Plumas National Forest; California; Moonlight Fire Recovery and Restoration Project, 1201-1202 [07-6301]
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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 4 / Monday, January 7, 2008 / Notices
on meeting topics may be filed with the
Committee before or after the meeting
by sending them to the person listed
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT. Written statements may also
be filed at the meeting. Please refer to
Docket No. APHIS–2007–0155 when
submitting your statements.
This notice of meeting is given
pursuant to section 10 of the Federal
Advisory Committee Act.
Done in Washington, DC, this 31st day of
December 2007.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E8–13 Filed 1–4–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–34–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Plumas National Forest; California;
Moonlight Fire Recovery and
Restoration Project
Forest Service, USDA.
Notice of intent to prepare an
environmental impact statement.
AGENCY:
pwalker on PROD1PC71 with NOTICES
ACTION:
SUMMARY: The USDA, Forest Service,
Plumas National Forest will prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
on a proposal to harvest fire-killed trees
on approximately 14,000 acres in the
Moonlight Fire area. The Moonlight Fire
burned about 65,000 acres in September
2007 on the Plumas National Forest.
DATES: The draft environmental impact
statement is expected in June 2008 and
the final environmental impact
statement is expected in September
2008.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to
Rich Bednarski, Interdisciplinary Team
Leader, Mt. Hough Ranger District,
39696 Highway 70, Quincy, CA 95971.
Comments may be: (1) Mailed; (2) hand
delivered between the hours of 8 a.m. to
4:30 p.m. weekdays Pacific Time; (3)
faxed to (530) 283–1821; or (4)
electronically mailed to: commentspacificsouthwest-plumasmthough@fs.fed.us. Please indicate the
name ‘‘Moonlight Fire Recovery and
Restoration Project’’ on the subject line
of your email. Comments submitted
electronically must be in Rich Text
Format (.rtf) or Word (.doc).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rich
Bednarski, Interdisciplinary Team
Leader, Mt. Hough Ranger District,
39696 Highway 70, Quincy, CA 95971.
Telephone: (530) 283–7641 or electronic
address: rbednarski@fs.fed.us.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
proposed action is designed to meet the
VerDate Aug<31>2005
19:05 Jan 04, 2008
Jkt 214001
standards and guidelines for land
management activities in the Plumas
National Forest Land and Resource
Management Plan (1988), as amended
by the Herger-Feinstein Quincy Library
Group (HFQLG) Final Supplemental
Environmental Impact Statement
(FSEIS) and Record of Decision (ROD)
(1999, 2003), and as amended by the
Sierra Nevada Forest Plan Amendment
FSEIS and ROD (2004).
The proposed project is located in
Plumas County, California, within the
Mt. Hough Ranger District of the Plumas
National Forest. It is located in all or
portions of Sections 13, 23–27, 34–35,
T28N, R10E; all or portions of Sections
13–14, 17–19, 23–24, 29–34, T28N,
R11E; all or portions of Sections 19–20,
29–32, T28N, R12E; all or portions of
Sections 1–2, 13–14, 23–25, T27N,
R10E; all or portions of Section 2–11,
13–15, 17, 19–22, 25, 35–36, T27N,
R11E; and all or portions of Sections 5,
8, 17–20, 29–32, T27N, R12E.
Purpose and Need for Action
The purpose of the project would be
to contribute to the stability and
economic health of rural communities.
The project would provide for local
economic benefit by creating jobs from
the sale of dead merchantable trees, as
well as contribute to local and regional
areas with net revenues and receipts.
The wood quality, volume, and value of
dead trees deteriorate rapidly. The value
of trees would cover the cost of their
removal and possibly other activities
associated with the project.
As a result of the Moonlight Fire,
thousands of acres burned with high
vegetation burn severity resulting in
deforested condition. As a result, shrub
species will dominate these areas for
decades and experience a delay in
returning to a forested condition. The
early establishment of conifers through
reforestation will expedite forest
regeneration.
