Pilgrim Project, Tahoe National Forest Sierra County, CA

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

Pilgrim Project, Tahoe National Forest Sierra County, CA

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, will

prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for proposed timber

harvest, plantation thinning, fuels reduction, and wildlife habitat

improvement projects for areas in the Wolf/Kanaka/Indian Creek and

Middle Yuba River watersheds, in accordance with the requirements of 36

CFR 219.19. The project area is located within portions of T18N & T19N,

R10E & R11E, MDB&M.

The agency invites comments and suggestions on the scope of the

analysis. In addition, the agency gives notice of the full

environmental analysis and decision-making process that will occur on

the proposal so that interested and affected people are aware of how

they may participate and contribute to the final decision.

DATES: Comments should be made in writing and received by June 2, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Written comments concerning the project should be directed

to U.S.F.S. Downieville Ranger District, ATTN: Laura Browning, 15924

Highway 49, Camptonville, CA 95959.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Laura Browning, NEPA Coordinator, Downieville Ranger District,

Camptonville, CA 95922, (916) 288-3231.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: About 11,436 acres of National Forest System

lands are being analyzed for projects within the Pilgrim analysis area.

The analysis area incorporates the land within the Wolf/Kanaka/Indian

Creek and Middle Yuba River watersheds, which all drain into the Middle

Yuba River. Located southwest of Camptonville, CA, the area is

dominated by mixed conifer and hardwood forest.

This project was selected to harvest needed wood fiber, improve

forest health and wildlife habitat, and to reduce fire risk. Watershed

problems, fire hazards within a mixed land ownership landscape, forest

health concerns, and wildlife habitat conditions represent some of the

challengers and opportunities for improvements that will be looked at

during this analysis. An EIS will be done because of the concern for

potential cumulative effects to water quality.

In preparing the Environmental Impact Statement, the Forest Service

will identify and analyze a range of alternatives for treatment of the

dense timber stands and address the issues developed for these sites.

One of the alternatives will be no treatment. Other alternatives will

consider differing levels of plantation thinning; timber harvest; new

road construction and reconstruction; fuel hazard reduction; and fish

and wildlife habitat improvement projects. The needs of people and

environmental values will

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be blended in such a way that the Pilgrim analysis area would represent

a diverse, healthy, productive, and sustainable ecosystem.

Public participation will be important during the analysis,

especially during the review of the Draft Environmental Impact

Statement. The Forest Service is 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. This input will be used in preparation of the

Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS).

The scoping process includes:

1. Identifying potential issues.

2. Identifying issues to be analyzed in depth.

3. Eliminating insignificant issues or those which have been covered by

a relevant previous environment analysis.

4. Exploring additional alternatives.

5. Identifying potential environmental effects of the proposed action

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

connected actions).

6. Determining potential cooperating agencies and task assignments.

Comments from other Federal, State, and local agencies,

organizations, and individuals who may be interested in, or affected

by, the decision are encouraged to identify other significant issues.

Public participation will be solicited through mailing letters to

mining claim owners, private land owners, and special use permittees

within the Downieville Ranger District boundaries; posting information

in local towns; and mailing letters to local timber industries,

politicians, school boards, county supervisors, and environmental

groups. Continued participation will be emphasized through individual

contacts. No public meetings are scheduled.

The DEIS is expected to filed with the Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA) and to be available for public review in January, 1998.

The comment period on the DEIS will be 45 days from the date the EPA

publishes the notice of availability in the Federal Register.

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

to give reviewers notice of several court rulings related to public

participation in the environmental review process. First, reviewers of

DEIS 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 DEIS state 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 2nd 1016, 1022 (9th Cir. 1986) and

Wisconsin Heritages Inc. v. Harris, 490 F. Supp. 1334, 13338 (E.D. Wis.

1980). Because of the 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.

It assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues

and concerns on the proposed action, comments on the DEIS should be as

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

pages or chapters of the DEIS 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 40 CFR 1503.3 in addressing these points.

The final EIS is expected to be available by May, 1998. The

responsible official, the Forest Supervisor of the Tahoe National

Forest, will document the decision and reasons for the decision in the

Record of Decision.

Dated: April 28, 1997.

Judie Tartaglia,

Deputy Forest Supervisor.

[FR Doc. 97-13476 Filed 5-21-97; 8:45 am]

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