Santiam Forest Health Project, Willamette National Forest, Linn County, OR

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

Santiam Forest Health Project, Willamette National Forest, Linn

County, OR

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare environmental impact statement.

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SUMMARY: The Forest Service will prepare an environmental impact

statement (EIS) on a proposal to thin and/or regenerate forest stands,

construct roads, and use prescribed fire in Santiam Pass. The need for

the forest health project is threefold: (1) To change forest stand

structure and composition, in order to reduce forest health problems;

(2) create sustainable stand structure and wildlife habitat conditions;

(3) to salvage dead and dying trees and provide timber for local mills.

Project is proposed for fiscal year 1995. The Willamette National

Forest invites written comments on the scope of the analysis. The

agency will give full notice of the full environmental analysis and

decision making process for the proposal so interested and affected

people may participate and contribute to the final decision.

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

in writing by April 1, 1994.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Eugene Skrine, District

Silviculturist, McKenzie Ranger District, McKenzie Bridge, Oregon

97413.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Eugene Skrine, District

Silviculturist, McKenzie Ranger District, McKenzie Bridge, Oregon

97413, Phone (503) 822-3381.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The USDA, Forest Service proposal includes:

re-introduction of natural fire, through the prescribe burning of

understory layers in selected stands; harvest trees through thinning,

understory removal, selection harvest and/or regeneration harvest on

about 1,000 acres; construct permanent roads and temporary roads to

access treatment units; regenerate new stands after harvest; continue

to learn and interact with the public on forest health; develop

opportunities for post/pole/chip/firewood products from small sized

trees; develop habitat improvement projects for a variety of wildlife,

fish, and sensitive plant species; implement Scenic Byway strategy for

enhancement opportunities along the Santiam Pass highway.

Preliminary issues have been identified and include: Roadless

areas; forest health, long-term productivity, and biodiversity; spotted

owls; recreation experience; fire hazard and air quality; old growth

and fragmentation; socio-economic; threatened, endangered, and

sensitive species (plants land animals); and cultural resources. A

range of alternatives will be developed including a no action

alternative.

This draft EIS will tier to the 1990 Final EIS for the Willamette

National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan and will not be

inconsistent with any of the Alternatives in the President's Forest

Plan. The Forest Service is the lead agency.

Initial scoping began in October 1993. Extensive scoping has

already been done on the project through field trips, newsletters, and

public meetings. The public is invited to offer suggestions and

comments in writing.

The draft EIS is expected to be completed in May 1994. The comment

period on the draft EIS will be 45 days from the date the Environmental

Protection Agency publishes the notice of availability in the Federal

Register.

The Forest Service believes it is important to give reviewers

notice at this early stage of several court rulings related to public

participation in the environmental review process. First, reviewers of

a draft EIS must structure their participation in the environmental

review of the proposal so that it is meaningful and alerts an agency to

the reviewer's position and contentions. Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power

Corp. v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519, 553 (1978). Also, environmental objections

that could be raised at the draft EIS stage but that are not raised

until after completion of the final EIS may be waived or dismissed by

the courts. City of Angoon v. Hodel, 803 f. 2d 1016, 1022 (9th Cir,

1986) and Wisconsin Heritages, Inc. v. Harris, 490 F. Supp. 1334, 1338

(E.D. Wis. 1980). Because of these court rulings, it is very important

that those interested in this proposed action participate by the close

of the 45-day comment period so 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 EIS.

To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues

and concerns on the proposed action, comments on the draft EIS should

be as specific as possible. It is also helpful if comments refer to

specific pages or chapters of the draft statement. Comments may also

address the adequacy of the draft EIS or the merits of the alternatives

formulated and discussed in the statement. (Reviewers may wish to refer

to the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for implementing

the procedural provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act at

40 CFR 1503.3 in addressing these points.)

The final EIS is scheduled to be completed in August 1994. In the

final EIS, the Forest Service is required to respond to comments and

responses received during the comment period that pertain to the

environmental consequences discussed in the draft EIS and applicable

laws, regulations, and policies considered in making the decision

regarding the Santiam Forest Health Project. Darrel L. Kenops, Forest

Supervisor, is the Responsible Official. As the Responsible Official,

he will decide whether to implement the project. The Responsible

Official will document the decision and reasons for the decision in the

Record of Decision. That decision will be subject to Forest Service

Appeal Regulations (36 CFR part 215).

Dated: March 10, 1994.

Darrel L. Kenops,

Forest Supervisor.

[FR Doc. 94-6339 Filed 3-17-94; 8:45 am]

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