Trapper Bunkhouse Land Stewardship Project, Darby Ranger District, Bitterroot National Forest in Ravalli County, MT, 55331-55332 [05-18792]

Download as PDF 55331 Notices Federal Register Vol. 70, No. 182 Wednesday, September 21, 2005 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. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Forest Service Trapper Bunkhouse Land Stewardship Project, Darby Ranger District, Bitterroot National Forest in Ravalli County, MT Forest Service, USDA. Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement. AGENCY: ACTION: SUMMARY: The USDA, Forest Service, Bitterroot National Forest, will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to document the analysis and disclose the environmental impacts of the proposed Trapper Land Stewardship Project. The project area is located in Ravalli County, west of Darby, Montana. The project analysis area encompasses approximately 34,300 acres between the Trapper Creek and Bunkhouse Creek drainages of the Bitterroot River watershed. The proposed project would manage vegetation to address urban interface needs, insect and disease infestations, dead and dying vegetation; travel systems will also be evaluated to reduce sedimentation, restore aquatic passage and provide managed recreation opportunities including ATV and motorcycle travel loops. Site-specific Bitterroot Forest Plan amendments are proposed for: snag standards, Forest Wide Elk Habitat Effectiveness (EHE) standards, and-Forest-wide thermal cover standards. Approximately 6000 acres between Trapper and Bunkhouse drainages of the Bitterroot River watershed are proposed for vegetation treatments. We will also be working with scientists from the Rocky Mountain Research Station and the Leopold Wilderness Institute to provide opportunities to evaluate our ability to influence fire spread with vegetation management and the effects of our management on the ecosystem. Public Involvement: The public is invited to comment on the Proposed VerDate Aug<31>2005 14:40 Sep 20, 2005 Jkt 205001 Action or meet with Chuck Oliver at any point in time during the 30-day comment period beginning on the date of the publication of the Notice of Intent in the Federal Register. Contact Chuck Oliver at (406) 821–3913 or e-mail coliver01@fs.fed.us to schedule a meeting. To get on the mailing list contact Elizabeth Ballard (406) 777– 5461, or email eballard@fs.fed.us. DATES: Initial comments concerning the proposed action and the scope of analysis should be received in writing, no later than 30 days from the publication of this notice of intent. ADDRESSES: Submit written, oral, or email comments by: (1) Mail—Trapper Bunkhouse BEMRP Project; Chuck Oliver, District Ranger; Darby Ranger Station; 712 N. Main; Darby, Montana 59829 (2) phone—(406) 821–3913; (3) email—comments-northern-bitterrootdarby@fs.fed.us. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Elizabeth Ballard, Acting North Zone Interdisciplinary Team Leader, Stevensville Ranger District, Bitterroot National Forest, 88 Main St. Stevensville, MT, 59870, phone (406) 777–5461, or e-mail eballard@fs.fed.us. Responsible Official: David T. Bull, Forest Supervisor, Bitterroot National Forest, Hamilton, MT 59807. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Purpose and Need for Action The Trapper Bunkhouse Project is proposed to respond to the goals and objectives of the Bitterroot Community Wildfire Protection Plan and the Bitterroot National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan. The purpose and need objectives of the proposed Trapper Bunkhouse project are to Reduce the probability for uncharacteristically large, high-intensity wildlife fires within historic low intensity, frequently fire regime areas on the landscape and especially in the urban interface. Provide economic value to the community and provide funding opportunities for other projects related to watershed, soil restoration and fuel reduction by capturing economic value of beetle killed and infested trees as well as green tree thinning. Provide motorized recreation opportunities (firewood, ATV’s and motorcycle, driving) while protecting resources such as soils, sensitive PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 species, and water resources. Improve watershed and aquatic conditions. In addition, this project provide an opportunity to conduct research to evaluate our ability to influence fire spread with vegetation management and the effects of our management on the ecosystem. Proposed Action The proposed action is designed to reduce potential impacts and to accomplish the project objectives. The types of vegetation management treatments that may be implemented on the landscape to meet the objectives include, but are not limited to: Salvage of dead and dying trees; green tree removals such as commercial and noncommercial thinning (including removal of insect and disease infested trees); slashing, hand piling, prescribed burning, herbicide application for noxious weeds, and sporax application of Ponderosa Pine stumps to prevent spread of annosus root diseases. The total proposed vegetation treatment acres is approximately 6000. Approximately 250 acres of proposed research treatment are planned to be included within these treatment areas. Research treatment options include: Mechanical or hand thin ladder fuel trees and large competing trees to different levels, or prescribed burn only. Thinning treatments include the following associated treatments: (a) Fuel reduction by mechanical removal, pile and burn, or prescribed burn; (b) skid trails treated with mulch or slash mats or left untreated; (c) treating pile burn microsite with mulch and/or unburned soil or left untreated. The types of access management treatments that may be implemented on the landscape to meet the objectives include, but are not limited to: Road reconstruction for timber harvest purposes, closing or obliterating unneeded roads or routes, construction of trails, changing access through restrictions or road closures, culvert replacement or removal, and development of parking areas. Approximately 1–2 miles of new trail construction may be necessary to connect existing routes to one another. Approximately 2–3 miles of new trail construction may be necessary on existing road prisms. Approximately 2– 3 miles of unauthorized routes would be rehabilitated and closed. Approximately 4–33 road crossings would be modified. E:\FR\FM\21SEN1.SGM 