Environmental statements; availability, etc.: Plum Creek Timber Co., King and Kittitas Counties, WA,

[Federal Register: December 18, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 243)]

[Notices]

[Page 70155-70156]

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

[DOCID:fr18de98-112]

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Availability of a Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement on a Proposed Modification of Plum Creek Timber Company's Incidental Take Permit for Threatened and Endangered Species on Portions of its Lands in the Central Cascades, King and Kittitas Counties, Washington

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice

SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that Plum Creek Timber Company (Permittee) has requested modification of their incidental take permit (PRT-808398) to accommodate the new land base expected as a result of a potential land exchange with the U.S. Forest Service. The Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service (together Services) prepared a Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (Supplement). The Final Environmental Impact Statement (Statement) associated with the original Habitat Conservation Plan (Plan) is not being re-opened or re-analyzed, and the decisions based on the original Statement are not being reconsidered. The Services herein announce the availability of the Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed modification pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act regulations (40 CFR 1506.6).

DATES: Written comments on the Supplement should be received on or before February 8, 1999. This comment period was established for a longer period of time than required by regulation and policy to compensate for days lost for public review during the December holidays.

ADDRESSES: Comments regarding the Supplement, or requests for that document, should be addressed to William Vogel, Fish and Wildlife Service, Pacific Northwest Plan Program, 510 Desmond Drive S.E., Suite 102, Lacey, Washington 98503-1273; (360) 753-9440; or Bob Turner, Plan Program Manager, National Marine Fisheries Service, 510 Desmond Drive S.E., Suite 103, Lacey, Washington 98503-1273; (360) 753-6054.

[[Page 70156]]

Individuals wishing copies of the Supplement for review should immediately contact the above office at (360) 753-9440 or contact Michael Collins, Project Leader, Plum Creek Timber Company, 999 Third Avenue, Suite 2300, Seattle, Washington 98104; or call (206) 467-3639. Copies of the Supplement and supporting documents are also available at the following libraries: Wenatchee Public Library, Attention: Sandy Purcell, 310 Douglas Street, Wenatchee, Washington 98801 University of Washington Library, Attention: Carolyn Aamot, Government Publications Department, 170 Suzzallo Library, Seattle, Washington 98195-2900 Seattle Public Library, Attention: Ms. Jeanette Voiland, Government Publications Department, 1000 Fourth Avenue, Seattle, Washington 98104 Evergreen State College, Attention: Lee Lyttle, Library Campus Parkway--L23100H, Olympia, Washington 98505 Central Washington University, Attention: Dr. Patrick McLaughlin, Library Collection Development, Ellensburg, Washington 98926 King County Library System, Attention: Cheryl Standley, Documents Department, 1111 110th Avenue Northeast, Bellevue, Washington 98004

Questions concerning this proposed action and comments regarding the Supplement should be forwarded to the Fish and Wildlife Service or National Marine Fisheries Service at the address or telephone number provided above. Formal public scoping was not conducted, consistent with 40 CFR 1502.9(c)(4). However, Service staff held public meetings in conjunction with the Forest Service on May 13, 14, 20, and 21, 1998, to answer questions and receive comments and concerns.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William Vogel, Fish and Wildlife Service, or Dennis Carlson, National Marine Fisheries Service. Both are located at the Pacific Northwest Plan Program, at the addresses and telephone numbers listed above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Plum Creek Plan for the Cascade region was accepted and the Incidental Take Permit was originally issued on June 27, 1996, for a 170,600-acre Project Area located within a 418,700-acre Planning Area. The Planning Area is located within east King County and west Kittitas County, Washington, and is bisected by Interstate-90. The Planning Area includes not only Plum Creek lands, but National Forest lands and lands of other ownerships.

The Permit allows Plum Creek to incidentally take threatened and endangered fish and wildlife while requiring implementation of a conservation plan with a habitat-based, prescriptive-management strategy designed to minimize and mitigate such incidental take. The Plan approved in 1996 contemplated that Plum Creek lands managed under the Plan and Permit would likely change as a result of future land exchanges with the federal government. Consequently, the Plan and associated Implementation Agreement provide procedures and criteria for modification of the Plan to accommodate the exchange of lands. The Plan describes two scenarios for such land exchanges whereby ``the biological integrity of the Plan would be either maintained or improved.''

In October of 1998, H.R. 4328 authorized and directed the Interstate-90 land exchange. The potential land exchange would result in a transfer to the U.S. Forest Service of up to 53,400 acres of the 170,600-acre Project Area previously covered by Plum Creek's Permit and Plan, and the transfer of up to 10,800 acres of National Forest lands within the 418,700-acre Planning Area to Plum Creek. The authorized land exchange is a combination of the two scenarios determined to be ``beneficial'' in the original Plan.

The Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement analyzes Plum Creek's proposal in order to determine the environmental impact (beneficial or adverse) that would result from implementation of the Plan modification, as compared to the original Federal Action (approval and implementation of the original Plan and issuance of an Incidental Take Permit).

The Environmental Impact Statement considers three alternatives, including the Proposed Action and the No-action Alternatives. Under the No-action Alternative, the Permittee would continue to implement the existing Plan on the current land base. This alternative includes specific mitigation for wildlife whether or not those species are listed under the Endangered Species Act (Act). The Proposed Action would allow the modification of the Plan to accommodate the new land base and would therefore apply the Plan standards to the newly acquired Plum Creek lands. The Northwest Forest Plan would apply to newly acquired National Forest lands. The Partial-Modification Alternative would allow the transfer of lands from Plum Creek to the U.S. Forest Service, but would not add the newly acquired Plum Creek lands to the Plan. Instead, take prohibitions under section 9 of the Endangered Species Act would apply with respect to listed species, but no conservation would be required for other wildlife and special habitats.

Authority: 16 USC 1361-1407, 1531-1544, and 4201-4245.

Dated: December 8, 1998. Thomas Dwyer, Acting Regional Director, Region 1, Portland, Oregon.

[FR Doc. 98-33034Filed12-17-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310-55-P