East Reservoir Project; Kootenai National Forest, Lincoln County, MT, 69619 [2010-28614]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
• Forest Service

[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 219 (Monday, November 15, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Page 69619]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-28614]


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Notices
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________

This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 219 / Monday, November 15, 2010 / 
Notices

[[Page 69619]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


East Reservoir Project; Kootenai National Forest, Lincoln County, 
MT

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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

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SUMMARY: The Forest Service will prepare an Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) to disclose the environmental effects of vegetation 
management through commercial timber harvest, commercial thinning, 
precommercial thinning and prescribed fire, trail access management 
changes, and treatment of fuel adjacent to private property. The 
project is located in the Cripple Planning Subunit on the Libby Ranger 
District, Kootenai National Forest, Lincoln County, Montana, and south 
of Libby, Montana.

DATES: The scoping period will close and comments will be due 45 days 
following publication of this notice.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and suggestions concerning the scope of the 
analysis should be sent to Malcolm R. Edwards, District Ranger, Libby 
Ranger District, 12557 Hwy 37, Libby, MT 59923. They can be mailed, 
hand-delivered between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., or faxed to 
(406) 283-7531. Electronic comments may also be sent to comments-northern-kootenai-libby@fs.fed.us.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Denise Beck, Team Leader, Libby Ranger 
District, 12557 Hwy 37, Libby, MT 59923. Phone: (406) 293-7773.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The project area is approximately 30 air 
miles northeast of Libby, Montana, within all or portions of T30N, 
R28W, Sections 2 to 11, 13 to 30 and 32 to 36; T30N, R29W, Sections 1 
to 4, 9 to 16 and 24; T31N, R327W, Sections 3 to 10, 15 to 18, 20 to 
22, 28 and 29; T31N, R28W, Sections 1 thru 36; T31N, R29W, Sections 1, 
2, 10 to 15, 22, 23, 26 to 36; T32N, R27W, Sections 7 to 9, 14 to 23 
and 26 to 33; T32N, R28W, Sections 2 to 5 and 8 to 36; and T32N, R29W, 
Sections 24 to 26, 35 and 36 PMM, Lincoln County, Montana. The East 
Reservoir project area consists of five major drainages: Fivemile 
Creek, Warland Creek, Cripple Horse Creek, Canyon Creek and Dunn Creek.

Purpose and Need for Action

    The purpose and need for this project is to: (1) Re-establish, 
restore and retain landscapes that are more resistant and resilient to 
disturbance (insect and disease infestations, fire) and uncertain 
environmental conditions (climate change) by enhancing species 
diversity and managing density; (2) reduce hazardous fuels adjacent to 
private property and across the landscape while re-introducing fire to 
the ecosystem; (3) restore, maintain or improve wildlife habitat; (4) 
improve recreation settings, opportunities and experiences; (5) provide 
amenities, jobs and products to the communities and maintain an 
adequate, balanced transportation system.

Proposed Action

    To meet this purpose and need this project proposes:
    (1) Vegetation treatments, including commercial timber harvest and 
associated fuel treatments, commercial thinning, precommercial thinning 
and prescribed burning without associated timber harvest. Vegetation 
treatments total approximately 13,000 acres of treated area.
    (2) Road management includes new road construction, road storage 
and adding existing, undetermined roads to the National Forest Service 
road system. Approximately 2.04 miles of new road construction is 
proposed. Approximately 40 miles of road storage is proposed. There are 
2.81 miles of roads in the project boundary that exist, but their 
status is undetermined. Those roads will be added to the NFS road 
system.
    (3) Access change on approximately 35 miles of trail, from 
motorized to non-motorized, to benefit wildlife security.
    (4) Fuels reduction and wildlife habitat enhancement is proposed 
for approximately 10,000 acres.
    (5) Design features and mitigations to maintain and protect 
resource values.

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 
examine varying levels and locations for the proposed activities to 
achieve the proposal's purposes, as well as to respond to the issues 
and other resource values.

Responsible Official

    Forest Supervisor of the Kootenai National Forest, 31374 U.S. 
Highway 2 West, Libby, MT 59923. As the Responsible Official, I will 
decide if the proposed project will be implemented. I will document the 
decision and reasons for the decision in the Record of Decision. I have 
delegated the responsibility for preparing the DEIS and FEIS to Malcolm 
R. Edwards, District Ranger, Libby Ranger District.

Scoping Process

    This notice of intent initiates the scoping process, which guides 
the development of the 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 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: November 5, 2010.
Paul Bradford,
Forest Supervisor, Kootenai National Forest.
[FR Doc. 2010-28614 Filed 11-12-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P