Chrome Fire Salvage Recovery Project, Malheur National Forest, Grant County, OR, 71121-71122 [06-9594]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 236 / Friday, December 8, 2006 / Notices sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES Information Act (FOIA) permits such confidentiality. Persons requesting such confidentiality should be aware that under the FOIA, confidentiality may be granted in only very limited circumstances such as to protect trade secrets. The Forest Service will inform the requester of the agency’s decisions regarding the request for confidentiality, and where the request is denied; the agency will return the submission and notify the requester that the comments may be resubmitted with or without name and address within a specified number of days. Early Notice of Importance of Public Participation in Subsequent Environmental Review A draft environmental impact statement will be prepared for comment. 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 stage 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 VerDate Aug<31>2005 19:05 Dec 07, 2006 Jkt 211001 71121 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 of 40 CFR 1503.3 in addressing these points. Comments received, including the names and addresses of those who comment, will be considered part of the public record on this proposal and will be available for public inspection. Road, P.O. Box 909, John Day, Oregon 97845. Send electronic comments to: comments-pacificnorthwestmalheur@fs.fed.us. (Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7 and 1508.22; Forest Service Handbook 1909.15, Section 21) Dated: December 4, 2006. Gay L. Benes, Forest Supervisor. [FR Doc. 06–9593 Filed 12–7–06; 8:45 am] The purpose and need of the Chrome Fire Salvage Recovery Project includes: (1) Recovery of the economic value of a portion of the dead and dying trees consistent with protection of other resource values; and (2) Improving public safety within the fire area by removing potential hazard trees for public safety along open forest travel routes. BILLING CODE 3410–11–M Jerry Hensley, Project Manager, Malheur National Forest, 431 Patterson Bridge Road, P.O. Box 909, John Day, Oregon, telephone 541–575–3167, e-mail jhensley@fs.fed.us. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Purpose and Need for Action DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Proposed Action Forest Service This action includes salvage of dead and dying trees from approximately 3,472 acres and removal of potential hazard trees for public safety along open forest travel routes. Salvage harvest methods would include ground-based and helicopter logging systems. Approximately 70 percent of the harvest area would be salvaged by helicopter. No commercial harvest or road construction is proposed within Appendix C Inventoried Dry Cabin, Cedar Grove and Shake Table Roadless Areas. Road activities associated with salvage and restoration will be limited to reconstruction, opening and reclosing existing roads, and maintenance. No new roads would be built. Following site preparation, approximately 3,472 acres would be planted with conifer seedlings. Forest Plan amendments, related to old growth replacement, snag levels, visuals, timber harvest within Semi-Primitive Non-Motorized Recreation Areas, etc. would be included as needed. Chrome Fire Salvage Recovery Project, Malheur National Forest, Grant County, OR Forest Service, USDA. Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement. AGENCY: ACTION: SUMMARY: The USDA Forest Service will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) to disclose environmental effects on a proposed action to recover the economic value of dead and dying trees damaged in the Shake Table Fire Complex, and remove potential hazard trees from open forest travel routes within the Todd, Duncan, Fields Creek and Dry Creek subwatersheds. The Shake Table Fire Complex, located approximately 20 miles south west of John Day, Oregon, burned approximately 14,527 acres across mixed ownership in August 2006, of that approximately 13,536 acres were on National Forest System Lands administered by the Blue Mountain Ranger District, Malheur National Forest. The proposed action is the Chrome Fire Salvage Recovery Project. DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received by January 8, 2007. The Draft EIS is expected to be filed with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and be available to the public for review by July 2007. The Final EIS is scheduled to be completed by September 2007. ADDRESSES: Send written comments to the Responsible Official, Gary L. ‘‘Stan’’ Benes, Forest Supervisor, Malheur National Forest, 431 Patterson Bridge PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Possible Alternatives Alternatives will include the proposed action, no action, and additional alternatives that respond to issues generated during the scoping process. The agency will give notice of the full environmental analysis and decision-making process to interested and affected people may participate and contribute to the final decision. Responsible Official and Nature of Decision To Be Made The Responsible Official is Gary L. ‘‘Stan’’ Benes, Forest Supervisor of the Malheur National Forest, 431 Patterson E:\FR\FM\08DEN1.SGM 08DEN1 71122 Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 236 / Friday, December 8, 2006 / Notices Bridge Road, P.O. Box 909, John Day, OR 97845. The Responsible Official will decide if the proposed project will be implemented and will document the decision and reasons for the decision in a Record of Decision. That decision will be subject to Forest Service Appeal Regulations. The responsibility for preparing the DEIS and FEIS has been delegated to Brooks Smith, Acting District Ranger, Blue Mountain Ranger District. Scoping Process Public participation will be especially important at several points during the analysis, beginning with the scoping process (40 CFR 1501.7). Initial scoping began with the project listed in the 2006 Fall Edition of the Malheur National Forest’s Schedule of Proposed Actions. A Public meeting has been planned for January 2007 to discuss the project. Other meetings will be scheduled as needed. Also, correspondence with tribes, government agencies, organizations, and individuals who have indicated their interest will be conducted. sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES Preliminary Issues Preliminary issues identified include the potential effect of the proposed action on: soils, water quality and fish habitat, snags and down wood, disturbance to cultural resources, potential for noxious weed expansion, threatened, endangered and sensitive aquatic, terrestrial and plant species, potential loss of economic value of trees damaged by wildfire, and the safety and use of the area by public and land managers. Comment Public comments about this proposal are requested to identify issues and alternatives to the proposed action and to focus the scope of the analysis. Comments received in response to this solicitation, including names and addresses of those who comment, will be considered part of the public record on this proposed action, and will be available for public inspection. Comments submitted anonymously will be accepted and considered; however, those who submit anonymous comments will not have standing to appeal the subsequent decisions under 36 CFR Parts 215 or 217. Additionally, pursuant to 7 CFR 1.27(d), any person may request the agency to withhold a submission from the public record by showing how the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) permits such confidentiality. Persons requesting such confidentiality should be aware that under the FOIA, confidentiality may be VerDate Aug<31>2005 20:22 Dec 07, 2006 Jkt 211001 granted in only very limited circumstances such as to protect trade secrets. The Forest Service will information the requester of the agency’s decision regarding the request for confidentiality, and where the request is denied; the agency will return the submission and notify the requester that the comments may be resubmitted with or without name and address within a specified number of days. Early Notice of Importance of Public Participation in Subsequent Environmental Review A draft environmental impact statement will be prepared for comment. 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 stage 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 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Quality Regulations for implementing the procedural provisions of the National environmental Policy Act at 40 CFR 1503.3 in addressing these points. Comments received, including the names and addresses of those who comment, will be considered part of the public record on this proposal and will be available for public inspection. (Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7 and 1508.22; Forest Service Handbook 1909.15, Section 21) Dated: December 4, 2006. Gary L. Benes, Forest Supervisor. [FR Doc. 06–9594 Filed 12–07–06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–11–M DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration Opportunity for Designation in the Muncie (IN), Fremont (NE), Savage (MN), and West Lafayette (IN) Areas, and Request for Comments on the Official Agencies Serving These Areas Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration, USDA. ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: SUMMARY: The designations of the official agencies listed below will end on June 30, 2007. We are asking persons interested in providing official services in the areas served by these agencies to submit an application for designation. We are also asking for comments on the quality of services provided by these currently designated agencies: East Indiana Grain Inspection, Inc. (East Indiana); Fremont Grain Inspection Department, Inc. (Fremont); State Grain Inspection, Inc. (State Grain); and Titus Grain Inspection, Inc. (Titus). DATES: Applications and comments must be received on or before January 8, 2007. ADDRESSES: We invite you to submit applications and comments on this notice. You may submit applications and comments by any of the following methods: * Hand Delivery or Courier: Deliver to Karen Guagliardo, Review Branch Chief, Compliance Division, GIPSA, USDA, Room 1647–S, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250. * Fax: Send by facsimile transmission to (202) 690–2755, attention: Karen Guagliardo. * E-mail: Send via electronic mail to Karen.W.Guagliardo@usda.gov. * Mail: Send hardcopy to Karen Guagliardo, Review Branch Chief, E:\FR\FM\08DEN1.SGM 08DEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 236 (Friday, December 8, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71121-71122]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-9594]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Chrome Fire Salvage Recovery Project, Malheur National Forest, 
Grant County, OR

