Environmental Impact Statement for Implementing the Travel Management Rule for the Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests and Crooked River National Grassland, Deschutes & Ochoco National Forests, Deschutes, Crook, Jefferson, Klamath, Grant and Lake Counties, OR, 28426-28428 [E8-10947]
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28426
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 96 / Friday, May 16, 2008 / Notices
sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES
power line project as proposed and
feasible alternative locations, possible
mitigation measures, and any other
information relevant to the proposed
action.
Authorization of this proposal may
require amendment of one or more
Forest Service or BLM land use plans.
By this notice, BLM is complying with
requirements in 43 CFR 1610.2(c) and
the USFS is complying with 36 CFR
219.9 to notify the public of potential
amendments to land use plans. If a
Resource Management Plan,
Management Framework Plan, or Forest
Plan Amendment is necessary, BLM and
USFS will integrate the land use
planning process with the NEPA
analysis process for this project. The
environmental decision document for
the BLM will be signed by the Wyoming
State Director, 5353 Yellowstone Road,
Cheyenne, Wyoming 82009. Approving
officials for the USFS are: Regional
Forester, Region 2, 740 Simms Street,
Golden, Colorado 80401–4720 and
Regional Forester, Region 4, 324 25th
Street, Ogden, Utah 84401.
Your input is important and will be
considered in the environmental
analysis process. All comment
submittals must include the
commenter’s name and street address.
Comments including the names and
addresses of the respondent will be
available for public inspection at the
above offices during its business hours
(7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), Monday
through Friday, except federal holidays.
Before including your address, phone
number, e-mail address, or any other
personal identifying information in your
comment, be advised that your entire
comment, including your personal
identifying information may be publicly
available at any time. While you can ask
us in your comment to withhold from
public review your personal identifying
information, we cannot guarantee that
we will be able to do so.
Any persons wishing to be added to
a mailing list of interested parties can
call or write to BLM, as described in this
notice. Additional informational
meetings may be conducted throughout
the process to keep the public informed
of the progress of the EIS.
Dated: May 5, 2008.
Robert G. Mickelsen,
Acting Forest Supervisor.
Dated: May 12, 2008.
James K. Murkin,
Acting State Director.
[FR Doc. E8–11060 Filed 5–15–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–22–P
VerDate Aug<31>2005
16:18 May 15, 2008
Jkt 214001
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Environmental Impact Statement for
Implementing the Travel Management
Rule for the Deschutes and Ochoco
National Forests and Crooked River
National Grassland, Deschutes &
Ochoco National Forests, Deschutes,
Crook, Jefferson, Klamath, Grant and
Lake Counties, OR
Forest Service, USDA.
Notice of intent to prepare an
environmental impact statement.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
SUMMARY: The U.S. Forest Service will
prepare an environmental impact
statement (EIS) on a proposed action to
implement 36 CFR parts 212, 251, 261,
and 295; Travel Management:
Designated Routes and Areas for Motor
Vehicle Use; Final Rule (Travel
Management Rule). The Deschutes and
Ochoco National Forests and the
Crooked River National Grassland
propose to prohibit motorized travel 1
outside of 300′ of the centerline of those
existing designated routes (roads and
trails) and areas that currently allow
motorized use and that are not
otherwise restricted or prohibited for
such use by law, regulation, policy,
order, Land and Resource Management
Plans (Forest Plans), or other past
administrative decisions. Class of
vehicles (highway licensed and/or nonhighway licensed) and season(s) of use
that motorized access to dispersed
campsites would be allowed would
match the adjacent designated route
classification and seasonal use period.
Special provisions for motorized access
only to designated, defined, or existing
campsites, and/or prohibitions from
motorized access would be applied
adjacent to routes and within areas
specified on the Proposed Action maps.
Identification of routes with special
provisions and/or prohibitions and
would be based on a set of criteria for
establishing exceptions to the general
provision for 300′ motorized access
adjacent to designated routes in the
proposed action. No new motorized
access to areas currently prohibited to
motorized access would be included in
the proposed action.
