [2017-00506]
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Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 9 / Friday, January 13, 2017 / Notices
Forest Service
Notice of Initiating the Assessment
Phase of the Forest Plan Revision for
the Salmon-Challis National Forest
Forest Service, USDA.
Notice.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
The Salmon-Challis National
Forest, located in east central Idaho, is
initiating the first phase of the forest
planning process pursuant to the 2012
National Forest System Land
Management Planning rule. This
process will result in a revised forest
land management plan (Forest Plan)
which describes the strategic direction
for management of forest resources on
the Salmon-Challis National Forest for
the next ten to fifteen years. The
planning process encompasses threestages: assessment, plan revision, and
monitoring. The first stage of the
planning process involves assessing
ecological, social, and economic
conditions of the planning area, which
is documented in an assessment report.
The Forest is inviting the public to
contribute in the development of the
Assessment. The Forest will be hosting
public forums near the end of February
into early March 2017 with a second set
of meetings forthcoming in June 2017.
We will invite the public to share
information relevant to the assessment
including existing information, current
trends, and local knowledge. Public
engagement opportunities associated
with the development of the Assessment
will be announced on the Web site cited
below.
DATES: From January 2017 through
August 2017, the public is invited to
participate in the development of the
Assessment. The draft assessment report
for the Salmon-Challis National Forest
is being initiated and is expected to be
available in August 2017 on the Forest
Web site at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/
scnf/.
Following completion of the
assessment, the Forest will initiate
procedures pursuant to the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to
prepare and evaluate a revised forest
plan.
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
Written correspondence can
be sent to Salmon-Challis National
Forest, 1206 S. Challis Street, Salmon,
ID 83467, or sent via email to jmilligan@
fs.fed.us. All correspondence, including
names and addresses when provided,
are placed in the record and are
available for public inspection and
copying.
ADDRESSES:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
19:06 Jan 12, 2017
Jkt 241001
Josh
Milligan, Forest Plan Revision Team
Leader at 208–756–5560. Individuals
who use telecommunication devices for
the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–
800–877–8339 between 8:00 a.m. and
8:00 p.m. (Eastern time), Monday
through Friday.
More information on the planning
process can also be found on the
Salmon-Challis National Forest
Planning Web site at https://www.fs.
usda.gov/detail/scnf/home/?cid=
FSEPRD522039.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
The
National Forest Management Act
(NFMA) of 1976 requires that every
National Forest System (NFS) unit
develop a land management plan (LMP).
On April 9, 2012, the Forest Service
finalized its land management planning
rule (2012 Planning Rule, 36 CFR part
291), which describes requirements for
the planning process and the content of
the land management plans. Forest
plans describe the strategic direction for
management of forest resources for ten
to fifteen years, and are adaptive and
amendable as conditions change over
time. Pursuant to the 2012 Forest
Planning Rule (36 CFR part 219), the
planning process encompasses threestages: assessment, plan revision, and
monitoring. The first stage of the
planning process involves assessing
social, economic, and ecological
conditions of the planning area, which
is documented in an assessment report.
This notice announces the start of the
initial stage of the planning process,
which is the development of the
assessment report.
The second stage, formal plan
revision, involves the development of
our Forest Plan in conjunction with the
preparation of an Environmental Impact
Statement under the NEPA. Once the
plan revision is completed, it will be
subject to the objection procedures of 36
CFR part 219, subpart B, before it can
be approved. The third stage of the
planning process is the monitoring and
evaluation of the revised plan, which is
ongoing over the life of the revised plan.
The assessment rapidly evaluates
existing information about relevant
ecological, economic, cultural and
social conditions, trends, and
sustainability and their relationship to
land management plans within the
context of the broader landscape. This
information builds a common
understanding prior to entering formal
plan revision. The development of the
assessment will include public
engagement.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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With this notice, the Salmon-Challis
National Forest invites other
governments, non-governmental parties,
and the public to contribute in
assessment development. The intent of
public engagement during development
of the assessment is to identify as much
relevant information as possible to
inform the upcoming plan revision
process. We encourage contributors to
share material about existing conditions,
trends, and perceptions of social,
economic, and ecological systems
relevant to the planning process. The
assessment also supports the
development of relationships with key
stakeholders that will be used
throughout the plan revision process
As public meetings, other
opportunities for public engagement,
and public review and comment
opportunities are identified to assist
with the development of the forest plan
revision, public announcements will be
made, notifications will be posted on
the Forest’s Web site at: https://
www.fs.usda.gov/scnf/ and information
will be sent out to the Forest’s mailing
list. If anyone is interested in being on
the Forest’s mailing list to receive these
notifications, please contact Josh
Milligan at the address identified above,
or by sending an email jmilligan@
fs.fed.us.
