Revision of the Land and Resource Management Plans for the Chippewa and Superior National Forests; Beltrami, Cass, Cook, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake and St. Louis Counties, MN

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

Revision of the Land and Resource Management Plans for the

Chippewa and Superior National Forests; Beltrami, Cass, Cook, Itasca,

Koochiching, Lake and St. Louis Counties, MN

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; intent to prepare environmental impact statement.

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SUMMARY: The purpose of this notice is to inform the public that the

Forest Service intends to prepare an environmental impact statement for

revising the Chippewa and Superior Land and Resource Management Plans

(forest plans) (pursuant to 16 U.S.C. 1604[f][5] and 36 CFR 219.12).

The Chippewa and Superior National Forests are working together to

revise their forest plans. The Forest Service will prepare only one

environmental impact statement but will prepare two separate forest

plans.

We are now soliciting comments and suggestions from American Indian

tribes, federal agencies, state and local governments, individuals and

organizations on the scope of the analysis to be included in the draft

environmental impact statement for the revised forest plans (40 CFR

1501.7). Comments should focus on (1) the proposal for revising forest

plans and (2) possible alternatives for addressing issues associated

with the proposal.

The current forest plans for the Chippewa and Superior National

Forests were approved in June 1986. These plans guide the overall

management of Minnesota's two national forests. Six primary decisions

are made in forest plans:

1. Forestwide multiple-use goals and objectives (as required by 36

CFR 219.11[b])

2. Forestwide management requirements (36 CFR 219.27)

3. Management area direction (36 CFR 219.11[c])

4. Lands suited and not suited for timber management (36 CFR

219.14, 219.16, 219.21)

5. Monitoring and evaluation requirements (36 CFR 219.11[d])

6. Recommendations to Congress (if any) (36 CFR 219.17)

By law, forest plans must be revised every 10 to 15 years (U.S.C.

1604[f][5] and 36 CFR 219.10[g]). In addition, based on public comments

received and the results of annual monitoring and evaluation, we have

determined the need to make some changes to the primary decisions made

in the 1986 forest plans for the Chippewa and Superior National

Forests.

The process of revising the forest plans will be narrow in scope,

focusing predominantly on vegetation management aspects of those topics

identified as being most critically in need of revision. We will also

consider the interests of American Indians and Indian Tribes.

Revised plans will address 12 revision topics that have been

identified through public comment and through monitoring and

evaluation:

1. Biological diversity

2. Habitat fragmentation

3. Ecosystem health

4. Age class distribution

5. Old growth forests

6. Rare natural resource management

7. Silvicultural prescriptions

8. Fire Management

9. Riparian management

10. Fish habitat management

11. Allowable sale quantity of timber

12. Wildlife habitat management

We will also be revising monitoring requirements to provide for

better tracking and evaluation of the implementation and effectiveness

of revised forest plans. We may make other minor changes, particularly

in the standards and guidelines section of the forest plans, to promote

greater consistency between the two plans, and to reflect changes made

when addressing the 12 revision topics.

In many northern Minnesota communities, the relationship between

people and the natural environment in which the needs of people are met

predominantly centers around three industries: forest products,

tourism, and mining. People also value the opportunities forests

provide for enjoying recreation, solitude and scenic beauty.

National forests are integral to the image and sense of place of

communities across northern Minnesota. When making decisions in the

revised plans, we will examine the economic and social impacts to local

communities and at a broader regional level, as well as biological

impacts at similar levels.

As part of the overall effort to ensure that treaty rights are

honored and responsibilities to American Indian tribes are met, we will

routinely consult with and exchange information with tribes on a

government-to-government basis throughout the forest plan revision

process. This consultation will include the development of goals and

objectives that provide for the exercise of tribal hunting, gathering

and fishing rights. In addition, we will be sensitive to American

Indian religious beliefs (Forest Service Manual 1563).

We are committed to and will continue to participate in statewide

land management planning and coordination efforts resulting from

enactment of the Minnesota Sustainable Forest Resources Act of 1995.

Technical guidelines developed through this process will be considered

when developing standards and guidelines in revised plans.

The environmental analysis and decision-making process leading to

revised forest plans will include opportunities for public

participation

[[Page 45789]]

and comment, so that individuals interested in this proposal may

contribute to the decision-making process:

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Tentative date Step Public involvement

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Aug. 1997............... Notice of intent, 60-day formal comment

proposal. period, open house

meetings, written

comments.

