Black Hills National Forest, Mystic Ranger District, South Dakota, Calumet Project Area, 65681-65683 [2011-27404]
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65681
Notices
Federal Register
Vol. 76, No. 205
Monday, October 24, 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
Advisory Committee on Minority
Farmers; Notice of Meeting
Office of Advocacy and
Outreach, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of public meeting.
AGENCY:
This notice announces a
forthcoming meeting of a public
advisory committee of the Office of
Advocacy and Outreach (OAO). Notice
of the meetings are provided in
accordance with section 10(a)(2) of the
Federal Advisory Committee Act, as
amended (5 U.S.C. Appendix 2). This
meeting will be open to the public.
As required by the Federal Advisory
Committee Act, as amended, the OAO
announces a public meeting of the
Advisory Committee on Minority
Farmers (Committee) to advise the
Secretary of Agriculture on: (1) The
implementation of section 2501 of the
Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and
Trade Act of 1990, as amended, 7 U.S.C.
2279; (2) methods of maximizing the
participation of minority farmers and
ranchers in Department of Agriculture
programs; and (3) civil rights activities
within the Department as such activities
relate to participants in such programs.
DATES: The meeting will be held on
November 3, 2011, and November 4,
2011, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 8:30
a.m. to 5 p.m., respectively. The meeting
will be open to the public for public
comment on November 3, 2011, from
9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at
the Hotel Albuquerque Old Town, 800
Rio Grande Boulevard, NW.,
Albuquerque, NM 87104. The hotel’s
telephone number is 505–843–6300.
Written comments may be submitted to:
Lauretta Miles, Management Analyst,
OAO, 1400 Independence Ave., SW.,
Whitten Bldg., 520–A, Washington, DC
20250, 202–720–4679.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Questions should be directed to Lauretta
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Mar<15>2010
15:34 Oct 21, 2011
Jkt 226001
Miles, Management Analyst, OAO, 1400
Independence Ave., SW., Whitten Bldg.,
520–A, Washington, DC 20250, 202–
720–4679, Fax: 202–720–7136 e-mail:
Lauretta.Miles@osec.usda.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
Committee was established pursuant to
section 14008 of the Food Conservation,
and Energy Act of 2008, Public Law
110–246, 122 Stat. 1651, 2208. The
Secretary of Agriculture selected a
diverse group of members representing
a broad spectrum of persons interested
in providing solutions to the challenges
of the aforementioned agenda topics (1),
(2) and (3). Equal opportunity practices
were considered in all appointments to
the Committee in accordance with
USDA policies. The Secretary selected
the members in January 2011.
On November 3, 2011, from 9 a.m. to
12 p.m., there will be an opportunity for
public comments. Interested persons
may present views, orally or in writing,
on issues relating to the above agenda
topics (1), (2) and (3) before the
committee. Written submissions may be
submitted to the contact person on or
before October 27, 2011. Oral
presentations from the public will be
scheduled between approximately
9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Those individuals
interested in making oral presentations
should notify the contact person and
submit a brief statement of the general
nature of the issue they wish to present
and the names and addresses of
proposed participants. (All oral
presentations will be given three
minutes. If the number of registrants
requesting to speak is greater than what
can be reasonably accommodated
during the scheduled open public
hearing session timeframe, OAO may
conduct a lottery to determine the
speakers for the scheduled open public
hearing session.) The contact person
will notify interested persons regarding
their request to speak by October 31,
2011.
OAO will make all agenda topics
available to the public via the OAO Web
site (https://www.outreach.usda.gov/
oasdfr) no later than 10 business days
before the meeting and at the meeting.
OAO welcomes the attendance of the
public at its advisory committee
meetings and will make every effort to
accommodate persons with physical
disabilities or special needs. If you
require special accommodations due to
a disability, please contact Lauretta
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Miles at least 7 days in advance of the
meeting. OAO is committed to the
orderly conduct of the advisory
committee meeting. Please visit our Web
site at https://www.outreach.usda.gov/
oasdfr for procedures on public conduct
during the advisory committee meeting.
Anderson Neal, Jr.,
Acting Director, Office of Advocacy and
Outreach.
[FR Doc. 2011–27352 Filed 10–21–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 1240–78–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Black Hills National Forest, Mystic
Ranger District, South Dakota, Calumet
Project Area
Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
AGENCY:
The Forest Service will
prepare an environmental impact
statement on a proposal to use multiple
vegetation treatments focused on
reducing the threat to ecosystem
components including forest resources
from an existing insect and disease
epidemic (mountain pine beetle),
creating a landscape condition more
adapted to fire and that reduces
potential for high severity wildfire near
at-risk communities and in the
wildland-urban interface. The proposal
is being planned for the 31,772 acre
Calumet Project Area that includes
about 27,617 acres of National Forest
System land and about 4,155 acres of
interspersed private land. The project
area lies approximately six miles
southwest of Rapid City, SD. Sheridan
Lake is also located within the project
area. This project will be conducted as
an authorized project under Section 102
of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of
2003 (HFRA). Actions proposed for the
Calumet Project Area include the
following:
• Thin and harvest approximately
14,954 acres of pine stands using a
variety of methods to treat MPB infested
stands, reduce the overall density of
pine trees and create a mosaic of
structural stages across the landscape.