The proposed action would amend
the Ochoco National Forest Plan by
deleting forest plan standards and
guidelines that are not consistent with
the Travel Management Rule and the
proposed action. The proposed action
would amend the Deschutes National
Forest Plan to make minor (1–2 day)
1 Over the snow vehicles are excluded from this
proposed action.
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
corrections to some motorized season of
use dates for consistency with other
similar season of use dates, and change
some analysis requirements from
outdated ‘‘implementation units’’ to
watershed or similar sized ecologicallybased areas. The alternatives will
include the proposed action, no action,
and additional alternatives that respond
to issues generated through the scoping
process. The agency will give notice of
the full environmental analysis and
decision making process so interested
and affected people may participate and
contribute to the final decision.
Location: The proposed action
includes all of the Deschutes and
Ochoco National Forests and Crooked
River National Grassland. These federal
lands are located in the vicinity of the
central Oregon cities of Bend, Prineville,
and Madras. The proposed action
applies only to National Forest and
Grassland lands, although lands of other
than federal ownership lie adjacent or
interspersed across the landscape with
national forests and grasslands.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope
of the analysis, issues about the
proposed action, or alternatives to the
proposed action are most helpful if
received within 30 days following the
date that this notice appears in the
Federal Register.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to
the Deschutes National Forest at 1001
SW Emkay, Bend, OR 97701 Attention:
Mose Harris, Travel Management Team.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mose Harris, Writer-Editor, Mollie
Chaudet, Peggy Fisher, or Laurel
Skelton, at the Deschutes National
Forest Headquarters, 1001 SW Emkay,
Bend, OR 97702, (541) 383–5300.
Responsible Officials: The
Responsible Officials are John Allen,
Forest Supervisor, Deschutes National
Forest and Jeff Walter, Forest
Supervisor, Ochoco National Forest.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose and Need: In 2005, the Forest
Service published a final rule in the
Federal Register: 36 CFR Parts 212, 251,
261, and 295; Travel Management:
Designated Routes and Areas for Motor
Vehicle Use; Final Rule (Travel
Management Rule). Currently, the
Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests
have over 9000 miles of designated
routes (roads and trails), and a few
designated areas that are open to a
variety of highway and non-highway
licensed vehicles. There is a variety of
laws, regulations, and policies that
result in a mixture of areas of the
Forests and Grassland that do or do not
allow motorized access off of these
designated routes. The 2005 Travel
E:\FR\FM\16MYN1.SGM
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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 96 / Friday, May 16, 2008 / Notices
Management rule requires that all
national forests prohibit motorized
travel off of designated routes or outside
of designated areas, with some
exceptions. The rule was passed
because of a number of resource and
social concerns related to motorized
travel that were detailed in the rule.
Prohibiting motorized travel off of
existing designated routes without
exception would affect the ability of
many forest users to access existing
‘‘dispersed’’ or informal campsites,
some of which have been used by
generations of families. The objective of
the proposed action would be to
continue to provide for motorized
access to dispersed campsites without
adversely affecting sensitive resources.
There are also some potential safety
concerns concerning ‘‘mixed’’ (highway
and non-highway licensed vehicles) that
could result from limiting all motorized
use to the existing designated National
Forest System roads and motorized
trails on the Forests and Grassland.
Currently, many National Forest System
roads on the Deschutes and Ochoco
National Forests and the Crooked River
National Grassland have existing
designations that follow state
regulation(s) that allow for ‘‘mixed’’ use
of highway and non-highway licensed
vehicles on roads classified by the
Forest Service as ‘‘Maintenance Level
2’’. Mixed use of some of these roads
may pose a risk to reasonable levels of
public safety for motorized users. The
proposed action would implement the
national Travel Management rule while
continuing to provide motorized access
for dispersed camping without
adversely affecting sensitive resources
and reasonable levels of public safety on
mixed use roads.
