Giant Sequoia National Monument Management Plan EIS, 11520-11526 [E9-5809]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
• Forest Service

[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 51 (Wednesday, March 18, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11520-11526]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-5809]


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Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 51 / Wednesday, March 18, 2009 / 
Notices

[[Page 11520]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Giant Sequoia National Monument Management Plan EIS

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Agriculture, Forest Service is preparing an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to establish management direction 
for the land and resources within the Giant Sequoia National Monument 
(GSNM) created by Presidential Proclamation on April 15, 2000. The 
Forest Service, as the responsible agency, proposes to amend the 1988 
Sequoia National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (1988 Forest 
Plan) to provide for the protection of the objects of interest 
identified in the Proclamation.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received 
by May 4, 2009. The draft environmental impact statement is expected 
September 2009 and the final environmental impact statement is expected 
March 2010.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Marianne Emmendorfer, Project 
Leader, Sequoia National Forest Headquarters, 1839 South Newcomb 
Street, Porterville, CA 93257, and Attention: Monument Management Plan, 
or via facsimile to (559) 781-4744.
    It is important that reviewers provide their comments at such times 
and in such a way that they are useful to the Agency's preparation of 
the EIS. Therefore, comments should be provided prior to the close of 
the comment period and should clearly articulate the reviewer's 
concerns and contentions. The submission of timely and specific 
comments can affect a reviewer's ability to participate in subsequent 
administrative review or judicial review.
    Comments received in response to this solicitation, including names 
and addresses of those who comment, will become part of the public 
record for this proposed action. Comments submitted anonymously will be 
accepted and considered; however, anonymous comments will not provide 
the respondent with standing to participate in subsequent 
administrative review or judicial review.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marianne Emmendorfer, Project Leader, 
Sequoia National Forest, at the address listed above. Her telephone 
number is 559-338-2251, extension 313. Information regarding the 
monument and the planning process can also be found on the Giant 
Sequoia National Monument Web site located at https://www.fs.fed.us/r5/
sequoia/gsnm.
    The Sequoia National Forest is using the Giant Sequoia National 
Monument Management Plan to pilot software from Limehouse Software\TM\ 
that allows documents to be posted to a Web site for your review and 
comment. Please visit the Limehouse Software Web site  https://gsnm-
consult.limehouse.com/portal/ to enter comments electronically. 
Additional documents will be posted that are relevant to the management 
plan. When you visit the Web site, please register to access all the 
features of this Web site and to receive automatic notifications when 
documents are posted. A guided tour, showing how to use the site, is 
available, as well as help files, explaining how to use the Web site.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Individuals who use telecommunication 
devised for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay 
Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Eastern 
Time, Monday through Friday.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    On April 15, 2000, a Presidential Proclamation creating the Giant 
Sequoia National Monument was signed. The Proclamation designated 
327,769 acres within the boundary of the Sequoia National Forest as a 
National Monument to provide protection for a variety of objects of 
historic and scientific interest, including giant sequoia trees and 
their surrounding ecosystem. The Proclamation required establishment of 
a monument management plan within three years, and establishment of a 
scientific advisory board to assist in development of this plan. A 
scientific advisory board was appointed, in consultation with the 
National Academy of Sciences, to provide scientific guidance during the 
development of the 2004 Giant Sequoia National Monument Management Plan 
Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) and Record of Decision. A 
Giant Sequoia National Monument Management Plan Record of Decision was 
signed on January 12, 2004. The monument plan was challenged and 
litigation was filed in the United States District Court for the 
Northern District of California on January 27, 2005 (Sierra Club, et 
al., v. Bosworth, et al., No. C-05-00397 CRB) and March 3, 2005 (People 
of the State of California, ex rel. Lockyer v. United States Department 
of Agriculture, et al., No. C-05-00898 CRB). In October 2006, Federal 
District Court, Judge Charles Breyer, found in favor of the plaintiffs 
in both cases and remanded the Plan to the USDA Forest Service ``* * * 
so that a proper Monument Plan can be developed in accordance with the 
Presidential Proclamation, * * * and in compliance with the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) * * *'' Calif. ex rel. Lockyer v. USDA, 
No. C-05-00898 (N.D. Cal., Oct. 11, 2006).
    There are a number of resources and direction that are applicable 
to the entire Sequoia National Forest that also need to be addressed in 
the Giant Sequoia National Monument management plan to some extent. The 
2004 Giant Sequoia National Monument plan specified that it relied on 
the 2001 Sierra Nevada Forest Plan Amendment (SNFPA) FEIS and Record of 
Decision, due in part to the fact that the supplemental SNFPA EIS was 
being developed at the same time as the monument plan. However, the 
2004 SNFPA contained updated scientific research regarding fire and 
fuels, and wildlife habitat information. This current analysis for the 
monument will rely on the most current scientific information 
available. Where applicable it may adopt existing direction from other 
sources including the 2004 SNFPA.
    In addition, though California condors fit the description of 
``rare and endemic species'' for which the monument was established, 
these birds have historically

[[Page 11521]]

used portions of the Sequoia National Forest (SQF). Therefore, 
direction for condor habitat will be provided within the monument 
portion of the SQF in the management plan, with the knowledge that any 
updated management direction for condor habitat outside the Monument 
will be addressed in the Sequoia National Forest plan revision.

