1922.42a--1
TITLE 1900 - PLANNING
1922.42 - Transportation Systems.
1922.42a - Development of Terminal Transportation Facilities. The following
is a series of steps for development of a new Terminal Transportation Facility
(TTF). The series begins with the identification of the need for a new TTF
and continues through acquisition of the necessary permits. All steps are not
sequential; some can be completed concurrently. A discussion of timing has
been included.
1. The need for a new TTF will be identified during Management Area
Analysis and/or in response to sales being placed on the 10-Year Timber Sale
Plan.
2. The line officer (normally the District Ranger) prepares direction
according to the NEPA Procedures Handbook 1909.15 for the IDT. The extent of
the analysis will normally be to identify a site and a general TTF design for
that site. The core team should be composed of a transportation planner, a
hydrologist, a pre-sale forester, and a fisheries biologist. The fisheries
biologist will normally be appointed team leader and at least one person on
the core team will be employed on the District. IDT satellite members will be
appointed as appropriate.
3. A study plan is prepared by the team leader, with assistance from the
IDT.
4. An initial reconnaissance of the study area is conducted to make a
preliminary determination of the number of potential TTF sites meeting
selection criteria in the Southeast Alaska Area Guide. For large study areas,
a helicopter or a fixed-wing plane will be used to survey the area during an
extremely low tide. Small study areas can be surveyed from a boat. All of
the shoreline of the study area is to be considered at this time.
5. The number of potential sites identified during the initial
reconnaissance is narrowed by the IDT. This narrowing is based on:
a. Whether the timber is located a realistic distance from the
potential site.
b.
Obvious and serious resource conflicts.
c. The feasibility of building a road to the site.
d.
Results from an initial visit to the sites by the hydrologist to
determine if adequate water depths exist.
e. Physical characteristics of the site, including sufficient room
and available rock.
The IDT must document the reasons for eliminating alternative locations.
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1922.42a--3
TITLE 1900 - PLANNING
An ideal progression of steps would be for the need of a new TTF to be
identified during the spring of the first year. An IDT would be appointed, a
study plan written, the initial reconnaissance conducted, and the list of
potential sites narrowed during the first field season. The narrowed list of
sites would be delivered to the cooperating agencies for inclusion in their
planning process for the following field season. The scoping process would be
completed with the project presented to the public for comments.
In the second year, the cooperating agencies and Hydrology would complete
their fieldwork and prepare their reports early in the field season. The IDT
would use this information, collect additional data if necessary, and complete
the TEP. The summary report or EA would be written during the late summer or
fall, and the Forest Service preferred alternative would be identified.
Applications would be made for the required lease and permits. The amount of
time required for these applications depends upon the magnitude of the
project. An estimate for obtaining the State tidelands lease is 6 to 12
months. A maximum estimate for the Corps of Engineers permits is 6 to 7
months.
Within the third year, permits would be obtained and construction could begin.
The above sequence of steps for development of a new TTF indicates 3 years are
required from the time a need is identified until construction could begin.
This would be the ideal situation, and probably only necessary for analyses
with many alternative locations. Attempt should be made, where appropriate,
to combine the first and second data-collection trips and make arrangements
for the USFWS/NMFS scuba diving to be conducted at the same time the Forest
Service data are being collected. Schedules for the steps in the analysis
will be established by the three-person team identified in the Action Plan for
improving the TTF Development Process on the Stikine Area dated June 3, 1983.
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