Kootenai National Forest, Fortine Ranger District, Montana; Galton Environmental Impact Statement, 10456-10457 [2010-4687]
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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 44 / Monday, March 8, 2010 / Notices
ACTION: Notice of Extension of
Application Window for Notice of
Funds Availability (NOFA) and
solicitation of applications.
SUMMARY: On January 24, 2010, the
Rural Utilities Service (RUS) announced
a second round funding Notice of Funds
Availability (NOFA) for the Broadband
Initiatives Program (BIP) in the Federal
Register at 75 FR 3820. The closing date
for submission of applications was
announced as March 15, 2010, at 5 p.m.
Eastern Time (ET). In response to
requests by a wide variety of
stakeholders, RUS is extending the
application window for applications
under the second round NOFA until
March 29, 2010 at 5 p.m. ET.
Contact Information: For general
inquiries regarding BIP, contact David J.
Villano, Assistant Administrator
Telecommunications Program, Rural
Utilities Service, U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA), e-mail:
bip@wdc.usda.gov, telephone: (202)
690–0525. For inquiries regarding BIP
compliance requirements, including
applicable federal rules and regulations
protecting against fraud, waste and
abuse, contact
bipcompliance@wdc.usda.gov for BIP.
You may obtain additional information
regarding applications for BIP via the
Internet at www.broadbandusa.gov.
Dated: March 2, 2010.
Jonathan Adelstein,
Administrator, Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. 2010–4780 Filed 3–5–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Kootenai National Forest, Fortine
Ranger District, Montana; Galton
Environmental Impact Statement
AGENCY:
Forest Service, USDA.
srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with NOTICES
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an
environmental impact statement.
SUMMARY: The USDA—Forest Service
will prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) to disclose the
environmental effects of transportation
system and access management
alternatives, vegetation management
alternatives, and recreation project
alternatives in the Galton Decision Area
(Decision Area) on the Fortine Ranger
District of the Kootenai National Forest.
The Forest Service is seeking comments
from Federal, State, and local agencies
and individuals and organizations that
may be interested in or affected by the
VerDate Nov<24>2008
17:12 Mar 05, 2010
Jkt 220001
proposed actions. The comments will be
used to prepare the draft EIS (DEIS).
DATES: Written comments concerning
the scope of the analysis must be
postmarked or received within 30 days
following publication of this notice. The
draft environmental impact statement is
expected in May of 2010 and the final
environmental impact statement is
expected in November of 2010.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments
concerning the proposed action to Betty
Holder, District Ranger, Fortine Ranger
District, P.O. Box 116, Fortine, MT
59918. All comments must contain:
Name of commenter, postal service
mailing address, and date of comment.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Moira McKelvey, Writer/Editor, Fortine
Ranger District, P.O. Box 116, Fortine,
MT 59918.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
Decision Area is located east of US
Highway 93 from the U.S./Canada
border to the Kootenai National Forest
boundary south of Dickey Lake and
includes a small portion of National
Forest System Lands (NFSL) west of
U.S. Highway 93 in the Dickey Lake and
Ant Flat area. The Decision Area
encompasses all of three (3) Planning
Areas (Wigwam, Grave, and Murphy)
and the Fortine Ranger District portions
of two (2) Planning Areas (Stillwater
and Ksanka). This area includes the Ten
Lakes Wilderness Study Area (WSA),
the Ten Lakes Scenic Area, Grave Creek,
Therriault Lakes. Dickey Lake, Marston,
and Ant Flat. The boundary for this
project covers approximately 170,300
acres of which approximately 127,380
acres is National Forest System Land.
Purpose and Need for Action
The purpose and need for the project
is to: (1) Provide the minimum system
of roads and road uses that are needed
for Forest Service land management
activities and recreational access while
reducing road impact to water quality
and secure wildlife habitat and reducing
road maintenance costs; (2) Provide trail
loop opportunities and trail access to
remote areas; (3) Provide ATV and
motorcycle enthusiasts with trails on
which they can ride their non-street
legal vehicles and where nonlicensed
riders can ride; (4) Designate mountain
bike use that is compatible with the
Montana Wilderness Study Act; (5)
Designate allowed non-winter uses on
all trails to reduce potential conflicts
between user groups; (6) Designate oversnow vehicle use that is compatible
with the Montana Wilderness Study Act
while minimizing impacts to wildlife
species such as grizzly bear; (7) Provide
quiet winter recreation areas (non-
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Frm 00002
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
motorized); (8) Provide a shelter facility
for winter recreation users; (9) Reduce
fuels within the wildland urban
interface; (10) Create openings to
provide big game browse; (11) Improve
habitat for whitebark pine stand
survival and regeneration; (12) Reestablish the natural role of fire in the
ecosystem; (13) Provide a stable flow of
timber products for the local and
regional economy; and (14) Enhance
recreational use and safety.
