Plumas National Forest, Feather River Ranger District; California; On Top Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project, 9740-9742 [2011-3658]
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9740
Notices
Federal Register
Vol. 76, No. 35
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER
contains documents other than rules or
proposed rules that are applicable to the
public. Notices of hearings and investigations,
committee meetings, agency decisions and
rulings, delegations of authority, filing of
petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are
examples of documents appearing in this
section.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
National Urban and Community
Forestry Advisory Council
Forest Service, USDA.
2011 Notice of Call for
Nominations.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
The National Urban and
Community Forestry Advisory Council,
(NUCFAC) will be filling five positions
that have expired at the end of
December 2010. Interested applicants
may download a copy of the application
and position descriptions from the U.S.
Forest Service’s Urban and Community
Forestry Web site: https://www.fs.fed.us/
ucf/.
DATES: Nomination(s) must be
‘‘received’’ (not postmarked) by March
29, 2011.
ADDRESSES: Please submit electronic
nomination(s) to:
nucfac_ucf_proposals@fs.fed.us. The
subject line should read: 2011 NUCFAC
Nominations.
Nomination applications sent by
courier should be addressed to: Nancy
Stremple, Executive Staff to National
Urban and Community Forestry
Advisory Council, 1400 Independence
Avenue, SW., Yates Building (1 Central)
MS–1151, Washington, DC 20250–1151.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Nancy Stremple, Executive Staff or
Mary Dempsey, Staff Assistant to
National Urban and Community
Forestry Advisory Council, 1400
Independence Avenue, SW., Yates
Building (1 Central) MS–1151,
Washington, DC 20250–1151, phone
202–205–1054.
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
Standard Time, Monday through Friday.
mstockstill on DSKH9S0YB1PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
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16:51 Feb 18, 2011
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Facsimiles
will not be accepted as official
nominations. Application submission
by e-mail or a courier service is
recommended. Regular mail
submissions are screened by
Department mail services and may delay
the receipt of the application up to a
month.
A total of five positions will be filled.
The following are the five positions that
will serve a 3-year term from January 1,
2011, through December 31, 2013:
• One of two members representing a
national non-profit forestry and/or
conservation citizen organization;
• A member representing State
government;
• A member representing county
government;
• A member representing urban
forestry, landscape, and design
consultants;
• A member representing a
professional renewable natural resource
or arboriculture society.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Shreveport Highway, Pineville, LA
71360. Comments may also be sent via
e-mail to hmorgan@fs.fed.us, or via
facsimile to 318–473–7117.
All comments, including names and
addresses when provided, are placed in
the record and are available for public
inspection and copying. The public may
inspect comments received at Kisatchie
National Forest, 2500 Shreveport
Highway, Pineville, LA 71360. Visitors
are encouraged to call ahead to 318–
473–7160 to facilitate entry into the
building.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Kisatchie National Forest Resource
Advisory Committee
Holly Morgan, RAC coordinator, USDA,
Kisatchie National Forest, 2500
Shreveport Highway, Pineville, LA
71360; (318) 473–7194; E-mail
hmorgan@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
Standard Time, Monday through Friday.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
meeting is open to the public. The
following business will be conducted:
(1) Welcome; (2) Review and approval
of the minutes from the last meeting; (3)
Presentation, Consideration, and
Approval of Parish project proposals; (4)
Set next meeting date; and (5) Public
Comment. Persons who wish to bring
related matters to the attention of the
Committee may file written statements
with the Committee staff before or after
the meeting.
Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of meeting.
Dated: February 16, 2011.
Michael L. Balboni,
Designated Federal Officer.
Dated: February 14, 2011.
Robin L. Thompson,
Associate Deputy Chief, State and Private
Forestry.
[FR Doc. 2011–3821 Filed 2–18–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–11–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
AGENCY:
The Kisatchie National Forest
Resource Advisory Committee will meet
in Natchitoches, Louisiana. The
committee is meeting as authorized
under the Secure Rural Schools and
Community Self-Determination Act
(Pub. L. 110–343) and in compliance
with the Federal Advisory Committee
Act.
