From: Subject: FR Doc 07-3771 Date: Thu, 2 Aug 2007 22:47:31 -0700 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/07-3771.htm X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.3138 FR Doc 07-3771 
[Federal Register: August 2, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 148)]
[Notices]              =20
[Page 42376-42378]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr02au07-52]                        =20

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

=20
Colville National Forest; Washington; Republic Ranger Station=20
Excess Residence Sale

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.

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SUMMARY: The Colville National Forest, USDA Forest Service, will=20
prepare an EIS (environmental impact statement) on a proposal to sell a=20
0.4-acre parcel of land with a residential building, located on the=20
Republic Ranger District administrative compound, within the City of=20
Republic, Ferry County Washington. The parcel and Building are no=20
longer needed to meet public service of Forest Service mission=20
requirements. The Forest Service Facility Realignment and Enhancement=20
Act of 2005 authorized the Secretary of Agriculture to sell=20
administrative sites that are no longer needed for National Forest=20
System purposes. Project implementation is scheduled for Fiscal Year=20
2008. This project is not associated with the proposed Secure Rural=20
Schools Land Sale Initiative. The Colville National Forest invites=20
written comments and suggestions on the scope of the analysis. The=20
agency will give notice of the full environmental analysis and=20
decision-making process so interested and affected people may=20
participate and contribute to the final decision.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received=20
by August 31, 2007. The draft environmental impact statement is=20
expected in November 2007 and the final environmental impact statement=20
is expected in January 2008.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Rick Brazell, Forest Supervisor,=20
Colville National Forest, 765 South Main, Colville, WA 99114 (phone=20
509-684-7000). Comments may be submitted electronically to 
comments-pacificnorthwest-colville@fs.fed.us. Comments may also be =
sent by fax=20

to (509) 775-7401. Include your name and mailing address with your=20
comments so documents pertaining to this project may be mailed to you.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ed Shaw, Reality Specialist, Colville

[[Page 42377]]

National Forest, 765 South Main, Colville, WA 99114 (phone 509-684-
7129), or Jim Parker, EIS Project Leader, Republic Ranger District, 650=20
East Delaware, Republic WA 99166 (phone 509-775-7462).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:=20

Purpose and Need for Action

    One of the key findings of the Colville National Forest Facilities=20
Master Plan is that the Colville National Forest maintains more=20
facility space than it needs to perform its mission. The Colville=20
National Forest needs to remove unneeded buildings from the Forest's=20
facility inventory in order to eliminate the cost of maintaining=20
unneeded facilities.

Proposed Action

    The proposed action is to sell 0.4 acres of land with a residential=20
building, located on the Republic Ranger District administrative=20
compound, located in Republic, Ferry County, Washington. The property=20
legal description is: A portion of the SW\1/4\NW\1/4\ Section 6, T36N,=20
R33E, WM. The site is located within the city limits of Republic,=20
Washington. The land was acquired by the Forest Service in 1934.
    The site has one residential building. The mineral estate would be=20
reserved by the government. Water and sewer are provided by a community=20
system.
    This property may be sold directly to an identified purchaser or=20
may be sold under competitive bidding procedures. The method of sale=20
will be determined at a later date. If the property is offered for sale=20
under competitive bidding procedures, an Invitation for Bid will=20
provide specific information, including a minimum bid price, the=20
scheduled starting date for bidding, approximate bid closing date,=20
requirements and instructions for bidding, payment and other closing=20
procedures. An Offer to Sell will be released after all environmental=20
studies and other required analysis ar completed and a final decision=20
to sell the property is made.

Responsible Official

    The Responsible Official is Rick Brazell, Forest Supervisor,=20
Colville National Forest, 765 South Main, Colville, WA 99114.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The Responsible Official will decide whether or not to proceed with=20
sale of Republic Ranger Station residence and property, including any=20
outstanding interests or conditions to be conveyed. The decision and=20
rationale for the decision will be documented in the Record of=20
Decision, which will be subject to Forest Service Appeal Regulations=20
(36 CFR Part 215).