Proposed Action
The Proposed Action would result in
a year round travel plan for the Galton
Project Area, which includes the Ten
Lakes Wilderness Study Area. Oversnow vehicle use would be allowed
from 12/1 through 3/31 in a regular
season on 26 miles of designated trail
routes leading to 38,411 acres of
contiguous National Forest System
Lands open to over-snow vehicle use.
Over-snow vehicle use would be
allowed in a late season from 4/1 to
5/31 on 31 miles of designated trail
leading to 4,445 acres of contiguous
National Forest System Lands open to
over-snow vehicle use. The access
within the open areas can be limited
due to natural features such as terrain
and vegetation.
7.65 miles of road would be restricted
for quiet winter recreation. The nonwinter portion of the travel plan
includes trail use designations to
minimize conflict between user groups.
The Proposed Action includes
construction of 15.25 miles of new trail
and the reconstruction of 2 miles of
trail. The Proposed Action also would
result in the conversion of 20.12 miles
of road currently managed as trail to
non-motorized trail and 7.85 miles of
road converted to motorized trail.
Additionally, 20.35 miles of road are
proposed for decommissioning and
24.26 miles of road to be put into
intermittent stored service. 9.56 miles of
road are proposed to be restricted for all
motorized use in Big Game Winter
Range with an additional 4.69 miles of
road restricted for over-snow vehicle
use in Big Game Winter Range.
The Proposed Action would result in
9,043 acres of fuel treatment. This
includes 191. acres of non-commercial
understory thinning, 7,973 acres of
prescribed burning only, and 879 acres
of prescribed burning with mechanical
pretreatment.
The Forest Service proposes to
complete 1,814 acres of commercial
vegetation management. This includes
226 acres of regeneration harvest
(shelterwood and seedtree
prescriptions) and 133 acres of
regeneration harvest in clearcut with
E:\FR\FM\08MRN1.SGM
08MRN1
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 44 / Monday, March 8, 2010 / Notices
reserves prescription. The Proposed
Action also calls for 46 acres of
commercial thinning along with 1,368
acres of improvement cutting as
intermediate harvests. 41 acres are
proposed to be cut for vista
enhancement. The Forest Service also
proposes to restore Locke Cabin,
improve the parking facility at Murphy
Lake, make improvements to camping
facilities at the Bunchgrass dispersed
camping site, improve the picnic and
day use area at Little Therriault Lake,
and construct a warming pavilion at Big
Therriault Lake.
The Proposed Action also includes a
number of special use permits which
will expire during the period this
project will be implemented.
Possible Alternatives
The Forest Service will consider a
range of alternatives. One of these will
be the ‘‘no action’’ alternative, in which
none of the proposed activities will be
implemented. Additional alternatives
will be considered to achieve the
project’s purpose and need for action,
and to respond to specific resource
issues and public concerns.
Responsible Official
Paul Bradford, Forest Supervisor,
Kootenai National Forest, 31374
Highway 2 West, Libby, MT 59923.
srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with NOTICES
Nature of the Decision To Be Made
A 2007 lawsuit settlement agreement
with the Montana Wilderness
Association commits the Forest Service
to develop summer and winter travel
plans for the Ten Lakes Wilderness
Study Area. The Galton Project includes
travel planning for the Ten Lakes WSA.
This project will also reduce hazardous
fuels within and outside the wildlandurban interface, provide 6.0 MMBF of
commercial forest products, provide for
recreation facilities, and evaluate
special use permits.
Scoping Process
Beginning in January 2008, efforts
were made to involve the public in
considering management opportunities
within the Decision Area. Open houses
were held on February 13, 25, and 26,
2008. A scoping package was mailed for
public review on June 29, 2009. The
proposal will be included in the
quarterly Schedule of Proposed Actions.
