TONGASS
NATIONAL FOREST UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT
OF AGRICULTURE-FOREST SERVICE
News Release
Contact: Christopher Savage
Phone: 907-772-5900
Date: October 7, 2009
Forest Service releases Central Kupreanof
FEIS
Petersburg, AK – The U.S. Forest
Service has released the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for
the Central Kupreanof timber harvest project. The project area is located
on central Kupreanof Island off the Kake road system, within the Petersburg
Ranger District on the Tongass National Forest.
The Final EIS is being released without
an accompanying Record of Decision (ROD) in light of the U.S. Department
of Agriculture Secretary’s memorandum dated May 28, 2009, which stated
the Secretary reserved decision-making authority over construction and
reconstruction of roads and the cutting, sale or removal of timber in Inventoried
Roadless Areas (IRA). The intent of the memorandum is to ensure the careful
consideration of activities in IRAs while a long term roadless policy is
developed.
The FEIS analyzes three action alternatives
for harvesting timber, including an alternative that does not propose harvest
or road building in IRAs, and one no-action alternative. Under the alternatives
that involved IRAs, less than 0.1 percent to 1.5 percent of the combined
roadless area would be affected.
Timber harvest under the action alternatives
ranges from 28.2 to 70.2 million board feet (mmbf). Alternative 3 has been
identified as the Preferred Alternative. It proposes harvest of 70.2 mmbf,
25 miles of new road construction, 9 miles of reconstruction and 6 miles
of temporary road.
A Notice of Availability will be published
in the Federal Register for the Central Kupreanof Timber Harvest FEIS,
initiating the 30-day notice period. Upon approval of the Secretary, a
ROD will be published documenting the selection of an alternative and the
facts considered in reaching that decision. The effective date of implementation
for the decision and the Notice of Rights of Appeal will also be specified
in the ROD.
Copies of the FEIS and ROD will be available
on the Tongass National Forest website, at www.fs.fed.us/r10/tongass/projects/projects.shtml,
or at the Petersburg Ranger District office, 907-772-3871.
TONGASS
NATIONAL FOREST