Proposed Action: In accordance with
36 CFR 212, 251, 261, and 295, the
Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests
and the Crooked River National
Grassland propose to prohibit motorized
travel 2 outside of those existing
designated routes (roads and trails) and
areas where it is not already restricted
or prohibited by law, regulation, policy,
order, Forest Plan direction, or sitespecific decision. The Proposed Action
would not propose to close any existing
designated motorized routes open to
motorized travel, although non-highway
licensed vehicles would be prohibited
from some roads because of safety
concerns. The proposed action would
amend the Ochoco National Forest Plan
by deleting forest plan standards and
guidelines that are not consistent with
the Travel Management Rule and the
2 Over the snow vehicles are excluded from this
proposed action.
VerDate Aug<31>2005
16:18 May 15, 2008
Jkt 214001
proposed action. The proposed action
would amend the Deschutes National
Forest Plan to make minor (1–2 day)
corrections to some motorized season of
use dates for consistency with other
similar season of use dates, and change
some analysis requirements from
outdated ‘‘implementation units’’ to
watershed or similar sized ecologicallybased areas. Existing designated routes
and areas for motorized use according to
the season of use (open to use time
frame) and class of vehicle (highway
licensed or non-highway licensed) will
be identified on the Deschutes and
Ochoco National Forest and Crooked
River National Grassland Proposed
Action maps. In accordance with
provisions of the Travel Management
Rule, and with the objective of
minimizing resource damage associated
with motorized travel off of designated
route, the proposed action would:
1. Continue to allow motorized access
for the purpose of ingress and egress to
a dispersed campsite within 300′ of the
centerline of most of the designated
routes shown on the proposed action
maps. This approach mirrors the local
so-called ‘‘green dot’’ motorized access
rules that have been in place adjacent to
some designated roads on the forests for
many years during hunting seasons.
2. In certain areas with specific
resource concerns, special provisions
would continue to allow motorized
access within 300′ of the centerline of a
designated route only for the purpose of
accessing designated, defined or
existing dispersed campsites.
Designated sites are marked with a sign;
defined sites limit the extent of the site
and motorized access to the site with
boulder or wood structures; and existing
sites have established fire rings or other
evidence of historic use.
3. In riparian areas (those areas
adjacent to wetlands, lakes, streams and
springs), motorized access would
continue to be allowed only to
designated, defined, or existing camping
sites. Motorized access to existing (not
specifically designated or defined)
campsites less than 30′ from the edge of
the wetland, lake, stream or spring
would not be allowed. Motorized
vehicles would not be permitted to cross
streams except on designated roads or
trails open to motorized use.
4. No motorized access to areas with
current prohibitions or restrictions on
motorized access to dispersed campsites
(e.g.: Wilderness Areas, Newberry
National Volcanic Monument Caldera
Zone, other Management Areas adjacent
to open roads but closed to motorized
use) or motorized access to dispersed
campsites not on National Forest lands
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
28427
would be authorized under this
proposal.
Decisions To Be Made: The Deschutes
and Ochoco Forest Supervisors are the
Deciding Officials for:
Prohibiting motorized travel off of
existing designated routes within the
Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests
and Crooked River National Grassland
where such use is not already
prohibited by law, regulation, policy,
Land and Resource Management Plans,
or past administrative action or
decision;
determining whether or under what
conditions motorized access for
dispersed camping allowed by the rule
would be provided;
determining whether or under what
conditions mixed use of highway and
non-highway licensed vehicles on
identified national forest system roads
would be allowed; and
determining whether, or under what
conditions, to amend forest plans.
Possible Alternatives: The EIS will
consider the following alternatives to
the Proposed Action:
(1) A ‘‘No Action/No Change’’
Alternative—that would not prohibit
motorized travel off of designated routes
and would not amend forest plans. This
action would not be consistent with the
Travel Management Rule.
(2) The proposed action.
(3) Alternatives to the proposed action
that are within the scope of the
proposed action, meet the purpose and
need, are responsive to the comments
received during the scoping period, and
are approved by the Forest Supervisors
for consideration.
