Salmon-Challis National Forest, ID; Upper North Fork HFRA Ecosystem Restoration Project Environmental Impact Statement, 46721-46722 [2011-19493]

Download as PDF 46721 Notices Federal Register Vol. 76, No. 149 Wednesday, August 3, 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 Salmon-Challis National Forest, ID; Upper North Fork HFRA Ecosystem Restoration Project Environmental Impact Statement Forest Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement. AGENCY: The North Fork Ranger District, Salmon-Challis National Forest, is proposing an integrated hazardous fuels and forest restoration project in the Upper North Fork drainage. The approximately 41,000 acre planning area is being considered for treatments consisting primarily of prescribed burning and mechanical thinning. The drainage area includes the communities of Moose Creek Estates, Royal Elk Ranch, Lost Trail Ski Area, Gibbonsville and North Fork which have widespread private land resources, and have been identified as ‘‘at-risk’’ communities by Lemhi County and the State of Idaho. Lemhi County’s Wildfire Prevention Plan has designated the North Fork drainage as high priority for hazardous fuel reduction, an essential criteria allowing the use of authorities and expedited environmental analysis under the Healthy Forest Restoration Act (HFRA) of 2003. A collaborative process was used to obtain suggestions and input on restoration needs and potential activities for this project area to improve the health of the ecosystem and reach the desired future condition. DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received by September 2, 2011. The draft environmental impact statement is expected in November, 2011 and the final environmental impact statement is expected in March, 2012. ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Russell Bacon, North Fork District Ranger, Attn: Upper North Fork HFRA srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: VerDate Mar<15>2010 16:24 Aug 02, 2011 Jkt 223001 Ecosystem Restoration Project EIS, P.O. Box 180, 11 Casey Rd., North Fork, ID 83466. Comments may also be sent via e-mail to comments-intermtn-salmonchallis-northfork@fsfed.us, or via facsimile to (208) 865–2738. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Maggie Milligan, Project Team Leader, at (208) 865–2711 or visit the Forest Web site https://www.fs.fed.us/r4/sc/ projects/. 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 Existing forest stand structure and forest vegetation have created the potential for large-scale, high-intensity wildfires that threaten human life, property, and natural resources. Quaking aspen stands provide substantial habitat value for wildlife and contribute to landscape habitat diversity. However, many historic aspen stands in Central Idaho have been lost, and many others are either regenerating poorly or are otherwise in decline. Likewise, whitebark pine is being considered as the first tree species in the Northwest to be listed as endangered because of a lethal combination of blister rust and mountain pine beetle. Historic logging practices and fire suppression have contributed to a decline in ponderosa pine, known to be more fire resilient. In essence, the rich biodiversity in the project area is at risk. This area contains the State Highway 93 transportation corridor and scenic byway, private lands, residences and a winter recreation ski facility classified by Lemhi County as wildland urban interface (WUI). The purpose is to reduce hazardous natural fuels, restore plant communities and improve fish and wildlife habitat diversity while returning resilient conditions to this fire adapted landscape. This proposal is necessary to compliment other existing, on-going and planned fuels treatments surrounding ‘‘at-risk’’ communities within the North Fork drainage, and to address forest health conditions that are reaching crucial stages towards nondesired change. Private developments, such as Moose Creek Estates, have responded to these needs and have already completed PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 planning and hazard reduction treatments necessary to gain enrollment as a ‘‘Fire-Wise Community’’ in the State of Idaho. Proposed Action Hazardous fuels treatments and associated opportunities have been identified by the Salmon-Challis National Forest for this project through extensive discussions, focused site visits and numerous exchanges of ideas with the Lemhi County Forest Restoration Group and other local community members. Three Idaho Roadless Areas are in the project area. Ladder fuel reduction along road corridors, shaded fuel break creation in strategic locations adjacent to private land and other developments, restoration treatments for mountain meadow and aspen and whitebark pine communities, old growth stand protection, re-establishing landscape fire resilience through prescribe burning, fish habitat and passage restoration are activities proposed for the project. Integrated and adaptive invasive weed management would be an integral activity with all the proposed treatments and restoration actions. The proposed action includes commercially thinning from below to reduce the understory on approximately 5,123 acres of the project area; 2,687 acres of tractor logging, 1,332 acres of skyline logging and 1,104 acres of helicopter logging. All emphasis would be to retain large trees; whole tree skidding to facilitate use of tree tops and slash as biomass or for pile burning. All slash piles would be left onsite for 1 year for possible biomass utilization. Pre-commercial thinning would occur within the commercial units and in 1300 additional acres. All thinning (commercial/precommercial) units would receive a follow-up prescribed burning treatment. The project would use the existing transportation system except for the construction of approximately 14 miles of new temporary road of which 2.8 miles are proposed within Idaho Roadless Areas. All new roads or other roads currently closed would be rehabilitated and closed