From: Subject: FR Doc 07-1082 Date: Thu, 8 Mar 2007 18:07:46 -0800 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/2007/07-1082.htm X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.3028 FR Doc 07-1082 
[Federal Register: March 8, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 45)]
[Notices]              =20
[Page 10489-10490]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr08mr07-46]                        =20

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Notices
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________

This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules =

or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings =

and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,=20
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and =
agency=20
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents=20
appearing in this section.

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[[Page 10489]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

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Selkirk Mountain Range Winter Travel Plan, Idaho Panhandle=20
National Forests, Bonner and Boundary Counties, ID and Pend Oreille=20
County, WA

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY: The USDA Forest Service will prepare an environmental impact=20
statement (EIS) to document and disclose the potential environmental=20
effects of a proposed winter travel plan for the Selkirk Mountain Range=20
on the Bonners Ferry, Priest Lake and Sandpoint Ranger Districts, Idaho=20
Panhandle National Forests (IPNF). The Selkirk Mountain Range is=20
located immediately northwest of Sandpoint, Idaho. The geographic area=20
for this travel plan is defined as the National Forest System lands on=20
the INPF that are bounded by US Highway 2 on the south, the Pend=20
Oreille Divide on the west, the international border with Canada on the=20
north, and US Highway 95 on the east. The proposal was designed using=20
science from assessments including the Situation Summary and Management=20
Strategy for caribou and winter recreation prepared by the IPNF in=20
2004. The proposal will result in a Selkirk Mountain Range winter=20
travel plan reflecting designated areas and routes of travel, and=20
applicable restrictions and types of use for each route or area by:
    (1) Responding to court direction relating to winter recreation use=20
within the woodland caribou recovery area.
    (2) Adapting management actions and land uses to changed=20
information and conditions in wildlife management, particularly for=20
threatened, endangered and sensitive species.
    (3) Providing for public access and motorized winter recreation=20
travel in the Selkirk Mountain Range considering both the quantity and=20
quality of opportunities provided.
    (4) Establishing objectives and/or restrictions to prevent and/or=20
correct any unacceptable resource impacts that are occurring.
    Activities would include: (1) Developing a winter motorized travel=20
plan for public access and recreation use considering both the quantity=20
and quality of experiences provided, in balance with resource=20
management objectives, (2) identifying the types of use and=20
restrictions associated with each resource management objective, and=20
(3) developing a new travel map reflecting winter motorized use,=20
designated areas and routes of travel, and applicable restrictions and=20
types of use for each route or area. Specifically the proposal will=20
allow winter motorized travel on 46 miles of designated routes, 90,028=20
acres will be closed to winter motorized use based on existing yearlong=20
closures, 13,639 acres would be closed seasonally to winter motorized=20
use from 4/1 until 6/30, and 40,404 acres would be added as closed to=20
winter motorized use. Under the proposal the remaining 434,760 acres of=20
National Forest Lands within the project area would be open to winter=20
motorized use.
    The Idaho Panhandle National Forests in Bonner and Boundary=20
Counties, Idaho and Pend Oreille County, Washington will administer=20
these activities. The EIS will tier to the Idaho Panhandle National=20
Forests Forest Plan. (September 1987).

DATES: Comments should be postmarked within 30 days after publication=20
of this notice. Please include your name and address and the name of=20
the project you are commenting on.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments and suggestions on the proposed=20
management activities or request to be placed on the project mailing=20
list by writing to: Selkirk Mountains Winter Travel Plan, Attn: Greg=20
Hetzler, Sandpoint Ranger District, 1500 Hwy 2, Suite 110, Sandpoint,=20
ID 83864.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Greg Hetzler, Project Team Leader,=20
Sandpoint Ranger District at 208-263-5111 or by e-mail at 
ghetzler@fs.fed.us.

    Comments received in response to this solicitation, including names=20
and addresses of those who comment, will be considered part of the=20
public record on this proposed action and will be available for public=20
inspection. Comments submitted anonymously will be accepted and=20
considered; however, those who submit anonymous comments will not have=20
standing to appeal the subsequent decision under 36 CFR part 215.=20
Additionally, pursuant to 7 CFR 1.27(d), any person may request the=20
agency to withhold a submission from the public record by showing how=20
the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) permits such confidentiality. For=20
persons requesting such confidentiality, it may be granted in only very=20
limited circumstances, such as to protect trade secrets. The Forest=20
Service will inform the requester of the agency's decision regarding=20
the request for confidentiality, and where the request is denied; the=20
agency will return the submission and notify the requester that the=20
comments may be resubmitted with or without name and address within 10=20
days.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: More information about the Selkirk Mountain=20
Range Winter Travel Plan can be found on the internet at http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=3D=
leavingFR.html&log=3Dlinklog&to=3Dhttp://www.fs.fed.us/ipnf/kanik=
su/wintertravelplan/.
 The purpose of the EIS=20

