Camp Four Vegetation Project, 53223-53225 [E7-18341]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
• Forest Service

[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 180 (Tuesday, September 18, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53223-53225]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-18341]


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Notices
                                                Federal Register
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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 180 / Tuesday, September 18, 2007 / 
Notices

[[Page 53223]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Camp Four Vegetation Project

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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

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SUMMARY: The USDA Forest Service, Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, 
Medford-Park Falls Ranger District intends to prepare an environmental 
impact statement (EIS) to document the analysis and disclose the 
environmental effects of proposed land management activities, and 
corresponding alternatives within the Camp Four project area. The 
primary purpose of this proposal is to implement activities consistent 
with direction in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forests Land and 
Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan) and respond to specific needs 
identified in the project area.
    The project area is located on National Forest System land in the 
north central portion of the Park Falls landbase of the Medford-Park 
Falls Ranger District, approximately 9 miles east of Park Falls, 
Wisconsin. The legal description for the area is: Township 40 North, 
Range 2 East, sections 1-3, 9-17, 19-28, 35; Township 40 North, Range 3 
East, sections 4, 6, 8-10, 16-20, 29; 4th Principal Meridian.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received 
within 30 days of publication of this notice to receive timely 
consideration in the preparation of the draft EIS.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Jeanne Higgins, c/o Ann Hoefferle, 
Medford-Park Falls Ranger District, 850 N. 8th St., Medford, Wisconsin 
54451. Send electronic comments to: ahoefferle@fs.fed.us with a subject 
line that reads ``Camp Four Project.''

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ann Hoefferle, Camp Four 
Interdisciplinary Team Leader, Medford-Park Falls Ranger District, 
Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, USDA Forest Service: Telephone 
715-748-4875 (or TTY: 711, National Relay System), e-mail 
ahoefferle@fs.fed.us. To mail correspondence to Ann Hoefferle, see 
information in ADDRESSES. Copies of documents may be obtained at the 
same address. Another means of obtaining information is to visit the 
Forest Web site at: https://www.fs.fed.us/r9/cnnf/natres/.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The information presented in this notice is 
included to help the reviewer determine if they are interested in or 
potentially affected by this proposed project. The information 
presented in this notice is summarized. Those who wish to comment on 
this proposal or are otherwise interested in or potentially affected by 
it are encouraged to review more detailed documents such as the 
Proposed Action for the Camp Four Project (currently available for 
review) and the draft EIS. See the preceding section of this notice for 
the person to contact for more detailed information about this project.

Project Background

    The Camp Four project falls within the area defined in the 
Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forests 2004 Land and Resource Management 
Plan (Forest Plan) as Management Area (MA) 4A and 8D. Vegetation 
management in MA 4A is towards coniferous, mixed coniferous-hardwood 
and aspen forests. Natural and plantation conifer stands are most 
prevalent, but both hardwood and aspen are well represented in the 
landscape. MA 8D is characterized by free-flowing rivers and associated 
corridors in a natural condition identified for special management on 
federal or state level. This management area provides habitat for 
riparian-dependant fish and wildlife species, area for recreational 
activities, and wildlife viewing opportunities. Two segments of the 
South Fork of the Flambeau River that are included in the project area 
are eligible national scenic and recreation river segments.
    Forest Plan guidance for MA 4A includes species distribution of the 
aspen, balsam fir, paper birch, jack pine, red and white pine, northern 
hardwoods, and oak to be within a certain percentage range in order to 
maintain and develop a desired landscape dominated by coniferous, mixed 
coniferous-hardwood and aspen forests. This landscape composition would 
in turn benefit wildlife by providing a winter food source and thermal 
cover for species such as northern saw-whet owl, brown creeper, black 
pole warbler, chipping sparrow, pine warbler and red breasted nuthatch 
that are often associated with coniferous and mixed conifer-hardwood 
forests. Currently, the species distribution within MA 4A in the 
project area has more aspen than desired to meet management area 
objectives.
    Additionally, the Forest Plan recommends that certain percentages 
of the aspen, paper birch and jack pine be within certain age 
categories in order to maintain the type and provide a variety of 
wildlife habitat. Currently, aspen and paper birch age classes are 
overrepresented in the older age classes, while the younger age classes 
are deficit, or moving towards a deficit condition.
    Forest Plan guidance for vegetation within MA 8D includes treatment 
for the purposes of restoring or enhancing fish and wildlife habitat 
and visual quality. Vegetation management will be designed to create a 
large-tree character, and species composition that favors long-lived, 
large diameter trees. There are opportunities along the South Fork of 
the Flambeau River corridor (MA 8D) to convert mature aspen stands to 
long-lived tree species and maintain the health and vigor of existing 
red pine stands.

Purpose and Need for Action

    The primary purpose of the Camp Four proposal is to implement 
activities consistent with direction in the Forest Plan and to respond 
to specific needs identified in the project area. The primary project-
specific needs are to address maintenance of forest health and tree 
vigor, develop a desired landscape species distribution and adjust the 
age class distribution for aspen, paper birch and jack pine to the 
desired range within MA 4A and 8D, as identified in the Forest Plan. An 
associated need is to provide a safe and efficient transportation 
system within the project area.

