Shasta-Trinity National Forest, California; Harris Vegetation Management Project, 36654-36655 [E9-17515]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
• Forest Service

[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 141 (Friday, July 24, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36654-36655]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-17515]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Shasta-Trinity National Forest, California; Harris Vegetation 
Management Project

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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

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SUMMARY: The Shasta-Trinity National Forest proposes to improve forest 
health and restore fire-adapted ecosystem characteristics on 
approximately 3,000 acres of National Forest System Lands in and 
adjacent to the Harris Mountain Late-Successional Reserve. Ground and 
ladder fuels would be reduced. In addition, forested stands would be 
thinned to yield a fire-resilient forest where periodic low-intensity 
surface fires can be safely reintroduced. Selective removal of trees is 
proposed to produce forested areas dominated by fire-resilient tree 
species with sustainable densities and to exhibit stand structure that 
provides habitat for late-seral dependent species. Reducing overcrowded 
conditions will enhance tree survival from insects, drought and 
disease, and natural disturbance. Trees to be removed would generally 
be smaller in size than trees retained; renewable by-products including 
commercial sawtimber and energy from biomass are expected. Dying and 
diseased mature lodgepole stands within the project area would be 
regenerated through the removal of most overstory trees. Aspen and oak 
hardwood trees species will be retained. Removal of conifers competing 
with existing aspen and oak hardwood trees will enhance the overall 
diversity of forest stands. Surface and ladder fuel loads will be 
reduced through removal of brush and small-diameter trees in the forest 
understory and by underburning. Proposed road reconstruction, closure 
and decommissioning will aid in restoration of drainage patterns and 
sediment regimes supporting aquatic systems. The project is located in 
Siskiyou County within portions of T41N, R1E, section 1; T42N R1E 
section 36; T42N R2E sections 17-21 and 28-36; and T41N R2E sections 1-
6 and 9 Mt. Diablo Meridian.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received 
no later than 30 days after the publication of this notice in the 
Federal Register. The draft environmental impact statement is expected 
in April 2010 and the final environmental impact statement is expected 
in September 2010.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to District Ranger Priscila S. Franco, 
Shasta-McCloud Management Unit, 204 W. Alma St., Mt. Shasta, California 
96067. Electronic comments can be sent via e-mail to: comments-pacificsouthwest-shasta-trinity-mtshasta-mccloud@fs.fed.us.
    Comments received in response to this solicitation, including names 
and addresses of those who comment, will be 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: John Natvig, P.O. Box 688, Hot 
Springs, SD 57747, telephone (605) 745-3253, e-mail jnatvig@fs.fed.us.
    Individuals who use telecommunication devices 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: 

Purpose and Need for Action

    The purpose of the proposed action is to improve forest health and 
growth, protect and enhance conditions of late-successional forest 
ecosystems and reduce fuel loading. The 9,100 acre project area falls 
within lands identified by the Shasta-Trinity Land and Resource 
Management Plan (Forest Plan) as Matrix (76 percent) and Late-
Successional Reserve (24 percent). Forest stands are overcrowded 
resulting in competition for water, nutrients and sunlight--conditions 
which increase the risk of insect infestation. Lodgepole pine stands in 
the project area are overmature and infected with disease. The 
overstory trees are dying and new trees are becoming established; 
however, disease is spreading from the overstory to the new stand. 
Natural disturbances, such as wildfire that released aspen and oak 
hardwoods, have been suppressed over the last 60 years; hardwoods are 
in decline as a result. Conifer species dominate the overstory canopy 
and out-compete aspen and oak hardwoods for available sunlight and 
other site resources. Late-Successional Reserves are allocated by the 
Forest Plan to provide late-successional and old-growth forest; 
however, less than one percent of this reserve is currently providing 
such habitat (Shasta-Trinity National Forest Wide Late-Successional 
Reserve Assessment, 1999). Dense forest conditions delay the 
development of early seral to mid-successional conditions and mid-
successional to late-successional stands. Dense understory trees 
coupled with an accumulation of surface fuels increases the chances of 
a wildfire reaching the overstory canopy, yielding the potential for 
stand replacement. The proposed action is also designed to provide for 
proper drainage of system roads to minimize surface erosion. It will 
also ensure that culverts in the area are fully functional and of 
proper size to facilitate area drainage and prevent erosion-causing 
water flow over the surface of the road. There are approximately two 
miles of unclassified and Forest System roads in the project area that 
are unnecessary for long term management; the proposed action would 
decommission these road segments.

Proposed Action

    The proposed action includes: (1) Thinning in mixed conifer stands; 
(2) lodgepole pine regeneration harvest; (3) enhancement and retention 
of hardwood species; (4) fuel treatments; (5) road reconstruction; and 
(6) road decommissioning.

[[Page 36655]]

    Activities included in this proposal would result in:
    (a) Approximately 1,650 acres would be thinned by removing 
understory and midstory trees to improve stand health, growth and 
resistance to insect and disease;
    (b) Approximately 400 acres of overstocked stands within the Harris 
Mountain Late Successional Reserve would be thinned by removing 
primarily understory and midstory trees to promote the growth of large 
diameter trees, improve stand health and reduce ladder fuels. Thinning 
treatments would retain 10 percent or more of the stand in unthinned 
patches and up to 15 percent of the stand would be in heavily thinned 
patches or openings up to \1/4\ acre in size for stand diversity;
    (c) Approximately 260 acres of overstocked and diseased lodgepole 
pine stands would be regenerated by harvesting most overstory trees. A 
minimum of 15 percent of the overstory would remain. A new stand would 
be established through natural regeneration and targeted planting;
    (d) Oak trees within harvest units and one aspen stand of 
approximately 20 acres would be released by removing conifers;
    (e) Forest fuels would be reduced by thinning to decrease 
understory and mid-story stocking on a total of approximately 2,050 
acres. Following harvest, approximately 320 acres of heavy surface 
fuels would be machine-piled and burned. Underburning some areas with a 
relatively cool surface fire would reduce surface fuel loading. 
Following thinning, 660 acres would be underburned and prescribed fire 
would reduce fuels on 620 acres outside harvest units;
    (f) Salvage harvest within the Harris Mountain Late-Successional 
Reserve would reduce fuel loading on 30 acres;
    (g) Road management would decrease the open-road density by 
decommissioning approximately \1/2\ mile of Forest System road and 1\1/
2\ miles of unclassified roads. Erosion of existing roads would be 
decreased through improved road drainage, culvert replacement and 
surfacing roads with rock.
    Forest thinning and fuels reduction would be accomplished primarily 
through commercial harvest. Harvest operations would yield sawtimber 
and chip products. Trees would be felled, removed and processed with 
mechanized equipment. Harvested trees would be transported from the 
stump to central landing areas adjacent to roads where they would be 
limbed and processed into sawtimber logs or chips.

Responsible Official

    J. Sharon Heywood, Forest Supervisor, Shasta-Trinity National 
Forest.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The Forest Supervisor will decide whether to implement the proposed 
action, take an alternative action that meets the purpose and need or 
take no action.

Scoping Process

    This notice of intent initiates the scoping process, which guides 
the development of the environmental impact statement. The project is 
included in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest's quarterly schedule of 
proposed actions (SOPA). Information on the proposed action will also 
be posted on the forest Web site (https://www.fs.fed.us/r5/shastatrinity/projects) and advertised in both the Redding Record 
Searchlight and the Mount Shasta Herald.
    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 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 appeal or judicial review.

    Dated: July 16, 2009.
J. Sharon Heywood,
Forest Supervisor, Shasta-Trinity National Forest.
[FR Doc. E9-17515 Filed 7-23-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M