Notice of Intent To Prepare a Revised Environmental Impact Statement, Port Houghton/Cape Fanshaw Timber Sale(s), Tongass National Forest, Stikine Area and Chatham Area, Petersburg and Sitka, Alaska

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

Notice of Intent To Prepare a Revised Environmental Impact

Statement, Port Houghton/Cape Fanshaw Timber Sale(s), Tongass National

Forest, Stikine Area and Chatham Area, Petersburg and Sitka, Alaska

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Agriculture, Forest Service will prepare a

Revised Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Port Houghton/Cape

Fanshaw Timber Sale(s) located on the Stikine Area and the Chatham Area

of the Tongass National Forest. This notice of intent revises the

notice of intent published September 12, 1994, (page 48619) and the

Notice of Intent published August 14, 1995, (page 41872) by describing

changes to the purpose and need, proposed action and the schedule for

the decision. A Revised Draft Environmental Impact Statement is being

prepared to respond to the new land use designations, management

direction, and standards and guidelines of the Tongass National Forest

Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan) released in May 1997.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis or significant

issues regarding the proposal to build roads and harvest timber in the

Port Houghton/Cape Fanshaw Project Area should be received in writing

by October 17, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Michael J. Weber, USDA Forest

Service, 204 Siginaka Way, Sitka, AK 99835.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Questions concerning the proposed action and

Environmental Impact Statement should be directed to Michael J. Weber,

Interdisciplinary Team Leader, phone: (907) 747-6671, fax: (907) 747-

4331.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Port Houghton/Cape Fanshaw Project Area

includes Value Comparison Units 79 through 89 on the mainland in

Southeast Alaska approximately 30 miles north of Petersburg, Alaska,

and 80 miles south of Juneau, Alaska.

The Tongass National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan of

May 1997 provides the overall guidance (land use designations, goals,

objectives, management prescriptions, standards and guidelines) to

achieve the desired future condition for the area in which this project

is proposed. This revised Forest Plan allocates portions of the project

area to six management prescriptions (Timber Production, Modified

Landscape, Scenic Viewshed, Old-growth Habitat, Semi-remote Recreation,

and Research Natural Area). Furthermore, the new standards and

guidelines in the revised Forest Plan provide increased protection for

riparian areas, wolves, and wetlands which conflict with activities

proposed and analyzed in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement

published in December 1995. The Revised Draft Environmental Impact

Statement for the Port Houghton/Cape Fanshaw Timber Sale(s) will now

tier to the Final Environmental Impact Statement for Tongass Land

Management Plan Revision of May 1997 and be consistent with the revised

Forest Plan.

The purpose and need for the project is to respond to the goals and

objectives identified by the Forest Plan for the timber resource and to

move the Port Houghton/Cape Fanshaw Project Area toward the desired

future condition. The Forest Plan identified the following goals and

objectives: (1) Manage the timber resource for production of saw timber

and other wood product from suitable timber lands made available for

timber harvest, on an even-flow, long-term sustained yield basis and in

an economically efficient manner (Forest Plan page 2-4); (2) seek to

provide a timber supply sufficient to meet the annual market demand for

Tongass National Forest timber, and the demand for the planning cycle

(page 2-4); and (3) maintain and promote industrial wood production

from suitable timber lands, providing a continuous supply of wood to

meet society's needs (page 3-144). The Port Houghton/Cape Fanshaw

Project will be designed to produce desired resource values, products,

and conditions in ways that also sustain the diversity and productivity

of ecosystems (page 2-1).

The Port Houghton/Cape Fanshaw Project is now expected to provide a

range of volume to the timber industry in three or more timber sales.

The actual range of alternatives considered in the Environmental Impact

Statement will be determined during analysis and will reflect issues

raised during scoping.

The Proposed Action provides for: (1) Construction of approximately

80 miles of road; (2) harvest of approximately 6,000 acres of timber in

several timber sales; and, (3) construction of a long transfer facility

in Little Lagoon and use of the existing log transfer facility in

Hobart Bay. This level of development would result in the harvest of

approximately 120 million board feet of sawlog and utility timber

volume.

A number of public comments have been received on this project.

Based on comments from the public and other agencies during the

original scoping effort and the public comment period on the original

Draft Environmental Impact Statement, the following significant issues

have been identified:

(1) What changes may be anticipated in the character of the timber

resource?

(2) To what extent are alternative silvicultural treatments

proposed, and what are the benefits?

(3) What will be the effect of log transfer facility development on

marine resource values?

(4) What change in wildlife habitat capability would occur with

implementation of the project?

(5) What changes will occur in habitat and plant and animal

diversity?

(6) What will be the effect of timber harvest and transportation

system development on the fish habitat?

(7) What effect will timber harvest have on soil stability?

(8) How will timber harvest affect subsistence fishing, hunting and

gathering opportunities?

(9) What visual and recreational changes will affect both local and

tourist use and enjoyment?

(10) What are the basic economic values that can be expected with

the project?

These issues are being used to design alternatives to the proposed

action and to identify the potential environmental effects of the

proposed action and

[[Page 49666]]

alternatives. The Revised Draft Environmental Impact Statement is

scheduled for publication in March 1998 and the Final Environmental

Impact Statement and Record of Decision is schedule for publication in

August 1998.

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

to alert reviewers about 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, 435 U.S. 519,

553 (1978). Also, environmental objections that could be raised at the

Draft 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 important that those

interested in this proposed action participate by the close of the

Draft Environmental Impact Statement 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 Environmental Impact Statement.

Dated: September 11, 1997.

Particia A. Grantham,

Acting Forest Supervisor, Stikine Area.

Dated: September 12, 1997.

Gary A. Morrison,

Forest Supervisor, Chatham Area.

[FR Doc. 97-25176 Filed 9-22-97; 8:45 am]

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