Sierra National Forest, Bass Lake Ranger District, California, Grey's Mountain Ecosystem Restoration Project, 41753-41755 [2011-17707]
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41753
Notices
Federal Register
Vol. 76, No. 136
Friday, July 15, 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
Submission for OMB Review;
Comment Request
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
July 12, 2011.
The Department of Agriculture has
submitted the following information
collection requirement(s) to OMB for
review and clearance under the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995,
Public Law 104–13. Comments
regarding (a) whether the collection of
information is necessary for the proper
performance of the functions of the
agency, including whether the
information will have practical utility;
(b) the accuracy of the agency’s estimate
of burden including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used; (c)
ways to enhance the quality, utility and
clarity of the information to be
collected; (d) ways to minimize the
burden of the collection of information
on those who are to respond, including
through the use of appropriate
automated, electronic, mechanical, or
other technological collection
techniques or other forms of information
technology should be addressed to: Desk
Officer for Agriculture, Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs,
Office of Management and Budget
(OMB), New Executive Office Building,
Washington, DC;
OIRA_Submission@OMB.EOP.GOV or
fax (202) 395–5806 and to Departmental
Clearance Office, USDA, OCIO, Mail
Stop 7602, Washington, DC 20250–
7602. Comments regarding these
information collections are best assured
of having their full effect if received
within 30 days of publication of this
notification. Copies of the submission(s)
may be obtained by calling (202) 720–
8681.
An agency may not conduct or
sponsor a collection of information
unless the collection of information
displays a currently valid OMB control
number and the agency informs
potential persons who are to respond to
VerDate Mar<15>2010
16:55 Jul 14, 2011
Jkt 223001
the collection of information that such
persons are not required to respond to
the collection of information unless it
displays a currently valid OMB control
number.
National Agricultural Statistics Service
Title: Distillers Co-Products Survey.
OMB Control Number: 0535–0247.
Summary of Collection: The National
Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS)
primary function is to prepare and issue
official State and national estimates of
crop and livestock production,
disposition and prices. The goal of this
NASS project is to conduct a large scale
survey to measure livestock producers’
use of distillers’ grains and other crops,
which are nutritional by-products of
distilling processes, such as ethyl
alcohol (ethanol) or biodiesel
production. The Energy Independence
and Security Act (EISA) of 2007
established targets for the production of
biofuel in the United States. The
renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) passed
as a part of the EISA, sets target levels
for fuels produced from specific
feedstock categories. These distillers’
by-products contain valuable protein,
fiber, vitamins, and minerals and can be
utilized as quality livestock feed.
Need and Use of the Information:
Distillers co-products were traditionally
sold to livestock operations in the
vicinity of ethanol plants. Recent
improvements in the milling and drying
process have allowed a large portion of
the co-products to be marketed in many
new regions of the U.S. The survey will
contact livestock and poultry operations
to determine the extent of feeding of
distiller’s by-products, and aspects on
which producers base their decisions
regarding livestock and poultry feed,
such as nutrient values, product
consistency, product form, product
testing, inclusion rates, economics, shelf
life, storage, and transportation. The
probability-based survey will include
beef (cow/calf and feedlot), dairy,
swine, and poultry species with targeted
size-of-operation criteria. The survey
will be conducted in all States except
Alaska and Hawaii.
Description of Respondents: Farmers
and Ranchers.
Number of Respondents: 59,000.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting:
One-time.
PO 00000
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Total Burden Hours: 23,386.
Charlene Parker,
Departmental Information Collection
Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2011–17884 Filed 7–14–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–20–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Sierra National Forest, Bass Lake
Ranger District, California, Grey’s
Mountain Ecosystem Restoration
Project
Forest Service, USDA.
Notice of Intent To Prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
The Bass Lake Ranger District
is proposing a series of ecological
restoration treatments, north of the
community of Bass Lake, California,
south of Soquel Meadow, east of Nelder
Grove Historical Area and west of
Graham Mountain. Treatment areas
have been initially identified to provide
a ‘‘strategic’’ means to modify intensity
and spread of wildland fires across the
landscape and near communities. This
is commonly known as the ‘‘SPLAT’’
(Strategically Placed Area Treatment)
strategy. Additional treatments within
these SPLATs have been identified
where stands are densely stocked and
thinning is needed to reduce inter-tree
competition and improve tree vigor to
increase stand resiliency to large scale
mortality from insects and disease. In
addition to the SPLATS, other areas will
be treated for the specific purpose of
creating defensible fuel profiles near key
transportation corridors and within the
defense zones of the Wildland Urban
Interface (WUI). Restoration treatments
are also planned for degraded aquatic
features such as meadows, wildlife
structures/habitat improvement,
noxious weed eradication and
monitoring, and tracks created by
motorized vehicles and forest road
improvements. Additional aspects of the
project include monitoring for
designated Off Highway Vehicles (OHV)
trails to ensure consistency with forest
service best management standards,
cultural resource improvements and
range management improvements.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope
of this analysis should be received no
later than 30 days after the publication
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\15JYN1.SGM
15JYN1
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
41754
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 136 / Friday, July 15, 2011 / Notices
of this notice in the Federal Register.