Early 1998.............. Alternative Public workshops.

development.

Late 1998............... Proposed revised Formal comment period,

plans, draft open house meetings,

environmental impact written comments.

statement.

Late 1999............... Final revised plans, Informational meetings

final environmental to explain decision

impact statement and on final plan.

Record of Decision.

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We will provide the public with general notices on opportunities to

participate through mailings, news releases and public meetings. In

addition to formal opportunities for public comment, we will consider

received at any time throughout the revision process.

The Forest Service will host a series of open house meetings to (1)

present and clarify proposed changes to forest plans; (2) describe ways

that individuals can respond to this notice of intent; and (3) accept

comments from the public on the proposal for revising the forest plans.

The following open house meetings will be held from 4 pm to 7 pm on

September 17-18, 1997:

September 17 LaCroix Ranger District Office, Cook, MN

September 18 Gunflint Ranger District Office, Grant Marais, MN

September 18 Kawishiwi Ranger District Office, Ely, MN

September 18 Laurentian River District Office, Aurora, MN

September 18 Tofte Ranger District Office, Tofte, MN

September 18 Blackduck Ranger District Office, Blackduck, MN

September 18 Cass Lake Ranger District Office, Cass Lake, MN

September 18 Deer River Ranger District Office, Deer River, MN

September 18 Marcell Ranger District Office, Marcell, MN

September 18 Walker Ranger District Office, Walker, MN

The following open house meetings will be held from 7 pm to 9:30

pm, with a presentation on the proposal for plan revisions repeated

every half hour:

September 23 Northern Inn, Bemidji, MN

September 25 Earle Brown Continuing Education Center, St. Paul, MN

September 30 MN Interagency Fire Center, Grand Rapids, MN

October 2 Superior National Forest Headquarters, Duluth, MN

DATES: Comments on this Notice of Intent should be received in writing

by October 28, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to: Forest Plan Revision, Chippewa and

Superior National Forests, Route 3, Box 244, Cass Lake, MN 56633-8929.

Or direct electronic mail to: [email protected] (ATTN: Forest

Plan Revision).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Duane Lula, Forest Planner, at (218)

626-4383. TTY (218) 626-4399.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Additional detail on this proposal is

available on request. This is in the form of a document titled ``Notice

of Intent, Description of Proposal for Revising Forest Plans, and

Supplementary Information.'' You are encouraged to review this

additional document prior to commenting on the notice of intent. You

may request the additional information by calling the phone number

listed above or by writing or e-mail to the addresses listed in this

notice.

The DEIS and the proposed revised plans are expected to be

published late in 1998. The comment period on the draft environmental

impact statement and proposed revised forest plans will be 90 days from

the date the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency publishes the notice

of availability in the Federal Register.

Comments received in response to this solicitation, including names

and addresses of those who comment, will be considered part of the

public record on this proposed action and will be available for public

inspection.

Comments submitted anonymously will be accepted and considered;

however, those who submit anonymous comments will not have standing to

appeal the subsequent decision under 36 CFR Parts 215 or 217.

Additionally, pursuant to 7 CFR 1.27(d), any person may request the

agency to withhold a submission from the public record by showing how

the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) permits such confidentiality.

Persons requesting such confidentiality should be aware that, under the

FOIA, confidentiality may be granted in only very limited

circumstances, such as to protect trade secrets.

The Forest Service will inform the requester of the agency's

decision regarding the request for confidentiality, and, where the

requester is denied, the agency will return the submission and notify

the requester that the comments may be resubmitted with or without name

and address within 10 days.

Special note to reviewers of the draft environmental impact

statement: The Forest Service believes that, 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 draft environmental impact statements 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 U.S. 519, 533 [1978]).

Also, environmental objections that could be raised at the draft

environmental impact statement stage but that are not raised until

after 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 90-

day comment period on the draft environmental impact statement, 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 environmental impact statement.

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 also helpful if comments refer to specifics pages or chapters

of the draft environmental impact statement 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.

[[Page 45790]]

The responsible official is Robert T. Jacobs, Regional Forester,

Eastern Region, 310 W. Wisconsin Ave, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53203.

Dated: August 12, 1997.

Robert T. Jacobs,

Regional Forester.

[FR Doc. 97-22313 Filed 8-28-97; 8:45 am]

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