SUMMARY:
The meeting will be held on
March 8, 2011, and will begin at 6 p.m.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at
the Northwestern State University
Friedman Student Union, President’s
Room, 735 University Parkway,
Natchitoches, LA. Written comments
should be sent to Holly Morgan,
Kisatchie National Forest, 2500
DATES:
PO 00000
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[FR Doc. 2011–3965 Filed 2–18–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–11–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Plumas National Forest, Feather River
Ranger District; California; On Top
Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project
Forest Service, USDA.
Notice of intent to prepare an
environmental impact statement.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
The On Top Hazardous Fuels
Reduction Project would construct a
Defensible Fuel Profile Zone (DFPZ)
across approximately 4,650 acres on
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\22FEN1.SGM
22FEN1
mstockstill on DSKH9S0YB1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 35 / Tuesday, February 22, 2011 / Notices
National Forest System (NFS) land to
provide strategic locations for the
suppression of high intensity wildfires.
Group selection harvest would be
implemented over an estimated 102
acres on NFS land to assist in
regeneration of healthy, shade-intolerant
species and to move the landscape
towards an uneven-aged, multistory,
fire-resilient forest. Prescriptions would
treat surface, ladder, and crown fuels to
reduce risk from wildfires to rural
communities and forest resources,
improve forest health, and contribute to
the economic stability of rural
communities.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope
of the analysis must be received by 45
days from the date of publication in the
Federal Register. The draft
environmental impact statement is
expected April 2011 and the final
environmental impact statement is
expected August 2011.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to
875 Mitchell Avenue, Oroville, CA
95965. Comments may also be sent via
e-mail to Comments-pacificsouthwestplumas-featherrivr@fs.fed.us, or via
facsimile to (530) 532–1210.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mary Webb-Marek at (530) 534–6500;
mwebbmarek@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: The USDA
Forest Service is designing the On Top
Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project on
National Forest System land in
compliance with the standards and
guidelines in the Plumas National
Forest Land and Resource Management
Plan (1988), as amended by the HergerFeinstein Quincy Library Group
(HFQLG) Final Supplemental
Environmental Impact Statement
(FSEIS) and Record of Decision (ROD)
(1999, 2003), legislatively extended
from 2009 to 2012, per the Consolidated
Appropriations Act (H.R. 2754), as
amended by the Sierra Nevada Forest
Plan Amendment FSEIS and ROD
(2004).
Additionally, in December 2007, the
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008
(H.R. 2764), stated that the 2003adopted Healthy Forests Restoration Act
(HFRA: Pub. L. 108–148) applies to
HFQLG projects. The Healthy Forests
Restoration Act (HFRA) of 2003 (16
U.S.C. at 1611–6591) emphasizes public
collaboration processes for developing
and implementing hazardous fuel
reduction projects on ‘‘at-risk’’ National
VerDate Mar<15>2010
16:51 Feb 18, 2011
Jkt 223001
Forest System land, and also provides
other authorities and direction to help
restore healthy forests. The On Top
Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project’s
Scoping Packet is available upon
request in hardcopy at the Feather River
Ranger District, 875 Mitchell Avenue,
Oroville, CA, 95965, as well as in
Portable Document Format (pdf) on the
Plumas National Forest Web site, at
https://fs.usda.gov/plumas.
Purpose and Need for Action
The USDA Forest Service proposes to
1. Reduce the risk to rural communities
and forest resources from wildfires by
modifying hazardous fuel conditions;
2. Improve forest health by initiating a
conversion to an uneven-aged,
multistory, fire-resilient forest by
implementing group selection harvests,
and; 3. Contribute to the economic
stability of rural communities near
Bucks Lake and surrounding areas. The
On Top Hazardous Fuels Reduction
Project responds to the need for
reducing surface fuel loading (needle
litter, downed branches and logs) and
low and mid-level tree densities, while
modifying forest structure homogeneity
and enhancing vegetative species
diversity. The true fir forest type
dominates much of the project area and
a large portion of the landscape is
represented by even-aged white fir/red
fir with pine species as a minor
component.