Mediated Settlement Agreement

    The 1990 Mediated Settlement Agreement to the Sequoia National 
Forest Land Management Plan (MSA) states, ``In the interim period 
between signing this Agreement and finalizing an amendment 
incorporating this Agreement into the Plan, the Parties agree that the 
provisions of this Agreement shall be implemented according to the 
schedules indicated throughout this document.'' A review is currently 
being conducted to determine which of the provisions of the MSA have 
been incorporated into amendments to the 1988 Sequoia National Forest 
Land and Resource Management Plan. The preliminary review found that 
there are a number of provisions yet to be fully incorporated in 
amendments. Therefore, applicable provisions of the MSA will be 
addressed in the Giant Sequoia National Monument management plan 
environmental analysis.

Proclamation

    The Proclamation stated, ``Laws, regulations, and policies 
pertaining to administration by the Department of Agriculture of 
grazing permits and timber sales under contract as of the date of this 
proclamation on National Forest System lands within the boundaries of 
the Monument shall continue to apply to lands within the Monument. 
Nothing in this proclamation shall be deemed to affect existing special 
use authorizations; existing uses shall be governed by applicable laws, 
regulations, and management plans. Nothing in this proclamation shall 
be deemed to revoke any existing withdrawal, reservation, or 
appropriation; however, the national monument shall be the dominant 
reservation.'' [Proclamation 7295, 65 FR 24095, 24098 (Apr. 25, 2000)].
    In addition, the Proclamation stated, ``Removal of trees, except 
for personal use fuel wood, from within the monument area may take 
place only if clearly needed for ecological restoration and maintenance 
or public safety.'' (65 FR 24097). Public use in the Monument is 
defined as scientific research, interpretation and conservation 
education regarding natural and cultural resources, activities 
authorized under special use permits, recreation activities and current 
commodity uses (i.e., grazing, fuelwood cutting, etc.) under applicable 
laws, regulations and policies regarding their administration.
    The Proclamation also stated, ``The final decision to issue any 
management plans and any management rules and regulations rests with 
the Secretary of Agriculture. Management plans or rules and regulations 
developed by the Secretary of the Interior governing uses within 
national parks or other national monuments administered by the 
Secretary of the Interior shall not apply within the Giant Sequoia 
National Monument.'' (65 FR 24098).
    It is not within the purpose or authority of the Presidential 
Proclamation that established the Giant Sequoia National Monument to 
change existing:
     State jurisdiction over fish and game management;
     Water rights;
     Laws, policies and regulations pertaining to permits and 
projects under current contract;
     Special use authorizations; and
     Withdrawals, reservations, or appropriations except where 
the Proclamation specified, and that the Monument shall be the dominant 
reservation.

Scientific Advisory Board and Existing Advisories

    The 2001 Presidential Proclamation required the Secretary of 
Agriculture to appoint a Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) to assist in 
developing the monument management plan. The board was convened as 
described above, and submitted 28 advisories during the planning 
process from 2002-2004.
    Some of the advisories were specific to the draft EIS while others 
were more far reaching. As this new monument planning process was 
initiated, a number of people requested that a new SAB be convened. As 
a first step to determine whether a new SAB is necessary, the Forest 
Service offered a commenting opportunity on the existing scientific 
advisories concurrent with the commenting opportunity on the 
Proclamation from July through August 2008. Only those advisories that 
were not directed at the 2002 draft EIS were included. Several people 
commented on the advisories.
    The Forest Supervisor determined that a number of the existing 
scientific advisories are still relevant for the new monument plan. She 
found the public comments on whether or how an additional Scientific 
Advisory Board would be empanelled merit further study.

Purpose and Need for Action

    The Presidential Proclamation establishing the Giant Sequoia 
National Monument (Monument) required preparation of a management plan. 
The required plan will amend the existing 1988 Sequoia National Forest 
Land and Resource Management Plan (1988 Forest Plan) as amended by the 
1991 Kings River Wild and Scenic River, and Special Management Area 
Implementation Plan and the 2001 Sierra Nevada Forest Plan Amendment 
(2001 SNFPA). The Proclamation focused on certain resources and uses in 
establishing the Monument so the proposed plan amendment will also 
focus on those areas in implementing the Proclamation.
    The Monument Management Plan may also incorporate the management 
direction provided by the 1990 Sequoia National Forest Land Management 
Plan Mediated Settlement Agreement (MSA), and the 2004 Sierra Nevada 
Forest Plan Amendment Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (2004 
SNFPA SEIS), as applicable, and to the extent that direction is 
consistent with the Proclamation. Although the Monument plan 
environmental impact statement (EIS) must consider these other sources 
of direction, the plan is not constrained by the requirements 
prescribed in these documents. The plan will be informed by the best 
available science and will be based on a thorough review of relevant 
scientific information and practical experience, per the Proclamation 
and planning direction, resulting in a plan which could be 
substantially different from current management direction.
    The purpose and need of this management plan is to establish 
management direction for the land and resources within the Giant 
Sequoia National Monument in order to protect the Objects of Interest 
(as described below), while providing key resources and opportunities 
for public use within the Monument. Although many valuable Objects of 
Interest are identified, it was also clear in the Proclamation that the 
major purpose of the monument is to protect and maintain the giant 
sequoia groves and the rare giants within their unique and natural 
habitat.
    The Monument management plan will describe a long-term vision and 
the strategic management direction to guide management activities that 
move resources toward the desired conditions. This Monument plan will 
define the parameters (limits) for management activities, and offer the 
flexibility to adapt project-level decisions to

