Cobalt Helo Salvage Sale; Salmon and Challis National Forests, Lemhi County, Idaho

SUMMARY: The USDA-Forest Service will prepare an environmental impact

statement (EIS) to analyze and disclose the environmental impacts of a

proposal to salvage harvest timber and construct helicopter landings in

the Panther Creek Watershed located about 35 miles southwest of Salmon,

Idaho.

The proposed Cobalt Helo project is located within portions of two

inventoried roadless areas, the South Panther Creek (#13504A) and the

Deep Creek (#13509) roadless areas, as well as outside roadless areas.

The analysis area is immediately adjacent to Panther Creek which is

eligible for consideration as a recreational segment in the wild and

scenic river system.

This EIS will tier to the Salmon National Forest Land and Resource

Management Plan and EIS, which provide overall guidance for achieving

the desired future condition of the area.

The purpose of the proposed action is to salvage merchantable green

Douglas-fir and standing dead Douglas-fir trees to reduce the risk of a

stand replacing fire; improve residual stand health and vigor by

reducing competition for moisture and nutrients through basal area

reduction; create conditions favorable for natural Douglas-fir

regeneration; and maintain and enhance thermal cover for wildlife in

winter range.

DATES: Written comments and suggestions should be received on or before

October 17, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments and suggestions on the proposed

management activities or requests to be replaced on the project mailing

list of Debbie Henderson-Norton, District Ranger, Salmon/Cobalt Ranger

District, RR 2 Box 600, Salmon, Idaho 83467.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Barbara Levesque, EIS Team Leader,

Salmon/Cobalt Ranger District, Salmon and Challis National Forests

(208-756-5100)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed action would helicopter harvest

approximately three million boardfeet of Douglas-fir from 2,378 acres

within the 19,300 acre analysis area. Up to sixteen helicopter landings

would be constructed. Approximately 1.5 miles of temporary roads would

be build from existing roads to designated landing areas. The temporary

roads would be obliterated, recontoured, and revegetated upon

completion of the timber harvest.

The analysis area is located within the Panther Creek Watershed

from Quartz Gulch to Musgrove Creek and is approximately 19,300 acres

in size. It includes the lower reaches of Quartz Gulch, Spring, Fawn,

Blackbird, Dummy, Copper, Woodtick, Moyer, and Musgrove Creeks. The

analysis area also includes the Deep and Napias Creek drainages, from

their confluence with Panther Creek to approximately four miles up the

drainages. The legal description for the analysis area is T.21N,

R.19E., all or portions of sections 9, 11, 12-17, 20-24, 26-28, 32-36;

T.20N., R.18E., all or portions of sections 1, 2, 11-13, 23-27, 34-36;

and T.20N., R.19E., all or portions of sections, 1, 2, 4-9, 17-19 and

30, BM, ID.

The Salmon Forest Plan provides guidance for management activities

within the potentially affected area through its goals, objectives,

standards and guidelines, and management area direction. The proposed

timber harvest would occur within Management Allocations 4A, 5A, 3A-5A,

5B, and 3A-4A. Harvest of green and dead timber will occur on suitable

ground and harvest of dead timber only will occur on unsuitable ground.

Below is a brief description of the applicable management direction.

Management Area 4A--The goals of this area are to provide required

forage and cover on big game winter range. Tree stand treatments

including clearcut, shelterwood, single tree selection and group

selection may be applied to commercial and noncommercial stands, to

accomplish specific big game needs (FLRMP, IV-110). Approximately 9,000

acres are within this management area.

Mangement Area 5A--The goals of this area are to produce long-term

timber outputs through a high level of investment in regeneration and

thinning. Approximately 4,300 acres are within this management area.

Management Area 3A-5A--The goals of this area are to manage aquatic

habitat for anadromous fish species and to produce long-term timber

outputs through high investments in regeneration and thinning.

Approximately 3,000 acres are within this management area.

Management Area 5B--The goals of this area are to meet a medium

level of commercial sawtimber output through medium investments in

timber management. Timber sales with salvage rights will be used where

trees must be removed for site preparation, release, and insect and

disease protection. Approximately 2,700 acres are within this

management area.

Management Area 3A-4A--The goals within this area are to meet

anadromous fish habitat needs and provide for big game habitat on key

big game winter range. Timber harvest and management is compatible, but

activity, intensity, and timing will be appropriate to meeting habitat

quality goals. Approximately 300 acres are within this management area.

The principal environmental issues identified to date are related

to the impacts on the Deep Creek Roadless Area; effects on visuals,

including viewsheds from the Panther Creek Road; and impacts on big

game winter range.

The Forest Service will consider a range of alternatives. One of

these will be ``no action'' alternative in which the proposed action

will not be implemented. Another alternative will examine the harvest

of timber outside the roadless area but not inside it.

The EIS will analyze the direct, indirect, and cumulative

environmental effects of the alternatives. Past, present, and projected

activities on both private and National Forest lands will be

considered. The EIS will disclose the analysis of site-specific

measures and their effectiveness.

Public participation is an important part of the analysis,

commencing with

[[Page 48880]]

the initial scoping process (40 CFR 1501.7), which will occur from

October of 1996 to November of 1996. In addition, the public is

encouraged to visit with Forest Service officials at any time during

the analysis and prior to the decision.

The Forest Service will be seeking information, comments, and

assistance from Federal, State, and local agencies and other

individuals or organizations who may be interested in or affected by

the proposed action. Because Panther Creek is an anadromous fishery and

the project proposal includes the construction of three landings in the

riparian habitat conservation area, consultation with the National

Marine Fisheries Service has been initiated with regard to listed

species. No public meetings are scheduled.

While public participation in this analysis is welcome at any time,

comments received within the 30 days of the publication of this notice

will be especially useful in the preparation of the draft EIS. The

draft is expected to be filed with the EPA and available for public

review in January, 1997. A 45-day comment period will follow

publication of a Notice of Availability of the draft EIS in the Federal

Register. The comments will be analyzed and considered in preparation

of a final EIS, which will be accompanied by a Record of Decision. The

final EIS is expected to be filed in June, 1997.

Comments from the public and other agencies will be used in

preparation of the Draft EIS. The scoping process will be used to:

1. Identify potential issues.

2. Identify major issues to be analyzed in depth.

3. Eliminate minor issues or those which have been covered by a

relevant previous environmental analysis, such as the Salmon Forest

Plan EIS.

4. Identify alternatives to the proposed action.

5. Identify potential effects of the proposed action and

alternatives (i.e., direct, indirect, and cumulative effects).

6. Determine potential cooperating agencies and task assignments.

The Forest Service believes it is important at this early stage to

give reviewers notice of several court rulings related to public

participation in the environmental review process. First, reviewers of

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,(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 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

on the proposed action, comments should be as specific as possible.

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.

I am the responsible official for this environmental impact

statement. My address is Salmon and Challis National Forest, RR 2 Box

600, Salmon, Idaho 83467.

Dated: September 5, 1996.

George Matejko,

Forest Supervisor.

[FR Doc. 96-23586 Filed 9-16-96; 8:45 am]

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