Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 61 / Thursday, March 29, 2001 / Notices 17137 Roads and trails created by wheeled a complete analysis of reasonable and the merits of the alternatives discussed OHVs are proliferating on all national feasible strategies for providing (see Council of Environmental Quality forests in several regions. Agency recreation for OHV recreationists. Regulations for implementing the personnel and the public note new user The preliminary alternatives include: procedural provisions of the National created trails on many national forests ‘‘No Action’’ which would keep the Environmental Policy Act at 40 CFR and roads almost every week. These existing forest plan direction on all five 1503.3). trails arise from repetitive use of areas forests. Another alternative would In addition, Federal court decisions strictly prohibit all cross-country travel. with fragile soils. have established that reviewers of draft National forests in Arizona are Under this alternative only officially environmental impact statements must experiencing noticeable impacts. sanctioned government created roads structure their participation in the Communities adjacent to national and trails would be available for OHV environmental review of the proposal so forests have become focal points for a use. These roads would be a portion of that it is meaningful and alerts an large amount of unapproved roads and roads within national forests that are not agency to the reviewers; position and trails created by OHV users. These trails state, county or city highways or roads. contentions. Vermont Yankee Nuclear lack engineering and environmental A pair of alternatives would close Power Corp. v. NRDC 435 US 519, 553 elements of design and many forests to cross country travel with (1978). Environmental objections that contributed disproportionate certain exceptions. These would include environmental impact. Away from travel to a camping spot within 300 feet could have been raised at the draft stage communities, similar impacts occur of a road or trail, retrieving previously may be waived if not raised until after near popular recreation destinations. tagged big game, disabled access,and completion of the final environmental The EIS will deal with alternative permitted forest products. In one of the impact statement. City of Angoon v. strategies for OHV’s cross country travel alternatives, the trails and roads within Hodel 9th Circuit, 1986) and Wisconsin and how to develop a standardized the forest would be open if they had a Heritages, Inc. v. Harris, 490F. Supp. signing convention for open roads, trails sign designating them open and the 1334, 1338 (E.D. Wis. 1980). The reason and user created travelways. other alternative would only sign roads for this is to ensure that substantive Additional concerns occur in and trails that are closed to OHV traffic. comments and objections are made environmentally sensitive areas. One other alternative under available to the Forest Service at a time Specially designated wildlife protection consideration is designating areas open when it can meaningfully consider them areas are becoming crisscrossed with to OHV use. in the final environmental impact OHV tracts. Wilderness areas have Significant information has been statement. frequently been impacted by OHV obtained from ‘‘Arizona Trails 2000, Dated: March 22, 2001. tracks; often immediately adjacent to State Motorized and Non-motorized John C. Bedell, closure signs. Riparian areas also attract Trails Plan’’ in determining preliminary Forest Supervisor, Apache-Sitgreaves a large number of people and provide issues and possible alternatives. National Forest. key habitat elements to wildlife. OHV Cooperation with Arizona State agencies [FR Doc. 01–7742 Filed 3–28–01; 8:45 am] tracks and use areas have strongly who have OHV management roles has BILLING CODE 3410–11–M impacted many of these ecological been excellant. communities. A preliminary scoping and public Off highway vehicles allow many involvement plan has been developed. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE people to enjoy the national forests and Comments on the nature and timing of contribute significantly to the economy scoping and public participation Forest Service of communities. They have become very activities would be helpful to the team. popular because of high quality Additional public notice will be given Monticello and Blanding Municipal recreational experiences they provide of specific planned activities when the Watershed Improvement Projects and the amount of land they open up to scoping and public involvement plan is Manti-La Sal National Forest, San Juan persons who formerly saw little of developed. County, UT national forests. It is anticipated that environmental Preliminary issues include: Confusion analysis and preparation of the draft and AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA. of OHV users over road and trail sign final environmental impact statements ACTION: conventions, confusion over availability will take about one year. The Draft Notice of intent to prepare of areas open to OHVs, effects of OHV environmental Impact statement can be Environmental Impact Statement. use on the environment, effects on jobs, expected in the summer of 2001 and the effects on cultural resources, effects on Final EIS in the early winter. A 90-day SUMMARY: The Forest Service will species protected under the Endangered comment period pursuant to 36 CFR prepare an Environmental Impact Species Act. Access to resource and 219.10b will be provided following the Statement (EIS) to document the access by mobility-limited persons Notice of Availability for the public to analysis and disclose the environmental seeking recreation opportunities are also make comments on the Draft impacts of proposed actions to: preliminary issues. Environmental Impact statement. (1) Amend existing special use An interdisciplinary team has been The Forest Service believes, at this permits for the Monticello City appointed by the Responsible Officials. early stage, it is important to give Secondary and Culinary Water Systems They have examined documents of reviewers notice of several court rulings to allow reconstruction of the collection other agencies and Forest Service related to public participation in the and conveyance (pipeline) system Regions to develop preliminary environmental review process. To be the (including clearing of vegetation and alternatives for analysis in an most helpful, comments on the draft ground disturbance for construction environmental impact statement. environmental review process. To be the equipment access along the pipeline Comment on these preliminary most helpful, comments on the draft and collection areas) to allow them to alternatives during scoping could help environmental impact statement should repair, replace, and relocate the system the team analyze the alternatives and be as specific as possible and may to correct sources of water loss and might suggest others that would ensure address the adequacy of the statement or quality degradation in the system. VerDate 11<MAY>2000 17:41 Mar 28, 2001 Jkt 194001 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\29MRN1.SGM pfrm08 PsN: 29MRN1 17138 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 61 / Thursday, March 29, 2001 / Notices (Authority: Federal Land Policy and The City of Monticello’s water Manti-La Sal National Forest Internet Management Act (FLMP) of 1976 (P.L. 94– collection and pipeline system is in site 579).) need of extensive repair and (http://www.fs.fed.us/r4/mantilasal/). (2) In cooperation with San Juan replacement due to leakage, SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This EIS County, improve approximately 16 contamination areas, and poor will tier to the final EIS for the Manti- miles of Forest Road (FR) 50079 to placement in relation to the road. La Sal National Forest Land and provide improved and safer access for An outbreak of spruce bark beetle Resource Management Plan (Forest public use and management of the area (Dendroctonus rufipennis) has recently Plan). The Manti-La Sal Forest Plan and to provide a passable road for occurred in and around the area. High provides the overall guidance (Goals, equipment needed for the levels of Engelmann spruce mortality Objectives, Standards, and Management reconstruction, care, and maintenance within the area are imminent. Spruce Area Direction) to achieve the Desired of municipal water systems and for beetle populations are expected to Future Condition for the area being implementation of proposed vegetation expand and may reach epidemic levels. analyzed, and contains specific treatments. If this occurs, most of the larger spruce management area prescriptions for the (3) Implement harvest treatments on component on the Abajo Mountains entire Forest. approximately 2,000 acres of spruce, could be lost. Tentative or preliminary issues that spruce-fir, and aspen forest to develop Because of the dependence of the have been identified include: Water a more diverse, open ecosystem. local communities on this area and the resources; Visuals; Vegetation resources; Proposed harvest methods are importance of its resources, Monticello Transportation; Recreation; approximately 65% helicopter, 32% City, Blanding City, and San Juan Undeveloped Charter; Wildlife and tractor and tractor-forwarder, and 3% County government officials have Fisheries resources, Fuels and Fire Risk; cable. Allow construction and use of requested that we begin efforts to Steep slopes; Economics; Cultural approximately 1⁄2 mile of temporary address the concerns identified.