Responsible Official
The responsible official for the
revision of the land management plan
for the Salmon-Challis National Forest
is Charles Mark, Forest Supervisor,
Salmon-Challis National Forest.
Dated: January 4, 2017.
Charles A. Mark,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2017–00684 Filed 1–12–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3411–15–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Superior National Forest; Minnesota;
Application for Withdrawal
Forest Service, USDA.
Notice of intent to prepare an
environmental impact statement.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
The United States Forest
Service (USFS) has submitted an
application to the Secretary of Interior
proposing a withdrawal of
approximately 234,328 acres of National
Forest System (NFS) lands, for a 20-year
term, within the Rainy River Watershed
on the Superior National Forest from
disposition under United States mineral
and geothermal leasing laws, subject to
SUMMARY:
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13JAN1
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Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 9 / Friday, January 13, 2017 / Notices
valid existing rights. This proposal will
also include an amendment to the
Superior National Forest Land and
Resource Management Plan to reflect
this withdrawal.
The purpose of the withdrawal
request is protection of the natural
resources and waters located on NFS
lands from the potential adverse
environmental impacts arising from
exploration and development of fully
Federally-owned minerals conducted
pursuant to the mineral leasing laws
within the Rainy River Watershed that
flow into the Boundary Waters Canoe
Area Wilderness (BWCAW) and the
Boundary Waters Canoe Area
Wilderness Mining Protection Area
(MPA) in northeastern Minnesota. The
USFS acknowledges this proposed
request subjects these NFS lands to
temporary segregation for up to 2 years
from entry under the United States
mineral and geothermal leasing laws.
The lands have been and will remain
open to such forms of use and
disposition as may be allowed by law on
National Forest System lands including
the disposition of mineral materials.
The USFS recognizes that any
segregation or withdrawal of these lands
will be subject to valid existing rights
and therefore inapplicable to private
lands owned in fee, private mineral
estates, and private fractional minerals
interests. This notice also gives the
public an opportunity to comment on
the proposed request for withdrawal,
and announces the opportunity for a
future public meeting.
DATES: Comments concerning the
proposed request for withdrawal and
the scope of the environmental analysis
must be received by April 13, 2017. This
Notice coincides with the Bureau of
Land Management’s (BLM) ‘‘Notice of
Application for Withdrawal and
Notification of Public Meeting’’
announced today in the Federal
Register. The USFS comment period for
the EIS is commensurate with the BLM’s
90-day comment period associated with
the consideration of the USFS
application to propose a withdrawal of
approximately 234,328 acres of NFS
lands from disposition under United
States mineral and geothermal leasing
laws (subject to valid existing rights)
within the Rainy River Watershed on
the Superior National Forest.
The draft environmental impact
statement is expected June 2018 and the
final environmental impact statement is
expected January 2019. The USFS and
BLM will hold a public meeting within
the initial 90-day comment period to
gather public input on the proposed
request for withdrawal. This meeting
VerDate Sep<11>2014
19:06 Jan 12, 2017
Jkt 241001
will be held at the Duluth Entertainment
and Convention Center on March 16,
2017 from 5:00 to 7:30 p.m. CT (350
Harbor Drive, Duluth, MN 55802). The
USFS will publish a notice of the
meeting location and time in a local
newspaper at least 30 days before the
scheduled date of the meeting.
Address written comments
regarding the environmental effects
associated with this proposed request
for withdrawal to Connie Cummins,
Forest Supervisor, Superior National
Forest. Written comments are to be
mailed to 8901 Grand Avenue Place,
Duluth, MN 55808–1122. Comments
may also be sent via email to commentseastern-superior@fs.fed.us or via
facsimile to 218–626–4398.
ADDRESSES:
Matt
Judd, Superior National Forest (218–
626–4382). The Superior National
Forest Web site (https://
www.fs.usda.gov/projects/superior/
landmanagement/projects) also contains
information relative to this proposed
request for withdrawal.
