Central Zone Noxious Weed Control Project; Idaho Panhandle National Forests, Kootenai and Shoshone Counties, Idaho

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

Central Zone Noxious Weed Control Project; Idaho Panhandle

National Forests, Kootenai and Shoshone Counties, Idaho

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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

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SUMMARY: The USDA Forest Service will prepare an environmental impact

statement (EIS) to disclose the potential

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environmental effects of noxious weed treatment on the Fernan and

Wallace Districts (Central Zone). Treatment sites would be at various

locations across the zone and are within the Coeur d' Alene Basin

Ecosystem, Wallace and Fernan Ranger Districts, Idaho Panhandle

National Forests, Kootenai and Shoshone Counties, Idaho.

The proposed action to control populations of noxious and

undesirable weeds is designed to prevent the spread of these weeds and

promote the retention and health of native and/or desirable plants

within this ecosystem. The proposed action would use an integrated pest

management approach to control weeds. This approach includes

mechanical, biological, cultural, and chemical control. Most treatment

sites are located near or along forest roads, trails, or recreation

sites.

The major species considered for control include spotted knapweed

(Centaurea maculosa), orange hawkweed (Hieracium aurantiacum), meadow

hawkweed (Hieracium pratense), dalmation toadflax (Linaria dalmatica),

Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense), common St. Johnswort (Hypercium

perforatum), hound's tongue (Cynoglossum officinale), rush skeletonweed

(Chondrilla juncea), leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula) and purple

loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria). Other species may include common tansy

(Tanacetum vulgare), diffuse knapweed (Centaurea diffusa), yellow

toadflax (Linaria vulgaris), ox-eye daisy (Chrysanthemum leucanthemum),

sulphur cinquefoil (Potentilla recta), Viper's Bugloss (Echium

vulgare), Russian knapweed (Centaurea repens), musk thistle (Carduus

nutans), and bull thistle (Cirsium vulgare). New invader species which

are unknown at this time to occur on the zone would be a high priority

for control.

This project-level EIS will tier to the Idaho Panhandle National

Forests Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan) (USDA Forest

Service, Idaho Panhandle National Forests, September 1987), and

references the Idaho Panhandle National Forests Weed Pest Management

EIS, (USDA Forest Service, Idaho Panhandle National Forests, October

1989); the Bonners Ferry Ranger District Noxious Weed Management

Project Final EIS (USDA Forest Service, Idaho Panhandle National

Forests, September 1995), the Priest Lake Noxious Weed Control Final

EIS (USDA Forest Service, Idaho Panhandle National Forests, 1997) and

the St. Joe Noxious Weed Draft EIS (USDA Forest Service, Idaho

Panhandle National Forests, 1996).

DATES: Written comments and suggestions should be received no later

than April 14, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments and suggestions on the proposed

management activities or requests to be placed on the project mailing

list to Kristen Philbrook, Project Leader, Fernan Ranger District, 2502

E. Sherman Ave., Coeur d' Alene, ID 83814.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Kristen Philbrook, EIS Team Leader, Fernan Ranger Station, (208) 769-

3000.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The primary purposes for weed control are as

follows:

(1) Prevent or limit the spread of noxious weeds that displace

native vegetation in the Coeur d' Alene ecosystem;

(2) Eliminate new invaders before they become established;

(3) Prevent or limit the spread of weeds into areas containing

little or no infestation in order to promote the retention and health

of native and/or desirable species;

(4) Reduce weed seed sources along travel routes;

(5) Comply with Federal and State laws regulating management of

noxious weeds.

Approximately 60 treatment sites have been identified across the

Wallace and Fernan Ranger Districts. Infestations that are discovered

would be treated within the scope of the Final EIS and Record of

Decision. The Forest Plan provides guidance for management activities

within the potentially affected areas through its goals, objectives,

standards and guidelines, and management-area direction. The Forest

Plan directs that forest pests be managed by an integrated pest

management approach. The decisions to be made are what action, if any,

should be taken to control weeds in the Coeur d' Alene Ecosystem, where

treatment should be applied, and what types of treatment(s) should be

used.

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

these will be the ``no action'' alternative in which none of the

proposed treatment activities would be implemented. Additional

alternatives will represent the range of control methods currently

available for treatment of weeds.

Public participation in an important part of the analysis and will

play an important role in developing the alternatives. The mailing list

for public scoping will be developed from responses to this NOI, and to

a Scoping Notice sent out to interested individuals, organizations and

agencies. In addition, the public is encouraged to visit with Forest

Service officials during the analysis and prior to the decision. The

Forest Service will also 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 actions. Comments from the public and other agencies will

be used in preparation of the Draft EIS.

The draft environmental impact statement is expected to be filed

with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and available for public

review in June, 1997, At that time, the EPA will publish a Notice of

Availability of the draft environmental impact statement in the Federal

Register. The comment period on the draft environmental impact

statement will be 45 days from the date the Environmental Protection

Agency 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

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 statement stage but that are not raised until after

completion of the final environmental 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, 2338 (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 scoping 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.

To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues

and concerns regarding the proposed action, comments on the draft

environmental impact statement should be 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

environmental impact statement or the merits of the alternatives

formulated and discussed in the statement. Reviewers may wish to refer

to the

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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 Fernan Ranger District, 2502 E. Sherman Ave.

Coeur d' Alene, ID 83814.

Dated: February 18, 1997.

Susan Matthews,

District Ranger.

[FR Doc. 97-4979 Filed 2-27-97; 8:45 am]

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