[[Page 11522]]

accommodate rapidly changing resource conditions.
    The Proclamation states that the monument plan shall:
    Establish a transportation plan that provides for visitor 
enjoyment, and understanding about the scientific and historical 
objects consistent with their protection. (65 FR 24098).
    The Proclamation did not specifically state, but implied the 
following needs in protecting Objects of Interest in the Monument:
    (A) Provide for survival of mature and regeneration of young 
sequoias to assure the continued existence of this species. Consider 
the effects of disturbance and climate change on the regeneration, 
range and distribution of sequoias. (65 FR 24095).
    (B) Restore the ecological processes and attributes that may be 
altered due to a century of fire suppression and large-scale logging, 
so that forest resiliency to large-scale wildfire and other potentially 
catastrophic events is improved (65 FR 24095-24096),
    (C) Provide opportunities for scientific study of the Objects of 
Interest (such as biologists, geologists, paleontologists, 
archaeologists and historians) (65 FR 24095-24097).
    The Objects of Interest were generally identified in the 
Proclamation, with the requirement that the management plan would 
provide direction for their proper care. Through public and agency 
dialogue the Objects of Interest have been determined to be a mix of 
specific individuals/locations (i.e. specific caverns or named 
sequoias) and broad ecosystem processes (i.e. sequoia groves and 
associated watersheds). The following are the Objects of Interest that 
will be considered for protection under this Giant Sequoia National 
Monument Management Plan:
     The ecosystems and outstanding landscapes within the 
Monument that surround the sequoia groves, including the interconnected 
vegetation types;
     The naturally occurring giant sequoia groves and 
associated ecosystems, rare giant trees, and other rare and endemic 
plant species including the Springville clarkia, etc.;
     The diverse array of rare animal species include the 
Pacific fisher, great gray owl, American marten, northern goshawk, 
peregrine falcon, California spotted owl, California condor, several 
rare amphibians and western pond turtle;
     The paleontological resources in the meadow sediments, 
giant sequoia tree rings, and other vegetation that have recorded the 
ecological changes including fire regimes, volcanism, vegetation and 
climate over the millennia;
     The limestone caverns and other geologic features 
including granite domes, spires, geothermally produced hot springs and 
soda springs, and the mix of glacial and river carved gorges;
     Cultural resources, both historic and prehistoric, provide 
a record of human adaptation to climate change and other influences, 
including land use patterns, in shaping ecosystems over the past 12,000 
years.
    The Presidential Proclamation creates a national monument 
recognizing and protecting forever its unique resources. The 
Proclamation also clearly identifies opportunities for scientific 
research, interpretation, recreation, and the need for a transportation 
plan. We are committed to preparing a management plan that is 
responsive to these needs and opportunities and that protects and 
restores the objects of interest as identified in the Proclamation.

Proposed Action

Desired Conditions and New Objectives

    The desired conditions are broad, overarching descriptions of 
management goals and objectives to address the purpose and need to 
protect the Objects of Interest while providing key resources and 
opportunities for public use within the Monument. The 1988 Forest Plan 
and the 2001 SNFPA provide desired condition goals and objectives for a 
number of resources in the monument. Much of this direction is relevant 
for use in managing the Giant Sequoia National Monument. However, there 
is a subset of desired conditions and associated management direction 
that needs to be amended to manage the monument in accordance with the 
Proclamation.
    In response to the Proclamation, the desired conditions discussed 
here are focused on the resources for which the Giant Sequoia National 
Monument Management Plan would amend or otherwise alter the current 
direction provided in the 1988 Forest Plan, as amended by the 2001 
SNFPA. The desired conditions and associated management direction 
expected to be altered from current management direction includes:
     Shifts in vegetation management direction (management 
prescriptions), mainly regarding sequoias and oak habitat;
     Shifts in fuels management, mainly regarding sequoia 
groves;
     Provide resource management direction that is more 
responsive to new scientific data;
     Greater emphasis on paleontological and cave resources;
     Greater emphasis on selected cultural resource types and 
research questions;
     Greater emphasis on place-based recreation and public 
access; and
     Greater emphasis on partnerships and research 
opportunities.
    The desired conditions and resultant monument management goals are 
governed by the 2000 Presidential Proclamation establishing the Giant 
Sequoia National Monument; and, as applicable, informed by the 1988 
Forest Plan; the 1990 MSA; the applicable advisories from the 
Scientific Advisory Board; \1\ and the 2001 and/or 2004 SNFPA.
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    \1\ Several advisories were specific to the 2002 Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement for the Giant Sequoia National 
Monument Management Plan and are therefore not necessarily 
applicable to this current Draft EIS.
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    The desired conditions are also informed by the public comments 
regarding the original 2004 Giant Sequoia National Monument Management 
Plan, and the commenting opportunity on the Presidential Proclamation 
and scientific advisories from July 2 through August 31, 2008.
    The desired conditions are described in the context of protecting 
the Objects of Interest, and/or providing opportunities for public use.

