[Federal Register: August 26, 2009 (Volume 74, Number =
164)]
[Notices] =20
[Page 43094-43095]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr26au09-26] =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 43094]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
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Superior National Forest, Gunflint Ranger District, Minnesota;=20
South Fowl Lake Snowmobile Access Project
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.
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SUMMARY: The purpose of this project is to develop a safe, legal=20
snowmobile access from the McFarland Lake area to South Fowl Lake on=20
the Gunflint Ranger District, Superior National Forest. This project=20
was previously scoped and analyzed in an Environmental Assessment (EA)=20
in 2005. A Decision Notice on the project was issued in February 2006.=20
The decision was litigated and the Minnesota District Court required=20
that an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) be prepared to ``evaluate=20
more thoroughly the sound impact in the BWCAW''. This Notice of Intent=20
begins the process for completing the required EIS and fulfilling the=20
court order. Your comments on scoping this EIS will be most useful if=20
they contain new information or issues on the scope of this project=20
that were not submitted in previous comments on this project.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received=20
by September 24, 2009. The Draft Environmental Impact Statement is=20
expected January 2010, and the Final Environmental Impact Statement is=20
expected April 2010.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Dennis Neitzke, Gunflint District=20
Ranger, RE: South Fowl Lake Snowmobile Access Project EIS, at 2020 W.=20
Highway 61, Grand Marais, MN 55604. Comments may also be sent via e-
mail to comments-eastern superior-gunflint@fs.fed.us, or via facsimile=20
to (218) 387-3246.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peter Taylor, Forest Environmental=20
Coordinator, at (218) 626-4368 or prtaylor@fs.fed.us. Go to http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?=
from=3DleavingFR.html&log=3Dlinklog&to=3Dhttp://www.fs.fed.us/r9/=
forests/superior/projects/sf.php for the previously=20
prepared EA and Decision Notice for this project.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose and Need for Action
The purpose of this project is to develop a safe, legal snowmobile=20
access from the McFarland Lake area to South Fowl Lake on the Gunflint=20
Ranger District, Superior National Forest. This access would fill the=20
public's desire of access without threatening private land or damaging=20
the wilderness resources. The Forest Service is undertaking this=20
project because the Tilbury Trail is not legal, is closed, and a safe=20
route does not exist. A route designated by the Forest Service, in=20
cooperation with the Minnesota DNR and Cook County, will restrict use=20
to a safer route, better able to handle the existing use.
This project was previously scoped and analyzed in an Environmental=20
Assessment (EA) in 2005. A Decision Notice on the project was issued=20
February 2006. The decision was litigated and the Minnesota District=20
Court required that an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) be prepared=20
to ``evaluate more thoroughly the sound impact in the BWCAW'' (Civil=20
No. 06-3357 JRT/RLE page 28). This Notice of Intent begins the process=20
for completing the required EIS and fulfilling the court order. A more=20
complete history of this project is available through the EA and=20
Decision Notice at http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?=
from=3DleavingFR.html&log=3Dlinklog&to=3Dhttp://www.fs.fed.us/r9/=
forests/superior/projects/sf.php.
Proposed Action
The proposed action is described as Alternative 2 in the previously=20
completed Environmental Assessment for this project. The snowmobile=20
trail begins at McFarland Lake and travels to the east. The public=20
parking area for the John Lake would be used to service this trail. It=20
crosses the Arrowhead Trail, the Border Route hiking trail, and the=20
former Tilbury trail before moving southeast, ascending to a bench on=20
the ridge above the Royal River. The route follows the ridge in an=20
east-southeast direction about 1.3 miles, then down-slope northeast to=20
level ground and directly east to South Fowl Lake. The total length=20
would be approximately 2.22 miles (2.8 acres opened), with 1.62 miles=20
on Federal land and .6 miles on State land. The entire length would be=20
new construction, completely outside the Boundary Waters Canoe Area=20
Wilderness. One thousand feet of the route where it ascends the west=20
side of the ridge would be the standard 16-foot clearing, but the=20
remainder would be a maximum of 10 feet (8-foot tread) to minimize=20
resource impacts. The John Lake public parking area is satisfactory as=20
a snowmobile trailhead and would be graded and resurfaced with crushed=20
gravel.
Possible Alternatives
Several Alternatives were identified by scoping for the previously=20
completed EA. These will be brought forward into the EIS. These include=20
the proposed action alternative, a no action alternative, a south=20
route, and a shortened route. Detailed descriptions and maps of these=20
alternatives may be found in the EA (available at http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?=
from=3DleavingFR.html&log=3Dlinklog&to=3Dhttp://www.fs.fed.us/r9/=
forests/superior/projects/sf.php).
Responsible Official
Gunflint District Ranger.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The decision to be made is whether to or not to develop a safe,=20
legal snowmobile access from the McFarland Lake area to South Fowl Lake=20
on the Gunflint Ranger District, Superior National Forest. The decision=20
will include:
1. What actions would be used to address the purpose and need;
2. Where and when those actions would take place;
3. What mitigation measures and monitoring requirements would be=20
required.
Preliminary Issues
Issues identified in the previously completed EA include=20
Threatened, Endangered and Sensitive Species; Soil Resources; Off-
Highway Vehicles; Forest Vegetation; Wilderness Values; Human Use=20
Patterns and Safety; Land Ownership and Economics. These issues will be=20
carried forward for analysis in the Environmental Impact Statement. The=20
Wilderness Values section will include further disclosure of effects of=20
noise to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
[[Page 43095]]
Scoping Process
This project was previously scoped for the preparation of the 2005=20
EA. The issues identified in scoping for the EA will be brought forward=20
for effects disclosure in the EIS. In addition, response to comments=20
submitted on the EA may be found at Appendix D to the Decision Notice=20
(available at http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?=
from=3DleavingFR.html&log=3Dlinklog&to=3Dhttp://www.fs.fed.us/r9/=
forests/superior/projects/sf.php). Your comments on scoping this EJS =
will be most useful if they=20
contain new information or issues on the scope of this project that=20
were not submitted in previous comments on this project.
The scoping process will include: (1) Identification of potential=20
issues; (2) identification of issues to be analyzed in depth; and (3)=20
elimination of insignificant issues, or those which have been covered=20
by a previous environmental review. Based on the results of scoping and=20
the resource capabilities within the project area, alternatives,=20
including a no-action alternative, will be developed for the draft=20
environmental impact statement.
A Draft Environmental Impact Statement will be prepared for=20
comment. The comment period on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement=20
will be 45 days from the date the Environmental Protection Agency=20
publishes the notice of availability in the Federal Register. It is=20
important that reviewers provide their comments on the Draft=20
Environmental Impact Statement at such times and in such manner that=20
they are useful to the agency's preparation of the Environmental Impact=20
Statement. Therefore, comments should be provided prior to the close of=20
the comment period and should clearly articulate the reviewer's=20
concerns and contentions. The submission of timely and specific=20
comments can affect a reviewer's ability to participate in subsequent=20
administrative appeal or judicial review.
Comments received in response to this solicitation, including names=20
and addresses of those who comment, will be part of the public record=20
for this proposed action. Comments submitted anonymously will be=20
accepted and considered; however, anonymous comments will not provide=20
the respondent with standing to participate in subsequent=20
administrative review or judicial review.
Dated: August 17, 2009.
James W. Sanders,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. E9-20341 Filed 8-25-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M