Open Road and Open Motorized Trail Analysis, Targhee National Forest, Bonneville, Butte, Clark, Fremont, Jefferson, Lemhi, Madison and Teton Counties, Idaho; Lincoln and Teton Counties, Wyoming

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

Open Road and Open Motorized Trail Analysis, Targhee National

Forest, Bonneville, Butte, Clark, Fremont, Jefferson, Lemhi, Madison

and Teton Counties, Idaho; Lincoln and Teton Counties, Wyoming

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare Supplemental Environmental Impact

Statement.

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SUMMARY: The Targhee National Forest will prepare a Supplemental

Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) to document the Analysis and

disclose the environmental impacts of a open motorized road and trail

network for the Targhee National Forest.

In this decision, the Targhee National Forest would designate which

roads and trails are open for motorized use.

COMMENTS: Written scoping comments concerning the proposed project and

analysis are encouraged and should be postmarked on or before April 23,

1998. Mail comments to Alan Silker, Targhee National Forest, 420 N.

Bridge Street, St. Anthony, ID 83445; telephone, (208) 624-3151.

Further information can be obtained at the same location. No scoping

meetings are planned at this time.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Revised Targhee National Forest Land

Management and Resource Plan (Revised Plan) was approved in April,

1997. The management prescriptions adopted in the Revised Plan include

standards for the miles of open roads and motorized trails allowed per

square mile. Standards are also established for cross country motorized

use by prescription area.

In August of 1997, the Targhee National Forest issued a Record of

Decision for the Open Road and Open Motorized Trail Travel Plan. Over

1200 appeals were filed on this decision. On January 14, 1998, the

Appeal Deciding Officer from the Intermountain Regional Office reversed

the Responsible Official's August 1997 decision. In order to assure

compliance with the Biological Opinion and the Revised Forest Plan,

interim direction was issued.

The Forest Service is seeking information and scoping comments from

Federal. State and local agencies as well as individuals and

organizations who may be interested in, or affected by, the proposed

action. The Forest Service invites written comments and suggestions

related to the proposal. Information received will be used in

preparation of the draft Supplemental EIS and final Supplemental EIS.

For the most effective use, comments should be submitted to the Forest

Service within 30 days from the date of publication of this Notice in

the Federal Register.

The comment period on the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact

Statement will be 45 days from the date the Environmental Protecting

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 Supplemental 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 Supplemental 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, 1002 (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 Supplemental

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

Supplemental 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.

Responsible Official: Jerry Reese, Forest Supervisor, Targhee

National Forest, 420 N. Bridge Street, St. Anthony, ID 83445.

Jerry B. Reese,

Targhee Forest Supervisor.

[FR Doc. 98-7519 Filed 3-23-98; 8:45 am]

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