A. Vegetation Including Sequoia Groves

    The Proclamation stated that ``No portion of the monument shall be 
considered to be suited for timber production, and no part of the 
monument shall be used in a calculation or provision of sustained yield 
of timber from the Sequoia National Forest.'' (65 FR 24097). The 
desired conditions for vegetation within the Monument under the 
Proclamation will amend portions of the current direction for 
vegetation management. The 1988 Forest Plan provided two goals for 
timber resources: (1) Increase total timber (and wood fiber) supply 
where cost effective, and (2) maintain and enhance giant sequoias to 
increase recreation use and interpretive opportunities. The Monument 
plan will amend the first goal and its associated management 
prescriptions per Proclamation direction to remove the Monument from 
the timber land base. The second goal of the 1988 Forest Plan is 
consistent with the Proclamation's goal to ``provide for and encourage 
continued public and recreational access and use consistent with the 
purposes of the monument.'' (65 FR 24097) In addition, the 1988 Forest 
Plan provided specific management direction for giant sequoias, about 
which the 1990 MSA recommended several changes to

[[Page 11523]]

establish grove boundaries and prevent logging in the groves to help 
preserve \2\ and protect \3\ them.
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    \2\ Preserve is defined in terms of the sequoia groves by 
allowing ecological processes, or equivalents thereof, to maintain 
the dynamic of forest structure and function (Piirto and Rogers, An 
Ecological Foundation for Management of National Forest Giant 
Sequoia Ecosystems, 1999).
    \3\ Protect is defined in terms of sequoia groves as protecting 
the naturally occurring goves from events that are contrary to or 
disruptive of natural ecological processes. Protect cultural 
artifacts, and ususual biological and physical features within 
groves from agents that could destroy them or accelerate their 
natural rate fo deterioration.
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    The desired condition for the monument vegetation is a variable 
distribution over space and time of a variety of species, sizes, and 
ages that are in balance with climate and other ecological conditions, 
which addresses the range of natural variability as determined by the 
best available science. The resultant combinations and ranges of 
ecosystem structures will provide a diverse habitat for biological 
Objects of Interest, recreation opportunities, and forest ecosystems 
able to regenerate and to survive drought, insects, disease, and large 
wildfires.
    Objects of Interest are protected from large scale disturbances and 
vegetation type conversions. Under the Proclamation, ``Removal of 
trees, except for personal use fuel wood, from within the Monument area 
may take place only if clearly needed for ecological restoration and 
maintenance or public safety.'' (65 FR 24097). Consistent with this 
direction, the Forest will develop standards and guidelines to 
encourage forest stand disturbances at the appropriate scale and 
severity to meet other objectives such as safety, fuels, and wildlife 
management. The vegetation diversity may promote ladder fuels and down 
woody debris in one area, and giant sequoia regeneration and reduced 
fuels in another area.
    More specifically, the desired conditions in giant sequoia groves 
will be a balance of forest disturbances, fuel loading, ladder fuels, 
and burn frequencies that will provide adequate conditions for sequoia 
regeneration. The desired habitat and processes will be adequate to 
protect some sequoia regeneration, most large sequoias, and all mature 
sequoias.
    The 1990 MSA also recommended alterations to much of the grazing 
management direction for oak and chaparral vegetation areas. Portions 
of this direction have been included in the 2001 SNFPA direction for 
grazing in oak woodlands. However, there are still portions of the MSA 
direction regarding grazing management in oak and chaparral habitats 
that will be considered in the environmental analysis, and may be 
addressed in the monument plan.
    The desired conditions of vegetation within oak grassland grazing 
allotments are healthy large oak trees capable of producing acorns and 
adequate regeneration and protection of oaks to assure long term 
survival of the species.

