Black Hills National Forest, Northern Hills Ranger District, South Dakota, West Rim Project Area, 52539-52540 [07-4373]
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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 178 / Friday, September 14, 2007 / Notices
All responses to this notice will be
summarized and included in the request
for OMB approval. All comments will
become a matter of public record.
Dated: September 10, 2007.
Kenneth C. Clayton,
Acting Administrator, Agricultural Marketing
Service.
[FR Doc. E7–18112 Filed 9–13–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–02–P
Purpose of and Need for Action
The purpose of and need for the
actions proposed in the West Rim
project area is to reduce fire hazard and
the risk of mountain pine beetle
infestation and to increase vegetative
diversity. All actions are intended to
move toward or achieve related forest
Plan Goals and Objectives, consistent
with forest Plan Standards and
Guidelines.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Black Hills National Forest, Northern
Hills Ranger District, South Dakota,
West Rim Project Area
Forest Service, USDA.
Notice of intent to prepare an
environmental impact statement.
AGENCY:
rmajette on PROD1PC64 with NOTICES
ACTION:
SUMMARY: The Forest Service will
prepare an environmental impact
statement on a proposal to implement
multiple resource management actions
within the West Rim Project Area to
implement the amended Black Hills
National Forest Land and Resource
Management Plan. The West Rim
Project Area covers approximately
43,028 acres of National Forest System
land and approximately 10,129 acres of
interspersed private land southwest of
Spearfish, South Dakota. a 1/2 mile
buffer around all parcels of private land
is identified as Wildland Urban
Interface (WUI). Proposed actions
include a combination of vegetation and
fuels treatments to reduce fire hazard,
reduce mountain pine beetle
susceptibility, and improve vegetative
diversity. The proposed action includes
approximately 6,800 acres of
commercial thinning, 3,500 acres of
overstory removal, 13,700 acres of precommercial thinning, 2,300 acres of
commercial seed cuts, 470 acres of fuel
reduction treatments, and up to 13,800
acres of prescribed burning.
Approximately 25 miles of new road
construction would be necessary to
carry out the proposed vegetation
management actions.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope
of the analysis must be received by
October 15, 2007. The draft
environmental impact statement is
expected to be available February 2008
and the final environmental impact
statement is expected to be completed
by July 2008.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to:
Rhonda O’Byrne, District Ranger,
Northern Hills Ranger District, 2014
North Main Street, Spearfish, SD 57783.
Telephone number: (605) 642–4622. E-
VerDate Aug<31>2005
16:48 Sep 13, 2007
Jkt 211001
mail: comments-rocky-mountain-blackhills-northern-hills@fs.fed.us with
‘‘West Rim Project’’ as the subject.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Chris Stores, Assistant District Planner,
Northern Hills Ranger District, 2014
North Main Street, Spearfish, SD 57783.
Telephone number: (605) 642–4622.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Proposed Action
Proposed actions include the
following:
Reduce the acres at moderate-to-high
fire hazard by thinning stands to
decrease crown proximity and by
reducing fuel accumulations. Thinning
may use commercial or non-commercial
methods. Fuel reduction treatments
could include lopping, chipping,
crushing, piling and burning,
construction of fuel breaks, and
broadcast prescribed burning.
Reduce acres at high or medium
susceptibility to mountain pine beetle
by thinning stands and changing stand
structure. Commercial and noncommercial (including prescribed
burning) methods may be used.
Increase vegetative diversity through
understory or overstory thinning,
including commercial and noncommercial timber harvest. Remove
ponderosa pine from hardwood,
meadow, and riparian areas. Manage
known location of old growth for old
growth characteristics.
Road construction and maintenance
activities necessary to access areas
proposed for timber harvest. New roads
would be closed following harvest, and
existing roads that are not in the
National Forest System could also be
closed in conjunction with this project.
The Forest Service is the sole
responsible agency for this project; no
cooperators are participating in project
planning.
Responsible Official
Rhonda O’Byrne, District Ranger,
Northern Hills Ranger District, 2014
North Main Street, Spearfish, SD 57783.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The decision to be made is whether or
not to approve the proposed action or
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
52539
alternatives at this time. No Forest Plan
amendments are proposed.
Scoping Process
Comments and input regarding the
proposed action are being requested
from the public and other interested
parties in conjunction with this notice
of intent. The comment period will be
open for thirty days, beginning on the
date of publication of this notice of
intent. An open house to gather
comments from local individuals and
groups will be held on September 19,
2007, at the Northern Hills Ranger
District office in Spearfish, SD. Also,
response to the draft EIS will be sought
from the interested public beginning
approximately in February 2008.
Comment Requested
This notice of intent initiates the
scoping process which guides the
development of the environmental
impact statement. It is our desire to
involve interested parties and especially
adjacent landowners in identifying the
issues related to proposed activities.
Comments will assist in identification of
key issues and opportunities to develop
project alternatives and mitigation
measures.
