Environmental Impact Statement, King George Timber Harvest on the Wrangell Ranger District, Stikine Area of the Tongass National Forest, Petersburg

SUMMARY: The Stikine Area of the USDA Forest Service proposes to

harvest timber on approximately 1300 acres in the King George project

area on North Etolin Island using a variety of harvest methods that

would leave various densities of trees within harvested areas. A

variety of yarding systems would be used including helicopter, cable,

skyline, and shovel systems. approximately ten miles of road would be

constructed in the Honeymoon and King George drainages. A log transfer

site with a ramp for both large and small scale operators would be

constructed north of Honeymoon Creek.

The purpose and need for this project is to make available for

harvest approximately 15 to 25 million board feet (MMBF) of timber to

(1) implement direction in the Tongass Land Management Plan, (2)

contribute to providing a sustained volume of wood to meet local and

national demand, and (3) provide local and regional employment

opportunities. A comparison of the existing and desired condition

suggests that approximately 900 to 1300 acres would be treated with a

variety of silvicultural methods. Silvicultural methods will be

designed to maintain stand structure and ecological functions over time

while still producing timber. These methods will leave low, medium, and

high densities of trees within the stands following harvest. Harvesting

between 900 to 1300 acres of forest using these methods could make

available approximately 15 to 25 MMBF of timer. A variety of resources

and values will be maintained through the application of ecosystem

management principles in the design of the project.

A range of alternatives will respond to environmental issues such

as scenery and recreation values, economics, subsistence hunting and

gathering, freshwater and estuary systems, and habitat conservation.

The no-action alternative will not harvest timber in the area. The

action alternatives will harvest approximately 15 to 25 million board

feet of timber and construct alternate road systems.

The decision to be made is (1) if, where, how, and how much timber

harvest will occur in the King George area, (2) how much and where road

construction will occur to facilitate harvest, and (3) what mitigation

measures and monitoring will be implemented.

EFFECTIVE DATE: Public coping began in June 1993. The Draft

Environmental Impact Statement should be available for public review by

August, 1995. The Final Environmental Impact Statement is scheduled to

be completed by November, 1995.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions, written comments and

suggestions concerning the analysis should be sent to Margaret Y.

Mitchell, Team Leader, P.O. Box 51, Wrangell, AK, 99929, phone (907)

874-2323, fax (907) 874-2095.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The following permits or approvals will be

necessary to implement the proposed action;

1. U.S. Army Corp of Engineers approval to dredge of fill materials

into coastal waters under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act.

2. Environmental Protection Agency National Pollution Discharge

Elimination System Review under Section 402 of the Clean Water Act.

3. State of Alaska, Department of Natural Resources tideland permit

and lease or easement.

4. State of Alaska, Department of Environmental Conservation Solid

Waste Disposal Permit and Certificate of Compliance with Alaska Water

Quality Standards under Section 401 of the Clean Water Act.

5. State of Alaska Coastal Zone Consistency.

6. State of Alaska, State Historic Preservation Officer compliance

with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act.

Public Comment

Federal, State, and local agencies; potential contractors; and

other individuals or organizations who may be interested in, or

affected by, the decision are invited to participate in the scoping

process. This process will include:

1. Identification of potential issues.

2. Identification of issues to be analyzed in depth.

3. Determination of potential cooperating agencies and assignment

of responsibility.

4. Examination of various alternatives.

The Forest Supervisor will hold public meetings during the planning

process. Meetings have not been scheduled at this time.

Interested publics are invited to comment. The comment period on

the Draft EIS will be 45 days from the date the Environmental

Protection Agency Notice of Availability appears in the Federal

Register.

The Forest Service believes, at this stage, it is important to give

reviewers notice of several court rulings related to public

participation in the environmental review process. First, reviewers of

draft environmental impact statements must structure their

participation in the environmental review of the proposal so it is

meaningful and alerts an agency to the reviewer's position and

contentions (Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519, 533

[1978]). Also, environmental objections that could have been raised at

the Draft EIS stage may be waived if not raised until after the

completion of the final environmental impact statement 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 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 envirnonment impact statement.

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To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues

and concerns on the proposed action, comments on the draft

environmental impact statement should be as specific as possible. It is

helpful if comments refer to specific pages or chapters of the draft

environmental impact statement. Comments may also address the adequacy

of the draft environmental impact statement or the merits of the

alternatives formulated and discussed in the satement. Reviewers may

wish to refer to the Council on Environmental Quality regulations for

implementing the procedural provisions of the National Environment

Policy Act in 40 CFR 1503.3 while addressing these points.

The responsible official for the decision is Abigail R. Kimbell,

Forest Supervisor of the Stikine Area, Tongass National Forest, Alaska

Region, Petersburg, Alaska.

Dated: July 12, 1995.

Abigail R. Kimbell,

Forest Supervisor.

[FR Doc. 95-18300 Filed 7-25-95; 8:45 am]

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