21SEN1 55332 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 182 / Wednesday, September 21, 2005 / Notices Parking areas in 2 to 3 areas would be established or modified. Possible Alternatives Preliminary alternatives which have been identified include the proposed action and the no action alternatives. Responsible Official David T. Bull, Forest Supervisor, Bitterroot National Forest, 1801 N. First, Hamilton, MT 59840. Nature of Decision To Be Made The Responsible Official will determine whether or not to proceed with the proposed project activities. Scoping Process Comments will be accepted during the 30-day scoping period as described in this notice of intent. To assist in commenting, a scoping letter providing more detailed information on the project proposal has been prepared and is available to interested parties. Contact Chuck Oliver, Darby District Ranger at the address listed in this notice of intent if you would like to receive a copy. An open house in Darby, Montana is planned on October 12, 2005 in Darby, Montana. This will be an opportunity for you to interact with team members to clarify the proposed project. Preliminary Issues Impacts to the viewshed from the town of Darby. Comment Requested This notice of intent initiates the scoping process which guides the development of the environmental impact statement. Early Notice of Importance of Public Participation in Subsequent Environmental Review The comment period on the draft environmental impact statement will be 45 days from the date the Environmental Protection Agency publishes the notice of availability in the Federal Register. The Forest Service believes, at this early stage, it is important to give reviewers notice of several court rulings related to public participation in the environmental review process. First, reviewers of draft environmental impact statements must structure their participation in the environmental review of the proposal so that it is meaningful and alerts an agency to the reviewer’s position and contentions. Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519, 553 (1978). Also, environmental objections that could be raised at the draft environmental impact VerDate Aug<31>2005 14:40 Sep 20, 2005 Jkt 205001 statement but that are not raised until after completion of the final environmental impact statement may be waived or dismissed by the courts. City of Angoon v. Hodel, 803 F.2d 1016, 1022 (9th Cir. 1986) and Wisconsin Heritages, Inc. v. Harris, 490 F. Supp. 1334, 1338 (E.D. Wis. 1980). Because of these court rulings, it is very important that those interested in this proposed action participate by the close of the 45 day-comment period so that substantive comments and objections are made available to the Forest Service at a time when it can meaningfully consider them and respond to them in the final environmental impact statement. To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues and concerns on the proposed action, comments on the draft environmental impact statement should be as specific as possible. It is also helpful if comments refer to specific pages or chapters of the draft statement. Comments may also address the adequacy of the draft environmental impact statement or the merits of the alternatives formulated and discussed in the statement. Reviewers may wish to refer to the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for implementing the procedural provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act at 40 CFR 1503.3 in addressing these points. Additional public comment will be accepted after publication of the DEIS anticipated early in 2006. The Environmental Protection Agency will publish the Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement in the Federal Register. The Forest will also publish a legal notice of availability in the Ravalli Republic, Hamilton, Montana. The comment period on the Draft EIS will begin the day after the legal notice is published. The Final EIS and Decision are expected late in 2006. Dated: September 15, 2005. David T. Bull, Forest Supervisor. [FR Doc. 05–18792 Filed 9–20–05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–11–M PO 00000 DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration (A–588–804, A–559–801) Extension of Time Limits for Preliminary Results and Final Results of the Full Sunset Review of the Antidumping Duty Orders on Ball Bearings and Parts Thereof from Japan and Singapore Import Administration, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce. AGENCY: EFFECTIVE DATE: September 21, 2005. Zev Primor at 202–482–4114 or Fred W. Aziz at 202–482–4023, Import Administration, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street & Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Extension of Time Limits In accordance with section 751(c)(5)(B) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act), the U.S. Department of Commerce (the Department) may extend the period of time for making its determination by not more than 90 days, if it determines that the sunset review is extraordinarily complicated. As set forth in 751(c)(5)(C)(v) of the Act, the Department may treat a sunset review as extraordinarily complicated if it is a review of a transition order. The sunset reviews subject to this notice are transition orders. Therefore, the Department has determined, pursuant to section 751(c)(5)(C)(v) of the Act, that these sunset reviews are extraordinarily complicated and require additional time for the Department to complete its analysis. The Department’s preliminary results of these full sunset reviews were scheduled for September 19, 2005, and the final results were scheduled for January 27, 2006. They are now being extended until December 19, 2005, and April 27, 2006, respectively. These dates are 90 days from the original scheduled dates of the preliminary and final results of these sunset reviews. This notice is issued in accordance with sections 751(c)(5)(B) and (C)(v) of the Act. Dated: September 15, 2005. Barbara E. Tillman, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Import Administration. [FR Doc. 05–18852 Filed 9–20–05; 8:45 am] (BILLING CODE: 3510–DS–SP) Frm 00002 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\21SEN1.SGM 21SEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 182 (Wednesday, September 21, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55331-55332]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-18792]