Both commercial and non-commercial
sized trees would be removed utilizing
multiple contracts including
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\24OCN1.SGM
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tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
65682
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 205 / Monday, October 24, 2011 / Notices
stewardship, timber sale, and service
contracts.
• Remove conifers from hardwood
stands (e.g., aspen, oak, and birch) and
restore meadows on approximately
3,497 acres to provide habitat diversity
and wildfire protection by enhancing
natural fuel breaks.
• Reduce the amount of fuels that
currently exists. Treatments could
include (but are not limited to) lopping,
chipping, crushing, piling and burning;
creating fuel breaks along roads and
adjacent to private property, particularly
those properties with houses and
subdivisions. Roadway treatments
would improve access (ingress/egress)
for the public, as well as emergency
services in the event of a wildfire.
Prescribed broadcast burning would
also be allowed anywhere strategically
practical within the project area, up to
approximately 27,000 acres. The goals
of prescribed fire are to reduce fuel
loading and continuity to help protect
private property and Forest resources,
and to increase the quantity and quality
of forage for big game and other wildlife
resources. Annually, the Mystic Ranger
District conducts approximately 2,000
to 4,000 acres of prescribed broadcast
burning. These annual, accomplished
acres are spread across the district and
are split among multiple planning areas.
Burning designated areas within the
Calumet Project Area could take up to
ten years to accomplish.
• Use of existing road templates, with
less than five miles of new construction,
would be required to carry out
vegetation treatments.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope
of the analysis would be most useful if
received by 30-days following the date
of this notice. The draft environmental
impact statement is expected to be
available for public review by February
2012 and the final environmental
impact statement is expected to be
completed by May 2012.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to
Jackie Groce, Acting District Ranger,
Black Hills National Forest, Mystic
Ranger District, Calumet Project Area,
8221 South Highway 16, Rapid City,
South Dakota 57702. Telephone
Number: (605) 343–1567. E-mail:
comments-rocky-mountain-black-hillsmystic@fs.fed.us with ‘‘Calumet’’ as the
subject. Electronic comments must be
readable in Word, Rich Text, or PDF
formats.
If
you have any questions or need
additional information, please contact
Lou Conroy, Team Leader or Jackie
Groce, Acting District Ranger, at the
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
VerDate Mar<15>2010
15:34 Oct 21, 2011
Jkt 226001
Mystic Ranger District office in Rapid
City at (605) 343–1567.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
actions proposed are in direct response
to management direction provided by
the Black Hills National Forest Land
and Resource Management Plan (Forest
Plan). The site specific actions are
designed, based on Forest Plan
Standards and Guidelines, to move
existing resource conditions in the
Calumet Project Area toward meeting
Forest Plan Goals and Objectives. The
project area lies approximately six miles
southwest of Rapid City, SD. Sheridan
Lake is also located within the project
area. Anticipated issues include:
reducing MPB infestation and risk;
protecting local communities, private
and public lands, infrastructure and
access from severe wildfire; associated
fire and fuels hazard reduction needs in
the wildland-urban interface; support or
opposition to forest thinning using
commercial timber harvest; impacts of
vegetation treatment and multiple forest
uses on wildlife habitat. The range of
alternatives analyzed in the EIS is
expected to be consistent with Sec. 104
of HFRA.
Purpose and Need for Action
The purpose of the Calumet Project is
to:
• Moves existing land and resource
conditions toward desired conditions as
specified in the Forest Plan.
• Reduce the threat to ecosystem
components including forest resources,
from the existing insect and disease
(mountain pine beetle) epidemic.
• Restore resource conditions to a
healthy, resilient fire-adapted
ecosystem.
• Help protect local communities and
resources from catastrophic wildfire.
This project is focused on
implementing management actions that
move toward achieving:
• Desired conditions and objectives
embodied in Goals 2, 3, 7, and 10 of the
Forest Plan (as amended).
• Goals and objectives applicable to
Forest Plan Management Area (MA)
3.7—Late Successional Forest
Landscape (∼780 acres); MA 5.1
Resource Production Emphasis (∼5,621
acres); MA 5.4—Big Game Winter Range
Emphasis (∼18,259 acres); and MA 8.2
Developed Recreation Complex (∼2,686
acres), that lie within Calumet Project
Area, described in Chapter III of the
Forest Plan (Phase II Amendment).