B. Fuels

    Fire, whether natural or human caused, has been a key process in 
reducing the surface, ladder, and crown fuels that reduce 
susceptibility to the adverse effects of severe wildfires. Many 
ecosystems within and adjacent to the monument have excessive fuels 
accumulation due to years of fire exclusion. These fuels have built up 
at various rates depending on conditions and past treatments.
    The existing direction under the 2001 SNFPA locates fuel treatments 
across broad landscapes that are linked to support one another so that 
the spread of wildland fire is interrupted and its intensity reduced. 
Continued use of these strategies in the Monument are intended to 
protect the resources including life, property, and sensitive 
resources, such as the giant sequoias, wildlife, cultural resources, 
and riparian areas. The 1990 MSA recommended fuels inventories and fuel 
load reduction plans for the groves, which will be considered in the 
development of alternatives and in the environmental analysis for the 
monument plan.
    The desired condition for fuels in the Monument is to establish and 
maintain lower, manageable levels of flammable materials, especially at 
the surface and understory layers using frequent fire return intervals. 
Safer, manageable fuels are defined as those which pose low risk for 
large, catastrophic fires and include a highly diverse vegetation 
mosaic of age classes, tree sizes, and species composition. This will 
also contribute to protecting the objects of interest and will help 
maintain sustainable environmental, social, and economic benefits 
(i.e., effects to tourism).
    Additional direction provided in the 2001 Sierra Nevada Forest Plan 
Amendment sets the highest priority for fuel reduction activities in 
the urban wildland intermix zone (WUI). These fuel reduction treatments 
are to protect human communities from wildland fires as well as 
minimize the spread of fires that might originate in urban areas. The 
goal is for fire suppression capabilities to be enhanced by modified 
fire behavior inside the zone (USDA Forest Service, January 2001, 
Record of Decision, page 9). The desired condition for WUI within the 
Monument would follow the 2001 SNFPA guidelines to focus fuel reduction 
treatments in developed areas within the WUI zones.

C. Habitat Management for Rare and Endemic Species

    The GSNM and surrounding Sequoia National Forest provide habitat 
for a number of rare plant and animal species. The Proclamation states: 
``The great elevational range of the monument embraces a number of 
climatic zones, providing habitats for an extraordinary diversity of 
plant species and communities. The monument is rich in rare plants and 
is home to more than 200 plant species endemic to the southern Sierra 
Nevada mountain range.'' The desired condition is that lands within the 
monument continue to provide a diverse range of habitats. Riparian 
areas, montane meadows, and late successional forest are areas of 
particular concern.
    Lands within the GSNM account for nearly one quarter of the 
Southern Sierra Fisher Conservation Area designated under the 2001 
SNFPA. The Southern Sierra Fisher Conservation Area is a mapped land 
allocation encompassing the known occupied range of the Pacific fisher 
in the Sierra Nevada. The Monument management plan may update or add to 
the management standards and guidelines based on current scientific 
research and modeling from the Conservation Biology Institute (CBI) and 
others regarding fishers.
    Current management direction provided by the 2001 SNFPA for 
California spotted owl, northern goshawks and great gray owls will 
continue unaltered within the monument. The 2001 SNFPA designated 
standards and guidelines for conserving willow flycatchers and 
designated sites of emphasis habitats, based on consistent monitoring 
of known willow flycatcher sites. Five of these sites occur within the 
GSNM, though monitoring resulted in no willow flycatcher detections 
since regular monitoring began in 2001. The management direction 
provided by the 2001 SNFPA is expected to continue to be used in the 
monument.
    The 2001 SNFPA was intended to provide regionally consistent 
direction to address aquatic, riparian, and meadow ecosystems 
identified as the most altered and impaired habitats in the Sierra 
Nevada. In addition, many aquatic and riparian-dependent species were 
found to be at risk of extirpation. Foothill and mountain yellow-legged 
frogs, several slender salamander species, and western pond turtles 
have

[[Page 11524]]

suitable habitat in riparian areas in the monument. The Aquatic 
Management Strategy (AMS) for the 2001 SNFPA established Riparian 
Conservation Objectives for Riparian Conservation Areas (RCAs) and 
Critical Aquatic Refuges (CARs). Portions of four CARs are located 
within the GSNM. The management direction provided by the 2001 SNFPA is 
expected to continue to be used in the monument.
    The 1988 Forest Plan and 1990 MSA provide direction for the 
management of the California condor. Forest Plan direction specifies 
that management is to be congruent with the California Condor Recovery 
Plan, and identifies several historic use areas that are to be managed 
for the benefit and protection of the condor. These include the 
Starvation Grove historic nest site and the Lion Ridge roost area. The 
MSA recommended designating Wildlife Habitat Management Areas and other 
guidance, which will be considered in the development of alternatives 
and in the environmental analysis for the monument plan.

D. Watershed Resources

    The 2001 SNFPA amended the 1988 Forest Plan and provided direction 
on management of watersheds. The 1990 MSA also includes direction for 
watershed management including establishing Streamside Management 
Zones. The recommended management direction from the 1990 MSA regarding 
watershed resources will be considered in the development of 
alternatives and in the environmental analysis for the monument plan.
    The desired condition is for hydrologic functions to operate in a 
natural role within watersheds while resource management activities 
sustain human needs and uses in the monument. Restoration of ecological 
process is promoted through repair of previously harmed areas, and 
fostering a return to natural conditions wherever possible.

