[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 201 (Thursday, October 16, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Page 61396]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-24366]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forests; Santa Rosa Ranger District;
Martin Basin Rangeland Management Project
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement;
Corrected.
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SUMMARY: The Santa Rosa Ranger District of the Humboldt-Toiyabe
National Forest will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on
a proposal to authorize continued livestock grazing on National Forest
System (NFS) lands within the boundaries administered by the Santa Rosa
Ranger District. The Project Area is located in Humboldt County,
Nevada.
The preparation of this EIS is needed because the Record of
Decision issued on June 2, 2006, for the Martin Basin Rangeland
Management Project was appealed, and following review, the decision was
reversed. A new EIS is being prepared to completely replace the Draft
EIS released in 2004 and the Final EIS released in 2005.
DATES: The new Draft EIS is expected to be released for public review
and comment in December of 2008 and the new Final EIS is expected to be
released in February of 2009.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to: Jose Noriega, District Ranger,
Santa Rosa Ranger District, 1200 East Winnemucca Blvd., Winnemucca, NV
89445.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: For further information, mail
correspondence to or contact Jose Noriega, District Ranger, Santa Rosa
Ranger District, 1200 East Winnemucca Blvd., Winnemucca, NV 89445. The
telephone number is: 775-623-5025, extension 5. E-mail address is:
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Initiation of the Martin Basin Rangeland Project began in 2002 with
the original Notice of Intent published in the Federal Register on
December 30, 2002 (Vol. 67, Number 250). The Draft EIS was released in
May of 2004 for a 135 day comment period. The Final EIS was released in
June of 2005 and a 45 day comment period was also provided at that
time. The Record of Decision for this project was issued on June 2,
2006, by then Forest Supervisor, Robert L. Vaught.
The Record of Decision for the Martin Basin Rangeland Project was
appealed to the Intermountain Regional Forester. On September 6, 2006,
the Regional Forester issued a decision on the appeal and remanded the
decision back to the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest for additional
analysis.
A Notice of Intent to prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact
Statement was published in the Federal Register on February 26, 2007
(Vol. 72, Number 37). That NOI estimated that the Draft Supplemental
EIS would be released for review and comment on April 2007 and the
Final Supplemental EIS would be completed by July 2007. This Corrected
NOI provides notice that a new EIS is being prepared instead of a
supplement to the 2005 Final EIS. This notice also updates the
estimated dates for release of the new Draft and Final EISs, and
provides additional information on the Proposed Action and Possible
Alternatives.
Proposed Action
The Proposed Action, as outlined in the Final ETS released in 2005,
will be refined and include additional details. Specifically, the
Proposed Action would reduce the maximum utilization on forage to 45
percent for riparian areas and 50 percent for uplands. It would also
apply a set of proper use criteria (for example, utilization,
streambank disturbance) to each allotment based on its ecological
condition (functioning, functioning-at-risk, or non-functioning). The
ecological condition of the allotments would continue to be evaluated
through a long-term monitoring process. If long-term monitoring
indicates the ecological condition of the allotment has changed, then
the set of proper use criteria associated with that ecological
condition would be applied to the allotment.
Possible Alternatives
In addition to the Proposed Action, two additional alternatives
have been identified from analysis in the EIS:
1. Current Management Alternative: Continue current grazing
management.
2. No Grazing Alternative: Do not issue new grazing permits when
existing permits expire.
Scoping Process
The scoping period for this EIS was formally initiated in December
of 2002 when the original Notice of Intent for this project was
published in the Federal Register (December 30, 2002; volume 67, Number
250).
While no additional scoping periods are planned prior to the
release of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement, those wishing to
submit comments may do so at the address listed above for District
Ranger Jose Noriega.
Early Notice of Importance of Public Participation in Subsequent
Environmental Review
A new Draft Environmental Impact Statement will be prepared for
comment. The comment period on the new Draft EIS will be 45 days from
the date that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) publishes the
Notice of Availability (NOA) in the Federal Register.
It is important that reviewers provide their comments at such times
and in such a way that they are useful to the Agency's preparation of
the EIS. Therefore, comments should be provided prior to the close of
the comment period and should clearly articulate the reviewer's
concerns and contentions. The submission of timely and specific
comments can affect a reviewer's ability to participate in subsequent
administrative review or judicial review.
Comments received in response to this solicitation, including names
and addresses of those who comment, will be part of the public record
for this proposed action. Comments submitted anonymously will be
accepted and considered; however, anonymous comments will not provide
the respondent with standing to participate in subsequent
administrative review or judicial review.
(Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7 and 1508.22; Forest Service Handbook
1909.15, Section 22.3)
Dated: September 19, 2008.
Edward C. Monnig,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. E8-24366 Filed 10-15-08; 8:45 am]
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