Double Sec Timber Sale and Vegetation Management, Philipsburg Ranger District, Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, Granite and Deer Lodge Counties, MT

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

Double Sec Timber Sale and Vegetation Management, Philipsburg

Ranger District, Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, Granite and Deer

Lodge Counties, MT

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; intent to prepare environmental impact statement.

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SUMMARY: The Forest Service will prepare an environmental impact

statement (EIS) to document the analysis and disclose the environmental

impact of proposed actions to manage the vegetation through timber

harvest and prescribed burning in the Flint Creek, North Flint Creek,

and upper Warm Springs drainages. The timber harvest proposal includes

road construction and regenerating new stands of trees. The project

area is located approximately 10 miles south of Philipsburg, Montana.

The Forest Service intends to harvest 11.5 million board feet of

timber using a variety of harvest methods on approximately 1,250 acres

of Forest land. The proposal includes construction of 4.5 miles of

permanent roads and 4.5 miles of temporary roads.

Additionally, the proposal includes mechanical and prescribed fire

treatments to control conifer encroachment on 843 acres.

Travel management, both motorized and non-motorized, will be

analyzed to determine the effects to wildlife and may result in changes

in public access.

DATES: Initial comments concerning the scope of the analysis should be

received in writing no later than September 14, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Deborah L.R. Austin, Forest

Supervisor, c/o Bob Gilman, District Ranger, Philipsburg Ranger

District, PO Box H, Philipsburg, Montana 59858.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Ed Casey, Interdisciplinary Team Leader, Philipsburg Ranger District,

PO Box H, Philipsburg, MT, 59858; or phone: (406) 859-3211.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The environmental analysis was initiated for

this area in the spring of 1997. At that time it was thought that an

environmental assessment would be adequate to make an informed

decision. New information concerning potential significant effects to

lynx, which is proposed for listing under the ESA as a threatened

species, due to overharvest and habitat modification has led to the

decision to prepare an environmental impact statement.

The proposed action would harvest approximately 11.5 million board

feet from 1,250 acres. Harvest would occur in the Dry Creek, Blodgett

Gulch, Travelers Home Creek, Sawmill Creek, and North Fork Flint Creek

subwatersheds. Silvicultural methods include precommercial thinning,

commercial thinning, shelterwood, seed tree, salvage, clearcut,

clearcut with reserve, and partial overstory removal. Approximately 4.5

miles of permanent roads would be constructed to access harvest units

and to provide future access for protection and management of the area.

In addition, 4.5 miles of temporary roads would provide short term

access to harvest units.

Public participation is important to the analysis. Part of the goal

of public involvement is to identify additional issues and to refine

the general, tentative issues. To date, over 900 letters were sent to

interested people, adjacent landowners, organizations, business, as

well as Federal, State, County, and Tribal organizations. A field trip

was held during the summer of 1997. Preliminary issues identified in

scoping include effects to wildlife habitats, visual quality,

recreation, and adjacent private land. Potential alternatives may

harvest less timber, or emphasize harvest in other areas.

Implementation of the proposed action or alternatives may require

forest plan amendments for elk management, visual quality standards, or

timber size class standards.

People may visit with Forest Service officials at any time during

the analysis and prior to the decision. Two periods are specifically

designated for comments on the analysis: (1) during the scoping process

and (2) during the draft EIS comment period.

During the scoping process, the Forest Service is seeking

additional information and comments from Federal, State, and local

agencies and other individuals or organizations who may be interested

in or affected by the proposed action. The United States Fish and

Wildlife Service will be consulted concerning effects to threatened and

endangered species. The agency invites written comments and suggestions

on this action, particularly in terms of identification of issues and

alternative development.

The draft EIS should be available for review in February, 1999. The

final EIS is scheduled for completion in May, 1999.

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

the Environmental Protection Agency publishes the notice of

availability in the Federal Register.

The Forest Service believes it is important to give reviewers

notice at this early stage 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 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 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, 400

F. Supp. 1334, 1338 (E.D. Wis. 1980). Because of these court rulings,

it is very important those interested in this proposed action

participate by the close of the 45-day comment period so 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

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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 Beaverhead-Deerlodge Forest Supervisor is the responsible

official who will make the decision. She will decide on this proposal

after considering comments and responses, environmental consequences

discussed in the Final EIS, and applicable laws, regulations, and

policies. The decision and reasons for the decision will be documented

in a Record of Decision.

Dated: July 22, 1998.

Thomas W. Heintz,

Acting Forest Supervisor, Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest.

[FR Doc. 98-20567 Filed 7-31-98; 8:45 am]

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