Twelve Lakes Stabilization Project, Wasatch-Cache National Forest, Summit County, UT

SUMMARY: The Forest Service will prepare an environmental impact

statement on a proposal to stabilize Big Elk, Crystal, Duck, Fire,

Island, Long, Marjorie, Pot, Star, Teapot, Wall, and Weir Lake

reservoirs located in non-motorized backcountry adjacent to the Mirror

Lake Highway. These lakes will no longer be used for water storage

purposes. Restoration of watershed resources, fishery and wildlife

habitat, and previous recreation impacts will occur. This project is

mitigation for lost fishery and recreational opportunities related to

the construction of Jordanelle Reservoir (Central Utah Project).

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis should be received

in writing by March 8, 1994.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to POB 68, Kamas, Utah 84036.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mead Hargis, Kamas Ranger District, 801-783-4338.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Wasatach-Cache National Forest is the

lead agency.

The Kamas Ranger District invites comments on the proposed action

and alternatives. Scoping will include written, phone or personal

comments. No meetings are scheduled. District employees will meet with

any person who requests a meeting.

The decisions to be made include whether or not to stabilize these

lakes and if so at what lake surface elevation and what, if any,

recreation and natural resource restoration will be necessary.

Preliminary issues include cost, fishery benefits, roadless

character, wetlands, cultural resources, potential impacts of

stablization attracting more recreational use to these lakes.

Preliminary alternatives include No Action, stabilization at

natural lake levels, low hazard dam levels, and levels above low hazard

dam elevations.

A 404 Dredge and Fill permit from the Army Corps of Engineers and

Utah State Stream Alternation permits will be necessary.

The Responsible Official is Melissa Blackwell, District Ranger,

Kamas Ranger District.

Estimated dates of availability: Draft EIS August 1994, final EIS

November 1994.

The comment period on the draft environmental impact statement will

be 45 days from the date the Environmental Protection Agency's notice

of availability appears in the Federal Register. It is very important

that those interested in this proposed action participate at that time.

To be the most helpful, comments on the draft environmental impact

statement should be as specific as possible and may address the

adequacy of the statement or the merits of the alternatives discussed

(see The Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for implementing

the procedural provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act at

40 CFR 1503.3).

In addition, Federal court decisions have established that

reviewers of draft environmental impact statements must structure their

participation in the environmental review of the proposal so that it is

meaningful and alerts an agency to the reviewers' position and

contentions. Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519,

553 (1978). Environmental objections that could have been raised at the

draft stage may be waived if not raised until after completion of the

final environmental impact statement. City of Angoon v. Hodel, (9th

Circuit, 1986) and Wisconsin Heritages, Inc. v. Harris, 490 S. Supp.

1334, 1338 (E.D. Wis. 1980). The reason for this is to ensure that

substantive comments and objections are made available to the Forest

Service at a time when it can meaningfully consider them and respond to

them in the final.

Dated: February 1, 1994.

Melissa Blackwell,

District Ranger.

[FR Doc. 94-2837 Filed 2-7-94; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410-11-M