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
(beginning approximately February 15,
2008) 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
E:\FR\FM\14SEN1.SGM
14SEN1
52540
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 178 / Friday, September 14, 2007 / Notices
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 (40
CFR 1501.7 and 1508.22; Forest Service
Handbook 1909.15, section 21).
Dated: August 31, 2007.
Craig Bobzien,
Forest Supervisor, Black Hills National Forest.
[FR Doc. 07–4373 Filed 9–13–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–11–M
Dated: September 5, 2007.
Harold G. Shenk,
Deputy District Ranger, Apalachicola
National Forest.
[FR Doc. 07–4557 Filed 9–13–07; 8:45 am]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Notice of New Fee Site
BILLING CODE 3410–52–M
Authority: Federal Lands Recreation
Enhancement Act (Title VII, Pub. L. 108–
447).
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
National Forests in Florida,
Apalachicola National Forest, USDA
Forest Service.
ACTION: Notice of New Fee Site.
rmajette on PROD1PC64 with NOTICES
AGENCY:
Forest Service
SUMMARY: The Apalachicola National
Forest proposes a new fee for operations
of OHV vehicles (all terrain vehicles
(ATVs), utility vehicles (such as a
Kawasaki Mule), dual sport
motorcycles, and off road motorcycles)
on the motorized trail system. Three
types of permits would be available: 1
to 3 days for $10; 7 days for $25; and
365 days for $75. For operators younger
than 16, the 1 to 3 day permit would be
available for $5 per operator. The funds
may be used for: Maintaining trails,
staffing trailheads, cleaning restrooms at
trailheads, grading mixed use roads,
replacing signs, and other activities to
VerDate Aug<31>2005
15:44 Sep 13, 2007
manage and maintain the OHV trail
system. The Apalachicola National
Forest has proposed a motorized trail
system of approximately 55 miles for
dual sport and off road motorcycles and
another 55 miles for all terrain vehicles,
utility vehicles, and dual sport and off
road motorcycles.
DATES: The proposed fee will be
initiated April 1, 2008. Comments,
concerns or questions about this new fee
must submitted by November 30, 2007.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments, concerns
or questions about the new fee
associated with the Apalachicola
National Forest’s ATV trails, motorcycle
trails, and mixed use roads to TRAIL
FEES, District Ranger, Apalachicola
National Forest, 57 Taff Drive,
Crawfordville, FL 32327.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Cathy Briggs, Recreation Manager,
Apalachicola National Forest, 850–926–
3561 x6509 or cbriggs@fs.fed.us.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
Federal Recreation Lands Enhancement
Act (Title VIII, Pub. L. 108–447)
directed the Secretary of Agriculture to
publish a six-month advance notice in
the Federal Register whenever new
recreation fee areas are established. The
Recreation Resource Advisory
Committee will review considerations
for new fees at least three months prior
to the proposed initiation date. OHV use
has been ongoing for many years on the
Apalachicola National Forest.
Jkt 211001
Intermountain Region, Boise, Payette,
and Sawtooth National Forests;
Amendment to the 2003 Land and
Resource Management Plans
Forest Service, USDA.
Notice of intent (NOI) to prepare
an environmental impact statement
(EIS).
AGENCY:
ACTION:
SUMMARY: The Forest Service will
prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) to disclose the
environmental effects of proposed
nonsignificant amendments to the three
Southwest Idaho Ecogroup (SWIE) 2003
Land and Resource Management Plans
(Forest Plans). Amendments to the 2003
Forest Plans for the Boise, Payette, and
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Sawtooth National Forests will add,
and/or modify existing, management
direction, as needed, to implement a
comprehensive, Forest Plan-level,
wildlife conservation strategy (WCS).
This WCS will identify both short- and
long-term management strategies and
priorities for maintaining and restoring
habitats associated with terrestrial
wildlife species. The proposed
nonsignificant amendments will
provide management direction and
guidance that focuses on those habitats,
and their associated species, identified
in the WCS as being of greatest
conservation concern during the current
planning period (i.e., next 10–15 years).
DATES: Comments concerning the scope
of the analysis must be received within
30 days following the date of
publication of this NOI. The Draft EIS is
expected to be available in mid- to latewinter 2008 for a 90-day comment
period. The single Final EIS and three
RODs, one for each Forest Plan, are
expected to be completed by late
summer 2008.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to
Randall Hayman, Forest Planner, Boise
National Forest; 1249 South Vinnell
Way, Suite 200; Boise, Idaho 83709; or
by fax at 208–373–4111; or you may
hand-deliver your comments to the
Boise Forest Supervisor’s Office, located
at 1249 South Vinnell Way, Suite 200,
Boise, during normal business hours
from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday
through Friday, excluding Federal
holidays. Electronic comments must be
submitted in a format such as an e-mail
message, plain text (.txt), rich text
format (.rtf), or Word (.doc) to:
comments-intermtn-boise@fs.fed.us.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Randall Hayman, Forest Planner, Boise
National Forest at the address above.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Separate
RODs for revised Forest Plans were
issued in July 2003 for each of the SWIE
National Forests (Boise, Payette, and
Sawtooth). The RODs implemented
Alternative 7, as identified in the single
FINAL EIS that disclosed the
environmental effects of the seven
alternative Forest Plan strategies
considered for these three National
Forests. Implementation of the three
revised Forest Plans began in September
2003.