Comments received prior to this notice
will be included in the documentation
for the EIS.
Preliminary Issues
Preliminary issues identified include
access, including roads, mountain bikes
and over-snow vehicles.
VerDate Nov<24>2008
17:12 Mar 05, 2010
Jkt 220001
Comment Requested
This notice of intent initiates the
scoping process which guides the
development of the environmental
impact statement. At this stage of the
planning process, site-specific public
comments are being requested to
determine the scope of the analysis, and
identify significant issues and
alternatives to the Proposed Action.
Early Notice of Importance of Public
Participation in Subsequent
Environmental Review
A draft environmental impact
statement will be prepared for comment.
The comment period on the draft
environmental impact statement will be
45 days from the date the
Environmental Protection Agency
published the notice of availability in
the Federal Register. The Forest Service
believes it is important to give reviewers
notice of several court rulings related to
public participation in the
environmental review process. First,
reviews of DEIS’ must structure their
participation in the environmental
review of the proposal so that it is
meaningful and alerts an agency to the
reviewer’s position and contentions.
Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. v.
NRDC, 435 U.S. 519, 553 (1978). Also,
environmental objections that could be
raised at the draft environmental impact
stage may be waived or dismissed by the
courts. City of Angoon v. Hodel, 803, F.
2d 1016, 1022 (9th Cir. 1986) and
Wisconsin Heritages, Inc. v. Harris, 490
F. Supp. 1334, 1338 (ED, Wis. 1980).
Because of these court rulings, it is very
important that those interested in this
proposed action participate by the close
of the 45-day comment period so that
substantive comments and objections
are made available to the Forest Service
at a time when it can meaningfully
consider and respond to them in the
final environmental impact statement.
To assist the Forest Service in
identifying and considering issues and
concerns on the proposed action,
comments on the draft environmental
impact statement should be as specific
as possible. It is also helpful if
comments refer to specific pages or
chapters of the draft statements.
Comments may also address the
adequacy of the draft environmental
impact statement or the merits of the
alternatives formulated and discussed in
the statement. Reviewers may wish to
refer to the Council on Environmental
Quality Regulations for implementing
the procedural provisions of The
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
10457
National Environmental Policy Act at 40
CFR 1503.3 in addressing these points.
Paul Bradford,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2010–4687 Filed 3–5–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–11–M
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Andrew Pickens Ranger District; South
Carolina; AP Loblolly Pine Removal
and Restoration Project
Forest Service, USDA.
Notice of intent to prepare an
environmental impact statement.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
SUMMARY: The AP Loblolly Pine
Removal and Restoration Project is a
district-wide project that includes 40
compartments located across the
Andrew Pickens Ranger District, Sumter
National Forest in Oconee County,
South Carolina. Loblolly pine is a
southern pine species that is not native
to mountain regions in the upstate. This
species was planted extensively in
plantations across the district in the
past, primarily in an effort to increase
pine productivity for timber products.
Most of the plantations have suffered
from insect and disease related
mortality such as southern pine beetle
and need to be restored to native
hardwoods and pines and understory
plants more typical of the Chattooga
River and Blue Ridge Mountains and
Foothills (Management Area 2 and 3,
respectively). Also, habitat diversity
would be improved by developing and
maintaining early successional habitat
capable of supporting existing native
and other desired non-native plants
(including the federally endangered
smooth coneflower, Echinacea
laevigata) and wildlife species. This
habitat would be maintained with
herbicide, prescribed fire and also
manual and mechanical treatment.
Woodlands are forests with relatively
low tree densities of 25–60% forest
cover with understories that are
dominated by native grasses and forbs.
Five stands within the project area
would be developed and maintained as
woodland habitat (202 acres).
