Canyons Forest Health Project, Tahoe National Forest, Sierra and Nevada Counties, CA

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Canyons Forest Health Project, Tahoe National Forest, Sierra and

Nevada Counties, CA

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; intent to prepare environmental impact statement.

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SUMMARY: The USDA Forest Service will prepare an environmental impact

statement for harvesting in densely stocked timber stands exhibiting

insect-related mortality and reduced health. The harvesting is proposed

on approximately 2,500 acres within an 8,000-acre analysis area. The

salvage, sanitation, and thinning of the stands is proposed to improve

the forest health and remove some of the dead material contributing to

the fuel loading in the area. Also being proposed are fuels treatments,

site preparation, reforestation, timber stand improvement, and road

construction, reconstruction, and decommissioning.

These actions were recently analyzed and decided within a larger

project analysis area called the Worn Mill Environmental Assessment/

Biological Evaluation (EA/BE) (September, 1996). Only about half of the

area analyzed under the Worn Mill EA/BE document was put under contract

(Toucan Timber Sale) in December 1996 prior to expiration of the

Rescissions Act, Pub. L. 104-19. Since the decision on the Worn Mill

EA/BE has also subsequently expired, the second half of the Worn Mill

analysis area that was identified as needing forest health treatment

will now be re-analyzed under the Canyons Environmental Impact

Statement (EIS).

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 concerning the analysis should be received in writing

by April 1, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Caryn Huntt, Project Leader,

Truckee Ranger District, 10342 Highway 89 N, Truckee, CA 96161.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Caryn Huntt, Project Leader, Natural

Resources Department, Truckee Ranger District, (916) 587-3558.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A draft environmental impact statement is

expected to be available for agency and public review by April, 1997. A

45-day comment period will follow the publication of the notice of

availability of the draft EIS in the Federal Register. Al comments will

be analyzed and a final EIS and accompanying record of decision (ROD)

will be issued. The final EIS should be available by June, 1997.

Written comments from the public should be submitted as indicated

at the beginning of this notice. Comments would be most useful if sent

by the date specified and if they clearly address the issues and

alternatives related to the proposed action.

The proposed action being considered includes salvage, sanitation,

and thinning of the timber stands to address forest health concerns

east of Boca and Stampede reservoirs and on the adjacent flats and

slopes near Truckee, California.

Preliminary issues connected with the proposal include forest

health, water quality, wildlife habitat, and wildfire/fuels concerns.

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 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 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.

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 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 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. The responsible official for

this environmental impact statement and decision is John H. Skinner,

Forest Supervisor, Tahoe National Forest, 631

[[Page 11150]]

Coyote Street, P.O. Box 6003, Nevada City, CA 95959.

Dated: March 3, 1997.

John H. Skinner,

Forest Supervisor, Tahoe National Forest.

[FR Doc. 97-5920 Filed 3-10-97; 8:45 am]

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