========================================================================
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.

========================================================================


Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 182 / Wednesday, September 21, 2005 / 
Notices

[[Page 55331]]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Trapper Bunkhouse Land Stewardship Project, Darby Ranger 
District, Bitterroot National Forest in Ravalli County, MT

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The USDA, Forest Service, Bitterroot National Forest, will 
prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to document the 
analysis and disclose the environmental impacts of the proposed Trapper 
Land Stewardship Project. The project area is located in Ravalli 
County, west of Darby, Montana. The project analysis area encompasses 
approximately 34,300 acres between the Trapper Creek and Bunkhouse 
Creek drainages of the Bitterroot River watershed. The proposed project 
would manage vegetation to address urban interface needs, insect and 
disease infestations, dead and dying vegetation; travel systems will 
also be evaluated to reduce sedimentation, restore aquatic passage and 
provide managed recreation opportunities including ATV and motorcycle 
travel loops. Site-specific Bitterroot Forest Plan amendments are 
proposed for: snag standards, Forest Wide Elk Habitat Effectiveness 
(EHE) standards, and-Forest-wide thermal cover standards. Approximately 
6000 acres between Trapper and Bunkhouse drainages of the Bitterroot 
River watershed are proposed for vegetation treatments. We will also be 
working with scientists from the Rocky Mountain Research Station and 
the Leopold Wilderness Institute to provide opportunities to evaluate 
our ability to influence fire spread with vegetation management and the 
effects of our management on the ecosystem.
    Public Involvement: The public is invited to comment on the 
Proposed Action or meet with Chuck Oliver at any point in time during 
the 30-day comment period beginning on the date of the publication of 
the Notice of Intent in the Federal Register. Contact Chuck Oliver at 
(406) 821-3913 or e-mail coliver01@fs.fed.us to schedule a meeting. To 
get on the mailing list contact Elizabeth Ballard (406) 777-5461, or 
email eballard@fs.fed.us.

DATES: Initial comments concerning the proposed action and the scope of 
analysis should be received in writing, no later than 30 days from the 
publication of this notice of intent.

ADDRESSES: Submit written, oral, or e-mail comments by: (1) Mail--
Trapper Bunkhouse BEMRP Project; Chuck Oliver, District Ranger; Darby 
Ranger Station; 712 N. Main; Darby, Montana 59829 (2) phone--(406) 821-
3913; (3) e-mail_comments-northern-bitterroot-darby@fs.fed.us.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Elizabeth Ballard, Acting North Zone 
Interdisciplinary Team Leader, Stevensville Ranger District, Bitterroot 
National Forest, 88 Main St. Stevensville, MT, 59870, phone (406) 777-
5461, or e-mail eballard@fs.fed.us.
    Responsible Official: David T. Bull, Forest Supervisor, Bitterroot 
National Forest, Hamilton, MT 59807.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Purpose and Need for Action

    The Trapper Bunkhouse Project is proposed to respond to the goals 
and objectives of the Bitterroot Community Wildfire Protection Plan and 
the Bitterroot National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan.
    The purpose and need objectives of the proposed Trapper Bunkhouse 
project are to Reduce the probability for uncharacteristically large, 
high-intensity wildlife fires within historic low intensity, frequently 
fire regime areas on the landscape and especially in the urban 
interface.
    Provide economic value to the community and provide funding 
opportunities for other projects related to watershed, soil restoration 
and fuel reduction by capturing economic value of beetle killed and 
infested trees as well as green tree thinning.
    Provide motorized recreation opportunities (firewood, ATV's and 
motorcycle, driving) while protecting resources such as soils, 
sensitive species, and water resources. Improve watershed and aquatic 
conditions.
    In addition, this project provide an opportunity to conduct 
research to evaluate our ability to influence fire spread with 
vegetation management and the effects of our management on the 
ecosystem.