Scoping Process: The Deschutes and
Ochoco National Forests have held ten
public workshops and thirteen Travel
Management Strategy Working Group
meetings that were open to the public
throughout central Oregon in 2006 and
2007 to help develop the proposed
action identified for this Environmental
Impact Statement. Additional public
meetings to gather comments on the
proposed action will be held at the
following locations and dates from 5
p.m. until 8 p.m.:
• May 19—Sisters High School, 1700
W. McKinney Butte Rd., Sisters, Oregon.
• May 20—Madras Senior Center, 860
SW Madison, Madras, Oregon.
• May 21—Deschutes National Forest
Headquarters, 1001 SW Emkay, Bend,
Oregon.
• May 27—Ochoco National Forest
Headquarters, 3160 NE 3 St., Prineville,
Oregon.
• May 28—Gilchrist High School, 201
Mountain View Dr., Gilchrist, Oregon.
• June 2—Redmond High School,
Hugh Hartman Building, 2105 W. Antler
Ave., Redmond, Oregon.
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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 96 / Friday, May 16, 2008 / Notices
Comment. Public comments about
this proposal are requested in order help
identify significant issues concerning
the proposed action which will help to
develop the range of alternatives to the
proposed action that are considered and
help to focus the analysis. Comments
received in response to this notice,
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
decision under 36 CFR parts 215 and
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 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
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.
Dated: May 9, 2008.
John Allen,
Forest Supervisor, Deschutes National Forest.
[FR Doc. E8–10947 Filed 5–15–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–11–M
COMMITTEE FOR PURCHASE FROM
PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND OR
SEVERELY DISABLED
Committee for Purchase From
People Who Are Blind or Severely
Disabled.
ACTION: Addition to and Deletions from
the Procurement List.
sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES
SUMMARY: This action adds to the
Procurement List a product to be
furnished by nonprofit agencies
employing persons who are blind or
have other severe disabilities, and
deletes from the Procurement List
services previously furnished by such
agencies.
EFFECTIVE DATE: June 15, 2008.
ADDRESSES: Committee for Purchase
From People Who Are Blind or Severely
Jkt 214001
I certify that the following action will
not have a significant impact on a
substantial number of small entities.
The major factors considered for this
certification were:
1. The action will not result in any
additional reporting, recordkeeping or
other compliance requirements for small
entities other than the small
organizations that will furnish the
product to the Government.
2. The action will result in
authorizing small entities to furnish the
product to the Government.
3. There are no known regulatory
alternatives which would accomplish
the objectives of the Javits-WagnerO’Day Act (41 U.S.C. 46–48c) in
connection with the product proposed
for addition to the Procurement List.
Accordingly, the following product is
added to the Procurement List:
AGENCY:
16:18 May 15, 2008
Regulatory Flexibility Act Certification
End of Certification
Procurement List: Addition and
Deletions
VerDate Aug<31>2005
Disabled, Jefferson Plaza 2, Suite 10800,
1421 Jefferson Davis Highway,
Arlington, Virginia 22202–3259.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Kimberly M. Zeich, Telephone: (703)
603–7740, Fax: (703) 603–0655, or email CMTEFedReg@jwod.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Addition:
On March 21, 2008, the Committee for
Purchase From People Who Are Blind
or Severely Disabled published notice
(73 FR15130) of proposed additions to
the Procurement List.
After consideration of the material
presented to it concerning capability of
qualified nonprofit agencies to provide
the products and impact of the
additions on the current or most recent
contractors, the Committee has
determined that the product listed
below are suitable for procurement by
the Federal Government under 41 U.S.C.
46–48c and 41 CFR 51–2.4.
Product
USCG Service/Name Tapes
NSN: 8455–00–NIB–0016—Name Tapes.
NSN: 8455–00–NIB–0017—Service
Tapes.
NPA: Lions Industries for the Blind,
Inc., Kinston, NC.
Coverage: C-List for the requirements of
the U.S. Coast Guard.
Contracting Activity: U.S. Coast Guard,
Uniform Distribution Center,
Woodbine, NJ.
Deletions
On March 21, 2008, the Committee for
Purchase From People Who Are Blind
or Severely Disabled published notice
PO 00000
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(73 FR15130) of proposed deletions to
the Procurement List.