The draft environmental impact
statement (DEIS) is expected in
December 2011 and the final
environmental impact statement (FEIS)
is expected in March 2012.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to
the U.S. Forest Service, Sierra National
Forest, Bass Lake Ranger District, 57003
Road 225, North Fork, CA 93643, Attn:
David Martin. Comments may also be
sent via e-mail to commentspacificsouthwest-sierra@fs.fed.us (use
Rich Text format (.rtf) or Word format
(.doc)) or via facsimile to (559) 877–
3308. 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.
Comments received in response to
this solicitation, including names and
addresses of those who comment, will
be part of the public record for the
proposed action. However comments
submitted anonymously will be
accepted and considered.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Burt
Stalter, Interdisciplinary Team Leader,
at Sierra National Forest, Bass Lake
Ranger District, 57003 Road 225, North
Fork, CA 93643. Individuals who use
telecommunication devices for the
death (TDD) may call the Federal
Information Relay Services (FIRS) at
1–800–877–8339 between 8 a.m. and
8 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through
Friday.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background Information: The Grey’s
Mountain Ecosystem Restoration Project
(Madera County, California) lies within
the Willow Creek and the Fresno River
watershed, where during the period
before significant Euro-American
influence, natural fires occurred
frequently and were of low intensity
with return intervals ranging from every
5 to 10 years. During the past century,
management activities (including
harvesting operations, fire exclusion/
suppression, etc.) and increased human
habitation, have changed the
composition of vegetation. Currently,
vegetation within the Grey’s Mountain
Ecosystem Restoration Project has
changed from one where frequent, low
intensity fires occurred to one with
increased susceptibility to infrequent
moderate to high intensity wildland fire.
Forest stand densities are above that
which can be sustained, with inter-tree
competition increasing and tree vigor
beginning to decline. Pockets of insect
and disease attack are beginning to
VerDate Mar<15>2010
16:55 Jul 14, 2011
Jkt 223001
show in the stands as well as the
drought induced mortality. Non-native
plant species and noxious weeds, that
were absent in the area, now are
growing in small pockets.
The Grey’s Mountain Ecological
Restoration Project lies within the
elevational bands for the Southern
Sierra Fisher Conservation Area. Public
concern and management review
surrounding the significance of
potential impacts to the Pacific fisher, a
candidate species and the California
spotted owl, a sensitive species, during
past projects, has led to the decision to
document the environmental analysis
with an environmental impact statement
(EIS) for this project.
Purpose and Need for Action
Vegetation treatments are needed to
reduce density of trees and shrubs and
increase stand health and vigor. Stand
densities within the lower and midcanopy layers of conifer stands need to
be reduced to a level which provides for
increased tree growth and vigor
resulting in increased stand resiliency
enabling stands to better withstand
fluctuations in temperature and
precipitation, attacks from insects and
diseases, and the effects of wildfires by
creating sustainable stand densities.
Additionally there is a need to reduce
the intensity and spread of wildfires
across the landscape and near
communities. Treatments would
provide a buffer between developed
areas and wildlands where fire
suppression capabilities are enhanced
by modified fire behavior inside the
WUI zones as well as provide a safe and
effective area for fire suppression
activities to occur.
There is a need for fuel reduction (in
the surface and ladder fuels) that
protects human communities from
moderate/high intensity wild fires as
well as minimizes the spread of
wildfires that might originate in urban
areas into the forested lands.
Proposed Action
The Grey’s Mountain Ecological
Restoration Project proposes to:
• Treat surface and ladder fuels (live
and dead) to interrupt wildland fire
spread and fire intensity levels. This is
proposed to be completed utilizing
thinning of pre-commercial and
commercial conifers, mastication and/or
dozer piling and burning in order to
improve the ability of firefighters to
suppress and control wildland fires and
provide a better measure of safety for
the public and personnel.