Proposed Action
The proposed action would harvest
fire-killed conifer trees on
approximately 14,000 acres using the
following methods: Ground based,
skyline, and helicopter. Trees greater
than 14 inches diameter at breast height
(dbh) would be whole tree harvested on
the ground-based areas. Trees less than
14 inches dbh would be removed as
biomass material on the ground-based
areas. About 600 acres would have trees
less than 14 inches dbh removed as
biomass material. Ground-based
equipment would be restricted to slopes
less than 35 percent, except on
decomposed granitic soils where
equipment would be restricted to slopes
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
1201
less than 25 percent. On the skyline and
helicopter areas, trees greater than 16
inches dbh would be harvested. Limbs
and tops in the skyline and helicopter
areas would be lopped and scattered to
a depth less than 18 inches in height.
Skyline yarding would require one end
suspension, with full suspension over
intermittent or perennial streams. Firekilled conifers would be harvested from
Riparian Habitat Conservation Areas.
Equipment restriction zone widths
within Riparian Habitat Conservation
Areas would be established based on the
stream type and steepness of the slope
adjacent to the streams. Snags would be
retained in snag retention areas, that are
approximately ten acres in size, on
approximately ten percent of the project
area. Salvage harvest would not occur
within the snag retention areas except
for operability (safety) reasons.
Approximately 25 miles of temporary
roads would be constructed.
Approximately 20 acres (nine landings)
of helicopter landings would be
constructed. Excess fuels on landings
would be piled, a fireline constructed
around the piles, and the piles burned.
Following completion of the project, the
temporary roads and landings would be
subsoiled, reforested, and closed.
Approximately 14,000 acres would be
reforested with conifer seedlings in
widely spaced clusters to emulate a
naturally established forest. The areas
would be reforested with a mixture of
native species.
The Moonlight Fire impacted twenty
California spotted owl Protected
Activity Centers (PACs). According to
the Sierra Nevada Forest Plan
Amendment FSEIS and ROD (2004),
page 37, after a stand-replacing event,
the habitat conditions are evaluated
within a 1.5 mile radius around the
activity center to identify opportunities
for re-mapping the PAC. If there is
insufficient suitable habitat for
designating a PAC within the 1.5 mile
radius, the PAC may be removed from
the network.
Possible Alternatives
In addition to the proposed action, a
no action alternative would be analyzed.
Additional alternatives may be
developed and analyzed throughout the
environmental analysis.
Lead and Cooperating Agencies
The USDA, Forest Service is the lead
agency for this proposal.
Responsible Official
Alice B. Carlton, Plumas National
Forest Supervisor, P.O. Box 11500,
Quincy, CA 95971.
E:\FR\FM\07JAN1.SGM
07JAN1
1202
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 4 / Monday, January 7, 2008 / Notices
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The decision to be made is whether
to: (1) Implement the proposed action;
(2) meet the purpose and need for action
through some other combination of
activities; or, (3) take no action at this
time.
Scoping Process
This notice of intent initiates the
scoping process which guides the
development of the environmental
impact statement. Scoping comments
will be most helpful if received by
January 4, 2008. Scoping is conducted
to determine the significant issues that
will be addressed during the
environmental analysis.
pwalker on PROD1PC71 with NOTICES
Permits or Licenses Required
An Air Pollution Permit and a Smoke
Management Plan are required by local
agencies. 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 45day 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
VerDate Aug<31>2005
19:05 Jan 04, 2008
Jkt 214001
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 21, 2007.
Maria T. Garcia,
Acting Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 07–6301 Filed 1–4–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–11–M
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration
[A–583–816]
Notice of Final Results and Final
Rescission in Part of Antidumping
Duty Administrative Review: Certain
Stainless Steel Butt–Weld Pipe Fittings
From Taiwan
Import Administration,
International Trade Administration,
Department of Commerce.
SUMMARY: On July 2, 2007, the
Department of Commerce (‘‘the
Department’’) published in the Federal
Register the preliminary results of the
administrative review of the order on
certain stainless steel butt–weld pipe
fittings from Taiwan. See Certain
Stainless Steel Butt–Weld Pipe Fittings
From Taiwan: Preliminary Results of
Antidumping Duty Administrative
Review and Notice of Intent To Rescind
in Part, 72 FR 35970 (July 2, 2007)
(‘‘Preliminary Results’’). The
merchandise covered by this order is
certain stainless steel butt–weld pipe
fittings from Taiwan as described in the
‘‘Scope of the Order’’ section of this
notice. The period of review (‘‘POR’’) is
June 1, 2005, through May 31, 2006. We
gave interested parties an opportunity to
comment on the preliminary results.
