[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 114 (Thursday, June 13, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35602-35603]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-14032]
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Notices
Federal Register
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This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
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Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 114 / Thursday, June 13, 2013 /
Notices
[[Page 35602]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
Fish and Wildlife Service
Coeur d'Alene Basin Restoration Plan, Kootenai, Shoshone and
Benewah Counties, Idaho
AGENCIES: Forest Service, USDA; Bureau of Land Management, USDOI; Fish
and Wildlife Service, USDOI.
ACTION: Notice of intent (NOI) to prepare an environmental impact
statement (EIS).
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SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969, as amended (NEPA), and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act
of 1976, as amended, the United States Department of the Interior
(USDOI), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Coeur d'Alene
Indian Tribe (Tribe), and the State of Idaho (State) intend to prepare
an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and by this notice are
announcing the beginning of the scoping process to solicit public
comments and identify issues.
DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping process for NEPA
analysis. Comments and input concerning the scope of the analysis must
be received by August 12, 2013. The date(s) and location(s) of any
scoping meetings will be announced at least 15 days in advance through
local media, newspapers, and the project Web site
``www.restorationpartnership.org''. In order to be included in the
Draft EIS, all comments must be received prior to the close of the
scoping period or 15 days after the last public meeting, whichever is
later. We will provide additional opportunities for public
participation upon publication of the Draft EIS. The Draft EIS is
expected in May, 2014 and the Final EIS is expected in October, 2014.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments related to the Coeur d'Alene Basin
Restoration Plan by any of the following methods:
Web site: www.restorationpartnership.org.
Email: input@restorationpartnership.org.
Mail: Restoration Partnership, 424 Sherman Ave, Suite 306,
Coeur d'Alene, ID 83814.
Fax: 1 (208) 667-0919.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Caj Matheson, Communications
Specialist, 424 Sherman Ave, Suite 306, Coeur d'Alene, ID 83814; Email:
caj@restorationpartnership.org; Phone: (208) 582-4080.
Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf, hard-
of-hearing, or speech disabled (Teletypewriter (TTY)/Telecommunications
Device for the Deaf (TDD)/Voice relay) may call the Federal Information
Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 24 hours a day, 365 days per
year.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: For more than 100 years the Coeur d'Alene
Basin (Basin), located in the Northern Idaho counties of Shoshone,
Kootenai, and Benewah, has been one of the most productive silver,
lead, and zinc mining areas in the United States. The majority of
mining and mineral processing in the Basin occurred along the South
Fork of the Coeur d'Alene River and its tributaries. The wastes
generated by these operations contain metals, including lead, zinc,
cadmium, and arsenic. A significant portion of these wastes were
discharged directly into the Coeur d'Alene River and tributaries
causing injury to natural resources.
The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and
Liability Act (CERCLA or ``Superfund,'' Title 42 United States Code
[U.S.C.] Section 9601 et seq.) provides a mechanism for addressing the
nation's hazardous waste sites: States, tribes, and the federal
government may take legal action against polluters for the cleanup and
restoration of sites. CERCLA provides for the designation of ``natural
resource trustees,'' who are federal, state, or tribal authorities who
represent the public interest in natural resources. These trustees may
seek monetary damages from polluters for injury, destruction, or loss
of natural resources resulting from releases of hazardous substances.
These damages, which are distinct from cleanup costs, must be used by
the natural resource trustees to restore, replace, rehabilitate, or
acquire the equivalent of the natural resources that have been injured.
As a result of settlements and other legal findings, funds were
received by the federal government, the Coeur d'Alene Indian Tribe, and
the state of Idaho for two main purposes: (1) Clean-up of contamination
(remediation); and (2) restoration of injured natural resources
(waterfowl, fish, etc.). Responsibility for restoration lies with the
trustees. Restoration activities will be coordinated closely with the
remediation conducted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA).
Purpose and Need for Action
The purpose of the proposed action is restoration of the natural
resources and services injured as a result of the release of mining
related hazardous substances in the Basin. As discussed above, natural
resources in the Basin have been injured due to the release of mining
related hazardous substances.
Under CERCLA, damages recovered from parties responsible for
natural resource injuries are used by the trustees ``to restore,
rehabilitate, replace, and/or acquire the equivalent of the injured
resources'' [42 U.S.C. 9607(f)(1)]. Restoration activities implemented
by the trustees are typically subject to the requirements of the
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) [42 U.S.C. 4321].
Proposed Action
The proposed action of this EIS is to adopt a restoration plan to
coordinate and implement projects that will restore the health,
productivity, and diversity of injured natural resources and the
services they provide in the Basin.
Lead and Cooperating Agencies
Joint Lead Agencies are: Fish and Wildlife Service, USDOI; Bureau
of Land Management, USDOI; Forest Service, USDA; COEUR D'ALENE INDIAN
TRIBE; Department of Environmental Quality, IDAHO; Department of Fish
and Game, IDAHO.
[[Page 35603]]
Responsible Officials
Regional Director, Region 1, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Idaho State Director, Bureau of Land Management
Regional Forester, Region 1, U.S. Forest Service
Director, Coeur d'Alene Tribal Department of Natural Resources
Director, Idaho Department of Environmental Quality
Director, Idaho Department of Fish and Game
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The Trustees will adopt a restoration plan that will coordinate and
implement projects to restore, replace, rehabilitate, or acquire the
equivalent of the injured natural resources in the Basin and the
services they provide.
Scoping Process
This notice of intent initiates the scoping process, which guides
the development of the EIS. Further information on how and when input
can be provided is specified in the ADRESSESS and DATES sections of
this notice. 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 and should
clearly articulate the reviewer's concerns and contentions.
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.
Dated: June 3, 2013.
Robyn Thorson,
Regional Director, Region 1, Authorized Official for the U.S.
Department of Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Bureau of
Land Management.
Dated: June 6, 2013.
Faye L. Krueger,
Regional Forester, Region 1, Authorized Official for U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Forest Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-14032 Filed 6-12-13; 8:45 am]
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