There is a need for increasing the
amount of pine in the project area to
enhance vegetative species diversity
across the landscape. Additionally,
white pine blister rust (Cronartium
ribicola), a disease specific to the fiveneedled pines such as sugar pine, and
root disease (Heterobasidium spp.) are
normally endemic to the project area,
but have become more prevalent and
contribute to impaired growth and
significant decay of existing trees.
Communities within Plumas County
and adjacent counties are reliant upon
natural resource based industries and
experience high seasonal fluctuation in
employment. There is a need for
employment and forest products
produced by the implementation of the
On Top Project, vital for those rural
communities isolated from urban job
markets.
Proposed Action
The Feather River Ranger District of
the Plumas National Forest proposes in
2012 to construct a Defensible Fuel
Profile Zone (DFPZ) and improve forest
health on 4,650 acres in the Bucks Lake
area, between Soapstone Hill and Mt.
Ararat, by mechanically thinning and
biomass removal 2,220 acres (2,105
PO 00000
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Sfmt 4703
9741
acres ground-based systems and 115
acres cable systems); hand thinning,
piling and burning 1,010 acres;
mechanically piling and burning 255
acres; masticating 215 acres;
underburning 3,020 acres (800 acres
underburn only and 2,220 acres followup underburn for mechanically thinned
areas if necessary); group selection
harvest 102 acres (ground-based
systems); group selection site
preparation 102 acres (mechanical
piling and burning); group selection
reforestation 102 acres; group selection
release 102 acres (grubbing and/or
cutting); no treatment 150 acres
(currently meets desired conditions);
and performing associated road work
including 6.70 miles of temporary road
construction and 6.40 miles of
decommissioning temporary roads. The
DFPZ is designed to occur along main
travel corridors and ridges to
compliment strategic control points in
the event of a wildfire. Prescribed burn
units are designed to use existing road
systems to alleviate the need for ground
disturbing control lines. Fuels
treatments would follow Agee’s four
basic principles of effective fuels
reduction: reduction of surface fuels,
increase in canopy base heights,
decrease in crown density and retention
of large fire-resistant trees (Agee and
Skinner, 2005).
Possible Alternatives
The Feather River Ranger District of
the Plumas National Forest proposes in
2012 an alternative that would solely
address the need to reduce existing
surface fuel loading (needle litter,
downed branches, and logs) and low
and mid-level tree densities. This
alternative would construct a Defensible
Fuel Profile Zone (DFPZ) across
approximately 4,650 acres on National
Forest System (NFS) land to provide
strategic locations for the suppression of
high intensity wildfires, in compliance
with Forest Service Region 5 (California)
Guidance on Court Order for a Noncommercial Funding Alternative
(Memorandum and Order dated 11/04/
2009, for Case 2:05–cv–00205–MCE–
GGH [sec. C]).
Responsible Official
Plumas National Forest Supervisor,
Alice B. Carlton is the Responsible
Official.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The Responsible Official will decide
to implement this proposal, implement
an alternative that moves the area
towards the desired conditions, or not
implement any proposed land
management activities at this time.
E:\FR\FM\22FEN1.SGM
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9742
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 35 / Tuesday, February 22, 2011 / Notices
Preliminary Issues
COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS
The Forest Service has identified the
following preliminary issues including
potential effects to aquatic, riparian and
water quality, botanical resources,
economic feasibility, heritage resources,
scenic/visuals/recreation (Pacific Crest
Trail), soil resources, watershed
condition and wildlife habitat.
Agenda and Notice of Public Meeting
of the Vermont Advisory Committee
Permits or Licenses Required
Smoke permits are required from the
Northern Sierra Air Quality
Management District prior to any
understory or pile burning. Sorting and
removing Forest by-products from the
site to commercial off-Forest vendors
would involve some form of permits for
road use, right-of-way, or use of private
lands for landings and access.
mstockstill on DSKH9S0YB1PROD with NOTICES
Scoping Process
This notice of intent initiates the
scoping process, which guides the
development of the environmental
impact statement. A public meeting will
be held at the Feather River District
Office in Oroville, California on
Tuesday, February 1, 2011 from
4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.