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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

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

SUMMARY: The USDA Forest Service will prepare an environmental impact 
statement (EIS) to disclose environmental effects on a proposed action 
to recover the economic value of dead and dying trees damaged in the 
Shake Table Fire Complex, and remove potential hazard trees from open 
forest travel routes within the Todd, Duncan, Fields Creek and Dry 
Creek subwatersheds. The Shake Table Fire Complex, located 
approximately 20 miles south west of John Day, Oregon, burned 
approximately 14,527 acres across mixed ownership in August 2006, of 
that approximately 13,536 acres were on National Forest System Lands 
administered by the Blue Mountain Ranger District, Malheur National 
Forest. The proposed action is the Chrome Fire Salvage Recovery 
Project.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received 
by January 8, 2007. The Draft EIS is expected to be filed with the 
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and be available to the public 
for review by July 2007. The Final EIS is scheduled to be completed by 
September 2007.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to the Responsible Official, Gary L. 
``Stan'' Benes, Forest Supervisor, Malheur National Forest, 431 
Patterson Bridge Road, P.O. Box 909, John Day, Oregon 97845. Send 
electronic comments to: comments-pacificnorthwest-malheur@fs.fed.us.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jerry Hensley, Project Manager, 
Malheur National Forest, 431 Patterson Bridge Road, P.O. Box 909, John 
Day, Oregon, telephone 541-575-3167, e-mail jhensley@fs.fed.us.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Purpose and Need for Action