following use. Additionally, 53 miles of non-system roads in the project ara would be decommissioned. Two site-specific Forest Plan Amendments are proposed in association with this project to change E:\FR\FM\03AUN1.SGM 03AUN1 46722 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 149 / Wednesday, August 3, 2011 / Notices current requirements and prescriptions which limit treatments and activities needed to attain the desired future condition in the project area. Proposed Site Specific Amendment #1—Wildland Fire Management would more closely align with Federal Wildland Fire policy by allowing for the use of unplanned ignitions to meet project objectives. Proposed Site Specific Amendment #2—Big Game Winter Range would change direction regarding cover to forage ratios within management area (MA) 4A in order to achieve fuels reduction objective in this HFRA project. Responsible Official Regional Forester, Intermountain Region, 324 25th St., Ogden, UT 84401. srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES Nature of Decision To Be Made An environmental impact statement (EIS) that discloses the environmental consequences of implementing the proposed action and alternatives to the proposed action will be prepared. A separate Record of Decision (ROD) will explain the Regional Forester’s decision regarding whether or not to implement some level of fuels reduction and other proposed activities on all, part, or none of the area analyzed, given the consideration of multiple-use goals and objectives. Scoping Process This notice of intent initiates the scoping process, which guides the development of the environmental impact statement. Comments that would be most useful are those concerning developing or refining the proposed action, in particular are site specific concerns and those that can help us develop treatments and activities that would be responsive to our goal to reduce hazardous fuel conditions, risks to communities from uncharacteristic high-intensity wildfires and landscape restoration needs in the project. 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, we ask that input be timely and clearly articulate the reviewer’s concerns and contentions. Section 104(e) of the HFRA requires agencies to provide notice of the project and conduct a public meeting when preparing authorized hazardous-fuelreduction projects. A public meeting is scheduled for Thursday, August 18th, 2011 at 6:30pm at the Gibbonsville Improvement Association Building. Additional public meetings are anticipated to be held following VerDate Mar<15>2010 16:24 Aug 02, 2011 Jkt 223001 publication of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement. 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, anonymous comments will not provide the Agency with the ability to provide the respondent with subsequent environmental documents. Dated: July 26, 2011. Frank V. Guzman, Forest Superviser. [FR Doc. 2011–19493 Filed 8–2–11; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–11–M DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Forest Service Southern New Mexico Resource Advisory Committee Forest Service, USDA. Notice of meeting. AGENCY: ACTION: The Southern New Mexico Resource Advisory Committee will meet in Socorro, New Mexico. The committee is authorized under the Secure Rural Schools and Community SelfDetermination 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 project proposals to be initiated with title II funds. DATES: The meeting will be held August 25, 2011, 8 a.m. ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at Socorro County Annex Building, 198 Neel Avenue. The public may access the teleconference by calling the conference bridge number at 1–877–855–4797 and authorization code 6540381V starting at 8:30 a.m. 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 Wilderness Ranger District, HC 68 Box 50, Mimbres, NM 88049–9301. Please call ahead to 575–536–2250 to facilitate entry into the building to view comments. SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Mr. Al Koss, Designated Federal Official, 575–536–2250 or akoss@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 accomodation for access to the facility or procedings may be made by contacting the person listed FOR FURTHER INFORMATION. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The following business will be conducted: (1) Review of project proposals for initiation of title II funds; and (2) Public comment. The full agenda and order of proposal presentations can be found at https://fsplaces.fs.fed.us/fsfiles/unit/wo/ secure_rural_schools.nsf/RAC/Southern +New+Mexico?OpenDocument. 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 15 to be scheduled on the agenda. Written comments and requests for time for oral comments must be sent to Patti Turpin, Lincoln National Forest, 3463 Las Palomas Road, Alamogordo, New Mexico, 88310, or by e-mail to pturpin@fs.fed.us, or via facsimile to 575–434–7218. A summary of the meeting will be posted at https:// fsplaces.fs.fed.us/fsfiles/unit/wo/ secure_rural_schools.nsf/RAC/Southern +New+Mexico?OpenDocument within 21 days of the meeting. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: July 29, 2011. Alan E. Koss, Designated Federal Official. [FR Doc. 2011–19616 Filed 8–2–11; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–11–P DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Forest Service Tuolumne-Mariposa Counties Resource Advisory Committee Forest Service, USDA. Notice of meeting. AGENCY: ACTION: The Tuolumne-Mariposa Counties Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet on August 15, 2011 at the City of Sonora Fire Department, in Sonora, California. The primary purpose of the meeting is to vote on which projects to fund. SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\03AUN1.SGM 03AUN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 149 (Wednesday, August 3, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46721-46722]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-19493]


