Klamath National Forest, CA; Thom-Seider Vegetation Management and Fuel Reduction Project, 6109-6111 [E8-1726]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
• Forest Service

[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 22 (Friday, February 1, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6109-6111]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-1726]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Klamath National Forest, CA; Thom-Seider Vegetation Management 
and Fuel Reduction Project

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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

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SUMMARY: Land managers propose the Thom-Seider Vegetation Management 
and Fuel Reduction Project to reduce fuel hazard and restore forest 
health on Klamath National Forest System lands. The project area is 
situated on both sides of the Klamath River between Hamburg and Happy 
Camp, California. Thinning and understory burning (underburning) is 
proposed for approximately 30,000 acres of strategic areas selected for 
their location, topography, stand structure, density, age and 
condition. The project is intended to reduce the potential for high-
severity wildland fires to harm people, private and public land, and 
older forest habitats.

DATES: Comments postmarked or received by March 7, 2008 are assured of 
being considered in the environmental analysis. The Draft Environmental 
Impact Statement is expected to be published Summer 2008 and the Final 
Environmental Impact Statement is scheduled for Winter 2009.

ADDRESSES: Address Comments to: Happy Camp and Oak Knoll Districts 
Ranger, Attn: Thom-Seider Project, Klamath National Forest, 63822 
Highway 96, PO Box 377, Happy Camp, California 96039. You may also send 
electronic comments to the project e-mail box: comments-
pacificsouthwest-klamath-happy-camp@fs.fed.us.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Please contact District Ranger Donald 
M Hall or Interdisciplinary Team Leader Rochelle Desser if you have 
questions, concerns or suggestions relating to this

[[Page 6110]]

proposal. You may contact Don at Happy Camp Ranger District Office at 
530-493-1723 or at donaldhall@fs.fed.us. Rochelle is available by phone 
at 531-596-2453 or at rdesser@fs.fed.us.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Purpose and Need for Action

    The Thom-Seider project area contains an overabundance of early- 
and mid-successional stands that provide limited habitat for species 
dependent on older forests. Many of these stands are not structurally 
diverse and are overdense. In some cases, remnant large older trees in 
the stands have lost vitality due to competition for light and water 
from the dense understory. In the event of a wildland fire, these dense 
early- and mid-successional forests are more susceptible to stand 
replacement fire because of their continuous crowns and the presence of 
ladder fuels.
    Actions to help early to mid successional stands develop old growth 
characteristics and be less vulnerable to damaging wildland fire 
include reducing stand density and ground and ladder fuels, and 
prescribed fire. These actions would also help maintain the older trees 
currently living in the stand.
    The project area is on both sides of the Klamath River and includes 
river communities such as Hamburg, Seiad Valley, and Happy Camp. The 
areas that interface between private land and National Forest System 
lands are a high priority for fuels reduction. Fuels reduction is also 
important along roads that provide evacuation routes or can be used as 
fuel breaks in the event of a fire.
    Action is needed to reduce tree density and forest competition; 
reduce ladder fuels that lead to canopy fires; reduce crown fire 
potential, improve wildlife habitat; and improve probability that early 
to mid-successional stands will develop into old growth. These actions 
are particularly important in Late-Successional Reserves established 
for development of older forest habitats, and in the Wildland Urban 
Interface (WUI) where the National Forest abuts private property and 
communities.

Management Direction

    The project area includes late-successional reserves, riparian 
reserves, a wild and scenic river, and roadless areas. Plans, policies 
and regulations that provide management direction for this project 
include (not limited to): the Klamath National Forest Land and Resource 
Management Plan of 1995; the Section 7(a)(1) of the Endangered Species 
Act; the Healthy Forest Restoration Act; the National Fire Plan; the 
Roadless Rule of 2001; the Clean Water Act; and the Clean Air Act.
    This project is authorized under section 102 of the Healthy Forest 
Restoration Act of 2003 because it would provide ``enhanced protection 
from catastrophic wildland fire'' for the habitat of a threatened 
species, the northern spotted owl; and a candidate species, the Pacific 
fisher. Commercial thinning is an allowable exception under Section 
294.13(b) of the 2001 Roadless Rule because it involves removal of 
timber to improve threatened species habitat, it would maintain and 
restore ecosystem composition and structure, and it would reduce the 
hazard of uncharacteristic wildland fire effects.
    The project is designed to be consistent with all applicable 
policies and plans. The type of thinning proposed follows Late-
Successional Reserve Assessment and Watershed Analysis recommendations. 
Riparian reserves would be treated where needed to meet Aquatic 
Conservation Strategy objectives.