After consideration of the relevant
matter presented, the Committee has
determined that the services listed
below are no longer suitable for
procurement by the Federal Government
under 41 U.S.C. 46–48c and 41 CFR 51–
2.4.
Regulatory Flexibility Act Certification
I certify that the following action will
not have a significant impact on a
substantial number of small entities.
The major factors considered for this
certification were:
1. The action should not result in
additional reporting, recordkeeping or
other compliance requirements for small
entities.
2. The action may result in
authorizing small entities to furnish the
services to the Government.
3. There are no known regulatory
alternatives which would accomplish
the objectives of the Javits-WagnerO’Day Act (41 U.S.C. 46–48c) in
connection with the services deleted
from the Procurement List.
End of Certification
Accordingly, the following services
are deleted from the Procurement List:
Services
Service Type/Location: Custodial
Services, Social Security
Administration, 2401 Lind Street,
Quincy, IL.
NPA: Transitions of Western Illinois,
Inc., Quincy, IL.
Contracting Activity: General Services
Administration, Public Buildings
Service, Region 5, Chicago, IL.
Service Type/Location: Janitorial/
Custodial Services, U.S. Federal
Building and Post Office,
Wenatchee, WA.
NPA: Northwest Center, Seattle, WA.
Contracting Activity: General Services
Administration, Public Buildings
Service, Region 10.
Dennis Lockard,
General Counsel.
[FR Doc. E8–11014 Filed 5–15–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6353–01–P
COMMITTEE FOR PURCHASE FROM
PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND OR
SEVERELY DISABLED
Procurement List; Proposed Additions
Committee for Purchase From
People Who Are Blind or Severely
Disabled.
ACTION: Proposed Additions to the
Procurement List.
AGENCY:
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 96 (Friday, May 16, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28426-28428]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-10947]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Environmental Impact Statement for Implementing the Travel
Management Rule for the Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests and
Crooked River National Grassland, Deschutes & Ochoco National Forests,
Deschutes, Crook, Jefferson, Klamath, Grant and Lake Counties, OR
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The U.S. Forest Service will prepare an environmental impact
statement (EIS) on a proposed action to implement 36 CFR parts 212,
251, 261, and 295; Travel Management: Designated Routes and Areas for
Motor Vehicle Use; Final Rule (Travel Management Rule). The Deschutes
and Ochoco National Forests and the Crooked River National Grassland
propose to prohibit motorized travel \1\ outside of 300' of the
centerline of those existing designated routes (roads and trails) and
areas that currently allow motorized use and that are not otherwise
restricted or prohibited for such use by law, regulation, policy,
order, Land and Resource Management Plans (Forest Plans), or other past
administrative decisions. Class of vehicles (highway licensed and/or
non-highway licensed) and season(s) of use that motorized access to
dispersed campsites would be allowed would match the adjacent
designated route classification and seasonal use period. Special
provisions for motorized access only to designated, defined, or
existing campsites, and/or prohibitions from motorized access would be
applied adjacent to routes and within areas specified on the Proposed
Action maps. Identification of routes with special provisions and/or
prohibitions and would be based on a set of criteria for establishing
exceptions to the general provision for 300' motorized access adjacent
to designated routes in the proposed action. No new motorized access to
areas currently prohibited to motorized access would be included in the
proposed action.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Over the snow vehicles are excluded from this proposed
action.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The proposed action would amend the Ochoco National Forest Plan by
deleting forest plan standards and guidelines that are not consistent
with the Travel Management Rule and the proposed action. The proposed
action would amend the Deschutes National Forest Plan to make minor (1-
2 day) corrections to some motorized season of use dates for
consistency with other similar season of use dates, and change some
analysis requirements from outdated ``implementation units'' to
watershed or similar sized ecologically-based areas. The alternatives
will include the proposed action, no action, and additional
alternatives that respond to issues generated through the scoping
process. The agency will give notice of the full environmental analysis
and decision making process so interested and affected people may
participate and contribute to the final decision.
