Ochoco National Forest, Lookout Mountain Ranger District; Oregon; Marks Creek Allotment Management Plans EIS, 4860-4862 [2011-1735]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
• Forest Service

[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 18 (Thursday, January 27, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4860-4862]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-1735]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Ochoco National Forest, Lookout Mountain Ranger District; Oregon; 
Marks Creek Allotment Management Plans EIS

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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

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SUMMARY: The Ochoco National Forest is preparing an environmental 
impact statement (EIS) to analyze the effects of changing grazing 
management in three grazing allotments on the Lookout Mountain Ranger 
District. These three allotments are Marks Creek, Ortman and Wildcat. 
The proposed action will reauthorize term grazing permits, make 
rangeland improvements, reduce livestock stocking rates, manage 
livestock use and distribution to facilitate the improvement of 
riparian conditions, including streambank stability, riparian 
vegetation, and water temperature, and will conduct riparian 
restoration activities on some streams in the project area. These 
actions are needed to achieve and maintain consistency with the Ochoco 
National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan, as amended.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received 
by February 28, 2011. The draft environmental impact statement is 
expected to be completed and available for public comment in June 2011. 
The final environmental impact statement is expected to be completed in 
September 2011.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Slater Turner, District Ranger, 
Lookout Mountain District, Ochoco National Forest, 3160 NE. Third 
Street, Prineville, Oregon 97754. Alternately, electronic comments may 
be sent to comments-pacificnorthwest-ochoco@fs.fed.us. Electronic 
comments must be submitted as part of the actual e-mail message, or as 
an attachment in plain text (.txt), Microsoft Word (.doc), rich text 
format (.rtf), or portable document format (.pdf).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tory Kurtz, Project Leader, at 3160 
NE. Third Street, Prineville, Oregon 97754, or at (541) 416-6500, or by 
e-mail at tlkurtz@fs.fed.us.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Purpose and Need for Action

    The purpose of this proposal is to reauthorize livestock grazing 
consistent with Forest Plan standards and guidelines. Based on surveys 
conditions on some streams in the project area are moving away from 
desired condition; there is a need to make range improvements and 
change livestock management to move towards desired conditions for 
stream shade, bank stability and width-to-depth ratio. Livestock 
grazing is one of the factors that contribute to altered riparian 
function. Active riparian restoration activities will facilitate the 
achievement of the desired condition.

Proposed Action

    The proposed action includes a variety of management strategies and 
activities, including reduction of livestock stocking rates, active 
management of livestock, relocation or reconstruction of existing water 
developments, planting of riparian hardwoods, placing logs and rocks in 
and along stream channels, and protection of riparian vegetation and 
streambanks.

Marks Creek Allotment

    The allotment would consist of 10,546 acres divided between six 
pastures-Garden, Grant Meadows, Little Hay Creek, Nature, Pothole, and 
Spears Meadow. The current stocking rate (1482 AUMs) would be reduced 
to 939 AUMs; 232 cow/calf pairs from July 1 to September 30 would be 
authorized. Stocking reduction would take place over 4 years with total 
AUMs being reduced by about 135 per year. Existing structural 
improvements would be reauthorized including 13 troughs and about 28 
miles of fence. The grazing system would be a six pasture rotation. The 
permittee or the permittee's representative would be present on the 
allotment and would move livestock, when needed, to achieve desired 
distribution to prevent excessive forage utilization or streambank 
alteration. Livestock would be checked a minimum of 2 days per week up 
until July 1 and then a minimum of every other day after July 1.
     Garden pasture:
     Reconstruct 1 water development.
     Grant Meadows pasture:
     Riparian restoration activities would take place on 1.5 
miles of Deadman Creek, 2 miles of Rush Creek, and 1 mile of Long 
Hollow Creek; activities would include in-stream placement of wood and/
or rock structures, planting hardwoods, and creating physical barriers 
(such as wood, rock or fences) to protect hardwoods and improve bank 
stability. Wood and physical barrier material may come from on-site.
     Planting hardwoods, and creating physical barriers (such 
as wood, rock or

[[Page 4861]]

fences) to protect hardwoods and improve bank stability would take 
place on 2.5 miles of Grant Meadows.
     Small-diameter conifers (9'' and smaller) would be thinned 
and cut materials would be used to protect aspen; two exclosures would 
be constructed to protect aspen stands.
     One new corral and one new water development would be 
constructed.
     Nine water developments would be reconstructed.
     Little Hay Creek pasture:
     Hardwoods would be planted and physical barriers (such as 
wood, rock or fences) would be constructed to protect hardwoods and 
improve bank stability on two miles of Little Hay Creek.
     Construct a hardened crossing on Little Hay Creek.
     Construct 1 new water development.
     Reconstruct 4 water developments.
     Nature pasture:
     Conifer thinning and utilization of thinned materials to 
protect aspen in an approximately 1-acre aspen stand.
     Conifer thinning and utilization of thinned materials to 
protect aspen in an approximately 3-acre aspen stand.
     Pothole pasture:
     Reconstruct 1 water development.
     Spears Meadow pasture:
     Riparian restoration activities will take place on 2 miles 
of Marks Creek; activities will include in-stream placement of wood 
and/or rock structures, planting hardwoods, and creating physical 
barriers (such as wood, rock or fences) to protect hardwoods and 
improve bank stability. Wood and physical barrier material may come 
from on-site.
     Planting hardwoods, and creating physical barriers (such 
as wood, rock or fences) to protect hardwoods and improve bank 
stability will take place on 0.5 miles of Little Hay Creek.