E. Geological and Soil Resources

    The Proclamation describes caves and other special geologic 
resources as: ``The monument is dominated by granitic rocks, most 
noticeably as domes and spires in areas such as the Needles. The 
magnificent Kern Canyon forms the eastern boundary of the monument's 
southern unit * * * Particularly in the northern unit of the monument, 
limestone outcrops, remnants of an ancient seabed, are noted for their 
caves.''
    The desired condition is for ecological functions to operate in a 
natural role across geologic features of the Monument while resource 
management activities sustain human needs and uses. Geologic resource 
management may be focused on (1) geologic features (caves, domes, hot 
springs, etc.), (2) designating geological special interest areas 
(caves, hot springs, etc.), (3) identifying and minimizing potential 
geologic hazards, (4) maintaining groundwater, (5) protecting 
paleontological resources, and (6) management of mineral resources, 
``lands within the boundaries of this monument are hereby appropriated 
and withdrawn from entry, location, selection, sale, leasing, or other 
disposition under the public land laws including, but not limited to, 
withdrawal from locating, entry, and patent under the mining laws and 
from disposition under all laws relating to mineral and geothermal 
leasing.'' (Proclamation 7295, Federal Register, Vol. 65, No. 80, 4/25/
2000, p. 24097). The Proclamation removed the Monument lands from new 
mineral extraction so the Monument plan will amend the Forest Plan to 
reflect this direction.
    In addition, the 1990 MSA recommended direction regarding soil 
quality standards and associated monitoring. The 2001 SNFPA 
incorporated the Pacific Southwest Regional Soil Quality management 
direction into the amendment. Whether the 2001 SNFPA adequately 
addressed the 1990 MSA recommendations has yet to be determined.

F. Paleontological Resources

    According to the Proclamation, the Monument holds unique 
paleontological resources (i.e., life of past geologic periods found in 
the fossil record of plants and animals) documenting tens of thousands 
of years of ecosystem change. The Proclamation goes on to state, 
``Subfossil vegetation entombed within ancient woodrat middens in these 
caves has provided the only direct evidence of where giant sequoias 
grew during the Pleistocene era, and documents substantial vegetation 
changes over the last 50,000 or more years. Vertebrate fossils also 
have been found within the middens.'' In addition, giant sequoias hold 
within their tree rings multi-millennial records of past environmental 
changes such as climate, fire regimes, and consequent forest response. 
The desired condition is to manage the paleontological resources to 
retain the components providing the fossil record throughout the 
monument.

G. Cultural Resources

    The Proclamation states: ``During the past 8,000 years, Native 
American peoples of the Sierra Nevada have lived by hunting and 
fishing, gathering, and trading with other people throughout the 
region. Archaeological sites such as lithic scatters, food-processing 
sites, rock shelters, village sites, petroglyphs, and pictographs are 
found in the monument. These sites have the potential to shed light on 
the roles of prehistoric peoples, including the role they played in 
shaping the ecosystems on which they depended'' and ``One of the 
earliest recorded references to giant sequoias is found in the notes of 
the Walker Expedition of 1833, which described ``trees of the redwood 
species, incredibly large * * *.'' The world became aware of giant 
sequoias when sections of the massive trees were transported east and 
displayed as curiosities for eastern audiences. The 1988 Forest Plan 
and several laws direct the management and protection measures for 
cultural resources.
    The monument currently has over 900 recorded archaeological sites. 
These sites are the physical remains of human occupation over the last 
9,000 years and range from small-scale obsidian flake scatters to 
large-scale complex Native American village sites occupied for 
thousands of years. Historic sites chronicle some of the earliest Euro-
American exploration, settlement, and development of the southern 
Sierra Nevada. Cultural resources provide information about the past 
that was never written down. A greater understanding of these resources 
can lead to a greater understanding of human environmental 
interactions. These interactions include how humans reacted to large-
scale climate change; how humans manipulated vegetation on the smaller 
scale of food and material use by individual families, and on the 
larger scale of Native American burning and Euro-American logging. 
Cultural resources provide physical evidence of human land use patterns 
and can provide a greater understanding of culture change.
    In addition to the physical remains, the oral histories, 
ethnographic studies, and continuation of traditional practices 
contribute to our understanding of people who have both new and long-
term cultural connections to the Monument. The preservation and 
interpretation of cultural resources not only provides opportunities 
for visitors to explore, enjoy, and learn about the diversity of 
cultures that have lived in and visited the Monument; but also their 
own cultural heritage. The desired condition for the Monument is to 
place greater management emphasis on the rich cultural resources 
through

[[Page 11525]]

protection, research, and public education.

