NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY

June 7, 2011

BUSSEL 484

DRAFT SUPPLEMENTAL

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT

USDA Forest Service, Idaho Panhandle National Forests, St. Joe Ranger District

 

The Bussel 484 Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) is completed and is ready for public review and comment.  The Draft SEIS updates information in the 2008 Final EIS.  The project proposes to manage vegetation, provide wood products, work toward full support of beneficial uses in the watershed, and manage access for multiple uses.

 

The Draft SEIS is available printed on paper, on CD, and online at www.fs.usda.gov/goto/ipnf/projects.  If you would like copies of the Draft SEIS or more information, please contact Lynette Myhre, Project Leader, at (208) 245-2531.

Project-specific comments on the Draft SEIS must be postmarked or received no later than 45 days from June 3, 2011, the date the notice of availability (NOA) was published in the Federal Register.  The comment period ends July 18, 2011.

 

Only those who submit timely comments will be accepted as appellants following release of the final SEIS and record of decision.  For appeal eligibility, each individual or representative from each organization submitting comments must either sign the comments or verify their identity upon request.  Comments must be specific to the proposed activities and area analyzed.  They should include: 1) name, address, phone number, and organization represented, if any; 2) title of the document on which the comments are being submitted; 3) specific facts and supporting reasons for the Responsible Official to consider; and 4) signature(s).

 

Written comments may be submitted by facsimile to (208) 245-6052, by mail, or in person at:

                        Bussel 484 Draft SEIS

                        St. Joe Ranger District

                        222 S. 7th St., Suite 1

                        St. Maries, ID 83861

Comments may be submitted orally at the St. Joe Ranger District office in St. Maries or at an official agency function for the purpose of eliciting public comments on this proposal. If oral comments are provided at the St. Joe Ranger District office they must be provided during normal business hours (Monday- Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., excluding federal holidays) via telephone or in person.

Comments may be submitted electronically to: comments-northern-idpanhandle-stjoe@fs.fed.us.  The subject line must contain the name of this project: Bussel 484 Draft SEIS.  Acceptable formats are MS Word or RTF. For electronically mailed comments, the sender should normally receive an automated electronic acknowledgement of the receipt of comments.  It is the sender’s responsibility to ensure timely receipt by other means.

 

Comments received in response to this solicitation, including names and addresses of those who comment, will be considered part of the public record on these proposed actions and will be available for public inspection. Comments submitted anonymously will be accepted and considered.  Additionally, pursuant to 7 CFR 1.27(d), any person may request the agency to withhold a submission from the public record by showing how the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) permits such confidentiality.

 

Persons requesting such confidentiality should be aware that, under the FOIA, confidentiality may be granted in only very limited circumstances, such as to protect trade secrets. The Forest Service will inform the requester of the agency's decision regarding the request for confidentiality, and where the request is denied, the agency will return the submission and notify the requester that the comments may be resubmitted with or without name and address within 30 days.