East Beaver Creek Timber Sale and Prescribed Burning Project, Targhee National Forest, Clark County, ID

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

East Beaver Creek Timber Sale and Prescribed Burning Project,

Targhee National Forest, Clark County, ID

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare environmental impact statement.

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SUMMARY: The Forest Supervisor of the Targhee National Forest gives

notice of the agency's intent to prepare an environmental impact

statement for the East Beaver Creek Timber Sale and Prescribed Burning

Project. The proposed action would harvest 4.0 million feet of timber

from 1,231 acres and prescribe burn 2,220 acres with 518 acres of the

burning in the timber sale harvest units. The remaining 1,702 acres of

burning would be in nonforest types. Two miles of temporary roads would

be built and 2.6 miles of existing roads reconstructed. East Beaver

Creek is located approximately 15 miles northeast of Dubois, Idaho.

Alternatives will include the proposed action, no action, and any

alternatives that respond to significant issues generated during the

scoping process. A more detailed description is available from the

Dubois Ranger District; see ADDRESSES below.

DATES: Send written comments and suggestions on the issues concerning

the proposed action by May 15, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Clarence M. Murdock, District

Ranger, Dubois Ranger District, P.O. Box 46, Dubois, ID 83423.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

John Councilman, Interdisciplinary Team Leader, phone (208) 558-7301.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Targhee National Forest Revised Land

Management Plan was approved in 1997. One of the decisions in the

Revised Plan was to allow for the production and utilization of wood

fiber from certain areas of the Forest. The geographic area where the

proposed action would take place has primarily a prescription of timber

management with emphasis on big game security (5.1.4b). Prescriptions

for other lands in the area are described below.

Aquatic Influence Zones (2.8.3)--Management emphasis is directed at

the application of ecological knowledge to restore and maintain the

health of these areas in ways that also produce desired resource

values, products, protection, restoration, enhancement, interpretation,

and appreciation of these areas.

Visual Quality Maintenance (2.1.2)--This prescription emphasizes

maintaining the existing visual quality within major travel corridors

with quality natural vistas, while allowing livestock production, and

other compatible commodity outputs. There is no scheduled timber

harvesting. No scheduled harvests means timber removed from these areas

does not contribute toward the Forests annual allowable sale quantity.

Initial public involvement will include mailing maps and a project

description to interested parties to solicit comments on the proposal.

Preliminary issues include: water quality, fisheries, elk habitat, and

motorized access by the public.

Additional opportunity to comment on the project will occur on the

draft Environmental Impact Statement (draft EIS). The draft EIS is

expected to be filed with the Environmental Protection Agency and

available for public review in August 1998.

The comment period on the draft EIS will be 45 days from the date

the Environmental Protection Agency's notice of availability appears in

the Federal Register. At the same time, copies of the draft EIS will be

distributed to interested and affected

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agencies, organizations, tribes, and members of the public for their

review and comment. It is very important that those interested in the

proposed action participate at that time.

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 reviewers' position and

contentions. Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519,

553 (1978). Also, environmental objections that could have been raised

at the draft 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, (9th Circuit, 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. 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 final EIS is scheduled to be completed in November 1998. In the

final EIS, the Forest Service is required to respond to comments

received during the comment period that pertain to the environmental

consequences discussed in the draft EIS and applicable laws,

regulations, and policies considered in making the decisions on this

proposal.

Responsible Official

Jerry B. Reese, Forest Supervisor, is the responsible official. As

responsible official, he will document the selected alternative for the

East Beaver Creek Timber Sale and Prescribed Burning Project EIS and

his rationale in a Record of Decision.

The decision for the East Beaver Creek Timber Sale and Prescribed

Burning Project will be subject to Forest Service Appeal Regulations

(36 CFR part 215).

Dated: April 9, 1998.

Jerry B. Reese,

Forest Supervisor.

[FR Doc. 98-10270 Filed 4-17-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410-11-M