H. Human Use and Socioeconomics

    The Proclamation describes human use of the Monument as follows: 
``The plan will provide for and encourage continued public and 
recreational access and use consistent with the purposes of the 
monument.'' People of all ages, races and backgrounds, whether from 
local, rural or metropolitan communities would be encouraged to learn 
about and visit the Monument. The Monument would serve as a foundation 
of our commonality and interdependence.
    The Monument will be managed cost effectively. Research would be 
conducted regarding human use and socioeconomics. As the Scientific 
Advisory Board recommended: ``The Plan should take into account 
substantial increases in visitor use and exploit opportunities for 
collaboration with nearby communities and businesses plus the National 
Park[s] * * * [It] needs to include a plan to develop good quantitative 
and qualitative information on visitor use, activities undertaken, and 
enjoyment of proposed interpretive programs and facilities to comply 
with the Presidential Proclamation (Advisories XVII and XIX).''
    Demand for more specialized recreation (often provided by 
outfitters and guides, such as mountain biking and rock climbing) is 
increasing and the diversity of specialized recreation is increasingly 
broad. Regional population growth is expected to lead to greater demand 
for existing and emerging recreation opportunities. Projected 
population growth in the United States and increasing tourism in this 
region, along with other factors, clearly contribute to increasing 
demand for recreation facilities and services throughout the Sierra 
Nevada, specifically in the monument.
    Existing direction from the 1988 Forest Plan and 2001 SNFPA 
encourage diverse public access and use of the area in a safe manner. 
Management direction is in place to protect communities (including 
those within the monument) from wildfires, and to encourage economic 
opportunities for the gateway communities and communities in the 
Monument.
    Interpretation and conservation education reflect scientifically-
supported scholarship and research data, conveying clear messages 
regarding natural and cultural resources and multiple use. The unique 
qualities of the monument pique people's interest throughout the world. 
The monument not only provides a rich opportunity to connect people to 
the giant sequoias and monument, but also to the earth as a whole. The 
monument management plan has the potential, through the use of multi-
media interpretation and educational programs, to develop stewardship 
of the resource, to ensure its present and future protection and to 
enhance public enjoyment of this unique place. Awareness of the history 
of the Monument, appreciation for its biological processes, learning 
about the people who used and continue to use the monument, and 
education about disruptive forces are all distinctive, yet interrelated 
pieces that should be integrated into the overall approach to use of 
the resource.
    The 1988 Forest Plan and 2001 SNFPA provide management direction to 
be well-balanced with a wide variety of recreational activities in a 
well-managed environment, promoting appreciation of the opportunities 
and harmony among users. Current direction recommends that visitors 
will find a rich and varied range of recreational, educational, and 
social opportunities enhanced by giant sequoias and the surrounding 
ecosystems. Current direction also recommends that visitors will have 
the opportunity to recreate in a variety of settings, from primitive to 
highly developed areas. The 1988 Forest Plan also provides direction 
for public enjoyment to handle conflicts that do arise with timeliness 
and equilibrium, and to provide consistent and easy-to-read signage, 
and informational materials. Current management direction also promotes 
recreation use throughout the year.
    The desired condition for the Monument is to further emphasize the 
existing management direction to provide wide and varied public use of 
monument resources and opportunities while protecting the sensitive 
resources and Objects of Interest. Within the Monument there would be 
more emphasis on establishing partnerships, providing people with a 
connection to place, and promoting a sense of stewardship. These 
partnerships would provide a wide spectrum of recreation experiences 
through a wide variety of providers, including the Forest Service, 
partners, permit holders, volunteers and other community entities. 
Partnerships would be developed to increase interpretive materials and 
programs for reaching larger segments of the general public and for 
educating the ``citizen steward.'' Management partnerships will 
continue with those tribes whose ecosystems and watershed are affected 
by activities that occur on National Forest System lands, as well as 
with those Native Americans without a land base who have the need, 
through the practice of their culture, for National Forest System 
lands.
    The 1988 Forest Plan used some evaluation tools that have changed 
over time. The Visual Management System has changed to the Scenery 
Management System (SMS). The 1990 MSA recommended a number of changes 
to the Visual Quality Objectives, which will be considered during the 
evaluation under the SMS.
    The MSA had several requirements for off-highway vehicle and other 
trail use, which may be affected by the Travel Management Rule (36 CFR 
Parts 212, 251, and 261: Travel Management; Land Uses; and 
Prohibitions;), and is clearly altered by the Proclamation 
(Proclamation 7295, Federal Register, Vol. 65, No. 80, 4/25/2000, p. 
24098). How the Monument plan will amend the Forest Plan to clarify 
recreational road and trail use will be identified during the 
environmental analysis.
    There are two proposals from the 1988 Forest Plan that will not be 
carried forward within the monument: Creation of downhill ski areas at 
Peppermint on the Western Divide Ranger District, or Mitchell-Maddox on 
the Hume Lake Ranger District.
    There are no new objectives proposed at this time for Human Use, 
Socioeconomics, or Dispersed and Developed Recreation. All the 
suggested changes are to provide more focused guidelines to emphasize 
diverse public access, partnerships and place-based recreation 
opportunities.

I. Transportation System

    The Proclamation tells us: ``The management plan shall contain a 
transportation plan for the monument that provides for visitor 
enjoyment and understanding about the scientific and historic objects 
in the monument, consistent with their protection. For the purposes of 
protecting the objects included in the monument, motorized vehicle use 
will be permitted only on designated roads, and non-motorized 
mechanized vehicle use will be permitted only on designated roads and 
trails, except for emergency or authorized administrative purposes or 
to provide access for persons with disabilities. No new roads or trails 
will be authorized within the monument except to further the purposes 
of the monument.''
    The desired condition is that the road and trail system on the 
Monument protects the Objects of Interest, is safe, reflects 
appropriate access, considers the needs of other landowners, and meets 
public demand.

