Ashley National Forest, UT, High Uintas Wilderness-Colorado River Cutthroat Trout Habitat Enhancement, 38768-38770 [2010-16325]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
• Forest Service

[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 128 (Tuesday, July 6, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38768-38770]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-16325]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Ashley National Forest, UT, High Uintas Wilderness--Colorado 
River Cutthroat Trout Habitat Enhancement

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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

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SUMMARY: The Ashley National Forest in cooperation with Utah Division 
of Wildlife Resources (UDWR) proposes to restore genetically pure 
Colorado River cutthroat trout (CRCT; Onchorhynchus clarki pleuriticus) 
populations to suitable habitats within the High Uintas Wilderness. 
Implementation of this proposal would require the use of rotenone (a 
fish toxicant) to remove competing and hybridizing nonnative fish 
species from selected streams and lakes within the High Uintas 
Wilderness on the Roosevelt/Duchesne Ranger District. Nonnative fish 
species to be removed are primarily brook trout (Salvelinus 
fontinalis), Yellowstone cutthroat trout (Onchorhynchus clarki 
bouvieri) and hybridized cutthroat trout. Removal of nonnative fish is 
necessary to enhance habitat and restore genetically pure CRCT 
populations to suitable habitats within the High Uintas Wilderness.
    Headwater subdrainages and basins proposed to be treated and 
monitored over a period of ten or more years include selected lakes and 
associated stream segments in the Garfield Basin and Swasey Hole in the 
Yellowstone River drainage, Fish Creek (a tributary to Moon Lake), 
Ottoson Basin and Oweep Creek in the Lake Fork River drainage, and Fall 
Creek in the Rock Creek drainage.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received 
by August 5, 2010. The draft environmental impact statement is expected 
February 2011 and the final environmental impact statement is expected 
June 2011.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Ron Brunson, Roosevelt/Duchesne 
Ranger District, P.O. Box 981, Duchesne, Utah 84021. Comments may also 
be sent via e-mail to rbrunson@fs.fed.us, or via facsimile to (435) 
781-5215.
    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.

[[Page 38769]]

    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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ron Brunson at (435) 781-5202 or e-
mail rbrunson@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 High Uintas Wilderness contains historic range and some of the 
most remote and pristine habitat suitable for CRCT. However, nonnative 
trout species threaten the continued existence of CRCT populations 
within these headwater basins. Lakes and streams within headwater 
basins were stategically selected based on essential habitat 
characteristics. These characteristics primarily include the presence 
of good spawning habitat which allows the persistance of self-
sustaining trout populations and the ability of the selected area to 
resist re-invasion of nonnative trout species from reaches downstream 
through the presence of migration barriers.
    CRCT are currently cooperatively managed as a conservation species 
among the states of Colorado, Wyoming and Utah, the U.S. Forest Service 
(USFS), U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM), U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service (USFWS) and the Ute Tribe Fish and Game Department. The CRCT is 
designated as a species of special concern by Colorado and Wyoming, and 
a Tier I specie in Utah (those species that are either federally listed 
or for which a conservation agreement has been implemented). The CRCT 
is classified as a sensitive species by Regions 2 and 4 of the USFS and 
by the BLM in Colorado, Wyoming and Utah.
    Expanding populations of nonnative brook trout, remnant populations 
of Yellowstone cutthroat trout and cutthroat trout hybrids continue to 
threaten populations of native CRCT within the High Uintas Wilderness 
on the Ashley National Forest. Brook trout continue to displace CRCT 
within suitable habitat and Yellowstone cutthroat trout and their 
hybrids threaten genetically pure populations of CRCT with 
hybridization.
    The underlying need for action is to remove competing brook trout 
and preserve the integrity of genetically pure populations of native 
CRCT. This would be accomplished by treating lakes and streams within 
selected drainage basins with the piscicide rotenone to remove the 
threat of competition and hybridization of nonnative trout. Following 
treatment of selected waters, CRCT would be reintroduced through 
stocking of fingerlings obtained from the well developed South Slope 
brood population maintained in Sheep Creek Lake.
    The purpose statement includes goals to be achieved while meeting 
the need for the project. These goals are used to evaluate alternatives 
proposed to meet the need. The Forest Service will use the following 
purposes to select among the alternatives:
     The Forest Service is a partner and signatory to the 
Colorado River Cutthroat Trout Conservation Agreement and Strategy. 
This action would help the Forest Service demonstrate support and 
commitment to Colorado River cutthroat trout conservation efforts.
     Enhances administrative efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
     Avoids and minimizes adverse environmental impacts.
     Provides the potential to achieve the following biological 
objectives:
    [cir] Preserve genetic integrity and enhance habitat for pure CRCT 
populations in the High Uintas Wilderness.
    [cir] Eliminate from headwater lakes and their outflow streams, in 
a timely manner, hybrid cutthroat trout and brook trout that threaten 
genetic integrity and out compete CRCT.