• Goals of the Healthy Forest
Restoration Act (HFRA) of 2003 (HR
1904) and other National level
initiatives and policy that provide
procedural tools to hasten processes
focused on reducing insects or disease
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
on public and adjacent private lands,
and reducing the probability and
occurrence of severe wildfire in the fire
adapted ecosystems, especially near at
risk communities and in the wildlandurban interface. Moreover, it is
appropriate that proposed actions be
designed in consideration of the fuels
hazard reduction management
recommendations and guidelines
provided by the Pennington County
Community Wildfire Protection Plan of
2007.
Proposed Action
Proposed actions include the
following:
• Thin and harvest approximately
14,954 acres of pine stands using a
variety of methods to treat MPB infested
stands, reduce the overall density of
pine trees and create a mosaic of
structural stages across the landscape.
Both commercial and non-commercial
sized trees would be removed utilizing
multiple contracts including
stewardship, timber sale, and service
contracts.
• Remove conifers from hardwood
stands (e.g., aspen, oak, and birch) and
restore meadows on approximately
3,497 acres to provide habitat diversity
and wildfire protection by enhancing
natural fuel breaks.
• Reduce the amount of fuels that
currently exists. Treatments could
include (but are not limited to) lopping,
chipping, crushing, piling and burning;
creating fuel breaks along roads and
adjacent to private property, particularly
those properties with houses and
subdivisions. Roadway treatments
would improve access (ingress/egress)
for the public, as well as emergency
services in the event of a wildfire.
Prescribed broadcast burning would
also be allowed anywhere strategically
practical within the project area, up to
approximately 27,000 acres. The goals
of prescribed fire are to reduce fuel
loading and continuity to help protect
private property and Forest resources,
and to increase the quantity and quality
of forage for big game and other wildlife
resources. Annually, the Mystic Ranger
District conducts approximately 2,000
to 4,000 acres of prescribed broadcast
burning. These annual, accomplished
acres are spread across the district and
are split among multiple planning areas.
Burning designated areas within the
Calumet Project Area could take up to
ten years to accomplish.
• Use of existing road templates, with
less than five miles of new construction,
would be required to carry out
vegetation treatments.
E:\FR\FM\24OCN1.SGM
24OCN1
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 205 / Monday, October 24, 2011 / Notices
Responsible Official
District Ranger, Mystic Ranger
District, Black Hills National Forest,
8221 South Highway 16, Rapid City,
South Dakota 57702.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The decision to be made is whether or
not to implement the proposed action or
possible alternative at this time.
Scoping Process
Comments and input regarding the
proposal will be received via direct
mailing from the public, other groups,
and agencies during the initial public
comment period in October and
November 2011. If you would like to be
more involved, a public meeting is
scheduled for Thursday, November 3,
2011, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Mystic
Ranger District Office, Rapid City, South
Dakota. Comments submitted based on
this NOI will be most useful if received
within 30-days from the date of this
notice. Response to the draft EIS will be
sought from the interested public
beginning in February 2012.
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Comment Requested
This notice of intent provides
information that the agency will prepare
an environmental impact statement in
response to public comment and
feedback during the October and
November 2011, scoping period.
Comments received will assist the
planning team to develop the mailing
list for the draft EIS and help identify
key issues and opportunities used to
refine the proposal or possible
alternative and mitigation measures.
Comments on the DEIS will be
requested during the 45-day comment
period following the Notice of
Availability, expected to be published
in the Federal Register in February 2012
(See discussion below).
Early Notice of Importance of Public
Participation in Subsequent
Environmental Review
The Forest Service believes, at this
early stage, it is important to give
reviewers notice of several court rulings
related to public participation in the
environmental review process. First,
reviewers of draft environmental impact
statements must structure their
participation in the environmental
review of the proposal so that it is
meaningful and alerts an agency to the
reviewer’s position and contentions.
Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. v.
NRDC, 435 U.S. 519, 553 (1978). Also,
environmental objections that could be
raised at the draft environmental impact
statement stage but that are not raised
until after completion of the final
VerDate Mar<15>2010
15:34 Oct 21, 2011
Jkt 226001
environmental impact statement may be
waived or dismissed by the courts. City
of Angoon v. Hodel, 803 F.2d 1016,
1022 (9th Cir. 1986) and Wisconsin
Heritages, Inc. v. Harris, 490 F. Supp.
1334, 1338 (E.D. Wis. 1980). Because of
these court rulings, it is very important
that those interested in this proposed
action participate by the close of the 45day comment period so that substantive
comments and objections are made
available to the Forest Service at a time
when it can meaningfully consider them
and respond to them in the final
environmental impact statement.
