[Federal Register: April 30, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 82)]
[Notices]
[Page 21203-21205]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr30ap07-34]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Wild and Scenic River Suitability Study for National Forest
System Lands in Utah; Ashley, Dixie, Fishlake, Manti-La Sal, Uinta, and
Wasatch-Cache National Forests; Utah
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a legislative environmental impact
statement.
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SUMMARY: The Forest Service, in cooperation with the State of Utah,
will prepare a draft and final legislative environmental impact
statement (LEIS) to complete the process for giving consideration to
potential national wild, scenic, and recreational river areas on the
National Forests in Utah under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. Portions
of those National Forests extend into Colorado and Wyoming, and those
areas will be included in the study. The Forest Service has evaluated
river segments on these National Forests to determine which ones meet
criteria for eligibility for inclusion in the National Wild and Scenic
Rivers System. The purpose of the LEIS is to determine which eligible
river segments are suitable for inclusion in the National Wild and
Scenic Rivers System. More information including: the full text of the
proposal, a list of eligible river segments by county and forest, and a
map showing eligible river segments is posted on the web at: http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://www.fs.fed.us/r4/rivers/
.
The Forest Service invites written comments and suggestions on the
suitability of eligible river segements for designation as wild,
scenic, or recreational rivers. The Forest Service gives notice of the
environmental analysis and determinations that will occur as a result
of this study so that interested and affected people are aware of how
they may participate and contribute to the final determination of
suitability for inclusion in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers
System.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis will be most
useful if submitted on or before June 30, 2007. The draft legislative
environmental impact statement is expected in November 2007 and the
final legislative environmental impact statement is expected to be
completed by the summer of 2008.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments concerning the suitability of the
river segments to: Catherine Kahlow, USFS WSR Team Leader, Attention:
WSR, P.O. Box 68, Kamas, UT 84036. Comments can also be hand delivered
Monday through Friday 8:00 am to 4:30 pm at: 50 East Center Street in
Kamas, Utah. In addition, comments can be submitted electronically to:
r4_utah_rivers@fs.fed.us on or before June 30, 2007.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Visit the website for up-to-date
information at: http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://www.fs.fed.us/r4/rivers/ or contact Catherine
Kahlow, USFS WSR Team Leader (see previous address information). For
information regarding meetings or media inquiries contact: Loyal Clark,
USFS Public Affairs Officer (Northern Utah) at (801) 342-5117 or Kenton
Call, USFS Public Affairs Officer (Southern Utah) at (435) 865-3730.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose and Need for Action
This Forest Service proposes to complete the process for
considering potential national wild, scenic, and recreational river
areas on the National Forest System lands in Utah under the Wild and
Scenic Rivers Act. The purpose of and need for this study is to assess
whether or not eligible river segments should be recommended to
Congress for inclusion in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.
Proposed Action
The Forest Service is proposing to conduct an environmental
analysis to complete the process for considering potential national
wild, scenic, and recreational river areas on the National Forests in
Utah under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. This action is conducted
pursuant to the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968 (Public Law 90-542)
and complies with the National
[[Page 21204]]
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969.
The final record of decision may also include amendments to the
Land and Resource Management Plans for the Utah National Forests to
provide direction for management of river segments determined to be
suitable for inclusion in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.
Background: Over the past decade, National Forests in Utah have
evaluated river segments on the National Forest for potential
eligibility for designation under the National Wild and Scenic Rivers
System. The majority of the eligibility inventory and tentative
classification took place during forest land and resource management
plan revision processes. However, eight river segments on the Dixie
National Forest were analyzed in conjunction with the Bureau of Land
Management (BLM) in the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument
Management Plan.
In order to be eligible, a river segment must be free-flowing and
must possess at least one outstandingly remarkable value. River
segments determined to be eligible were assigned a potential
classification as wild, scenic, or recreational based on the level of
development and access along the river corridor.
Forest Supervisors proposed interim direction for the management of
activities and uses that have the potential to affect the outstandingly
remarkable values and/or the wild, scenic, or recreational
classification of the eligible river segments until such a time that
the suitability studies are completed and a new management emphasis is
developed.
The eligibility process has largely been completed for all National
Forests in Utah. The purpose of this study is to further evaluate the
suitability of eligible river segements for inclusion in the National
Wild and Scenic Rivers System.
A suitability study is the final administrative step before a
recommendation is made to Congress. Evaluation of suitability will
provide an opportunity to determine if it will be appropriate to pursue
Congressional designation for specific river segments. The Forest
Service and State of Utah will consider, but not be limited to, the
following: ``worthy additions'' to the National System; tradeoffs in
management scenarios other than designation; land ownership status;
existing and potential uses of that segment; interest expressed by the
public, and tribal, Federal, State, and local agencies; estimated costs
for management and protection of identified outstandingly remarkable
values; ability of agency to manage and/or protect the river; and,
historical and existing uses which could be affected. The Wild and
Scenic Rivers Team will evaluate the suitability of the eligible river
segments together in one analysis to maintain consistency and to
complete the work efficiently.
Possible Alternatives
A range of alternatives will be considered. The range of
alternatives will include, as required be NEPA, a no action alternative
that does not recommend any eligible river segment for designation into
the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, and may include an
alternative that recommends designation of all eligible rivers (All
Suitable). Additional alternatives may be developed from information
analyzed during the suitability study, including public comments
received during the scoping process.
Cooperating Agencies
The State of Utah is a Cooperating Agency.
Responsible Officials
Kevin B. Elliott, Ashley National Forest, 355 North Vernal Avenue,
Vernal, Utah 84078;
Rob MacWhorter, Dixie National Forest, 1789 North Wedgewood Lane,
Cedar City, Utah 84720;
Mary C. Erickson, Fishlake National Forest, 115 East 900 North,
Richfield, Utah 84701;
Alice B. Carlton, Manti-La Sal National Forest, 599 West Price
River Dr., Price, Utah 84501;
Brian A. Ferebee, Uinta National Forest, 88 West 100 North, Provo,
Utah 84601;
Faye L. Krueger, Wasatch-Cache National Forest, 125 South State
Street, Salt Lake City, Utah 84138.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The record of decision will answer the following question: Which,
if any, of the eligible river segments under consideration should be
recommended to the Congress of the United States for inclusion in the
National Wild and Scenic Rivers System?
Scoping Process
Public participation is especially important at several points in
the study process. The first is the scoping process. The Forest Service
is seeking information and comments from Federal, State, and local
agencies, Tribes, organizations, and individuals who may be interested
in or affected by the proposed action. Public input will be considered
during preparation of the Draft LEIS.
Scoping meetings will be held around the State of Utah and in
Paradox, Colorado and Lyman, Wyoming during May and June of 2007. For a
list of meeting dates and locations, please check the WSR Web site at:
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://www.fs.fed.us/r4/rivers.
Comment Requested
This notice of intent initiates the scoping process which guides
the development of the environmental impact statement. This suitability
study is driven by suitability factors that will shape the analysis of
each river segment. These suitability factors are used to identify and
evaluate the trade-offs between competing uses and need for potential
designation of these rivers to the Wild and Scenic River System.
Suitability factors are noted on the website at http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://www.fs.fed.us/r4/rivers.
Comment on the application of existing suitability factors,
additional factors for the agency to consider, potential alternatives
to analyze and other related specific comments is requested.
Early Notice of Importance of Public Participation in Subsequent
Environmental Review
A draft environmental impact statement 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 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 comments
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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 24, 2007.
Faye L. Krueger,
Wasatch-Cache Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. E7-8149 Filed 4-27-07; 8:45 am]
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