[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 203 (Friday, October 18, 1996)] [Notices] [Pages 54409-54410] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 96-26627] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Forest Service Prince John Project, Boise National Forest, Idaho
Agency
Forest Service, USDA.
Action
Availability of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement.
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Summary
The Department of Agriculture, Forest Service announces the availability of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Prince John Project, Boise National Forest, Cascade Ranger District. The responsible official for the DEIS is Forest Supervisor David D. Rittenhouse. The DEIS describes and displays an analysis of four alternatives to manage National Forest System land within the 12,858- acre project area.
COMMENTS: Reviewers of the DEIS should provide their comments during the review period which will last for 45 days after this notice of availability. Written comments should be addressed to Steve Patterson, Cascade Ranger District, P.O. Box 696, Cascade, ID 83611; or telephone 208-382-7430. Responding within this timeframe will enable forest personnel to analyze and respond to your comments in the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) and avoid undue delay in the decisionmaking process. Reviewers have an obligation to structure their participation in the review of the proposal so that it is meaningful and alerts the 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 have been raised at the draft stage may be waived if not raised until after completion of the FEIS. 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). Comments on the DEIS should be as specific as possible. It is also helpful if reviewers refer their comments to specific pages and/or chapters in the DEIS.
AVAILABILITY: Copies of the DEIS or copies of a summary are available upon request from the Cascade Ranger District Office, P.O. Box 696, Cascade, Idaho, 83611; or by calling 208-382-7430.
Supplementary Information
An environmental assessment (EA) for this project was released for a 30-day public review and comment period in April 1996 under the auspices of Public Law 104-19. Since that time, and prior to the release of the Decision Notice, clarification on implementation of Public Law 104-19 has made it necessary to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the project (Secretary of Agriculture Glickman, July 2, 1996). Five primary objectives have been identified for the project: (1) Salvage the dead and imminently dead trees from the area; (2) achieve the desired future condition of a healthy diverse forest in which important resource values, including healthy timber stands, are sustained; (3) improve big-game forage habitat, thin overcrowded stands of
plantations, and reduce natural fuel loads through the use of prescribed fire; (4) reduce current sediment delivery from existing roads by obliterating sections of these roads located immediately adjacent to perennial streams; and (5) provide sawlogs and other wood products to help sustain local sawmills and economies.
CONTACT: Further information can be obtained by contacting Project Leader Steve Patterson, Cascade Ranger District, P.O. Box 696, Cascade, Idaho, 83611; telephone 208-382-7430.
RESPONSIBLE OFFICIAL: David D. Rittenhouse, Forest Supervisor, Boise National Forest, 1750 Front Street, Boise, ID 83702.
Dated: September 10, 1996. David D. Rittenhouse, Forest Supervisor. [FR Doc. 96-26627 Filed 10-17-96; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410-11-M