Ortman Allotment

    The allotment would continue to consist of 2,360 acres (873 acres 
are in the National Forest System). The current permitted amount of 98 
AUMs with 74 cow/calf pair from June 20 to July 19 would be authorized. 
Existing structural improvements would be reauthorized including 1 
trough and about 8 miles of fence. The permittee or the permittee's 
representative would be present on the allotment and would move 
livestock, when needed, to achieve desired distribution to prevent 
excessive forage utilization or streambank alteration. Livestock would 
be checked a minimum of 2 days per week up until July 1 and then a 
minimum of every other day after July 1. One existing water development 
would be reconstructed and one new water development would be 
constructed. Riparian restoration would take place on 1 mile of Salmon 
Creek with activities including in-stream placement of wood and/or rock 
structures and creating physical barriers to protect hardwoods and 
improve bank stability. Wood and physical barrier material may come 
from on-site.

Wildcat Allotment

    The allotment would consist of 18,901 acres divided between three 
pastures--Salmon, Viewpoint and Wildcat. The current permitted amount 
of 805 AUMs with 150 cow/calf pairs from June 1 to September 30 would 
be authorized. Existing structural improvements would be reauthorized 
including 6 troughs, 5 ponds, and approx. 15 miles of fence. The 
grazing system would be a three pasture rotation using the Salmon, 
Wildcat, and Viewpoint in that order. The permittee or the permittee's 
representative would be present on the allotment and would move 
livestock, when needed, to achieve desired distribution to prevent 
excessive forage utilization or streambank alteration. Livestock would 
be checked a minimum of 2 days per week up until July 1 and then a 
minimum of every other day after July 1.
     Salmon pasture:
     Actively restore riparian areas on 1 mile of Salmon Creek 
with activities including in-stream placement of wood and/or rock 
structures and creating physical barriers to protect hardwoods and 
improve bank stability. Wood and physical barrier material may come 
from on-site.
     Small-diameter conifers (9'' and smaller) would be thinned 
and cut materials would be used to protect aspen.
     Viewpoint pasture:
     Small-diameter conifers (9'' and smaller) would be thinned 
and cut materials would be used to protect aspen; an exclosure would be 
constructed to protect aspen stands.
     Riparian restoration activities, including headcut repair, 
and in-stream placement of wood and/or rock structures, would take 
place on Reach 1 of Cornez Creek, ``No Name'' Creek off of Forest Road 
27, and McGinnis Creek. Wood material may come from on-site.
     One existing water development would be reconstructed.
     Wildcat pasture:
     Hardwoods would be planted and physical barriers (such as 
wood, rock or fences) would be created to protect hardwoods and improve 
bank stability on 2 miles of Wildcat Creek.
     Two existing water developments would be reconstructed.
     One new cattleguard would be installed on road 3350-519.

Possible Alternatives

    In addition to the Proposed Action and any alternative that is 
developed following this scoping effort, the project interdisciplinary 
team will analyze the effects of:
     No Action alternative: No grazing permits would be 
reauthorized; cattle would be removed from all allotments within two 
years.
     Current management alternative: Permits would be 
reauthorized at current levels; there would be no new water 
developments, no riparian restoration, and there would be no 
requirement for permittees to move livestock out of sensitive areas, 
except as required by current permits.

Responsible Official

    The responsible official will be Jeff Walter, Forest Supervisor, 
Ochoco National Forest, 3160 NE. Third Street, Prineville, Oregon 
97754.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    Given the purpose and need, the deciding official will review the 
proposed action, the other alternatives, and the environmental 
consequences in order to make the following decisions:
     Whether and under what circumstances grazing will be 
reauthorized in the Marks Creek, Ortman, and Wildcat allotments.
     Whether and under what circumstances range improvements 
will be constructed.
     Whether and under what circumstances riparian restoration 
activities will be implemented.

Preliminary Issues

    Preliminary issues identified include the potential effect of the 
proposed action on livestock grazing, heritage resources, fisheries, 
water quality, sensitive plants, and on the introduction and/or spread 
of invasive plants, as well as the cumulative effects of the proposed 
action where the effects of associated activities overlap with the 
effects of other management activities.

Scoping Process

    Public comments about this proposal are requested in order to 
assist in identifying issues, determining how to best manage the 
resources, and focusing the analysis. Comments received to this notice, 
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

[[Page 4862]]

comments will not provide the Agency with the ability to provide the 
respondent with subsequent environmental documents.

    Dated: January 21, 2011.
Slater R. Turner,
District Ranger.
[FR Doc. 2011-1735 Filed 1-26-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P