[[Page 11526]]

    The existing management direction in the 1988 Forest Plan and the 
Travel Management Rule provides for a road system that is commensurate 
with the level of management activities occurring in the Monument, 
providing appropriate access to the objects of interest for their 
proper care, protection, and management. Public use, related to 
recreation, special use authorizations, and private land access, is an 
important, but secondary need and does not conflict with the proper 
care, protection, and management of the Objects of Interest. Current 
management direction requires that the road and trail system be sized 
and maintained to limit impacts to aquatic and terrestrial habitats. 
The Proclamation altered a portion of the existing direction by 
limiting motorized, mechanized vehicles to designated roads. The 
Monument will emphasize developing access points in coordination with 
gateway communities and other agencies to provide clear, welcoming 
entry into the Monument. The monument plan may also focus greater 
emphasis on providing access to the Objects of Interest, and providing 
more opportunities for traveling on loop trails or roads.

J. Scientific Study

    The Proclamation describes the promise of science as follows: ``The 
rich and varied landscape of the Giant Sequoia National Monument holds 
a diverse array of scientific and historic resources * * *. The 
monument provides exemplary opportunities for biologists, geologists, 
paleontologists, archaeologists, and historians to study these objects 
* * *. These giant sequoia groves and the surrounding forest provide an 
excellent opportunity to understand the consequences of different 
approaches to forest restoration * * *. Outstanding opportunities exist 
for studying the consequences of different approaches to mitigating 
these conditions and restoring natural forest resilience * * *. 
Outstanding opportunities exist for studying forest resilience to 
large-scale logging and the consequences of different approaches to 
forest restoration.''
    Under the 2001 SNFPA, the current direction is to use adaptive 
management. As stated in the 2001 SNFPA ROD (p.15), ``Adaptive 
management will allow the Forest Service to test new and innovative 
management techniques as part of formal research projects * * * allow 
for variances from the standards and guidelines in Appendix A to test 
hypotheses in a scientifically structured manner. Projects that seek 
variances from the standards and guidelines will be permitted if they 
are part of a formal adaptive management research project or 
administrative study done in conjunction with the Pacific Southwest 
Research Station or another recognized scientific research institution 
* * *. Investment in * * * adaptive management projects will allow us 
to gain more knowledge and adjust future management techniques based on 
that knowledge.''
    The desired condition is to use the right balance between 
adaptability and accountability, being realistic about the Forest 
Service's monitoring and re-analysis capabilities. The desired 
condition is also to use the best available science in data, 
methodologies, and structure, specifically, to integrate various 
decision support systems.
    The current direction to use adaptive management will be analyzed 
to determine whether to amend the direction for adaptive management in 
the Monument. The Monument plan would maintain options by continuing 
on-going cooperation, and develop additional joint research efforts 
with the scientific community, and cooperating agencies, to adaptively 
manage resources to continue to learn and refine approaches.

Possible Alternatives

    Other alternatives will be developed based on significant issues 
identified during the scoping process for the environmental impact 
statement. All alternatives will need to address the purpose and need 
as described above, which reflects the 2000 Presidential Proclamation 
establishing Giant Sequoia National Monument. Alternatives being 
considered at this time include: (1) No Action, (2) Proposed Action, 
and other alternatives identified following scoping.

Responsible Official

    Tina Terrell, Forest Supervisor, Sequoia National Forest, is the 
Responsible Official. As the Responsible Official, she will document 
the decision and reasons for the decision in the Record of Decision. 
That decision will be subject to Forest Service appeal regulations (36 
CFR part 217).

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The decision to be made is whether to amend the 1988 Sequoia 
National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan as described in the 
proposed action to manage the Giant Sequoia National Monument, develop 
an alternative amendment that addresses the purpose and need, and 
responds to significant issues; or continue to manage the Giant Sequoia 
National Monument under the 1988 Forest Plan, as amended by the 2001 
Sierra Nevada Forest Plan Amendment, and consistent with the 
Presidential Proclamation.

Scoping Process

    The notice of intent initiates the scoping process, which guides 
the development of the environmental impact statement. Scoping began on 
this project in January 2008, and this notice extends the scoping 
period for the new Giant Sequoia National Monument Management Plan 
environmental impact statement.
    It is important that reviewers provide their comments at such times 
and in such manner that they are useful to the agency's preparation of 
the environmental impact statement. Therefore, comments should be 
provided prior the close of the comment period and should clearly 
articulate the reviewers concerns and contentions. The submission of 
timely and specific comments can affect a reviewer's ability to 
participate in subsequent administrative appeal or judicial review.

    Dated: March 12, 2009.
Tina J. Terrell,
Forest Supervisor, Sequoia National Forest, USDA Forest Service.
[FR Doc. E9-5809 Filed 3-17-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P