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. 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.
There will be an objection process
before the final decision is made and
after the final EIS is mailed (36 CFR part
218). In order to be eligible to file an
objection to the preferred alternative
identified in the final EIS, specific
written comments related to the project
must be submitted during scoping or
any other periods public comment is
specifically requested on this EIS (36
CFR 218.5).
Dated: January 19, 2011.
Alice B. Canton,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2011–3658 Filed 2–18–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–11–M
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16:51 Feb 18, 2011
Jkt 223001
Notice is hereby given, pursuant to
the provisions of the rules and
regulations of the U.S. Commission on
Civil Rights (Commission), and the
Federal Advisory Committee Act
(FACA), that briefing and planning
meetings of the Vermont Advisory
Committee to the Commission will
convene at 10:30 a.m. (EST) on Monday,
March 7, 2011, at the Vermont State
House, 115 State Street, Room 11,
Montpelier, VT 05633.
The purpose of the briefing is to
discuss criminal justice data collection
and analysis procedures. The purpose of
the planning meeting is to plan future
activities.
Members of the public are entitled to
submit written comments; the
comments must be received in the
regional office by April 7, 2011. Written
comments may be mailed, e-mailed, or
faxed to the Eastern Regional Office
(ERO). Persons who desire additional
information may make their request by
mail, e-mail, phone, or fax. See contact
information below.
Records generated from these
meetings may be inspected and
reproduced at the ERO, as they become
available, both before and after the
meetings. Persons interested in the work
of this advisory committee are directed
to the Commission’s Web site, https://
www.usccr.gov, or may contact the ERO.
See contact information below.
Persons who are deaf or hearingimpaired who will attend the meetings
and require the services of a sign
language interpreter should contact the
ERO at least ten (10) days before the
scheduled date of the meeting either by
e-mail or TDD relay service. See contact
information below.
The meetings will be conducted
pursuant to the provisions of the rules
and regulations of the Commission and
FACA.
Contact Information
Mailing address: Eastern Regional
Office, U.S. Commission on Civil Rights,
624 Ninth Street, NW., Suite 740,
Washington, DC 20425.
Telephone #: 202–376–7533.
Fax #: 202–376–7548.
E-mail address: ero@usccr.gov.
TDD: Dial 711 for relay services and
dial 202–376–7533.
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 4703
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Dated in Washington, DC, on February 15,
2011.
Peter Minarik,
Acting Chief, Regional Programs
Coordination Unit.
[FR Doc. 2011–3813 Filed 2–18–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6335–01–P
COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS
Agenda and Notice of Public Meeting
of the New Jersey State Advisory
Committee
Notice is hereby given, pursuant to
the provisions of the rules and
regulations of the U.S. Commission on
Civil Rights and the Federal Advisory
Committee Act (FACA), that briefing
and planning meetings will be convened
by the New Jersey State Advisory
Committee to the U.S. Commission on
Civil Rights on Friday, March 4, 2011 at
the Legislative Annex, 125 West State
Street, Committee Room 6, Trenton,
New Jersey 08625. In addition, the
committee has scheduled a press
conference at 1 p.m. (EST) in Room 1 of
the Legislative Annex.
The purpose of the briefing is to
review the accommodations that the
New Jersey Department of Corrections
provides to inmates with non-apparent
disabilities, including mental health,
learning, and developmental
disabilities, as required by the
Americans with Disabilities Act. The
purpose of the planning meeting is to
plan future activities. The purpose of
the press conference is to discuss the
committee’s recent report titled
Overcoming the Barriers Faced by
Immigrants.
Members of the public are entitled to
submit written comments; the
comments must be received in the
regional office by April 4, 2011. Written
comments may be mailed, e-mailed, or
faxed to the Eastern Regional Office
(ERO). Persons who desire additional
information may make their request by
mail, e-mail, phone, or fax. See contact
information below.