========================================================================
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 
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.

========================================================================


Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 149 / Wednesday, August 3, 2011 / 
Notices

[[Page 46721]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Salmon-Challis National Forest, ID; Upper North Fork HFRA 
Ecosystem Restoration Project Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The North Fork Ranger District, Salmon-Challis National 
Forest, is proposing an integrated hazardous fuels and forest 
restoration project in the Upper North Fork drainage. The approximately 
41,000 acre planning area is being considered for treatments consisting 
primarily of prescribed burning and mechanical thinning. The drainage 
area includes the communities of Moose Creek Estates, Royal Elk Ranch, 
Lost Trail Ski Area, Gibbonsville and North Fork which have widespread 
private land resources, and have been identified as ``at-risk'' 
communities by Lemhi County and the State of Idaho. Lemhi County's 
Wildfire Prevention Plan has designated the North Fork drainage as high 
priority for hazardous fuel reduction, an essential criteria allowing 
the use of authorities and expedited environmental analysis under the 
Healthy Forest Restoration Act (HFRA) of 2003. A collaborative process 
was used to obtain suggestions and input on restoration needs and 
potential activities for this project area to improve the health of the 
ecosystem and reach the desired future condition.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received 
by September 2, 2011. The draft environmental impact statement is 
expected in November, 2011 and the final environmental impact statement 
is expected in March, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Russell Bacon, North Fork District 
Ranger, Attn: Upper North Fork HFRA Ecosystem Restoration Project EIS, 
P.O. Box 180, 11 Casey Rd., North Fork, ID 83466. Comments may also be 
sent via e-mail to comments-intermtn-salmon-challis-northfork@fsfed.us, 
or via facsimile to (208) 865-2738.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Maggie Milligan, Project Team Leader, 
at (208) 865-2711 or visit the Forest Web site https://www.fs.fed.us/r4/sc/projects/. 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

    Existing forest stand structure and forest vegetation have created 
the potential for large-scale, high-intensity wildfires that threaten 
human life, property, and natural resources. Quaking aspen stands 
provide substantial habitat value for wildlife and contribute to 
landscape habitat diversity. However, many historic aspen stands in 
Central Idaho have been lost, and many others are either regenerating 
poorly or are otherwise in decline. Likewise, whitebark pine is being 
considered as the first tree species in the Northwest to be listed as 
endangered because of a lethal combination of blister rust and mountain 
pine beetle. Historic logging practices and fire suppression have 
contributed to a decline in ponderosa pine, known to be more fire 
resilient. In essence, the rich biodiversity in the project area is at 
risk.
    This area contains the State Highway 93 transportation corridor and 
scenic byway, private lands, residences and a winter recreation ski 
facility classified by Lemhi County as wildland urban interface (WUI). 
The purpose is to reduce hazardous natural fuels, restore plant 
communities and improve fish and wildlife habitat diversity while 
returning resilient conditions to this fire adapted landscape. This 
proposal is necessary to compliment other existing, on-going and 
planned fuels treatments surrounding ``at-risk'' communities within the 
North Fork drainage, and to address forest health conditions that are 
reaching crucial stages towards non-desired change.
    Private developments, such as Moose Creek Estates, have responded 
to these needs and have already completed planning and hazard reduction 
treatments necessary to gain enrollment as a ``Fire-Wise Community'' in 
the State of Idaho.

