Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Summary: Of the 3,057,000 acres of require implementation of projects or meaningful and alerts an agency to the
western juniper within the 5.6 million cause environmental impacts their reviewer’s position and contentions.
acre planning area: positive or negative. Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. v.
198,000 acres would be protected as natu- NRDC, 435 U.S. 519, 553 (1978). Also,
Scoping Process
rally occurring juniper. environmental objections that could be
1,591,000 acres would be assess for poten- The agencies held a series of seven raised at the draft environmental impact
tial prescribed fire treatment. informational meetings in communities statement stage but that are not raised
751,000 acres would be assessed for treat- across the planning area during the until after completion of the final
ment in association with timber manage- summer of 2004. The times and location environmental impact statement may be
ment. for issue scoping meetings will be
421,000 acres would be assessed for poten-
waived or dismissed by the courts. City
announced through the news media in of Angoon v. Hodel, 803 F.2d 1016,
tial mechanical treatment.
96,000 acres would be assessed for poten- the region and in direct mailings. 1022 (9th Cir. 1986) and Wisconsin
tial hand treatment. Information on the proposed action will Heritages, Inc. v. Harris, 490 F. Supp.
also be posted on the forest Web site, 1334, 1338 (E.D. Wis. 1980). Because of
3,057,000 acres http://www.fs.ged.us/r5/modoc/ these court rulings, it is very important
As part of the planning process, an projects/juniperstrategy.shtml, and that those interested in this proposed
implementation schedule for priority advertised in the Modoc Record. action participate by the close of the 45-
treatment areas would be developed. Comment Requested day comment period so that substantive
Preliminary issues: Based on the comments and objections are made
public listening sessions held in July This notice of intent initiates the available to the Forest Service at a time
2004 preliminary issues to be addressed scoping process which guides when it can meaningfully consider them
in the EIS include: short term impacts development of the environmental and respond to them in the final
on riparian areas, visual resources, impact statement. The agencies will environmental impact statement.
wildlife habitat, and cultural resources; seek scoping comments relative to the To assist the Forest Service in
and long term potential for the extent of degradation of the sagebrush identifying and considering issues and
introduction or spread of invasive steppe ecosystems and associated concerns on the proposed action,
species, impacts on rangeland permit natural resource issues to be addressed comments on the draft environmental
holders, and nutrient cycling as a result in the management plan and impact statement should be as specific
of various treatment methods. In environmental impact statement. This as possible. It is also helpful if
addition the risks associated with the notice of intent initiates the scoping comments refer to specific pages or
introduction of a large scale prescribed process, which guides the development chapters of the draft statement.
fire treatment program will be of the environmental impact statement. Comments may also address the
evaluated. Comments submitted during this adequacy of the draft environmental
Tentative Alternatives: At this time scoping process should be in writing impact statement or the merits of the
the agencies have identified the and should be specific to the proposed alternatives formulated and discussed in
proposed action measured against the action. The comments should describe the statement. Reviewers may wish to
no-action alternative. as clearly and completely as possible refer to the Council on Environmental
any issues the commenter has with the Quality Regulations for implementing
Lead Agency proposal. The scoping process includes: the procedural provisions of the
USDA Forest Service, Modoc National (a) Identifying potential issues. National Environmental Policy Act at 40
Forest (b) Identifying issues to be analyzed
CFR 1503.3 in addressing these points.
in depth. Comments received, including the names
Cooperating Agencies (c) Eliminating non-significant issues and addresses of those who comment, will be
USDI, Bureau of Land Management or those previously covered by a considered part of the public record on this
Alturas Field Office, 708 West 12th relevant previous environmental proposal and will be available for public
Street, Alturas CA 96101 (Contact Tim analysis. inspection.
Burke (530) 233–4666) (d) Exploring additional alternatives. (Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7 and 1508.22;
Modoc County, California, Planning (e) Identifying potential Forest Service Handbook 1909.15, Section
Department, Attention: Sean Curtis, 203 environmental effects of the proposed 21)
West 4th Street, Alturas, CA 96101. action and alternatives.
Early Notice of Importance of Public Dated: July 18, 2005.
Responsible Officials Participation in the Subsequently Stanley G. Sylva,
Modoc National Forest Supervisor Environmental Review: A draft Forest Supervisor, Modoc National Forest.
Stan Sylva and BLM Alturas Field environmental impact statement will be [FR Doc. 05–14638 Filed 7–25–05; 8:45 am]
Manager Tim Burke are the responsible prepared for public review and BILLING CODE 3410–11–M
officials for this planning effort. comment. A 45-day public comment
period will be announced, starting from
Nature of Decision To Be Made the date that the Environmental
The responsible officials will utilize Protection Agency publishes a Notice of DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
information from the environment Availability in the Federal Register. The Submission for OMB Review;
impact statement to guide decision Forest Service believes, at this early Comment Request
making concerning coordinating stage, it is important to give reviewers
treatment projects across ownerships notice of several court rulings related to The Department of Commerce has
and in amending or revision of their public participation in the submitted to the Office of Management
resource management plans that provide environmental review process. First, and Budget (OMB) for clearance the
guidance for subsequent site specific reviewers of draft environmental impact following proposal for collection of
project analysis. Decisions related to the statements must structure their information under the provisions of the
environmental impact statement are participation in the environmental Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C.
policy and strategic in nature and do not review of the proposed so that it is Chapter 35).
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43120 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 142 / Tuesday, July 26, 2005 / Notices
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