[Federal Register: September 7, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 172)]
[Notices]
[Page 53150-53151]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr07se05-37]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Gold Camp Road Final Plan/Environmental Impact Statement and
Record of Decision
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of availability and decision.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act, the
Pike National Forest of the Rocky Mountain Region of the Forest Service
announces availability of the Final Plan and Final Environmental Impact
Statement (Final Plan/EIS) and Record of Decision (ROD) for the Gold
Camp Road. The Forest Service is also announcing the agency's decision
to restore and reopen a collapsed railroad tunnel and reopen a closed
section of Gold Camp Road to one-way traffic, with a third party
partner to operate the segment of road (Modified Alternative E). The
objective of the management plan for the road is to best accommodate
public use and access to National Forest System lands and nearby
private in-holdings while maintaining public safety and the historic
character of the road. The affected road segment has been closed since
1988 for safety reasons.
DATES: The appeal period for the decision will be 45 days from the date
the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) publishes the notice of
availability and decision in the Federal Register. The notice of
availability will be published in the Federal Register on September 9,
2005.
ADDRESSES: The Final Plan/EIS and ROD are available on the Internet at
http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/psicc/projects/gold_camp/. Copies of the Final
Plan/EIS and ROD may be obtained by contacting the Pikes Peak Ranger
District, 601 S. Weber St., Colorado Springs, CO 80903. Notice of
Appeal must be sent to: USDA-Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region,
Attn: Appeals Deciding Officer, P.O. Box 25127, Lakewood, Colorado
80225.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Frank Landis, Supervisory Outdoor
Recreation Planner, Pikes Peak Ranger District, at the address listed
above or by telephone at 719-477-4203.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Final Plan/EIS and ROD are also
available for inspection at the following public libraries in Colorado:
Penrose Public Library--20 N. Cascade Ave., Colorado Springs, CO 80903
East Library--5550 N. Union Blvd., Colorado Springs, CO 80918
The Forest Service announced in the Federal Register (69 FR 39401,
June 30, 2004) that the agency intended to prepare an EIS addressing
the possible federal action of preparing a plan for the Gold Camp Road
and inviting comments on the scope of the EIS. Comments were received
from April 12 through August
[[Page 53151]]
17, 2004 and were considered in the Draft Plan/EIS.
Notices of availability were published in the Federal Register for
the Gold Camp Road Draft Plan/EIS by the Forest Service (70 FR 2605,
January 14, 2005) and the EPA (70 FR 4119, January 28, 2005). Comments
were accepted on the Draft Plan/EIS through March 29, 2005. Comments
were considered and the Final Plan/EIS was prepared based on agency and
public input. The Final Plan/EIS contains a new preferred alternative
that incorporates elements of three of the other action alternatives.
A ROD accompanies the Final Plan/EIS. The ROD accompanying the
Final Plan/EIS is subject to appeal pursuant to 36 CFR 215.
Reviewers are obligated to structure their participation in the
National Environmental Policy Act process so that it is meaningful and
alerts the agency to the reviewer's position and contentions, [Vermont
Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. v. NRDS. 435 U.S. 519, 553, (1978)].
Environmental objections that could have been raised at the draft stage
may be waived if not raised until after completing the Final EIS [City
of Angoon v. Hodel (9th Circuit 1986) and Wisconsin Heritages Inc. v.
Harris 490 F. Suppl. 1334, 1338 (E.D. Wis. 1980)].
This notice is provided pursuant to federal regulations
implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (40 CFR 1506.6).
Dated: August 30, 2005.
Robert J. Leaverton,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 05-17711 Filed 9-6-05; 8:45 am]
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