Location: The proposed action includes all of the Deschutes and
Ochoco National Forests and Crooked River National Grassland. These
federal lands are located in the vicinity of the central Oregon cities
of Bend, Prineville, and Madras. The proposed action applies only to
National Forest and Grassland lands, although lands of other than
federal ownership lie adjacent or interspersed across the landscape
with national forests and grasslands.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis, issues about the
proposed action, or alternatives to the proposed action are most
helpful if received within 30 days following the date that this notice
appears in the Federal Register.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to the Deschutes National Forest at
1001 SW Emkay, Bend, OR 97701 Attention: Mose Harris, Travel Management
Team.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mose Harris, Writer-Editor, Mollie
Chaudet, Peggy Fisher, or Laurel Skelton, at the Deschutes National
Forest Headquarters, 1001 SW Emkay, Bend, OR 97702, (541) 383-5300.
Responsible Officials: The Responsible Officials are John Allen,
Forest Supervisor, Deschutes National Forest and Jeff Walter, Forest
Supervisor, Ochoco National Forest.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose and Need: In 2005, the Forest Service published a final
rule in the Federal Register: 36 CFR Parts 212, 251, 261, and 295;
Travel Management: Designated Routes and Areas for Motor Vehicle Use;
Final Rule (Travel Management Rule). Currently, the Deschutes and
Ochoco National Forests have over 9000 miles of designated routes
(roads and trails), and a few designated areas that are open to a
variety of highway and non-highway licensed vehicles. There is a
variety of laws, regulations, and policies that result in a mixture of
areas of the Forests and Grassland that do or do not allow motorized
access off of these designated routes. The 2005 Travel
[[Page 28427]]
Management rule requires that all national forests prohibit motorized
travel off of designated routes or outside of designated areas, with
some exceptions. The rule was passed because of a number of resource
and social concerns related to motorized travel that were detailed in
the rule. Prohibiting motorized travel off of existing designated
routes without exception would affect the ability of many forest users
to access existing ``dispersed'' or informal campsites, some of which
have been used by generations of families. The objective of the
proposed action would be to continue to provide for motorized access to
dispersed campsites without adversely affecting sensitive resources.
There are also some potential safety concerns concerning ``mixed''
(highway and non-highway licensed vehicles) that could result from
limiting all motorized use to the existing designated National Forest
System roads and motorized trails on the Forests and Grassland.
Currently, many National Forest System roads on the Deschutes and
Ochoco National Forests and the Crooked River National Grassland have
existing designations that follow state regulation(s) that allow for
``mixed'' use of highway and non-highway licensed vehicles on roads
classified by the Forest Service as ``Maintenance Level 2''. Mixed use
of some of these roads may pose a risk to reasonable levels of public
safety for motorized users. The proposed action would implement the
national Travel Management rule while continuing to provide motorized
access for dispersed camping without adversely affecting sensitive
resources and reasonable levels of public safety on mixed use roads.
Proposed Action: In accordance with 36 CFR 212, 251, 261, and 295,
the Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests and the Crooked River
National Grassland propose to prohibit motorized travel \2\ outside of
those existing designated routes (roads and trails) and areas where it
is not already restricted or prohibited by law, regulation, policy,
order, Forest Plan direction, or site-specific decision. The Proposed
Action would not propose to close any existing designated motorized
routes open to motorized travel, although non-highway licensed vehicles
would be prohibited from some roads because of safety concerns. The
proposed action would amend the Ochoco National Forest Plan by deleting
forest plan standards and guidelines that are not consistent with the
Travel Management Rule and the proposed action. The proposed action
would amend the Deschutes National Forest Plan to make minor (1-2 day)
corrections to some motorized season of use dates for consistency with
other similar season of use dates, and change some analysis
requirements from outdated ``implementation units'' to watershed or
similar sized ecologically-based areas. Existing designated routes and
areas for motorized use according to the season of use (open to use
time frame) and class of vehicle (highway licensed or non-highway
licensed) will be identified on the Deschutes and Ochoco National
Forest and Crooked River National Grassland Proposed Action maps. In
accordance with provisions of the Travel Management Rule, and with the
objective of minimizing resource damage associated with motorized
travel off of designated route, the proposed action would:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ Over the snow vehicles are excluded from this proposed
action.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Continue to allow motorized access for the purpose of ingress
and egress to a dispersed campsite within 300' of the centerline of
most of the designated routes shown on the proposed action maps. This
approach mirrors the local so-called ``green dot'' motorized access
rules that have been in place adjacent to some designated roads on the
forests for many years during hunting seasons.