Records generated from these
meetings may be inspected and
reproduced at the ERO, as they become
available, both before and after the
meetings. Persons interested in the work
of this advisory committee are directed
to the Commission’s Web site, https://
www.usccr.gov, or may contact the ERO.
See contact information below.
Persons who are deaf or hearingimpaired who will attend the meetings
and require the services of a sign
language interpreter should contact the
ERO at least ten (10) days before the
scheduled date of the meeting either by
E:\FR\FM\22FEN1.SGM
22FEN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 35 (Tuesday, February 22, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9740-9742]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-3658]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Plumas National Forest, Feather River Ranger District;
California; On Top Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The On Top Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project would construct a
Defensible Fuel Profile Zone (DFPZ) across approximately 4,650 acres on
[[Page 9741]]
National Forest System (NFS) land to provide strategic locations for
the suppression of high intensity wildfires. Group selection harvest
would be implemented over an estimated 102 acres on NFS land to assist
in regeneration of healthy, shade-intolerant species and to move the
landscape towards an uneven-aged, multistory, fire-resilient forest.
Prescriptions would treat surface, ladder, and crown fuels to reduce
risk from wildfires to rural communities and forest resources, improve
forest health, and contribute to the economic stability of rural
communities.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received
by 45 days from the date of publication in the Federal Register. The
draft environmental impact statement is expected April 2011 and the
final environmental impact statement is expected August 2011.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to 875 Mitchell Avenue, Oroville, CA
95965. Comments may also be sent via e-mail to Comments-pacificsouthwest-plumas-featherrivr@fs.fed.us, or via facsimile to
(530) 532-1210.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Webb-Marek at (530) 534-6500;
mwebbmarek@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: The USDA Forest Service is designing the On
Top Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project on National Forest System land in
compliance with the standards and guidelines in the Plumas National
Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (1988), as amended by the
Herger-Feinstein Quincy Library Group (HFQLG) Final Supplemental
Environmental Impact Statement (FSEIS) and Record of Decision (ROD)
(1999, 2003), legislatively extended from 2009 to 2012, per the
Consolidated Appropriations Act (H.R. 2754), as amended by the Sierra
Nevada Forest Plan Amendment FSEIS and ROD (2004).
Additionally, in December 2007, the Consolidated Appropriations
Act, 2008 (H.R. 2764), stated that the 2003-adopted Healthy Forests
Restoration Act (HFRA: Pub. L. 108-148) applies to HFQLG projects. The
Healthy Forests Restoration Act (HFRA) of 2003 (16 U.S.C. at 1611-6591)
emphasizes public collaboration processes for developing and
implementing hazardous fuel reduction projects on ``at-risk'' National
Forest System land, and also provides other authorities and direction
to help restore healthy forests. The On Top Hazardous Fuels Reduction
Project's Scoping Packet is available upon request in hardcopy at the
Feather River Ranger District, 875 Mitchell Avenue, Oroville, CA,
95965, as well as in Portable Document Format (pdf) on the Plumas
National Forest Web site, at https://fs.usda.gov/plumas.
Purpose and Need for Action
The USDA Forest Service proposes to 1. Reduce the risk to rural
communities and forest resources from wildfires by modifying hazardous
fuel conditions; 2. Improve forest health by initiating a conversion to
an uneven-aged, multistory, fire-resilient forest by implementing group
selection harvests, and; 3. Contribute to the economic stability of
rural communities near Bucks Lake and surrounding areas. The On Top
Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project responds to the need for reducing
surface fuel loading (needle litter, downed branches and logs) and low
and mid-level tree densities, while modifying forest structure
homogeneity and enhancing vegetative species diversity. The true fir
forest type dominates much of the project area and a large portion of
the landscape is represented by even-aged white fir/red fir with pine
species as a minor component.
There is a need for increasing the amount of pine in the project
area to enhance vegetative species diversity across the landscape.
