From: Subject: FR Doc 07-4373 Date: Sun, 16 Sep 2007 23:34:10 -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/2007/07-4373.htm X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.3138 FR Doc 07-4373 
[Federal Register: September 14, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 178)]
[Notices]              =20
[Page 52539-52540]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr14se07-23]                        =20

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

=20
Black Hills National Forest, Northern Hills Ranger District,=20
South Dakota, West Rim Project Area

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Forest Service will prepare an environmental impact=20
statement on a proposal to implement multiple resource management=20
actions within the West Rim Project Area to implement the amended Black=20
Hills National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan. The West Rim=20
Project Area covers approximately 43,028 acres of National Forest=20
System land and approximately 10,129 acres of interspersed private land=20
southwest of Spearfish, South Dakota. a 1/2 mile buffer around all=20
parcels of private land is identified as Wildland Urban Interface=20
(WUI). Proposed actions include a combination of vegetation and fuels=20
treatments to reduce fire hazard, reduce mountain pine beetle=20
susceptibility, and improve vegetative diversity. The proposed action=20
includes approximately 6,800 acres of commercial thinning, 3,500 acres=20
of overstory removal, 13,700 acres of pre-commercial thinning, 2,300=20
acres of commercial seed cuts, 470 acres of fuel reduction treatments,=20
and up to 13,800 acres of prescribed burning. Approximately 25 miles of=20
new road construction would be necessary to carry out the proposed=20
vegetation management actions.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received=20
by October 15, 2007. The draft environmental impact statement is=20
expected to be available February 2008 and the final environmental=20
impact statement is expected to be completed by July 2008.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to: Rhonda O'Byrne, District Ranger,=20
Northern Hills Ranger District, 2014 North Main Street, Spearfish, SD=20
57783. Telephone number: (605) 642-4622. E-mail: 
comments-rocky-mountain-black-hills-northern-hills@fs.fed.us with =
``West Rim Project''=20

as the subject.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Chris Stores, Assistant District=20
Planner, Northern Hills Ranger District, 2014 North Main Street,=20
Spearfish, SD 57783. Telephone number: (605) 642-4622.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:=20

Purpose of and Need for Action

    The purpose of and need for the actions proposed in the West Rim=20
project area is to reduce fire hazard and the risk of mountain pine=20
beetle infestation and to increase vegetative diversity. All actions=20
are intended to move toward or achieve related forest Plan Goals and=20
Objectives, consistent with forest Plan Standards and Guidelines.

Proposed Action

    Proposed actions include the following:
    Reduce the acres at moderate-to-high fire hazard by thinning stands=20
to decrease crown proximity and by reducing fuel accumulations.=20
Thinning may use commercial or non-commercial methods. Fuel reduction=20
treatments could include lopping, chipping, crushing, piling and=20
burning, construction of fuel breaks, and broadcast prescribed burning.
    Reduce acres at high or medium susceptibility to mountain pine=20
beetle by thinning stands and changing stand structure. Commercial and=20
non-commercial (including prescribed burning) methods may be used.
    Increase vegetative diversity through understory or overstory=20
thinning, including commercial and non-commercial timber harvest.=20
Remove ponderosa pine from hardwood, meadow, and riparian areas. Manage=20
known location of old growth for old growth characteristics.
    Road construction and maintenance activities necessary to access=20
areas proposed for timber harvest. New roads would be closed following=20
harvest, and existing roads that are not in the National Forest System=20
could also be closed in conjunction with this project.
    The Forest Service is the sole responsible agency for this project;=20
no cooperators are participating in project planning.

Responsible Official

    Rhonda O'Byrne, District Ranger, Northern Hills Ranger District,=20
2014 North Main Street, Spearfish, SD 57783.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The decision to be made is whether or not to approve the proposed=20
action or alternatives at this time. No Forest Plan amendments are=20
proposed.

Scoping Process

    Comments and input regarding the proposed action are being=20
requested from the public and other interested parties in conjunction=20
with this notice of intent. The comment period will be open for thirty=20
days, beginning on the date of publication of this notice of intent. An=20
open house to gather comments from local individuals and groups will be=20
held on September 19, 2007, at the Northern Hills Ranger District=20
office in Spearfish, SD. Also, response to the draft EIS will be sought=20
from the interested public beginning approximately in February 2008.

Comment Requested

    This notice of intent initiates the scoping process which guides=20
the development of the environmental impact statement. It is our desire=20
to involve interested parties and especially adjacent landowners in=20
identifying the issues related to proposed activities. Comments will=20
assist in identification of key issues and opportunities to develop=20
project alternatives and mitigation measures.
    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 (beginning approximately February 15,=20
2008) from the date the Environmental Protection Agency publishes the=20
notice of 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 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

[[Page 52540]]

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 (40 CFR 1501.7 and 1508.22;=20
Forest Service Handbook 1909.15, section 21).

    Dated: August 31, 2007.
Craig Bobzien,
Forest Supervisor, Black Hills National Forest.
[FR Doc. 07-4373 Filed 9-13-07; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410-11-M