• Conduct density management
treatments by commercially thinning
from below pine, mixed conifer and fir
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
stands and, where needed,
precommercial thinning the remainder.
Precommercial thin young conifer
plantations and conifer reproduction.
This is being accomplished to improve
the vigor of the stands.
• Masticate trees and brush/shrub
patches to tie treatment areas together in
strategic locations.
• Utilize prescribe fire where needed
as a tool to reduce natural and activity
generated fuels through pile burning,
jackpot, under story and/or broadcast
burning. Prescribed burning treatments
will occur as the initial treatment in one
area within the project boundary, to
connect treatments together across steep
broken terrain that cannot be treated
with other methods.
• Prepare and plant conifers within
specific sites of failed conifer
plantations and promoting natural stand
characteristics within established
plantations by creating openings around
black oaks and promoting understory
diversity.
• Utilize prescribe fire and/or manual
methods to treat infestations of noxious
weeds, with the goal of eradication and
preventing its spread into areas treated.
Post treatment monitoring will be done
to ensure any new populations are dealt
with promptly.
• Improve and restore native plant
communities that are important to local
Native American tribes for traditional
uses. Historically significant plants will
be managed by prescribed fire and, if
needed, by hand tools.
• Reduce fuel loading in selected
cultural resource sites vulnerable to
catastrophic wildfire to aid in their
future protection and preservation.
• Improve and restore degraded
aquatic features such as meadows by
reducing encroaching conifers and
stabilizing areas of accelerated erosion
to mitigate sedimentation to streams and
improve water quality and quantity for
downstream beneficial use.
• Improve wildlife habitat by
restoring key components such as large
dbh snags, adequate quantities of coarse
woody debris, and by promoting health
and vigor of oaks and encouraging
growth of larger dbh trees. These are
essential habitat components in the
Sierra Nevada that are used by a wide
variety of vertebrates and invertebrates
for shelter, hiding cover, denning,
nesting, resting areas and food sources.
Methods used to restore these habitat
components may include precise
scattered snag creation by girdling or
topping trees or using prescribed fire to
create pockets of contiguous snags. Plot
sampling throughout the treatment units
will gather information on current levels
of coarse woody debris (CWD). Levels of
E:\FR\FM\15JYN1.SGM
15JYN1
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 136 / Friday, July 15, 2011 / Notices
CWD will be increased in those areas
where they are shown to be in deficit for
wildlife habitat use. Potential methods
to achieve this desired level of CWD
includes falling and leaving trees
>16″dbh, and recruitment of CWD
through prescribed burning activities
that will create some snags which will
eventually contribute to CWD levels.
Growth and vigor of oaks will be
promoted where needed by clearing
overtopping conifers.
• Identify and monitor OHV trails for
restoration or reclamation needs and use
approved methods to complete these
activities. Possible restoration activities
could be maintenance and
improvements to approved trails signage
on non approved trails, and obliteration
and reclamation of these trails.
• Identify forest roads that could be
causing resource damage and use
approved methods for construction and
maintenance of these areas. The
possible activities could be replacing
plugged or non functioning culverts or
grading of road surfaces to keep offsite
soil movement to a minimum. Replacing
damaged or missing road signs.
• Identify and improve resources for
range management. Activities could
include maintenance of stock drives,
drift fence’s and cattle guard’s.
Grey’s Mountain Ecological
Restoration Project encompasses 9,600
acres. Of which the following acres
would be analyzed for treatments; 2,770
acres of Tractor, 220 acres of prescribed
burning, 318 acres of mastication, 100
acres of hand work, and 110 acres of
meadow restoration.
Possible Alternatives
To comply with NEPA, the Forest
Service will evaluate additional
alternatives to the proposed action
developed based on public comments. A
no action alternative to provide a
baseline for comparison to the action
alternatives will be included within the
EIS. Each alternative will be explored
and evaluated, or rationale will be given
for eliminating an alternative from
detailed study.
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Responsible Official
The Responsible Deciding Official is
Scott G. Armentrout, Forest Supervisor,
Sierra National Forest, 1600 Tollhouse
Road, Clovis, CA 93612.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
16:55 Jul 14, 2011
Jkt 223001
Dated: July 8, 2011.
Scott G. Armentrout,
Forest Supervisor, Sierra National Forest.
[FR Doc. 2011–17707 Filed 7–14–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–11–M
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Eastern Arizona Counties Resource
Advisory; Meeting
Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of meeting.