Proposed Action

    Hazardous fuels treatments and associated opportunities have been 
identified by the Salmon-Challis National Forest for this project 
through extensive discussions, focused site visits and numerous 
exchanges of ideas with the Lemhi County Forest Restoration Group and 
other local community members. Three Idaho Roadless Areas are in the 
project area. Ladder fuel reduction along road corridors, shaded fuel 
break creation in strategic locations adjacent to private land and 
other developments, restoration treatments for mountain meadow and 
aspen and whitebark pine communities, old growth stand protection, re-
establishing landscape fire resilience through prescribe burning, fish 
habitat and passage restoration are activities proposed for the 
project. Integrated and adaptive invasive weed management would be an 
integral activity with all the proposed treatments and restoration 
actions.
    The proposed action includes commercially thinning from below to 
reduce the understory on approximately 5,123 acres of the project area; 
2,687 acres of tractor logging, 1,332 acres of skyline logging and 
1,104 acres of helicopter logging. All emphasis would be to retain 
large trees; whole tree skidding to facilitate use of tree tops and 
slash as biomass or for pile burning. All slash piles would be left 
onsite for 1 year for possible biomass utilization. Pre-commercial 
thinning would occur within the commercial units and in 1300 additional 
acres. All thinning (commercial/precommercial) units would receive a 
follow-up prescribed burning treatment.
    The project would use the existing transportation system except for 
the construction of approximately 14 miles of new temporary road of 
which 2.8 miles are proposed within Idaho Roadless Areas. All new roads 
or other roads currently closed would be rehabilitated and closed 
following use. Additionally, 53 miles of non-system roads in the 
project ara would be decommissioned.
    Two site-specific Forest Plan Amendments are proposed in 
association with this project to change

[[Page 46722]]

current requirements and prescriptions which limit treatments and 
activities needed to attain the desired future condition in the project 
area. Proposed Site Specific Amendment 1--Wildland Fire 
Management would more closely align with Federal Wildland Fire policy 
by allowing for the use of unplanned ignitions to meet project 
objectives. Proposed Site Specific Amendment 2--Big Game 
Winter Range would change direction regarding cover to forage ratios 
within management area (MA) 4A in order to achieve fuels reduction 
objective in this HFRA project.

Responsible Official

    Regional Forester, Intermountain Region, 324 25th St., Ogden, UT 
84401.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    An environmental impact statement (EIS) that discloses the 
environmental consequences of implementing the proposed action and 
alternatives to the proposed action will be prepared. A separate Record 
of Decision (ROD) will explain the Regional Forester's decision 
regarding whether or not to implement some level of fuels reduction and 
other proposed activities on all, part, or none of the area analyzed, 
given the consideration of multiple-use goals and objectives.

Scoping Process

    This notice of intent initiates the scoping process, which guides 
the development of the environmental impact statement. Comments that 
would be most useful are those concerning developing or refining the 
proposed action, in particular are site specific concerns and those 
that can help us develop treatments and activities that would be 
responsive to our goal to reduce hazardous fuel conditions, risks to 
communities from uncharacteristic high-intensity wildfires and 
landscape restoration needs in the project. 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, we ask that input be timely and clearly 
articulate the reviewer's concerns and contentions. Section 104(e) of 
the HFRA requires agencies to provide notice of the project and conduct 
a public meeting when preparing authorized hazardous-fuel-reduction 
projects. A public meeting is scheduled for Thursday, August 18th, 2011 
at 6:30pm at the Gibbonsville Improvement Association Building. 
Additional public meetings are anticipated to be held following 
publication of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement.
    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, anonymous comments will not provide 
the Agency with the ability to provide the respondent with subsequent 
environmental documents.

    Dated: July 26, 2011.
Frank V. Guzman,
Forest Superviser.
[FR Doc. 2011-19493 Filed 8-2-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M
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