Proposed Action

    The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources in cooperation with the 
Ashley National Forest propose to implement a long-term strategy to 
treat selected lakes and streams within the High Uintas Wilderness with 
piscicide (rotenone) to remove competing and hybridizing nonnative 
trout species. The proposed project area encompasses three drainages 
within the High Uintas Wilderness, including the Yellowstone River, 
Lake Fork River and Rock Creek drainages. Within these drainages, 
strategically selected lakes and streams would be treated.

Lead and Cooperating Agencies

    Utah Division of Wildlife Resources--Cooperating Agency.

Responsible Official

    Regional Forester--Intermountain Region (R4)

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The decisions to be made include the approval of proposed 
activities within the High Uintas Wilderness, the use of piscicides 
(fish toxicants) within designated wilderness on National Forest System 
Lands, seasonal and long-term timing of the action and method of 
transport for materials, equipment, and personnel to treatment areas. 
Because the majority of lakes and streams occur within wilderness, 
methodologies and activities selected for implementation must conform 
to special land use restrictions as much as possible. Based on the 
environmental analyses presented in this document, the U.S. Forest 
Service (FS) will decide whether to approve the use of fish toxins 
within wilderness and whether to approve the short-term use of 
aircraft, outboard motors, pumps, and mixers in the wilderness area.

Preliminary Issues

     Impacts to quality of fisheries and angling opportunities 
may be caused by the proposed action. What is the extent and duration 
of such impacts?
     Will the proposed action affect aquatic-dependent 
organisms such as plankton, insects, and amphibians? Will threatened, 
endangered, and sensitive species be impacted?
     How will dead fish impact lake habitat and wildlife?
     Will the use of fish toxins impact water quality in the 
watershed, including drinking water for humans and animals?
     Is the use of fish toxins appropriate in the management of 
wilderness areas?
     Should the use of aircraft, outboard motors, or any other 
motorized/mechanized equipment in wilderness be authorized under the 
administrative exemption clause to expedite the process?
     What economic impacts will be sustained by commercial 
outfitters? What will be the short- and long-term effects to the local 
tourism industry?

Permits or Licenses Required

    The proposed use of rotenone takes place on National Forest System 
(NFS) lands on the Duchesne Ranger District of the Ashley National 
Forest. Forest Service directives require that use of pesticides on NFS 
lands be approved by the Forest Service and that a Pesticide Use 
Proposal be submitted to and approved by the Forest Service.

Scoping Process

    This notice of intent initiates the scoping process, which guides 
the development of the environmental impact statement. In addition, a 
public

[[Page 38770]]

notice requesting scoping comments was published in the newspaper of 
record (Salt Lake Tribune) on May 3, 2010. On April 27, 2010, the 
Ashley National Forest mailed a scoping letter and a project area map 
to affected landowners, tribes, concerned citizens, special interest 
groups, local governments, and any other interested parties to comment 
on the scope of the proposed action. This information is also available 
on our Web site https://www.fs.fed.us/r4/ashley/projects/.
    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.

    Dated: June 21, 2010.
Kevin B. Elliott,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2010-16325 Filed 7-2-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P