[Federal Register: November 3, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 212)] [Notices] [Page 59736-59737] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr03no99-73] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Forest Service Gunflint Corridor Fuels Reduction Environmental Impact Statement AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: On August 24, 1999, the Council on Environmental Quality granted alternative arrangements for the immediate actions needed to address public safety concerns within the Gunflint Trail Corridor as a result of the 4th of July Blowdown Event. These alternative arrangements are effective until close of business on Friday, December 24, 1999. Subsequent actions which the Agency (Forest Service) proposed to take over the ``longer term'' were to be addressed through the normal NEPA process. Therefore, the Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to reduce the fire hazard and restore damaged components of the ecosystem within the Gunflint Corridor. The objectives of the project are to: (1) Reduce fuel and fire hazard, (2) Provide and improve land-based infrastructure needs for fire suppression or public evacuation, (3) Increase the acreage and component of longer lived species, particularly pine, (4) Improve long term visual quality, and (5) Reforest blown-down areas. The Record of Decision will disclose how the Forest Service has decided to treat more than 11,000 acres of blowdown fuels. The proposed action is to treat an estimated 8400 acres with mechanical means such as commercial timber sales or service contract for piling and burning; treat 3000 acres with prescribed fire; and treat 100 acres with service contracts for hand treatment. A range of alternatives responsive to significant issues will be developed, including a no-action alternative. The proposed project is located on the Gunflint Ranger District, Grand Marais, MN, Superior National Forest. The Gunflint Ranger District is requesting the project be considered an emergency under CFR 215.10(d)(1). DATES: Comments concerning the scope of this project should be received by December 6, 1999. ADDRESSES: Please send written comments to: Gunflint Ranger District, Superior National Forest, Attn.: Gunflint Corridor Fuels Reduction EIS, P.O. Box 790, Grand Marais, MN 55604. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jo Barnier, District Ranger, or Becky Bartol, Team Leader, Gunflint Ranger District, Superior National Forest, P.O. Box 790, Grand Marais, MN 55604, telephone (218) 387-1750. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Public participation will be an integral component of the study process and will be especially important at several points during the analysis. The first is during the scoping process. The Forest Service will be seeking information, comments, and assistance from Federal, State and local agencies, individuals, and organizations that may be interested in, or affected by, the proposed activities. The scoping process will include: (1) Identification of potential issues, (2) identification of issues to be analyzed in depth, and (3) elimination of insignificant issues or those which have been covered by a previous environmental review. Written scoping comments will be solicited through a scoping package that will be sent to the project mailing list and to the local newspaper. For the Forest Service to best use the scoping input, comments should be received by December 6, 1999. Issues identified for analysis in the EIS include the potential effects of the project on and the relationship of the project to: Fuel hazard reduction, riparian areas and Shipstead Newton Nolan areas, reforestation, temporary roads, inventoried candidate special management complexes, roadless areas, and others. Based on the results of scoping and the resource capabilities within the Project Area, alternatives, including a no-action alternative, will be developed for the Draft EIS. The Draft EIS is projected to be filed with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in February 2000. The Final EIS is anticipated in May 2000. The comment period on the Draft EIS will be a minimum of 45 days from the date the EPA 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 EISs 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)). Environmental objections that could have been raised at the Draft EIS stage may be waived or dismissed by the courts (City of Angoon v. Hodel, 803 F.2nd 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 they can be meaningfully considered and responded to in the Final EIS. To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues and concerns of the Proposed Action, comments during scoping and on the Draft EIS should be as specific as possible and refer to specific pages or chapters. Comments may address the adequacy of the Draft EIS or the merits of the alternatives formulated and discussed. In addressing these points reviewers may wish to refer to the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for implementing the procedural provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act in 40 CFR 1503.3. Comments received in response to this solicitation, including names and addresses of those who comment, will be considered part of the public record on this Proposed Action and will be available for public inspection. Comments submitted anonymously will be accepted and considered. Pursuant to 7 CFR 1.27(d), any person may request the agency to withhold a submission, from the public record, by showing how the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) permits such confidentiality. Requesters should be aware that, under FOIA, confidentiality may be granted in only very limited circumstances, such as to [[Page 59737]] protect trade secrets. The Forest Service will inform the requester of the agency's decision regarding the request for confidentiality. If the request is denied, the agency will return the submission and notify the requester that the comments may be resubmitted with or without name and address within seven days. Permits/Authorizations The proposed action includes prescribed burning in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. An amendment to the Superior National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan would be needed for such burns. James W. Sanders, Forest Supervisor, Superior National Forest, would be the responsible official for the plan amendment. Responsible Official Jo Barnier, Gunflint District Ranger, Superior National Forest, is the responsible official. In making the decision, the responsible official will consider the comments, responses, disclosure of environmental consequences, and applicable laws, regulations, and policies. The responsible official will state the rationale for the chosen alternative in the Record of Decision. Dated: October 27, 1999. Jo Barnier, District Ranger. [FR Doc. 99-28699 Filed 11-2-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410-11-M