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Proposed Amendment of Rogue River, Umpqua and Winema National Forest (NF) Land and Resource Management Plans for the Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline

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[Federal Register: July 10, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 131)]
[Notices]
[Page 33201]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr10jy09-16]

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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,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents
appearing in this section.

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service

Proposed Amendment of Rogue River, Umpqua and Winema National
Forest (NF) Land and Resource Management Plans for the Pacific
Connector Gas Pipeline

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement for
Land and Resource Management Plan amendments--Extension of Scoping Period.

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SUMMARY: The USDA Forest Service is proposing to amend the Land and
Resource Management Plans (LRMP) of the Rogue River (administered as
the Rogue River-Siskiyou NF), Umpqua, and Winema (administered as the
Fremont-Winema NF) National Forests to make provision for the proposed
Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline (PCGP). The Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission (FERC) is the lead agency for the environmental analysis of
the construction and operation of the proposed natural gas pipeline
(FERC Docket No. CP07-441-000). The FERC has prepared an environmental
impact statement (EIS) that discusses the environmental impacts that
could result from the construction and operation of the PCGP. FERC
issued the FEIS for the PCGP on May 1, 2009.
    The U. S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service is a
Cooperating Agency with the FERC in environmental analysis and
preparation of the EIS for the PCGP. Certain features of the PCGP
Project could not be made consistent with the LRMPs of the Rogue River,
Umpqua and Winema National Forests because of the nature of pipeline
construction. Therefore, in order to comply with the requirements of
the National Forest Management Act (NFMA) the Forest Service must amend
these LRMPs to make provision for the PCGP. This notice is extending
the scoping period.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis were originally
requested 30 days from the date the original notice was published in
the Federal Register, which was June 15, 2009 (FR Volume 74, No. 113,
pg. 28214). Comments are now requested by July 31, 2009. The draft
environmental impact statement for amendment of forest plans is
expected to be published in August, 2009 and the final environmental
impact statement is expected in December, 2009.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to: Pam Sichting, Umpqua National
Forest, 2900 NW., Stewart Parkway, Roseburg, OR 97471. Comments may
also be sent via e-mail to: comments-pacificnorthwest-umpqua@fs.fed.us,
or via facsimile to 541-957-3495. Comments may be hand-delivered to the
above address Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. till 4:30 p.m.,
excluding legal holidays.
    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 appeal the subsequent decision.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Pam Sichting at 541-957-3342 or by e-
mail at psichting@fs.fed.us. Individuals who use telecommunication
devices for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay
Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern
Time, Monday through Friday.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Extension of Scoping Period

    Several requests were received during the initial scoping period
for an extension of the scoping period because of the nature of the
project. The Responsible Officials have decided it is in the best
interest of the public to extend the time during which scoping comments
are received.

Lead Agency

    The Forest Service is the Lead Agency for amendments of Forest Plans.

Responsible Official

    The Responsible Officials for amendments of the Rogue River, Umpqua
and Winema LRMPs are respectively Forest Supervisors, Scott D. Conroy,
Clifford J. Dils and Karen Shimamoto.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The nature of the decision to be made is whether the respective
LRMPs would be amended if the FERC authorizes the PCGP.

Scoping Process

    This notice of intent extends the scoping process, which guides the
development of the environmental impact statement. With this extension,
the Forest Service is requesting public comments on the proposed
amendments of the Rogue River, Umpqua and Winema NF LRMPs.
    It is important that reviewers provide their comments at such times
and in such manner that they are useful to the agency's preparation of
the environmental impact statement. Therefore, comments should be
provided prior to the close of the comment period, now July 31, 2009,
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 appeal or judicial review.

    Dated: June 30, 2009.
Gina Freel.
Acting Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. E9-16384 Filed 7-9-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P

 
 

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