DATES: Comments concerning the scope
of the analysis must be received by
April 7, 2010. The draft environmental
impact statement is expected by July
2010 and the final environmental
impact statement is expected by
November 2010.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to
USDA Forest Service, 112 Andrew
Pickens Circle, Mountain Rest, SC
E:\FR\FM\08MRN1.SGM
08MRN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 44 (Monday, March 8, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10456-10457]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-4687]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Kootenai National Forest, Fortine Ranger District, Montana;
Galton Environmental Impact Statement
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The USDA--Forest Service will prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) to disclose the environmental effects of transportation
system and access management alternatives, vegetation management
alternatives, and recreation project alternatives in the Galton
Decision Area (Decision Area) on the Fortine Ranger District of the
Kootenai National Forest. The Forest Service is seeking comments from
Federal, State, and local agencies and individuals and organizations
that may be interested in or affected by the proposed actions. The
comments will be used to prepare the draft EIS (DEIS).
DATES: Written comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be
postmarked or received within 30 days following publication of this
notice. The draft environmental impact statement is expected in May of
2010 and the final environmental impact statement is expected in
November of 2010.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments concerning the proposed action to
Betty Holder, District Ranger, Fortine Ranger District, P.O. Box 116,
Fortine, MT 59918. All comments must contain: Name of commenter, postal
service mailing address, and date of comment.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Moira McKelvey, Writer/Editor, Fortine
Ranger District, P.O. Box 116, Fortine, MT 59918.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Decision Area is located east of US
Highway 93 from the U.S./Canada border to the Kootenai National Forest
boundary south of Dickey Lake and includes a small portion of National
Forest System Lands (NFSL) west of U.S. Highway 93 in the Dickey Lake
and Ant Flat area. The Decision Area encompasses all of three (3)
Planning Areas (Wigwam, Grave, and Murphy) and the Fortine Ranger
District portions of two (2) Planning Areas (Stillwater and Ksanka).
This area includes the Ten Lakes Wilderness Study Area (WSA), the Ten
Lakes Scenic Area, Grave Creek, Therriault Lakes. Dickey Lake, Marston,
and Ant Flat. The boundary for this project covers approximately
170,300 acres of which approximately 127,380 acres is National Forest
System Land.
Purpose and Need for Action
The purpose and need for the project is to: (1) Provide the minimum
system of roads and road uses that are needed for Forest Service land
management activities and recreational access while reducing road
impact to water quality and secure wildlife habitat and reducing road
maintenance costs; (2) Provide trail loop opportunities and trail
access to remote areas; (3) Provide ATV and motorcycle enthusiasts with
trails on which they can ride their non-street legal vehicles and where
nonlicensed riders can ride; (4) Designate mountain bike use that is
compatible with the Montana Wilderness Study Act; (5) Designate allowed
non-winter uses on all trails to reduce potential conflicts between
user groups; (6) Designate over-snow vehicle use that is compatible
with the Montana Wilderness Study Act while minimizing impacts to
wildlife species such as grizzly bear; (7) Provide quiet winter
recreation areas (non-motorized); (8) Provide a shelter facility for
winter recreation users; (9) Reduce fuels within the wildland urban
interface; (10) Create openings to provide big game browse; (11)
Improve habitat for whitebark pine stand survival and regeneration;
(12) Re-establish the natural role of fire in the ecosystem; (13)
Provide a stable flow of timber products for the local and regional
economy; and (14) Enhance recreational use and safety.
Proposed Action
The Proposed Action would result in a year round travel plan for
the Galton Project Area, which includes the Ten Lakes Wilderness Study
Area. Over-snow vehicle use would be allowed from 12/1 through 3/31 in
a regular season on 26 miles of designated trail routes leading to
38,411 acres of contiguous National Forest System Lands open to over-
snow vehicle use. Over-snow vehicle use would be allowed in a late
season from 4/1 to 5/31 on 31 miles of designated trail leading to
4,445 acres of contiguous National Forest System Lands open to over-
snow vehicle use. The access within the open areas can be limited due
to natural features such as terrain and vegetation.
7.65 miles of road would be restricted for quiet winter recreation.
The non-winter portion of the travel plan includes trail use
designations to minimize conflict between user groups. The Proposed
Action includes construction of 15.25 miles of new trail and the
reconstruction of 2 miles of trail. The Proposed Action also would
result in the conversion of 20.12 miles of road currently managed as
trail to non-motorized trail and 7.85 miles of road converted to
motorized trail. Additionally, 20.35 miles of road are proposed for
decommissioning and 24.26 miles of road to be put into intermittent
stored service. 9.56 miles of road are proposed to be restricted for
all motorized use in Big Game Winter Range with an additional 4.69
miles of road restricted for over-snow vehicle use in Big Game Winter
Range.
