[Federal Register: April 9, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 68)]
[Notices]
[Page 17340-17341]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr09ap03-33]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Bridger-Teton National Forest--Wyoming--Big Piney, Grey River and
Jackson Ranger Districts; Sublette and Lincoln Counties, WY;
Environmental Impact Statement for Wyoming Range Allotment Complex
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
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SUMMARY: The Wyoming Range Allotment Complex (composed of the Corral
Creek, Mule Creek, Grizzly Creek, Pickle Pass, Upper Grayback/
Phosphate, North Horse, and Prospect Peak domestic sheep allotments) is
located in Townships 34, 35, 36 and 37 North, Ranges 114, 115 and 116
West; Sixth Principal Meridian. The majority of the area (65%) is
located within Sublette County, with the remainder being in Lincoln
County. The complex is located on three districts--Greys River,
Jackson, and Big Piney. Big Piney Ranger District administers all the
allotments except Pickle Pass, which is administered by the Greys River
District.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received
by May 11, 2003. The draft environmental impact statement is expected
July 2003 and the final environmental impact statement is expected
September 2003.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to: District Ranger, Big Piney Ranger
District, Box 218, Big Piney, Wyoming 83113. For further information,
mail correspondence to mailroom_r4_bridger_teton@fs.fed. and on
the subject line put only ``Wyoming Range Complex.''
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: District Ranger, Big Piney Ranger
District, Box 218, Big Piney, Wyoming 83113 or phone (307) 276-3710.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose and Need for Action
The Purpose and Need is to make recommendations on interpretation
and site specific application of Forest Plan standards and guidelines
to determine whether or not to allow domestic livestock grazing on the
allotment complex.
To date, the Forest Service has identified four alternatives:
Alternative 1--Proposed Action
The Forest Service proposes to determine on the allotment complex
if livestock grazing of 5 sheep bands will continue to be authorized on
the allotment complex. All vacant allotment and allotment boundary
changes have been incorporated into the complex through the
administrative process as defined in FSH 2209.13--Grazing Permit
Administration Handbook, Chapter 90--Rangeland Management Decision
Making, Interim Directive No.: 2209.13-2002-4 Section 96--Delineation
of Grazing Allotments and Section 98--Allotment Management Changes.
Possible Alternative
Alternative 2--No Action--Continue With the Current Livestock
Management
The current management provides for grazing 5 bands of sheep on the
allotment complex. All vacant allotment and allotment boundary changes
have been incorporated into the complex through the administrative
process as defined in FSH 2209.13--grazing permit administration
handbook, chapter 90--rangeland management decision making, Interim
Directive No.: 2209.13-2002-4 Sections 96--Delineation of Grazing
Allotments and section 98--Allotment Management Changes.
Alternative 3--Separation Between Domestic Sheep Grazing Area and the
Bighorn Sheep Core Area Boundary--Close Upper Grayback/Phosphate,
Pickle Pass, Grizzly Creek and a Portion of Corral Creek Allotments to
Domestic Sheep Grazing
This alternative would close the Upper Grayback/Phosphate, Pickle
Pass, Grizzly Creek and approximately \2/3\ of the Corral Creek
allotments to domestic sheep grazing. The remaining area of Corral
Creek allotment would be combined with the North Horse Creek Allotment
and would remain open to domestic sheep grazing. This alternative
provides separation from the bighorn sheep core native herd boundary
and would include all the management actions described in the proposed
action.
Alternative 4--No Livestock Grazing
No domestic livestock would be allowed to graze on the allotment
complex. We are required in 40 CFR 1502.14(d) and Forest Service
Handbook 1909.15, 23.1 to consider the No Livestock Grazing alternative
in detail and to use it as a ``baseline'' for comparing the effects of
the other alternatives.
Responsible Officials
Greg Clark, District Forest Ranger, Big Piney Ranger District, P.O.
Box 218, Big Piney, Wyoming 83113. District Forest Ranger, Greys River
Ranger District, P.O. Box 339, Afton, Wyoming 83110 Nancy Hall,
District Forest Ranger, Jackson Ranger District, P.O. Box 1689,
Jackson, Wyoming 83001.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The decision, which is based on this analysis, will be decide if
livestock will be allowed to graze on the allotment complex, either
through the implementation of the proposed action, or an alternative to
the proposed action. The decision would include any mitigation measures
needed in addition to those prescribed in the Forest Plan.
Scoping Process
The Forest Service is seeking information, comments, and assistance
from individuals, organizations, tribal governments, and federal,
state, and local agencies interested in or affected by this project.
Comments submitted on the 1999 scoping effort, comments on the
Environmental Assessment released in December of 2002, previous field
trips, and any new comments will be used to prepare the Draft
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). Public participation will be
solicited by notifying in person and/or by mail known interested and
affected publics. News releases will be used to give the public general
notice. Public participation activities would include requests for
written comments. The first formal opportunity to comment is to respond
to this notice of intent, which initiates the scoping process (40 CFR
1501.7). Scoping includes: (1) Identifying potential issues, (2)
narrowing the potential issues and identifying significant issues of
those that have been covered by prior environmental review, (3)
exploring alternatives in addition to No Action, and (4) identifying
potential environmental effects of the proposed action and
alternatives.
Preliminary Issues
The Forest Service has identified the following potential issues.
In addition, through the April 1999 scoping effort and comments
received on the Environmental Assessment released in December 2002,
issues have been
[[Page 17341]]
refined. Your input is especially valuable here. It will help us
determine which of these merit detailed analysis. It will also help
identify additional issues related to the proposed action that may not
be listed here.
Issue 1--Effects of grazing on vegetation.
Issue 2--Effects of grazing on watershed condition and function.
Issues 3--Effects of livestock on big horn sheep.
Issue 3--Effects of grazing on the Colorado cutthroat trout
habitat.
Comment Requested
This notice of intent initiates the scoping process that guides the
development of the environmental impact statement.
Early Notice of Importance of Public Participation in Subsequent
Environmental Review
The Draft EIS (DEIS) is proposed to be filed with the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) and to be available for public comment in the
Spring of 2003. At that time, the EPA will publish a notice of
availability for the DEIS in the Federal Register. The comment period
on the DEIS will be 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 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
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, 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 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 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.
Comments received, including the names and addresses of those who
comment, will be considered part of the public record on this proposal
and will be available for public inspection.
(Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7 and 1508.22; Forest Service Handbook
1909.15, Section 21)
Dated: April 3, 2003.
Greg Clark,
District Forest Ranger.
[FR Doc. 03-8630 Filed 4-8-03; 8:45 am]
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