Analyses supporting Forest Plan
Revision identified wildlife habitats that
had declined from historical conditions
and associated these habitats with
species of conservation concern (2003
Final EIS, pp. 3–255 to 3–289). Based on
an update to the 2003 multi-scale
analysis initiated in 2005, the Forest
Supervisors for the three Forests are in
E:\FR\FM\14SEN1.SGM
14SEN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 178 (Friday, September 14, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52539-52540]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-4373]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Black Hills National Forest, Northern Hills Ranger District,
South Dakota, West Rim Project Area
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Forest Service will prepare an environmental impact
statement on a proposal to implement multiple resource management
actions within the West Rim Project Area to implement the amended Black
Hills National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan. The West Rim
Project Area covers approximately 43,028 acres of National Forest
System land and approximately 10,129 acres of interspersed private land
southwest of Spearfish, South Dakota. a 1/2 mile buffer around all
parcels of private land is identified as Wildland Urban Interface
(WUI). Proposed actions include a combination of vegetation and fuels
treatments to reduce fire hazard, reduce mountain pine beetle
susceptibility, and improve vegetative diversity. The proposed action
includes approximately 6,800 acres of commercial thinning, 3,500 acres
of overstory removal, 13,700 acres of pre-commercial thinning, 2,300
acres of commercial seed cuts, 470 acres of fuel reduction treatments,
and up to 13,800 acres of prescribed burning. Approximately 25 miles of
new road construction would be necessary to carry out the proposed
vegetation management actions.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received
by October 15, 2007. The draft environmental impact statement is
expected to be available February 2008 and the final environmental
impact statement is expected to be completed by July 2008.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to: Rhonda O'Byrne, District Ranger,
Northern Hills Ranger District, 2014 North Main Street, Spearfish, SD
57783. Telephone number: (605) 642-4622. E-mail: comments-rocky-
mountain-black-hills-northern-hills@fs.fed.us with ``West Rim Project''
as the subject.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Chris Stores, Assistant District
Planner, Northern Hills Ranger District, 2014 North Main Street,
Spearfish, SD 57783. Telephone number: (605) 642-4622.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose of and Need for Action
The purpose of and need for the actions proposed in the West Rim
project area is to reduce fire hazard and the risk of mountain pine
beetle infestation and to increase vegetative diversity. All actions
are intended to move toward or achieve related forest Plan Goals and
Objectives, consistent with forest Plan Standards and Guidelines.
Proposed Action
Proposed actions include the following:
Reduce the acres at moderate-to-high fire hazard by thinning stands
to decrease crown proximity and by reducing fuel accumulations.
Thinning may use commercial or non-commercial methods. Fuel reduction
treatments could include lopping, chipping, crushing, piling and
burning, construction of fuel breaks, and broadcast prescribed burning.
Reduce acres at high or medium susceptibility to mountain pine
beetle by thinning stands and changing stand structure. Commercial and
non-commercial (including prescribed burning) methods may be used.
Increase vegetative diversity through understory or overstory
thinning, including commercial and non-commercial timber harvest.
Remove ponderosa pine from hardwood, meadow, and riparian areas. Manage
known location of old growth for old growth characteristics.
Road construction and maintenance activities necessary to access
areas proposed for timber harvest. New roads would be closed following
harvest, and existing roads that are not in the National Forest System
could also be closed in conjunction with this project.
The Forest Service is the sole responsible agency for this project;
no cooperators are participating in project planning.
Responsible Official
Rhonda O'Byrne, District Ranger, Northern Hills Ranger District,
2014 North Main Street, Spearfish, SD 57783.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The decision to be made is whether or not to approve the proposed
action or alternatives at this time. No Forest Plan amendments are
proposed.
Scoping Process
Comments and input regarding the proposed action are being
requested from the public and other interested parties in conjunction
with this notice of intent. The comment period will be open for thirty
days, beginning on the date of publication of this notice of intent. An
open house to gather comments from local individuals and groups will be
held on September 19, 2007, at the Northern Hills Ranger District
office in Spearfish, SD. Also, response to the draft EIS will be sought
from the interested public beginning approximately in February 2008.
Comment Requested
This notice of intent initiates the scoping process which guides
the development of the environmental impact statement. It is our desire
to involve interested parties and especially adjacent landowners in
identifying the issues related to proposed activities. Comments will
assist in identification of key issues and opportunities to develop
project alternatives and mitigation measures.
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 (beginning approximately February 15,
2008) 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
[[Page 52540]]
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 (40 CFR 1501.7 and 1508.22;
Forest Service Handbook 1909.15, section 21).
Dated: August 31, 2007.
Craig Bobzien,
Forest Supervisor, Black Hills National Forest.
[FR Doc. 07-4373 Filed 9-13-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M