will be to analyze and disclose a range of appropriate winter motorized=20
recreational opportunities, while ensuring that these recreational=20
activities are in an appropriate setting and do not impair or=20
irreparably harm national forest resources or values. Alternatives to=20
be considered in the EIS will respond to the purpose and need.=20
Specifically, the Forest Service will include alternatives allowing=20
varying amounts and types of winter motorized use. Major issues to be=20
addressed in the EIS include the environmental effects of motorized=20
winter use on wildlife, providing appropriate levels and types of=20
motorized use, visitor experience, and socioeconomics.
    Two periods are specifically designated for comments on this=20
analysis: (1) During the scoping period which is 30 days from the date=20
of this notice in the Federal Register and (2) during the draft EIS=20
comment period. In accordance with 36 CFR 215.5, as published in the=20
Federal Register, Volume 68 No. 107, June 4, 2003, the draft EIS=20
comment period will be the designated time in which comments will be=20
considered. The mailing list for this project will include those=20
individuals who have expressed interest

[[Page 10490]]

in this project as well as adjacent landowners and those responding to=20
this NOI or to the Idaho Panhandle National Forests Quarterly Schedule=20
of Proposed Actions. In addition, the public is encouraged to contact=20
or visit with Forest Service officials during the analysis and prior to=20
the decision. The Forest Service will continue to seek information,=20
comments, and assistance from Federal, Tribal, State, and local=20
agencies and other individuals or organizations that may be interested=20
in or affected by the proposed actions. The United States Fish and=20
Wildlife Service will be consulted concerning any effects to threatened=20
and endangered species. The agency invites written comments and=20
suggestions on this action, particularly in terms of identification of=20
issues and alterative development.
    Comments from the public and other agencies will be used in=20
preparation of the Draft EIS to identify potential issues and concerns,=20
potential alternatives to the proposed action and to promote=20
communications with members of the public or other agencies. The draft=20
environmental impact statement (DEIS) will be field with the=20
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and made available for public=20
review in the summer of 2007. The final environmental impact statement=20
is expected to be completed in winter of 2008. The comment period on=20
the draft environmental impact statement will be 45 days from the date=20
the Environmental Protection Agency publishes the notice of=20
availability in the Federal 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 review of the proposal so that it is meaningful and=20
alerts and agency to the reviewer's position and contentions. Vermont=20
Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519, 553 (1978). Also,=20
environmental objections that could be raised at the draft=20
environmental statement stage but that are not raised until after=20
completion of the final environmental statement may be waived or=20
dismissed by the courts. City of Angoon v. Hodel, 803 F 2d 1016, 1022=20
(9th Cir. 1986 and Wisconsin Heritages, Inc. v. Harris, 490 F. Supp.=20
1334, 1338 (E.D. Wis. 1980). Because of these court rulings, it is very=20
important that those interested in this proposed action participate by=20
the close of the 45-day comment period so that comments and objections=20
are made available to the Forest Service at a time when it can=20
meaningfully consider them and respond to them in the final=20
environmental impact statement.
    To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues=20
related to the proposed action, comments on the draft environmental=20
impact statement should be as specific as possible. It is also helpful=20
if comments refer to specific pages or chapters of the draft statement.=20
Comments may also address the adequacy of the draft environmental=20
impact statement or the merits of the alternatives formulated and=20
discussed in the statement. Reviewers may wish to refer to the Council=20
on Environmental quality Regulations for implementing the procedural=20
provisions of the National environmental Policy Act at 40 CFR 1503.3 in=20
addressing these points.
    The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits=20
discrimination in its programs on the basis of race, color, national=20
origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, and marital=20
or familial status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.)=20
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of=20
communication of program information (braille, large print, audiotape,=20
etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and=20
TDD). To file a complaint, write the Secretary of Agriculture, U.S.=20
Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC 20250, or call 1-800-245-6340=20
(voice) or 202-720-1127 (TDD). USDA is an equal employment opportunity=20
employer.
    The Idaho Panhandle National Forests Supervisor is the Deciding=20
Officer on this project. The decision will be made after considering=20
comments and responses, environmental consequences discussed in the=20
Final EIS, and applicable laws, regulations and policies. The decision=20
and supporting reasons will be documented in a Record of Decision upon=20
release of the Final EIS.

    Dated: March 2, 2007.
Ranotta K. McNair,
Forest Supervisor, Idaho Panhandle National Forests.
[FR Doc. 07-1082 Filed 3-7-07; 8:45 am]

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