Proposed Action

    The Proposed Action includes about 22,000 acres of underburning; 
2,450 acres of variable density thinning (includes commercial and non-
commercial), 2,700 acres of roadside fuels treatment, and 6,150 acres 
of understory thinning around private properties.
    Underburning refers to a range of prescribed burning activities 
including hand piling, burning small concentrations of debris and slash 
(jackpot) and low intensity burning under a forest canopy. 
Approximately 22,000 acres of underburning is proposed. Non-commercial 
thinning small trees and brush would occur within the underburns as 
needed to promote effective fuel consumption. Underburning reduces both 
natural and activity fuel loading, consumes the build up of forest 
debris and litter, promotes the growth of browse species, encourages 
grass and forbs, and thins out smaller shade tolerant trees (ladder 
fuels), thus reducing fire behavior and negative effects from wildland 
fire. In some cases, small jackpots of trees are consumed to provide a 
break in the canopy. Burning operations would be accomplished to follow 
a prescribed burn plan that meets land management objectives and public 
concerns. A burn and smoke management plan would be implemented to 
minimize the effects of smoke on adjacent communities and the public.
    Variable Density Thinning includes commercial and non-commercial 
thinning that reduces forest competition and increases diversity in 
early- to mid-successional forests. It also is intended to increase the 
longevity of larger, older trees in the stands. Thinning is proposed 
for the smallest trees in the stand, around individual large trees and 
in unevenly spaced clumps. Snags would be retained except where there 
are safety hazards. Approximately 2,450 acres of variable density 
thinning is proposed.
    Commercial thinning is proposed in stands that are accessible from 
the existing road system and are of a size, age, terrain and structure 
suitable for logging. Within commercial thinning units, trees greater 
than 8 inches in diameter would be cut, along with the smaller trees 
and brush. A total of about 1,950 acres of commercial thinning is 
currently proposed, including about 1,000 acres within Late-
Successional Reserves and about 130 acres within the outer portions of 
Riparian Reserves. Commercial thinning would be accessed by a 
combination of the existing road network and helicopters. Approximately 
2.6 miles of temporary road in 12 segments located throughout the 
project area are proposed to more efficiently remove thinned logs.
    The land used for temporary roads would be rehabilitated after the 
project was completed. Logging systems include helicopter and ground 
based systems. Non-commercial thinning is proposed on about 500 acres, 
mainly within Late-Successional Reserves. These stands are high 
priority for thinning because they have overdense understories or 
excessive ladder fuels; however, the trees are smaller than commercial 
size (8 inches or less in diameter). These areas may be treated as 
funds become available.
    Roadside Fuel Treatments are proposed along strategic roads that 
may provide anchors for fire suppression in the event of a wildland 
fire or access in the event of an evacuation. Approximately 2,700 acres 
(about 77 miles of roads) are proposed for roadside fuels treatments. 
Roadside treatments include thinning and pruning of small understory 
trees (generally < 10'' diameter at breast height, or DBH) and brush 
with chainsaws along forest roads. The treatment would be on both sides 
of the roads, generally within 250 feet above roads and 150 feet below 
roads. Treatment areas along the roads include plantations and natural 
stands of varying ages and structures. Trees less than 6 inches DBH 
would generally be left at a spacing of 15 to 20 feet apart, and larger 
diameter conifers (7'' to 12'' DBH) and most hardwoods would be

[[Page 6111]]

left 20 to 25 feet apart. The slash created will be hand piled and 
burned, converted to chips, processed with a masticator if accessible 
from an existing road, or removed from the site as firewood or other 
forest products. In areas where fuels objectives cannot be met because 
there is an excess amount of dead material on the ground, some of this 
material may also be burned or removed from the site. In addition, 
incidental larger hazard trees would be felled, if deemed hazards to 
the crews working on the project. The hazard trees would be felled and 
left in place, or removed to disposal sites on or adjacent to roads.
    The proposed treatments will reduce ladder and ground fuels, 
providing for reduced fire intensity, rate of spread, and flame lengths 
in the event of a wildland fire. After the project is completed, the 
roads will be passable for emergency vehicles during a wildland fire. 
Treatments are also designed so that the roads could be used as 
effective fire lines under moderate wildland fire conditions. Fire 
suppression activities will be safer and more successful in areas that 
receive this treatment.
    The project areas that are adjacent to roads are in a particularly 
hazardous condition because the road openings allow growing space and 
additional sunlight to the vegetation, and the bare mineral soil on the 
road banks makes an excellent bed for thick regeneration. These 
conditions stimulate the growth of a tree and brush thicket along 
roads, and larger vegetation often can maintain limbs near ground level 
with out being shaded out.
    Understory Thinning Around Private Land Boundaries is proposed 
where landowners are willing to perform non-commercial fuels reduction 
(thinning, brushing and hand piling) on a strip of Forest land 500 feet 
wide adjacent to their property. Approximately 6,000 acres of private 
land boundary understory treatments are proposed. The proposed 
treatment is intended to reduce existing ladder and ground fuels to 
provide for low intensity fire behavior. These zones create corridors 
in which the fire hazard is reduced to allow firefighters relatively 
safe access for wildland fire suppression activities and to allow for 
increased options during wildland fire suppression activities to reduce 
fire severity.

Lead and Cooperating Agencies

    The Forest Services is the lead agency. Representatives from the 
Fish and Wildlife Service and NOAA Fisheries are core members of the 
Interdisciplinary Team.

Responsible Official

    The Responsible Official for this project is the Forest Supervisor 
for the Klamath National Forest, 1312 Fairlane Road, Yreka, California 
96097.

Scoping Process

    This notice of intent initiates the scoping process, which guides 
the development of the environmental impact statement. The public is 
encouraged to take part in the process and visit with Forest Service 
and Fish and Wildlife officials at any time during the analysis and 
prior to the decision. The Forest Service will be seeking information, 
comments and assistance from Federal, State, and local agencies and 
other individuals or organizations that may be interested in, or 
affected by, the proposed thinning and underburning project. Three 
public scoping meetings have been scheduled for February 11, 12 and 13, 
2008 in Happy Camp, Seiad Valley and Hamburg respectively. Please 
contact District Ranger Donald Hall (see previous contact info) for 
details about the meeting.

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, 
533 (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 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: January 24, 2008.
Patricia A. Grantham,
Acting Forest Supervisor, Klamath National Forest.
 [FR Doc. E8-1726 Filed 1-31-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P