AGENCY:
The Eastern Arizona Counties
Resource Advisory Committee will meet
in Springerville, Arizona. The
committee is authorized under the
Secure Rural Schools and Community
Self-Determination Act (Pub. L. 110–
343) (the Act) and operates in
compliance with the Federal Advisory
Committee Act. The purpose of the
committee is to improve collaborative
relationships and to provide advice and
recommendations to the Forest Service
concerning projects and funding
consistent with the Title II of the Act.
The meeting is open to the public. The
purpose of the meeting is to review and
recommend funding of project
proposals.
SUMMARY:
The meeting will be held August
8, 2011 beginning at 10:30 a.m. until
5:00 p.m., and continue on August 9,
2011 beginning at 8:30 a.m. until
approximately 4:00 p.m. This meeting
was originally scheduled to be held on
DATES:
The Forest Supervisor will decide
whether to implement the proposed
action, take an alternative action that
meets the purpose and need or take no
action.
VerDate Mar<15>2010
Scoping Process
The notice of intent initiates the
scoping process, which guides the
development of the environmental
impact statement. The project is
included in the Sierra National Forest’s
quarterly scheduled of proposed actions
(SOPA). Information on the proposed
action will also be posted on the Sierra
National Forests Web site, https://
fs.fed.us/r5/sierra/projects, and will also
be advertised in both the Fresno Bee
and the Oakhurst Sierra Star. This
notice of intent initiates the scoping
process, which guides the development
of the environmental impact statement.
Comments submitted during this
scoping period should be in writing and
should be specific to the proposed
action. The comments should describe
as clearly and completely as possible
any issues the commenter has with the
proposal. It is important reviewers
provide their comments at such times in
such a manner that they are useful to
the agency’s preparation on the
environmental impact statement.
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 9990
41755
June 8 and June 9, 2011, but had to be
postponed because of mandatory
evacuations and health and safety
concerns associated with the Wallow
Wildfire.
The meeting will be held at
the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests
Supervisor’s Office conference room,
located at 30 South Chiricahua Drive.
Written comments may be submitted as
described under Supplementary
Information.
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 the
Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests
Supervisor’s Office, located at 30 South
Chiricahua Drive. Please call ahead to
928–333–6280 to facilitate entry into the
building to view comments.
ADDRESSES:
Julia
Faith Rivera, RAC Program Manager,
Eastern Arizona Counties Resource
Advisory Committee, Apache-Sitgreaves
National Forests, telephone 928–333–
6280, or jfrivera@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.
Requests for reasonable accommodation
for access to the facility or proceedings
may be made by contacting the person
listed For Further Information.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
The
following business will be conducted:
The Resource Advisory Committee will
review and recommend funding of
project proposals. Anyone who would
like to bring related matters to the
attention of the committee may file
written statements with the committee
staff before or after the meeting. The
agenda will include time for people to
make oral statements of three minutes or
less. Individuals wishing to make an
oral statement should request in writing
by August 1, 2011 to be scheduled on
the agenda. Written comments and
requests for time for oral comments
must be sent to Apache-Sitgreaves
National Forests, Attention RAC
Program Manager, P.O. Box 640,
Springerville, Arizona, or by e-mail to
jfrivera@fs.fed.us, or via facsimile to
928–333–5966.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Dated: July 8, 2011.
James E. Zornes,
Deputy Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2011–17852 Filed 7–14–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–11–P
E:\FR\FM\15JYN1.SGM
15JYN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 136 (Friday, July 15, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41753-41755]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-17707]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Sierra National Forest, Bass Lake Ranger District, California,
Grey's Mountain Ecosystem Restoration Project
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Bass Lake Ranger District is proposing a series of
ecological restoration treatments, north of the community of Bass Lake,
California, south of Soquel Meadow, east of Nelder Grove Historical
Area and west of Graham Mountain. Treatment areas have been initially
identified to provide a ``strategic'' means to modify intensity and
spread of wildland fires across the landscape and near communities.