Based upon our analysis of the
comments received, we did not make
any changes to the margin calculation.
The final weight–averaged dumping
AGENCY:
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Frm 00005
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
margin is listed below in the section
titled ‘‘Final Results of Review.’’
EFFECTIVE DATE: January 7, 2008.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Judy
Lao or John Drury, Office 7, AD/CVD
Operations, Import Administration,
International Trade Administration,
U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th
Street and Constitution Avenue, NW,
Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202)
(202) 482–7924 or (202) 482–0195,
respectively.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The Department’s preliminary results
of review were published on July 2,
2007. See Preliminary Results. We
invited parties to comment on the
Preliminary Results. Subsequent to our
Preliminary Results, on July 11, 2007,
we issued Ta Chen Stainless Steel Pipe,
Ltd. (‘‘Ta Chen’’), a supplemental
questionnaire requesting additional
information regarding its reporting of
affiliates. See Preliminary Results at 72
FR 35971. Ta Chen submitted its
response to our July 11, 2007,
affiliations questionnaire on July 27,
2007. On August 10, 2007, Flowline
Division of Markovitz Enterprise, Inc.,
Shaw Allow Piping Products, Inc.,
Gerlin, Inc., and Taylor Forge Stainless,
Inc., (collectively, ‘‘petitioners’’)
commented on Ta Chen’s July 11, 2007,
affiliations questionnaire response. On
August 22, 2007, Ta Chen responded to
petitioners’ August 10, 2007 comments
regarding its affiliations questionnaire
response. We received case briefs from
petitioners on September 10, 2007, and
case briefs from Ta Chen on September
11, 2007. On September 17, 2007, we
received rebuttal comments from
petitioners and Ta Chen. Petitioners
requested a hearing, which was
conducted on September 20, 2007.
Scope of the Order
The products subject to this order are
certain stainless steel butt–weld pipe
fittings, whether finished or unfinished,
under 14 inches inside diameter.
Certain welded stainless steel butt–weld
pipe fittings (‘‘pipe fittings’’) are used to
connect pipe sections in piping systems
where conditions require welded
connections. The subject merchandise is
used where one or more of the following
conditions is a factor in designing the
piping system: (1) Corrosion of the
piping system will occur if material
other than stainless steel is used; (2)
contamination of the material in the
system by the system itself must be
prevented; (3) high temperatures are
present; (4) extreme low temperatures
are present; and (5) high pressures are
E:\FR\FM\07JAN1.SGM
07JAN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 4 (Monday, January 7, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1201-1202]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-6301]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Plumas National Forest; California; Moonlight Fire Recovery and
Restoration Project
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The USDA, Forest Service, Plumas National Forest will prepare
an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on a proposal to harvest fire-
killed trees on approximately 14,000 acres in the Moonlight Fire area.
The Moonlight Fire burned about 65,000 acres in September 2007 on the
Plumas National Forest.
DATES: The draft environmental impact statement is expected in June
2008 and the final environmental impact statement is expected in
September 2008.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Rich Bednarski, Interdisciplinary
Team Leader, Mt. Hough Ranger District, 39696 Highway 70, Quincy, CA
95971. Comments may be: (1) Mailed; (2) hand delivered between the
hours of 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays Pacific Time; (3) faxed to (530)
283-1821; or (4) electronically mailed to: comments-pacificsouthwest-
plumas-mthough@fs.fed.us. Please indicate the name ``Moonlight Fire
Recovery and Restoration Project'' on the subject line of your email.
Comments submitted electronically must be in Rich Text Format (.rtf) or
Word (.doc).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rich Bednarski, Interdisciplinary Team
Leader, Mt. Hough Ranger District, 39696 Highway 70, Quincy, CA 95971.
Telephone: (530) 283-7641 or electronic address: rbednarski@fs.fed.us.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed action is designed to meet the
standards and guidelines for land management activities in the Plumas
National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (1988), as amended by
the Herger-Feinstein Quincy Library Group (HFQLG) Final Supplemental
Environmental Impact Statement (FSEIS) and Record of Decision (ROD)
(1999, 2003), and as amended by the Sierra Nevada Forest Plan Amendment
FSEIS and ROD (2004).