The Proposed Action would result in 9,043 acres of fuel treatment.
This includes 191. acres of non-commercial understory thinning, 7,973
acres of prescribed burning only, and 879 acres of prescribed burning
with mechanical pretreatment.
The Forest Service proposes to complete 1,814 acres of commercial
vegetation management. This includes 226 acres of regeneration harvest
(shelterwood and seedtree prescriptions) and 133 acres of regeneration
harvest in clearcut with
[[Page 10457]]
reserves prescription. The Proposed Action also calls for 46 acres of
commercial thinning along with 1,368 acres of improvement cutting as
intermediate harvests. 41 acres are proposed to be cut for vista
enhancement. The Forest Service also proposes to restore Locke Cabin,
improve the parking facility at Murphy Lake, make improvements to
camping facilities at the Bunchgrass dispersed camping site, improve
the picnic and day use area at Little Therriault Lake, and construct a
warming pavilion at Big Therriault Lake.
The Proposed Action also includes a number of special use permits
which will expire during the period this project will be implemented.
Possible Alternatives
The Forest Service will consider a range of alternatives. One of
these will be the ``no action'' alternative, in which none of the
proposed activities will be implemented. Additional alternatives will
be considered to achieve the project's purpose and need for action, and
to respond to specific resource issues and public concerns.
Responsible Official
Paul Bradford, Forest Supervisor, Kootenai National Forest, 31374
Highway 2 West, Libby, MT 59923.
Nature of the Decision To Be Made
A 2007 lawsuit settlement agreement with the Montana Wilderness
Association commits the Forest Service to develop summer and winter
travel plans for the Ten Lakes Wilderness Study Area. The Galton
Project includes travel planning for the Ten Lakes WSA. This project
will also reduce hazardous fuels within and outside the wildland-urban
interface, provide 6.0 MMBF of commercial forest products, provide for
recreation facilities, and evaluate special use permits.
Scoping Process
Beginning in January 2008, efforts were made to involve the public
in considering management opportunities within the Decision Area. Open
houses were held on February 13, 25, and 26, 2008. A scoping package
was mailed for public review on June 29, 2009. The proposal will be
included in the quarterly Schedule of Proposed Actions. Comments
received prior to this notice will be included in the documentation for
the EIS.
Preliminary Issues
Preliminary issues identified include access, including roads,
mountain bikes and over-snow vehicles.
Comment Requested
This notice of intent initiates the scoping process which guides
the development of the environmental impact statement. At this stage of
the planning process, site-specific public comments are being requested
to determine the scope of the analysis, and identify significant issues
and alternatives to the Proposed Action.
Early Notice of Importance of Public Participation in Subsequent
Environmental Review
A draft environmental impact statement will be prepared for
comment. The comment period on the draft environmental impact statement
will be 45 days from the date the Environmental Protection Agency
published the notice of availability in the Federal Register. The
Forest Service believes it is important to give reviewers notice of
several court rulings related to public participation in the
environmental review process. First, reviews of DEIS' must structure
their participation in the environmental review of the proposal so that
it is meaningful and alerts an agency to the reviewer's position and
contentions. Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519,
553 (1978). Also, environmental objections that could be raised at the
draft environmental impact stage may be waived or dismissed by the
courts. City of Angoon v. Hodel, 803, F. 2d 1016, 1022 (9th Cir. 1986)
and Wisconsin Heritages, Inc. v. Harris, 490 F. Supp. 1334, 1338 (ED,
Wis. 1980). Because of these court rulings, it is very important that
those interested in this proposed action participate by the close of
the 45-day comment period so that substantive comments and objections
are made available to the Forest Service at a time when it can
meaningfully consider and respond to them in the final environmental
impact statement.
To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues
and concerns on the proposed action, comments on the draft
environmental impact statement should be as specific as possible. It is
also helpful if comments refer to specific pages or chapters of the
draft statements. Comments may also address the adequacy of the draft
environmental impact statement or the merits of the alternatives
formulated and discussed in the statement. Reviewers may wish to refer
to the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for implementing
the procedural provisions of The National Environmental Policy Act at
40 CFR 1503.3 in addressing these points.
Paul Bradford,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2010-4687 Filed 3-5-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M