2. In certain areas with specific resource concerns, special
provisions would continue to allow motorized access within 300' of the
centerline of a designated route only for the purpose of accessing
designated, defined or existing dispersed campsites. Designated sites
are marked with a sign; defined sites limit the extent of the site and
motorized access to the site with boulder or wood structures; and
existing sites have established fire rings or other evidence of
historic use.
3. In riparian areas (those areas adjacent to wetlands, lakes,
streams and springs), motorized access would continue to be allowed
only to designated, defined, or existing camping sites. Motorized
access to existing (not specifically designated or defined) campsites
less than 30' from the edge of the wetland, lake, stream or spring
would not be allowed. Motorized vehicles would not be permitted to
cross streams except on designated roads or trails open to motorized
use.
4. No motorized access to areas with current prohibitions or
restrictions on motorized access to dispersed campsites (e.g.:
Wilderness Areas, Newberry National Volcanic Monument Caldera Zone,
other Management Areas adjacent to open roads but closed to motorized
use) or motorized access to dispersed campsites not on National Forest
lands would be authorized under this proposal.
Decisions To Be Made: The Deschutes and Ochoco Forest Supervisors
are the Deciding Officials for:
Prohibiting motorized travel off of existing designated routes
within the Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests and Crooked River
National Grassland where such use is not already prohibited by law,
regulation, policy, Land and Resource Management Plans, or past
administrative action or decision;
determining whether or under what conditions motorized access for
dispersed camping allowed by the rule would be provided;
determining whether or under what conditions mixed use of highway
and non-highway licensed vehicles on identified national forest system
roads would be allowed; and
determining whether, or under what conditions, to amend forest
plans.
Possible Alternatives: The EIS will consider the following
alternatives to the Proposed Action:
(1) A ``No Action/No Change'' Alternative--that would not prohibit
motorized travel off of designated routes and would not amend forest
plans. This action would not be consistent with the Travel Management
Rule.
(2) The proposed action.
(3) Alternatives to the proposed action that are within the scope
of the proposed action, meet the purpose and need, are responsive to
the comments received during the scoping period, and are approved by
the Forest Supervisors for consideration.
Scoping Process: The Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests have
held ten public workshops and thirteen Travel Management Strategy
Working Group meetings that were open to the public throughout central
Oregon in 2006 and 2007 to help develop the proposed action identified
for this Environmental Impact Statement. Additional public meetings to
gather comments on the proposed action will be held at the following
locations and dates from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m.:
May 19--Sisters High School, 1700 W. McKinney Butte Rd.,
Sisters, Oregon.
May 20--Madras Senior Center, 860 SW Madison, Madras,
Oregon.
May 21--Deschutes National Forest Headquarters, 1001 SW
Emkay, Bend, Oregon.
May 27--Ochoco National Forest Headquarters, 3160 NE 3
St., Prineville, Oregon.
May 28--Gilchrist High School, 201 Mountain View Dr.,
Gilchrist, Oregon.
June 2--Redmond High School, Hugh Hartman Building, 2105
W. Antler Ave., Redmond, Oregon.
[[Page 28428]]
Comment. Public comments about this proposal are requested in order
help identify significant issues concerning the proposed action which
will help to develop the range of alternatives to the proposed action
that are considered and help to focus the analysis. Comments received
in response to this notice, 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
decision under 36 CFR parts 215 and 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 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
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.
Dated: May 9, 2008.
John Allen,
Forest Supervisor, Deschutes National Forest.
[FR Doc. E8-10947 Filed 5-15-08; 8:45 am]
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