The proposed project is located in Plumas County, California,
within the Mt. Hough Ranger District of the Plumas National Forest. It
is located in all or portions of Sections 13, 23-27, 34-35, T28N, R10E;
all or portions of Sections 13-14, 17-19, 23-24, 29-34, T28N, R11E; all
or portions of Sections 19-20, 29-32, T28N, R12E; all or portions of
Sections 1-2, 13-14, 23-25, T27N, R10E; all or portions of Section 2-
11, 13-15, 17, 19-22, 25, 35-36, T27N, R11E; and all or portions of
Sections 5, 8, 17-20, 29-32, T27N, R12E.
Purpose and Need for Action
The purpose of the project would be to contribute to the stability
and economic health of rural communities. The project would provide for
local economic benefit by creating jobs from the sale of dead
merchantable trees, as well as contribute to local and regional areas
with net revenues and receipts. The wood quality, volume, and value of
dead trees deteriorate rapidly. The value of trees would cover the cost
of their removal and possibly other activities associated with the
project.
As a result of the Moonlight Fire, thousands of acres burned with
high vegetation burn severity resulting in deforested condition. As a
result, shrub species will dominate these areas for decades and
experience a delay in returning to a forested condition. The early
establishment of conifers through reforestation will expedite forest
regeneration.
Proposed Action
The proposed action would harvest fire-killed conifer trees on
approximately 14,000 acres using the following methods: Ground based,
skyline, and helicopter. Trees greater than 14 inches diameter at
breast height (dbh) would be whole tree harvested on the ground-based
areas. Trees less than 14 inches dbh would be removed as biomass
material on the ground-based areas. About 600 acres would have trees
less than 14 inches dbh removed as biomass material. Ground-based
equipment would be restricted to slopes less than 35 percent, except on
decomposed granitic soils where equipment would be restricted to slopes
less than 25 percent. On the skyline and helicopter areas, trees
greater than 16 inches dbh would be harvested. Limbs and tops in the
skyline and helicopter areas would be lopped and scattered to a depth
less than 18 inches in height. Skyline yarding would require one end
suspension, with full suspension over intermittent or perennial
streams. Fire-killed conifers would be harvested from Riparian Habitat
Conservation Areas. Equipment restriction zone widths within Riparian
Habitat Conservation Areas would be established based on the stream
type and steepness of the slope adjacent to the streams. Snags would be
retained in snag retention areas, that are approximately ten acres in
size, on approximately ten percent of the project area. Salvage harvest
would not occur within the snag retention areas except for operability
(safety) reasons. Approximately 25 miles of temporary roads would be
constructed. Approximately 20 acres (nine landings) of helicopter
landings would be constructed. Excess fuels on landings would be piled,
a fireline constructed around the piles, and the piles burned.
Following completion of the project, the temporary roads and landings
would be subsoiled, reforested, and closed. Approximately 14,000 acres
would be reforested with conifer seedlings in widely spaced clusters to
emulate a naturally established forest. The areas would be reforested
with a mixture of native species.
The Moonlight Fire impacted twenty California spotted owl Protected
Activity Centers (PACs). According to the Sierra Nevada Forest Plan
Amendment FSEIS and ROD (2004), page 37, after a stand-replacing event,
the habitat conditions are evaluated within a 1.5 mile radius around
the activity center to identify opportunities for re-mapping the PAC.
If there is insufficient suitable habitat for designating a PAC within
the 1.5 mile radius, the PAC may be removed from the network.
Possible Alternatives
In addition to the proposed action, a no action alternative would
be analyzed. Additional alternatives may be developed and analyzed
throughout the environmental analysis.
Lead and Cooperating Agencies
The USDA, Forest Service is the lead agency for this proposal.
Responsible Official
Alice B. Carlton, Plumas National Forest Supervisor, P.O. Box
11500, Quincy, CA 95971.
[[Page 1202]]
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The decision to be made is whether to: (1) Implement the proposed
action; (2) meet the purpose and need for action through some other
combination of activities; or, (3) take no action at this time.
Scoping Process
This notice of intent initiates the scoping process which guides
the development of the environmental impact statement. Scoping comments
will be most helpful if received by January 4, 2008. Scoping is
conducted to determine the significant issues that will be addressed
during the environmental analysis.
Permits or Licenses Required
An Air Pollution Permit and a Smoke Management Plan are required by
local agencies. 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 21, 2007.
Maria T. Garcia,
Acting Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 07-6301 Filed 1-4-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M