This is commonly known as the ``SPLAT'' (Strategically Placed Area
Treatment) strategy. Additional treatments within these SPLATs have
been identified where stands are densely stocked and thinning is needed
to reduce inter-tree competition and improve tree vigor to increase
stand resiliency to large scale mortality from insects and disease. In
addition to the SPLATS, other areas will be treated for the specific
purpose of creating defensible fuel profiles near key transportation
corridors and within the defense zones of the Wildland Urban Interface
(WUI). Restoration treatments are also planned for degraded aquatic
features such as meadows, wildlife structures/habitat improvement,
noxious weed eradication and monitoring, and tracks created by
motorized vehicles and forest road improvements. Additional aspects of
the project include monitoring for designated Off Highway Vehicles
(OHV) trails to ensure consistency with forest service best management
standards, cultural resource improvements and range management
improvements.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope of this analysis should be
received no later than 30 days after the publication
[[Page 41754]]
of this notice in the Federal Register. The draft environmental impact
statement (DEIS) is expected in December 2011 and the final
environmental impact statement (FEIS) is expected in March 2012.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to the U.S. Forest Service, Sierra
National Forest, Bass Lake Ranger District, 57003 Road 225, North Fork,
CA 93643, Attn: David Martin. Comments may also be sent via e-mail to
comments-pacificsouthwest-sierra@fs.fed.us (use Rich Text format (.rtf)
or Word format (.doc)) or via facsimile to (559) 877-3308. 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.
Comments received in response to this solicitation, including names
and addresses of those who comment, will be part of the public record
for the proposed action. However comments submitted anonymously will be
accepted and considered.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Burt Stalter, Interdisciplinary Team
Leader, at Sierra National Forest, Bass Lake Ranger District, 57003
Road 225, North Fork, CA 93643. Individuals who use telecommunication
devices for the death (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay
Services (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern
Time, Monday through Friday.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background Information: The Grey's Mountain Ecosystem Restoration
Project (Madera County, California) lies within the Willow Creek and
the Fresno River watershed, where during the period before significant
Euro-American influence, natural fires occurred frequently and were of
low intensity with return intervals ranging from every 5 to 10 years.
During the past century, management activities (including harvesting
operations, fire exclusion/suppression, etc.) and increased human
habitation, have changed the composition of vegetation. Currently,
vegetation within the Grey's Mountain Ecosystem Restoration Project has
changed from one where frequent, low intensity fires occurred to one
with increased susceptibility to infrequent moderate to high intensity
wildland fire. Forest stand densities are above that which can be
sustained, with inter-tree competition increasing and tree vigor
beginning to decline. Pockets of insect and disease attack are
beginning to show in the stands as well as the drought induced
mortality. Non-native plant species and noxious weeds, that were absent
in the area, now are growing in small pockets.
The Grey's Mountain Ecological Restoration Project lies within the
elevational bands for the Southern Sierra Fisher Conservation Area.
Public concern and management review surrounding the significance of
potential impacts to the Pacific fisher, a candidate species and the
California spotted owl, a sensitive species, during past projects, has
led to the decision to document the environmental analysis with an
environmental impact statement (EIS) for this project.
Purpose and Need for Action
Vegetation treatments are needed to reduce density of trees and
shrubs and increase stand health and vigor. Stand densities within the
lower and mid-canopy layers of conifer stands need to be reduced to a
level which provides for increased tree growth and vigor resulting in
increased stand resiliency enabling stands to better withstand
fluctuations in temperature and precipitation, attacks from insects and
diseases, and the effects of wildfires by creating sustainable stand
densities.
Additionally there is a need to reduce the intensity and spread of
wildfires across the landscape and near communities. Treatments would
provide a buffer between developed areas and wildlands where fire
suppression capabilities are enhanced by modified fire behavior inside
the WUI zones as well as provide a safe and effective area for fire
suppression activities to occur.
There is a need for fuel reduction (in the surface and ladder
fuels) that protects human communities from moderate/high intensity
wild fires as well as minimizes the spread of wildfires that might
originate in urban areas into the forested lands.
Proposed Action
The Grey's Mountain Ecological Restoration Project proposes to:
Treat surface and ladder fuels (live and dead) to
interrupt wildland fire spread and fire intensity levels. This is
proposed to be completed utilizing thinning of pre-commercial and
commercial conifers, mastication and/or dozer piling and burning in
order to improve the ability of firefighters to suppress and control
wildland fires and provide a better measure of safety for the public
and personnel.
Conduct density management treatments by commercially
thinning from below pine, mixed conifer and fir stands and, where
needed, precommercial thinning the remainder. Precommercial thin young
conifer plantations and conifer reproduction. This is being
accomplished to improve the vigor of the stands.
Masticate trees and brush/shrub patches to tie treatment
areas together in strategic locations.