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. This
relay service is available 24 hours a day,
7 days a week, to leave a message or
question. You will receive a reply
during normal business hours.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
The USFS
has submitted an application on January
5, 2017 to the Secretary of the Interior
proposing to withdraw the identified
lands from disposition under United
States mineral and geothermal leasing
laws (subject to valid existing rights) for
a period of 20 years.
All the NFS Lands identified in this
application are described in Appendix
A and displayed on a map in Appendix
B. This application is available upon
request at the Superior National Forest
office (8901 Grand Ave Place, Duluth,
MN 55808) or their Web site (https://
www.fs.usda.gov/projects/superior/
landmanagement/projects). The lands
depicted on this map include NFS lands
in the townships below, and all nonFederal lands within the exterior
boundaries described below that are
subsequently acquired by the Federal
government to the boundary of the
Boundary Waters Canoe Area
Wilderness (BWCAW) and the
Boundary Waters Canoe Area
Wilderness Mining Protection Area
(MPA).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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4283
National Forest System Lands
Superior National Forest
4th Principal Meridian, Minnesota
Tps. 61 and 62 N., Rs. 5 W.,
Tps. 60 to 62 N., Rs. 6 W.,
Tps. 59 and 61 N., Rs. 7 W.,
Tps. 59 to 61 N., Rs. 8 W., to the boundary
of the BWCAW
Tps. 58 to 61 N., Rs. 9 W., to the boundary
of the BWCAW
Tps. 57 to 62 N., Rs. 10 W.,
Tps. 57 to 63 N., Rs. 11 W.,
Tp. 59 N., R. 12 W.,
Tps. 61 to 63 N., Rs. 12 W.,
Tps. 61 to 63 N., Rs. 13 W.,
Tp. 63 N., R. 15 W.,
Tp. 63 N., R. 16 W.,
Tps. 65 to 67 N., Rs. 16 W.,
Tp. 64 N., R. 17 W.,
The areas described contain approximately
234,328 acres of NFS lands that overlay
Federally-owned minerals in Cook, Lake, and
Saint Louis Counties, Minnesota located
adjacent to the BWCAW and the MPA.
Purpose and Need for Action
The purpose of this withdrawal
request is protection of NFS lands
located in the Rainy River Watershed,
and preservation of NFS lands within
the BWCAW, from the potential adverse
environmental impacts arising from
exploration and development of fully
Federally-owned minerals conducted
pursuant to the Federal mineral leasing
laws.
The 234,328 acres of Federal land in
this proposed request for withdrawal are
located within the Rainy River
watershed on the Superior National
Forest and are adjacent to the BWCAW
and MPA. There is known interest in
the development of hardrock minerals
that have been found—and others that
are thought to exist—in sulfide-bearing
rock within this portion of the Rainy
River Watershed. Any development of
these mineral resources could
ultimately result in the creation of
permanently stored waste materials and
other conditions upstream of the
BWCAW and the MPA with the
potential to generate and release water
with elevated levels of acidity, metals,
and other potential contaminants.
Additionally, any failure of mitigation
measures, containment facilities or
remediation efforts at mine sites and
their related facilities located upstream
of the BWCAW and the MPA could lead
to irreversible impacts upon natural
resources and the inability to meet the
purposes for the designation of the
BWCAW and the MPA specified by Sec.
2 of Public Law 95–495, 92 Stat. 1649
(1978) and the inability to comply with
Section 4(b) of the 1964 Wilderness Act.
These concerns are exacerbated by the
likelihood that perpetual maintenance
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13JAN1
4284
Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 9 / Friday, January 13, 2017 / Notices
of waste storage facilities along with the
perpetual treatment of water discharge
emanating from the waste storage
facilities and the mines themselves
would likely be required to ameliorate
these adverse effects. Yet, it is not at all
certain that such maintenance and
treatment can be assured over many
decades.
Proposed Action
The United States Forest Service
(USFS) has submitted an application to
the Secretary of Interior proposing a
withdrawal, for a 20-year term, of
approximately 234,328 acres of NFS
lands within the Rainy River Watershed
on the Superior National Forest from
disposition under United States mineral
and geothermal leasing laws, subject to
valid existing rights. This proposal will
also include an amendment to the
Superior National Forest Land and
Resource Management Plan to reflect
this withdrawal.
Possible Alternatives
In addition to the USFS proposal, a
‘‘no action’’ alternative will be analyzed,
and no additional alternatives have been
identified at this time. No alternative
sites are feasible because the lands
subject to the withdrawal application
are the lands for which protection is
sought from the impacts of exploration
and development under the United
States mineral and geothermal leasing
laws.
