Robinson/Scott Landscape Management Project, Willamette National Forest, Lane and Linn Counties, OR

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 the Upper McKenzie

Watershed. The landscape management project is needed to: (1) Provide

landscape-level health and vegetation diversity within the project area

to meet issues identified during watershed analysis and public scoping;

and (2) provide timber products as directed by the Willamette Forest

Plan, as amended. Project is proposed for fiscal years 1997-2002. 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 March 1, 1996.

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 (541) 822-3381.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The USDA, Forest Service proposal includes:

treatment of approximately 900-1500 acres with various regeneration

harvest methods approximating the pattern and scale of relatively

frequent stand-replacement fires; treatment of approximately 500-2000

acres with commercial thinning treatments that approximate the pattern

of frequent low to moderate intensity fires; provide long term

sustainable habitat for big game and other wildlife species; develop a

long term vegetation management plan for high quality riparian habitat

to benefit bull trout; maintain major components of the landscape-level

ecosystem within the range of historic variability; reset some meadows

to historic conditions with use of fire; produce ``no net increase'' in

permanent roads.

Preliminary issues have been identified and include: historical

disturbance patterns; biological diversity at the stand and landscape

levels; recreation experience and scenic byway; threatened, endangered,

and sensitive plant and animal species; High Emphasis Elk Area

management. 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 as amended by the

Northwest Forest Plan (ROD) (1994). The Forest Service is the lead

agency.

Initial scoping will begin in November 1995. A public participation

plan is being developed with public meeting and public tour dates to be

announced. The public is invited to offer suggestions and comments in

writing.

The draft EIS is expected to be completed in September 1996. 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 December 1996. 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 the Forest Service

Appeal Regulations (36 CFR Part 215).

Dated: November 21, 1995.

Darrel L. Kenops,

Forest Supervisor.

[FR Doc. 95-29441 Filed 12-1-95; 8:45 am]

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