Additionally, white pine blister rust (Cronartium ribicola), a disease
specific to the five-needled pines such as sugar pine, and root disease
(Heterobasidium spp.) are normally endemic to the project area, but
have become more prevalent and contribute to impaired growth and
significant decay of existing trees. Communities within Plumas County
and adjacent counties are reliant upon natural resource based
industries and experience high seasonal fluctuation in employment.
There is a need for employment and forest products produced by the
implementation of the On Top Project, vital for those rural communities
isolated from urban job markets.
Proposed Action
The Feather River Ranger District of the Plumas National Forest
proposes in 2012 to construct a Defensible Fuel Profile Zone (DFPZ) and
improve forest health on 4,650 acres in the Bucks Lake area, between
Soapstone Hill and Mt. Ararat, by mechanically thinning and biomass
removal 2,220 acres (2,105 acres ground-based systems and 115 acres
cable systems); hand thinning, piling and burning 1,010 acres;
mechanically piling and burning 255 acres; masticating 215 acres;
underburning 3,020 acres (800 acres underburn only and 2,220 acres
follow-up underburn for mechanically thinned areas if necessary); group
selection harvest 102 acres (ground-based systems); group selection
site preparation 102 acres (mechanical piling and burning); group
selection reforestation 102 acres; group selection release 102 acres
(grubbing and/or cutting); no treatment 150 acres (currently meets
desired conditions); and performing associated road work including 6.70
miles of temporary road construction and 6.40 miles of decommissioning
temporary roads. The DFPZ is designed to occur along main travel
corridors and ridges to compliment strategic control points in the
event of a wildfire. Prescribed burn units are designed to use existing
road systems to alleviate the need for ground disturbing control lines.
Fuels treatments would follow Agee's four basic principles of effective
fuels reduction: reduction of surface fuels, increase in canopy base
heights, decrease in crown density and retention of large fire-
resistant trees (Agee and Skinner, 2005).
Possible Alternatives
The Feather River Ranger District of the Plumas National Forest
proposes in 2012 an alternative that would solely address the need to
reduce existing surface fuel loading (needle litter, downed branches,
and logs) and low and mid-level tree densities. This alternative would
construct a Defensible Fuel Profile Zone (DFPZ) across approximately
4,650 acres on National Forest System (NFS) land to provide strategic
locations for the suppression of high intensity wildfires, in
compliance with Forest Service Region 5 (California) Guidance on Court
Order for a Non-commercial Funding Alternative (Memorandum and Order
dated 11/04/2009, for Case 2:05-cv-00205-MCE-GGH [sec. C]).
Responsible Official
Plumas National Forest Supervisor, Alice B. Carlton is the
Responsible Official.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The Responsible Official will decide to implement this proposal,
implement an alternative that moves the area towards the desired
conditions, or not implement any proposed land management activities at
this time.
[[Page 9742]]
Preliminary Issues
The Forest Service has identified the following preliminary issues
including potential effects to aquatic, riparian and water quality,
botanical resources, economic feasibility, heritage resources, scenic/
visuals/recreation (Pacific Crest Trail), soil resources, watershed
condition and wildlife habitat.
Permits or Licenses Required
Smoke permits are required from the Northern Sierra Air Quality
Management District prior to any understory or pile burning. Sorting
and removing Forest by-products from the site to commercial off-Forest
vendors would involve some form of permits for road use, right-of-way,
or use of private lands for landings and access.
Scoping Process
This notice of intent initiates the scoping process, which guides
the development of the environmental impact statement. A public meeting
will be held at the Feather River District Office in Oroville,
California on Tuesday, February 1, 2011 from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.
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. 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. There will be an objection process before the final decision
is made and after the final EIS is mailed (36 CFR part 218). In order
to be eligible to file an objection to the preferred alternative
identified in the final EIS, specific written comments related to the
project must be submitted during scoping or any other periods public
comment is specifically requested on this EIS (36 CFR 218.5).
Dated: January 19, 2011.
Alice B. Canton,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2011-3658 Filed 2-18-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M