Lead and Cooperating Agencies
The USFS will be the lead agency.
The USFS will designate the BLM as a
cooperating agency. The BLM shall
independently evaluate and review the
draft and final environmental impact
statements and any other documents
needed for the Secretary of Interior to
make a decision on the proposed
withdrawal.
Responsible Official
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The Responsible Official will
complete an environmental impact
statement, documenting the information
and analysis necessary to support a
decision on withdrawal, and to support
an amendment to the Superior National
Forest Land and Resource Management
Plan.
The Secretary of Interior is the
authorized official to approve a proposal
for withdrawal.
The Responsible Official is the
authorized official to approve an
amendment to the Superior National
19:06 Jan 12, 2017
Scoping Process
This notice of intent initiates the
scoping process, which guides the
development of the environmental
impact statement. The USFS and Bureau
of Land Management (BLM) will hold a
public meeting within the initial 90-day
comment period to gather public input
on the proposed request for withdrawal.
This meeting will be held at the Duluth
Entertainment and Convention Center
on March 16, 2017 from 5:00 to 7:30
p.m. CT (350 Harbor Drive, Duluth, MN
55802). Further opportunities for public
particpation will be provided upon
publication of the Draft EIS, including a
minimum 45-day public comment
period. A plan amendment is subject to
pre-decisional objection procedures at
36 CFR 219, Subpart B.
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.
Dated: January 6, 2017.
Richard Periman,
Deputy Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2017–00506 Filed 1–12–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–11–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Census Bureau
Forest Supervisor, Superior National
Forest.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
Forest Land and Resource Management
Plan to reflect the proposed withdrawal.
Jkt 241001
Generic Clearance for Proposed
Information Collection; Comment
Request; Generic Clearance for
Internet Nonprobability Panel
Pretesting and Qualitative Survey
Methods Testing
U.S. Census Bureau,
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
The Department of
Commerce, as part of its continuing
effort to reduce paperwork and
respondent burden, invites the general
public and other Federal agencies to
take this opportunity to comment on
proposed and/or continuing information
SUMMARY:
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Fmt 4703
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collections, as required by the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.
DATES: To ensure consideration, written
comments must be submitted on or
before March 14, 2017.
ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments
to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental
Paperwork Clearance Officer,
Department of Commerce, Room 6616,
14th and Constitution Avenue NW.,
Washington, DC 20230 (or via the
Internet at jjessup@doc.gov).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Requests for additional information or
copies of the information collection
instrument(s) and instructions should
be directed to Jennifer Hunter Childs,
U.S. Census Bureau, 4600 Silver Hill
Road, Center for Survey Measurement,
Washington, DC 20233 or (202)603–
4827.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Abstract
The Census Bureau is committed to
conducting research in a cost efficient
manner. Prior to this generic clearance,
several stages of testing occurred in
research projects at the Census Bureau.
As a first stage of research, the Census
Bureau pretests questions on surveys or
censuses and evaluates the usability and
ease of use of Web sites using a small
number of subjects during focus groups,
usability and cognitive testing. These
projects are in-person and laborintensive, but typically only target
samples of 20 to 30 respondents. This
small-scale work is done through
another existing OMB generic clearance.
Often the second stage is a larger-scale
field test with a split-panel design of a
survey or a release of a Census Bureau
data dissemination product with a
feedback mechanism. The field tests
often involve a lot of preparatory work
and often are limited in the number of
panels tested due to the cost
considerations. They are often targeted
at very large sample sizes with over
10,000 respondents per panel. These are
typically done using stand-alone OMB
clearances.
Cost efficiencies can occur by testing
some research questions in a mediumscale test, using a smaller number of
participants than what we typically use
in a field test, yet a larger and more
diverse set of participants than who we
recruit for cognitive and usability tests.
Using Internet panel pretesting, we can
answer some research questions more
thoroughly than in the small-scale
testing, but less expensively than in the
large-scale field test. This clearance
established a medium-scale (defined as
having sample sizes from 100–2000 per
study), cost-efficient method of testing
E:\FR\FM\13JAN1.SGM
13JAN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 9 (Friday, January 13, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4282-4284]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-00506]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Superior National Forest; Minnesota; Application for Withdrawal
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The United States Forest Service (USFS) has submitted an
application to the Secretary of Interior proposing a withdrawal of
approximately 234,328 acres of National Forest System (NFS) lands, for
a 20-year term, within the Rainy River Watershed on the Superior
National Forest from disposition under United States mineral and
geothermal leasing laws, subject to
[[Page 4283]]
valid existing rights. This proposal will also include an amendment to
the Superior National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan to
reflect this withdrawal.