Proposed Action

    To meet the need of maintaining a healthy forest and tree vigor, 
proposed land management activities (proposed

[[Page 53224]]

actions) include thinning red pine plantations on approximately 1,700 
acres and treating approximately 800 acres of mixed northern hardwoods 
through thinning and selection harvest.
    To meet the desired need of developing a landscape species 
distribution that is dominated by conifer and coniferous hardwood and 
aspen forests, the following activities are proposed: Convert mature 
aspen through shelterwood harvest and underplanting white pine on 
approximately 900 acres, remove jack pine and aspen overstory on 
approximately 100 acres to promote the advanced regeneration of the 
hardwood in the understory and reforest approximately 90 acres of mixed 
pine species and oak within large openings in abandoned hayfields.
    To adjust age class distribution of aspen, paper birch and jack 
pine within the project area to the appropriate and desired range, the 
following activities are proposed: Clearcut regeneration harvest on 
about 190 acres of mature aspen, paper birch, jack pine and white 
spruce and shelterwood paper birch on approximately 65 acres.
    To provide a safe and efficient transportation system, the 
following road projects within the area are proposed: Approximately one 
mile of temporary road construction, one mile of permanent road 
construction and two miles of road reconstruction are needed to 
accomplish harvest activities. Temporary logging roads are roads that 
would be decommissioned and re-vegetated following project completion.
    In addition, approximately 24 miles of existing road within the 
project area, some of which would be utilized for the harvest activity, 
will be decomissioned and revegetated. These roads were identified as 
no longer needed for management activities and many are not Forest 
System roads. Most were probably utilized for past harvest activity, 
but since they would not be needed again for many years (20-40), they 
will be dropped from our road inventory following decommissioning 
activity.
    Approximately eight miles of existing road will be closed. These 
roads are needed to meet future access needs but were identified for 
closure to all motorized use, except for administrative purposes, due 
to resource conflicts and public safety. Roads will be closed using 
gates, rock or berm barriers.

Preliminary Issues

    Included with the proposal and any action alternatives to the 
proposal will be the implementation of the Forest Plan standards and 
guides as they apply to this project. Plan standards and guides are 
detailed information on how the activities will be carried out or 
implemented and address potential impacts to brook trout habitat, 
heritage resources, forest age structure as it relates to forest 
health, wildlife species (spruce grouse, wolf, bald eagle, etc.), 
water, wetlands, and soils, and some potential economic and social 
impacts (such as visual quality, recreation). These standards and 
guidelines have been considered and incorporated into the proposed 
action. The incorporation of the Plan standards and guides is intended 
to reduce or eliminate potential adverse effects of the activities that 
may result from the proposed action.
    Given the inclusion of the Plan standards and guides in the 
development of the proposed action, the following preliminary issue was 
identified: Potential effects on nesting habitat for the Northern 
goshawk, a Regional Forester Sensitive Species (RFSS). There are 
several probable Northern goshawk nests within the project area and 
while the Forest Plan has standards and guides that minimize direct 
disturbance to this species' known nesting habitat, disturbance to 
potential nesting habitat at this time is unknown. At a minimum, this 
species will be evaluated to determine impacts (if any) to habitat and 
any subsequent impact to population viability.

Possible Alternatives

    Alternatives to the proposed action that are currently being 
considered for display in the draft EIS are as follows: The required No 
Action alternative and the proposed action alternative.

Nature of the Decision To Be Made

    The primary decision will be whether or not to implement the 
proposed projects or alternatives of the projects within the project 
area. The decision may also include additional resource protection 
measures, monitoring, and whether Forest Plan amendments are needed to 
implement the decision.

Responsible Official

    Jeanne Higgins, Forest Supervisor, Chequamegon-Nicolet National 
Forest, 1170 4th Avenue South, Park Falls, WI 54552.

Comment Requested

    This notice of intent initiates the scoping process which guides 
the development of the EIS. Comments in response to this solicitation 
for information should focus on (1) The proposal; (2) issues or impacts 
from the proposal; and (3) possible alternatives for addressing issues 
associated with the proposal. We are especially interested in 
information that might identify a specific undesired result of 
implementing the proposed actions.
    Comments received in response to this solicitation and subsequent 
solicitations, including names and addresses of those who comment, will 
be considered part of the public record 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 decision under 36 CFR part 215. See 
the section titled ADDRESSES in this notice for location of where to 
send comments.

Estimated Dates for Filing

    The draft EIS is expected to be filed with the Environmental 
Protection Agency and be available for public review in February 2008. 
A 45-day comment period will follow publication of a Notice of 
Availability of the draft EIS in the Federal Register. Comments 
received on the draft EIS will be used in preparation of a final EIS. 
We expect to file the notice of the availability of the final EIS and 
Record of Decision (ROD) in the Federal Register in June 2008.
    Early Notice of the Importance of Public Participation in 
Subsequent Environmental Review: 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 the draft EIS 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 EIS stage but that are not raised until after completion of the 
final EIS 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 EIS.
    To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues 
and concerns on the proposed action,

[[Page 53225]]

comments on the draft EIS should be as specific as possible. It is also 
helpful if comments refer to specific pages or chapters of the draft 
EIS. Comments may also address the adequacy of the draft EIS or the 
merits of the alternatives formulated and discussed in the draft EIS. 
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.

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

    Dated: September 7, 2007.
Jeanne Higgins,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. E7-18341 Filed 9-17-07; 8:45 am]
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