Scoping Process

    The scoping process will identify and clarify issues, identify key=20
issues to be analyzed in depth, explore alternatives based on themes=20
derived from key issues recognized during the scoping process, and=20
identify potential environmental effects associated with the proposed=20
action. A No Action alternative will be considered.

Preliminary Issues

    Only one key issue was identified in preliminary project=20
assessment: The National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, Revised,=20
requires that Federal agencies evaluate properties for historic=20
significance under Section 106. The residential structure has been=20
found eligible to the NHRP (National Register of Historic Places), with=20
the Washington State Historic Preservation Office concurring on this=20
finding. Conveyance of the property from Federal ownership will be an=20
adverse effect because of NRHP eligibility based on the following=20
criteria: The property may represent a significant contribution to the=20
American history (Criterion A), is associated with the lives of=20
significant persons in our past (Criterion B), displays distinctive=20
characteristics of type or period (Criterion C), or may be likely to=20
yield information important to history (Criterion D). The NRHP=20
eligibility for the structure is based on a national significance of=20
context in association with the Depression-era Civilian Conservation=20
Corps. Eligibility is also based on national and regional significance=20
of context associated with distinctive architectural characteristics.=20
The property also contains a deposit of prehistoric lithic material=20
which would also be eligible for listing on the NRHP; however, the=20
Forest Service intends to conduct a data recovery excavation of the=20
site. Data will be professionally recorded, and artifacts recovered=20
will be curated at an approved curation facility.

Comment Requested

    This notice of intent initiates the scoping process which guides=20
the development of the environmental impact statement. The Forest=20
Service is seeking information, comments, and assistance from other=20
agencies, organizations, Indian Tribes, and individuals who may be=20
interested in or affected by the Proposed Action. This input will be=20
used in preparation of the Draft EIS. Your comments are appreciated=20
throughout the analysis process.
    Early Notice of Importance of Public Participation in Subsequent=20
Environmental Review: A draft environmental impact statement will be=20
prepared for comment. The comment period on the draft environmental=20
impact statement will be 45 days from the date the Environmental=20
Protection Agency publishes the notice of availability in the Federal=20
Register.
    The Forest Service believes, at this early stage, it is important=20
to give reviewers notice of several court rulings related to public=20
participation in the environmental review process. First, reviewers of=20
draft environmental impact statements must structure their=20
participation in the environmental review of the proposal so that it is=20
meaningful and alerts an agency to the reviewer's position and=20
contentions. Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519,=20
553 (1978). Also, environmental objections that could be raised at the=20
draft environmental impact statement stage but that are not raised=20
until after completion of the final environmental impact statement may=20
be waived or dismissed by the courts. City of Angoon v. Hodel, 803 F.2d=20
1016, 1022 (9th Cir. 1986) and Wisconsin Heritages, Inc. v. Harris, 490=20
F. Supp. 1334, 1338 (E.D. Wis. 1980). Because of these court rulings,=20
it is very important that those interested in this proposed action=20
participate by the close of the 45-day comment period so that=20
substantive comments and objections are made available to the Forest=20
Service at a time when it can meaningfully consider them and respond to=20
them in the final environmental impact statement.
    To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues=20
and concerns on the proposed action, comments on the draft=20
environmental impact statement should be as specific as possible. It is=20
also helpful if comments refer to specific pages or chapters of the=20
draft statement. Comments may also address the adequacy of the draft=20
environmental impact statement or the merits of the alternatives=20
formulated and discussed in the statement. Reviewers may wish to refer=20
to the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for implementing=20
the procedural provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act at=20
40 CFR 1503.3 in addressing these points.
    Comments received, including the names and addresses of those who=20
comment, will be considered part of the public record on this proposal=20
and will be available for public inspection.

(Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7 and 1508.22; Forest Service Handbook=20
1909.15, Section 21)


[[Page 42378]]


    Dated: July 26, 2007.
Rick Brazell,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 07-3771 Filed 8-1-07; 8:45 am]

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