The purpose of the withdrawal request is protection of the natural
resources and waters located on NFS lands from the potential adverse
environmental impacts arising from exploration and development of fully
Federally-owned minerals conducted pursuant to the mineral leasing laws
within the Rainy River Watershed that flow into the Boundary Waters
Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area
Wilderness Mining Protection Area (MPA) in northeastern Minnesota. The
USFS acknowledges this proposed request subjects these NFS lands to
temporary segregation for up to 2 years from entry under the United
States mineral and geothermal leasing laws. The lands have been and
will remain open to such forms of use and disposition as may be allowed
by law on National Forest System lands including the disposition of
mineral materials. The USFS recognizes that any segregation or
withdrawal of these lands will be subject to valid existing rights and
therefore inapplicable to private lands owned in fee, private mineral
estates, and private fractional minerals interests. This notice also
gives the public an opportunity to comment on the proposed request for
withdrawal, and announces the opportunity for a future public meeting.
DATES: Comments concerning the proposed request for withdrawal and the
scope of the environmental analysis must be received by April 13, 2017.
This Notice coincides with the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM)
``Notice of Application for Withdrawal and Notification of Public
Meeting'' announced today in the Federal Register. The USFS comment
period for the EIS is commensurate with the BLM's 90-day comment period
associated with the consideration of the USFS application to propose a
withdrawal of approximately 234,328 acres of NFS lands from disposition
under United States mineral and geothermal leasing laws (subject to
valid existing rights) within the Rainy River Watershed on the Superior
National Forest.
The draft environmental impact statement is expected June 2018 and
the final environmental impact statement is expected January 2019. The
USFS and BLM will hold a public meeting within the initial 90-day
comment period to gather public input on the proposed request for
withdrawal. This meeting will be held at the Duluth Entertainment and
Convention Center on March 16, 2017 from 5:00 to 7:30 p.m. CT (350
Harbor Drive, Duluth, MN 55802). The USFS will publish a notice of the
meeting location and time in a local newspaper at least 30 days before
the scheduled date of the meeting.
ADDRESSES: Address written comments regarding the environmental effects
associated with this proposed request for withdrawal to Connie Cummins,
Forest Supervisor, Superior National Forest. Written comments are to be
mailed to 8901 Grand Avenue Place, Duluth, MN 55808-1122. Comments may
also be sent via email to comments-eastern-superior@fs.fed.us or via
facsimile to 218-626-4398.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Matt Judd, Superior National Forest
(218-626-4382). The Superior National Forest Web site (https://www.fs.usda.gov/projects/superior/landmanagement/projects) also
contains information relative to this proposed request for withdrawal.
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. This
relay service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to leave a
message or question. You will receive a reply during normal business
hours.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The USFS has submitted an application on
January 5, 2017 to the Secretary of the Interior proposing to withdraw
the identified lands from disposition under United States mineral and
geothermal leasing laws (subject to valid existing rights) for a period
of 20 years.
All the NFS Lands identified in this application are described in
Appendix A and displayed on a map in Appendix B. This application is
available upon request at the Superior National Forest office (8901
Grand Ave Place, Duluth, MN 55808) or their Web site (https://www.fs.usda.gov/projects/superior/landmanagement/projects). The lands
depicted on this map include NFS lands in the townships below, and all
non-Federal lands within the exterior boundaries described below that
are subsequently acquired by the Federal government to the boundary of
the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) and the Boundary
Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Mining Protection Area (MPA).