Utilize prescribe fire where needed as a tool to reduce
natural and activity generated fuels through pile burning, jackpot,
under story and/or broadcast burning. Prescribed burning treatments
will occur as the initial treatment in one area within the project
boundary, to connect treatments together across steep broken terrain
that cannot be treated with other methods.
Prepare and plant conifers within specific sites of failed
conifer plantations and promoting natural stand characteristics within
established plantations by creating openings around black oaks and
promoting understory diversity.
Utilize prescribe fire and/or manual methods to treat
infestations of noxious weeds, with the goal of eradication and
preventing its spread into areas treated. Post treatment monitoring
will be done to ensure any new populations are dealt with promptly.
Improve and restore native plant communities that are
important to local Native American tribes for traditional uses.
Historically significant plants will be managed by prescribed fire and,
if needed, by hand tools.
Reduce fuel loading in selected cultural resource sites
vulnerable to catastrophic wildfire to aid in their future protection
and preservation.
Improve and restore degraded aquatic features such as
meadows by reducing encroaching conifers and stabilizing areas of
accelerated erosion to mitigate sedimentation to streams and improve
water quality and quantity for downstream beneficial use.
Improve wildlife habitat by restoring key components such
as large dbh snags, adequate quantities of coarse woody debris, and by
promoting health and vigor of oaks and encouraging growth of larger dbh
trees. These are essential habitat components in the Sierra Nevada that
are used by a wide variety of vertebrates and invertebrates for
shelter, hiding cover, denning, nesting, resting areas and food
sources. Methods used to restore these habitat components may include
precise scattered snag creation by girdling or topping trees or using
prescribed fire to create pockets of contiguous snags. Plot sampling
throughout the treatment units will gather information on current
levels of coarse woody debris (CWD). Levels of
[[Page 41755]]
CWD will be increased in those areas where they are shown to be in
deficit for wildlife habitat use. Potential methods to achieve this
desired level of CWD includes falling and leaving trees >16''dbh, and
recruitment of CWD through prescribed burning activities that will
create some snags which will eventually contribute to CWD levels.
Growth and vigor of oaks will be promoted where needed by clearing
overtopping conifers.
Identify and monitor OHV trails for restoration or
reclamation needs and use approved methods to complete these
activities. Possible restoration activities could be maintenance and
improvements to approved trails signage on non approved trails, and
obliteration and reclamation of these trails.
Identify forest roads that could be causing resource
damage and use approved methods for construction and maintenance of
these areas. The possible activities could be replacing plugged or non
functioning culverts or grading of road surfaces to keep offsite soil
movement to a minimum. Replacing damaged or missing road signs.
Identify and improve resources for range management.
Activities could include maintenance of stock drives, drift fence's and
cattle guard's.
Grey's Mountain Ecological Restoration Project encompasses 9,600
acres. Of which the following acres would be analyzed for treatments;
2,770 acres of Tractor, 220 acres of prescribed burning, 318 acres of
mastication, 100 acres of hand work, and 110 acres of meadow
restoration.
Possible Alternatives
To comply with NEPA, the Forest Service will evaluate additional
alternatives to the proposed action developed based on public comments.
A no action alternative to provide a baseline for comparison to the
action alternatives will be included within the EIS. Each alternative
will be explored and evaluated, or rationale will be given for
eliminating an alternative from detailed study.
Responsible Official
The Responsible Deciding Official is Scott G. Armentrout, Forest
Supervisor, Sierra National Forest, 1600 Tollhouse Road, Clovis, CA
93612.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The Forest Supervisor will decide whether to implement the proposed
action, take an alternative action that meets the purpose and need or
take no action.
Scoping Process
The notice of intent initiates the scoping process, which guides
the development of the environmental impact statement. The project is
included in the Sierra National Forest's quarterly scheduled of
proposed actions (SOPA). Information on the proposed action will also
be posted on the Sierra National Forests Web site, https://fs.fed.us/r5/sierra/projects, and will also be advertised in both the Fresno Bee and
the Oakhurst Sierra Star. This notice of intent initiates the scoping
process, which guides the development of the environmental impact
statement.
Comments submitted during this scoping period should be in writing
and should be specific to the proposed action. The comments should
describe as clearly and completely as possible any issues the commenter
has with the proposal. It is important reviewers provide their comments
at such times in such a manner that they are useful to the agency's
preparation on the environmental impact statement.
Dated: July 8, 2011.
Scott G. Armentrout,
Forest Supervisor, Sierra National Forest.
[FR Doc. 2011-17707 Filed 7-14-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M