    The purpose and need of the Chrome Fire Salvage Recovery Project 
includes: (1) Recovery of the economic value of a portion of the dead 
and dying trees consistent with protection of other resource values; 
and (2) Improving public safety within the fire area by removing 
potential hazard trees for public safety along open forest travel 
routes.

Proposed Action

    This action includes salvage of dead and dying trees from 
approximately 3,472 acres and removal of potential hazard trees for 
public safety along open forest travel routes. Salvage harvest methods 
would include ground-based and helicopter logging systems. 
Approximately 70 percent of the harvest area would be salvaged by 
helicopter. No commercial harvest or road construction is proposed 
within Appendix C Inventoried Dry Cabin, Cedar Grove and Shake Table 
Roadless Areas. Road activities associated with salvage and restoration 
will be limited to reconstruction, opening and re-closing existing 
roads, and maintenance. No new roads would be built. Following site 
preparation, approximately 3,472 acres would be planted with conifer 
seedlings. Forest Plan amendments, related to old growth replacement, 
snag levels, visuals, timber harvest within Semi-Primitive Non-
Motorized Recreation Areas, etc. would be included as needed.

Possible Alternatives

    Alternatives will include the proposed action, no action, and 
additional alternatives that respond to issues generated during the 
scoping process. The agency will give notice of the full environmental 
analysis and decision-making process to interested and affected people 
may participate and contribute to the final decision.

Responsible Official and Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The Responsible Official is Gary L. ``Stan'' Benes, Forest 
Supervisor of the Malheur National Forest, 431 Patterson

[[Page 71122]]

Bridge Road, P.O. Box 909, John Day, OR 97845. The Responsible Official 
will decide if the proposed project will be implemented and will 
document the decision and reasons for the decision in a Record of 
Decision. That decision will be subject to Forest Service Appeal 
Regulations. The responsibility for preparing the DEIS and FEIS has 
been delegated to Brooks Smith, Acting District Ranger, Blue Mountain 
Ranger District.

Scoping Process

    Public participation will be especially important at several points 
during the analysis, beginning with the scoping process (40 CFR 
1501.7). Initial scoping began with the project listed in the 2006 Fall 
Edition of the Malheur National Forest's Schedule of Proposed Actions. 
A Public meeting has been planned for January 2007 to discuss the 
project. Other meetings will be scheduled as needed. Also, 
correspondence with tribes, government agencies, organizations, and 
individuals who have indicated their interest will be conducted.

Preliminary Issues

    Preliminary issues identified include the potential effect of the 
proposed action on: soils, water quality and fish habitat, snags and 
down wood, disturbance to cultural resources, potential for noxious 
weed expansion, threatened, endangered and sensitive aquatic, 
terrestrial and plant species, potential loss of economic value of 
trees damaged by wildfire, and the safety and use of the area by public 
and land managers.

Comment

    Public comments about this proposal are requested to identify 
issues and alternatives to the proposed action and to focus the scope 
of the analysis. Comments received in response to this solicitation, 
including names and addresses of those who comment, will be considered 
part of the public record on this proposed action, and will be 
available for public inspection. Comments submitted anonymously will be 
accepted and considered; however, those who submit anonymous comments 
will not have standing to appeal the subsequent decisions under 36 CFR 
Parts 215 or 217. Additionally, pursuant to 7 CFR 1.27(d), any person 
may request the agency to withhold a submission from the public record 
by showing how the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) permits such 
confidentiality. Persons requesting such confidentiality should be 
aware that under the FOIA, confidentiality may be granted in only very 
limited circumstances such as to protect trade secrets. The Forest 
Service will information the requester of the agency's decision 
regarding the request for confidentiality, and where the request is 
denied; the agency will return the submission and notify the requester 
that the comments may be resubmitted with or without name and address 
within a specified number of days.

Early Notice of Importance of Public Participation in Subsequent 
Environmental Review

    A draft environmental impact statement will be prepared for 
comment. 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 stage 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.
    Comments received, including the names and addresses of those who 
comment, will be considered part of the public record on this proposal 
and will be available for public inspection.

(Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7 and 1508.22; Forest Service Handbook 
1909.15, Section 21)

    Dated: December 4, 2006.
Gary L. Benes,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 06-9594 Filed 12-07-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M
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