National Forest System Lands
Superior National Forest
4th Principal Meridian, Minnesota
Tps. 61 and 62 N., Rs. 5 W.,
Tps. 60 to 62 N., Rs. 6 W.,
Tps. 59 and 61 N., Rs. 7 W.,
Tps. 59 to 61 N., Rs. 8 W., to the boundary of the BWCAW
Tps. 58 to 61 N., Rs. 9 W., to the boundary of the BWCAW
Tps. 57 to 62 N., Rs. 10 W.,
Tps. 57 to 63 N., Rs. 11 W.,
Tp. 59 N., R. 12 W.,
Tps. 61 to 63 N., Rs. 12 W.,
Tps. 61 to 63 N., Rs. 13 W.,
Tp. 63 N., R. 15 W.,
Tp. 63 N., R. 16 W.,
Tps. 65 to 67 N., Rs. 16 W.,
Tp. 64 N., R. 17 W.,
The areas described contain approximately 234,328 acres of NFS
lands that overlay Federally-owned minerals in Cook, Lake, and Saint
Louis Counties, Minnesota located adjacent to the BWCAW and the MPA.
Purpose and Need for Action
The purpose of this withdrawal request is protection of NFS lands
located in the Rainy River Watershed, and preservation of NFS lands
within the BWCAW, from the potential adverse environmental impacts
arising from exploration and development of fully Federally-owned
minerals conducted pursuant to the Federal mineral leasing laws.
The 234,328 acres of Federal land in this proposed request for
withdrawal are located within the Rainy River watershed on the Superior
National Forest and are adjacent to the BWCAW and MPA. There is known
interest in the development of hardrock minerals that have been found--
and others that are thought to exist--in sulfide-bearing rock within
this portion of the Rainy River Watershed. Any development of these
mineral resources could ultimately result in the creation of
permanently stored waste materials and other conditions upstream of the
BWCAW and the MPA with the potential to generate and release water with
elevated levels of acidity, metals, and other potential contaminants.
Additionally, any failure of mitigation measures, containment
facilities or remediation efforts at mine sites and their related
facilities located upstream of the BWCAW and the MPA could lead to
irreversible impacts upon natural resources and the inability to meet
the purposes for the designation of the BWCAW and the MPA specified by
Sec. 2 of Public Law 95-495, 92 Stat. 1649 (1978) and the inability to
comply with Section 4(b) of the 1964 Wilderness Act. These concerns are
exacerbated by the likelihood that perpetual maintenance
[[Page 4284]]
of waste storage facilities along with the perpetual treatment of water
discharge emanating from the waste storage facilities and the mines
themselves would likely be required to ameliorate these adverse
effects. Yet, it is not at all certain that such maintenance and
treatment can be assured over many decades.
Proposed Action
The United States Forest Service (USFS) has submitted an
application to the Secretary of Interior proposing a withdrawal, for a
20-year term, of approximately 234,328 acres of NFS lands within the
Rainy River Watershed on the Superior National Forest from disposition
under United States mineral and geothermal leasing laws, subject to
valid existing rights. This proposal will also include an amendment to
the Superior National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan to
reflect this withdrawal.
Possible Alternatives
In addition to the USFS proposal, a ``no action'' alternative will
be analyzed, and no additional alternatives have been identified at
this time. No alternative sites are feasible because the lands subject
to the withdrawal application are the lands for which protection is
sought from the impacts of exploration and development under the United
States mineral and geothermal leasing laws.
Lead and Cooperating Agencies
The USFS will be the lead agency. The USFS will designate the BLM
as a cooperating agency. The BLM shall independently evaluate and
review the draft and final environmental impact statements and any
other documents needed for the Secretary of Interior to make a decision
on the proposed withdrawal.
Responsible Official
Forest Supervisor, Superior National Forest.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The Responsible Official will complete an environmental impact
statement, documenting the information and analysis necessary to
support a decision on withdrawal, and to support an amendment to the
Superior National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan.
The Secretary of Interior is the authorized official to approve a
proposal for withdrawal.
The Responsible Official is the authorized official to approve an
amendment to the Superior National Forest Land and Resource Management
Plan to reflect the proposed withdrawal.
Scoping Process
This notice of intent initiates the scoping process, which guides
the development of the environmental impact statement. The USFS and
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will hold a public meeting within the
initial 90-day comment period to gather public input on the proposed
request for withdrawal. This meeting will be held at the Duluth
Entertainment and Convention Center on March 16, 2017 from 5:00 to 7:30
p.m. CT (350 Harbor Drive, Duluth, MN 55802). Further opportunities for
public particpation will be provided upon publication of the Draft EIS,
including a minimum 45-day public comment period. A plan amendment is
subject to pre-decisional objection procedures at 36 CFR 219, Subpart
B.
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.
Dated: January 6, 2017.
Richard Periman,
Deputy Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2017-00506 Filed 1-12-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P
