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