[Federal Register: July 25, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 142)]
[Notices]
[Page 40831-40832]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr25jy07-35]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
South Project; Hell Canyon Ranger District, Black Hills National
Forest Custer, SD
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS).
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SUMMARY: The Hell Canyon Ranger District of the Black Hills National
Forest intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a
proposal to implement multiple resource management actions within the
South project area as directed by the Black Hills National Forest Land
and Resource Management Plan. The South project area is approximately
52,082 acres in size, with 43,045 acres of National Forest lands, 1,197
acres of state land and 7,840 acres of private land. The project
proposes to reduce the risk of large-scale wildfire effects on the At-
Risks Communities (ARC) of Custer, Pringle and Argyle, South Dakota,
provide for wildlife habitat needs, reduce risks of mountain pine
beetle infestation, provide a sustainable supply of commercial timber,
and provide management and public access.
DATES: Comments related to this project will be most useful to the
planning team if received within 30 days after publication of this
notice in the Federal Register. The draft environmental impact
statement is expected to be available January 2008 and the final
environmental impact statement is expected to be completed by June
2008.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Michael D. Lloyd, District Ranger,
Black Hills National Forest, Hell Canyon Ranger District, 330 Mount
Rushmore Road, Custer, South Dakota 57730. Telephone number: (605) 673-
4853. Fax number: (605) 673-5461. Electronic comments must be readable
in Word, RichText or pdf format and must contain ``South'' in the
subject line. Electronic comments may be e-mailed to:
comments-rocky-mountain-black-hills-hell-canyon@fs.fed.us.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Betsy Koncerak, Project Leader, at the
address listed above or by phone at (605) 673-4853.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The actions proposed are in direct response
to management direction provided by the Black Hills National Forest
Land and Resource Management Plan, as amended (Forest Plan). The
Project Area is located approximately four miles west of Custer, South
Dakota and is within Custer County. The northernmost point of the
project area lies approximately four miles north of US Highway 16 along
Lightning Creek road. The southernmost point of the project area is
approximately 12 miles south of US Highway 16 along Pleasant Valley
Road.
Purpose and Need for Action
The purpose and need for action in the South project area is to
reduce the risk of large-scale wildfire on the At-Risk Communities
(ARCs) of Custer, Pringle and Argyle, South Dakota (66 FR 43384),
provide for wildlife habitat needs, enhance vegetative diversity,
reduce the risk of mountain pine beetle infestation, and provide a
sustainable supply of commercial timber consistent with direction in
the Revised Forest Plan for the Black Hills National Forest, as amended
(Forest Plan), while providing for management and public access needs.
This project is focused on implementing management actions that move
toward achieving desired conditions and objectives embodied in Goals 10
(establish and maintain a mosaic of vegetation conditions to reduce
occurrences of large-scale fire, insect, and disease events), 2
(provide for biologically diverse ecosystems), and 3 (provide for
sustained commodity uses) of the Forest Plan.
Proposed Action
The proposed action includes the following management actions:
Commercial thinning to 40 basal area on approximately
9,621 acres to reduce fuels around private lands to reduce the risk of
large-scale wildfire. In addition, approximately 9,400 acres of
prescribed burning is proposed to reduce fuels in other portions of the
project area to create fuel breaks for community protection.
Commercial thinning to 60 basal area on approximately
2,628 acres to increase tree growth and vigor, reduce the potential for
mountain pine beetle infestation and reduce the potential for spreading
crown fires.
Releasing approximately 11,428 acres of regenerated pine
stands through overstory removal prescriptions.
Restoration and maintenance of meadows by removing
conifers from approximately 2,847 acres of these habitats.
Reducing the density of the managed road system, which is
currently 5.4 miles per square mile, by closing unneeded roads and by
converting needed, unauthorized roads to system roads.
[[Page 40832]]
Responsible Official
Michael D. Lloyd, District Ranger, Black Hills National Forest,
Hell Canyon Ranger District, 330 Mount Rushmore Road, Custer, South
Dakota 57730.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The decision to be made is whether or not to implement the proposed
action or an alternative to the proposed action at this time.
Scoping Process
The Hell Canyon Ranger District has mailed letters with
comprehensive scoping documents to landowners, local and tribal
government representatives, permittees, and other interested or
potentially affected parties and organizations. The scoping document
with attached maps will be posted on the Black Hills National Forest
Web site in July 2007. Comments submitted in response to this NOI will
be most useful to the project planning team if received within 30 days
from the date of this notice.
Comment Requested
This notice of intent is part of the scoping process which will
guide the development of the EIS. Comments received will assist the
planing team with identification of key issues to refine the proposal,
create alternative proposals, and identify necessary project design
features. Comments on the Draft EIS will be requested during the 45 day
comment period following publication of the Notice of Availability in
the Federal Register which is expected in January 2008.
Early Notice of Importance of Public Participation in Subsequent
Environmental Review
A Draft EIS will be prepared for comment. The comment period on the
draft environmental impact statement will be 45 days from the date the
Environmental Protection Agency publishes the Notice of Availability in
the Federal Register.
The Forest Service planning team would like to take this
opportunity to give reviewers advanced notice of several court rulings
related to public participation in the environmental review process:
(1) Reviewers of draft environmental impact statements must structure
their participation in the environmental review of the proposal so that
it is meaningful and alters an agency to the reviewer's position and
contentions. Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519,
553 (1978); (2) 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,
parties interested in this proposed action must submit comments by the
close of the 45 day comment period to assure that the Forest Service
planning team can meaningfully consider 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. Please 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 within the statement. 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 at 40 CFR 1503.3.
Comments received on this proposal, including names and addresses
of those who comment, will be considered part of the public record and
will be available for public inspection.
(Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7 and 1508.22; Forest Service Handbook
1909.15, Section 21)
Dated: July 18, 2007.
Craig Bobzien
Forest Supervisor, Black Hills National Forest.
[FR Doc. 07-3621 Filed 7-24-07; 8:45 am]
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