Proposed Action

    The proposed action is designed to reduce potential impacts and to 
accomplish the project objectives. The types of vegetation management 
treatments that may be implemented on the landscape to meet the 
objectives include, but are not limited to: Salvage of dead and dying 
trees; green tree removals such as commercial and non-commercial 
thinning (including removal of insect and disease infested trees); 
slashing, hand piling, prescribed burning, herbicide application for 
noxious weeds, and sporax application of Ponderosa Pine stumps to 
prevent spread of annosus root diseases. The total proposed vegetation 
treatment acres is approximately 6000.
    Approximately 250 acres of proposed research treatment are planned 
to be included within these treatment areas. Research treatment options 
include: Mechanical or hand thin ladder fuel trees and large competing 
trees to different levels, or prescribed burn only. Thinning treatments 
include the following associated treatments: (a) Fuel reduction by 
mechanical removal, pile and burn, or prescribed burn; (b) skid trails 
treated with mulch or slash mats or left untreated; (c) treating pile 
burn microsite with mulch and/or unburned soil or left untreated.
    The types of access management treatments that may be implemented 
on the landscape to meet the objectives include, but are not limited 
to: Road reconstruction for timber harvest purposes, closing or 
obliterating un-needed roads or routes, construction of trails, 
changing access through restrictions or road closures, culvert 
replacement or removal, and development of parking areas. Approximately 
1-2 miles of new trail construction may be necessary to connect 
existing routes to one another. Approximately 2-3 miles of new trail 
construction may be necessary on existing road prisms. Approximately 2-
3 miles of unauthorized routes would be rehabilitated and closed. 
Approximately 4-33 road crossings would be modified.

[[Page 55332]]

Parking areas in 2 to 3 areas would be established or modified.

Possible Alternatives

    Preliminary alternatives which have been identified include the 
proposed action and the no action alternatives.

Responsible Official

    David T. Bull, Forest Supervisor, Bitterroot National Forest, 1801 
N. First, Hamilton, MT 59840.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The Responsible Official will determine whether or not to proceed 
with the proposed project activities.

Scoping Process

    Comments will be accepted during the 30-day scoping period as 
described in this notice of intent. To assist in commenting, a scoping 
letter providing more detailed information on the project proposal has 
been prepared and is available to interested parties. Contact Chuck 
Oliver, Darby District Ranger at the address listed in this notice of 
intent if you would like to receive a copy. An open house in Darby, 
Montana is planned on October 12, 2005 in Darby, Montana. This will be 
an opportunity for you to interact with team members to clarify the 
proposed project.

Preliminary Issues

    Impacts to the viewshed from the town of Darby.

Comment Requested

    This notice of intent initiates the scoping process which guides 
the development of the environmental impact statement.

Early Notice of Importance of Public Participation in Subsequent 
Environmental Review

    The comment period on the draft environmental impact statement will 
be 45 days from the date the Environmental Protection Agency publishes 
the notice of availability in the Federal Register.
    The Forest Service believes, at this early stage, it is important 
to give reviewers notice of several court rulings related to public 
participation in the environmental review process. First, reviewers of 
draft environmental impact statements must structure their 
participation in the environmental review of the proposal so that it is 
meaningful and alerts an agency to the reviewer's position and 
contentions. Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519, 
553 (1978). Also, environmental objections that could be raised at the 
draft environmental impact statement but that are not raised until 
after completion of the final environmental impact statement may be 
waived or dismissed by the courts. City of Angoon v. Hodel, 803 F.2d 
1016, 1022 (9th Cir. 1986) and Wisconsin Heritages, Inc. v. Harris, 490 
F. Supp. 1334, 1338 (E.D. Wis. 1980). Because of these court rulings, 
it is very important that those interested in this proposed action 
participate by the close of the 45 day-comment period so that 
substantive comments and objections are made available to the Forest 
Service at a time when it can meaningfully consider them and respond to 
them in the final environmental impact statement. To assist the Forest 
Service in identifying and considering issues and concerns on the 
proposed action, comments on the draft environmental impact statement 
should be as specific as possible. It is also helpful if comments refer 
to specific pages or chapters of the draft statement. Comments may also 
address the adequacy of the draft environmental impact statement or the 
merits of the alternatives formulated and discussed in the statement. 
Reviewers may wish to refer to the Council on Environmental Quality 
Regulations for implementing the procedural provisions of the National 
Environmental Policy Act at 40 CFR 1503.3 in addressing these points.
    Additional public comment will be accepted after publication of the 
DEIS anticipated early in 2006. The Environmental Protection Agency 
will publish the Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental 
Impact Statement in the Federal Register. The Forest will also publish 
a legal notice of availability in the Ravalli Republic, Hamilton, 
Montana. The comment period on the Draft EIS will begin the day after 
the legal notice is published. The Final EIS and Decision are expected 
late in 2006.

    Dated: September 15, 2005.
David T. Bull,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 05-18792 Filed 9-20-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M
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