To assist the Forest Service in
identifying and considering issues and
concerns on the proposed action,
comments on the draft environmental
impact statement should be as specific
as possible. It is also helpful if
comments refer to specific pages or
chapters of the draft statement.
Comments may also address the
adequacy of the draft environmental
impact statement or the merits of the
alternatives formulated and discussed in
the statement. Reviewers may wish to
refer to the Council on Environmental
Quality Regulations for implementing
the procedural provisions of the
National Environmental Policy Act at 40
CFR 1503.3 in addressing these points.
65683
Register (76 FR 25300, 05/04/2011) and
the application has been processed
pursuant to the FTZ Act and the Board’s
regulations; and,
Whereas, the Board adopts the
findings and recommendations of the
examiner’s report, and finds that the
requirements of the FTZ Act and
Board’s regulations are satisfied, and
that the proposal is in the public
interest;
Now, therefore, the Board hereby
orders:
The application to expand FTZ 276 is
approved, subject to the FTZ Act and
the Board’s regulations, including
Section 400.28, and further subject to
the Board’s standard 2,000-acre
activation limit.
Dated: Signed at Washington, DC, this 13th
day of October 2011.
Ronald K. Lorentzen,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Import
Administration, Alternate Chairman, ForeignTrade Zones Board.
Andrew McGilvray,
Executive Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2011–27450 Filed 10–21–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7 and 1508.22;
Forest Service Handbook 1909.15, Section
21.
Foreign-Trade Zones Board
Dated: October 17, 2011.
Robert J. Thompson,
Acting Deputy Forest Supervisor, Black Hills
National Forest.
Reorganization of Foreign-Trade Zone
205 Under Alternative Site Framework
Port Hueneme, CA
[FR Doc. 2011–27404 Filed 10–21–11; 8:45 am]
Pursuant to its authority under the ForeignTrade Zones Act of June 18, 1934, as
amended (19 U.S.C. 81a–81u), the ForeignTrade Zones Board (the Board) adopts the
following Order:
BILLING CODE 3410–11–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Foreign-Trade Zones Board
[Order No. 1789]
Expansion of Foreign-Trade Zone 276;
Kern County, CA
Pursuant to its authority under the ForeignTrade Zones Act of June 18, 1934, as
amended (19 U.S.C. 81a–81u), the ForeignTrade Zones Board (the Board) adopts the
following Order:
Whereas, the County of Kern
Department of Airports, grantee of
Foreign-Trade Zone 276, submitted an
application to the Board for authority to
expand FTZ 276 to include a site in
Shafter, California, within the
Bakersfield U.S. Customs and Border
Protection port of entry (FTZ Docket 28–
2011, filed 04/28/2011);
Whereas, notice inviting public
comment has been given in the Federal
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
[Order No. 1788]
Whereas, the Board adopted the
alternative site framework (ASF) (74 FR
1170, 01/12/09; correction 74 FR 3987,
01/22/09; 75 FR 71069–71070, 11/22/
10) as an option for the establishment or
reorganization of general-purpose zones;
Whereas, the Board of Harbor
Commissioners of the Oxnard Harbor
District, grantee of Foreign-Trade Zone
205, submitted an application to the
Board (FTZ Docket 25–2011, filed 03/
31/2011) for authority to reorganize
under the ASF with a service area of
Ventura County, California, within and
adjacent to the Port Hueneme U.S.
Customs and Border Protection port of
entry, and FTZ 205’s existing Sites 1
through 4 would be categorized as
magnet sites;
Whereas, notice inviting public
comment was given in the Federal
Register (76 FR 19314–19315, 04/07/
2011) and the application has been
E:\FR\FM\24OCN1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 205 (Monday, October 24, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65681-65683]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-27404]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Black Hills National Forest, Mystic Ranger District, South
Dakota, Calumet Project Area
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Forest Service will prepare an environmental impact
statement on a proposal to use multiple vegetation treatments focused
on reducing the threat to ecosystem components including forest
resources from an existing insect and disease epidemic (mountain pine
beetle), creating a landscape condition more adapted to fire and that
reduces potential for high severity wildfire near at-risk communities
and in the wildland-urban interface. The proposal is being planned for
the 31,772 acre Calumet Project Area that includes about 27,617 acres
of National Forest System land and about 4,155 acres of interspersed
private land. The project area lies approximately six miles southwest
of Rapid City, SD. Sheridan Lake is also located within the project
area. This project will be conducted as an authorized project under
Section 102 of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (HFRA).
Actions proposed for the Calumet Project Area include the following:
Thin and harvest approximately 14,954 acres of pine stands
using a variety of methods to treat MPB infested stands, reduce the
overall density of pine trees and create a mosaic of structural stages
across the landscape. Both commercial and non-commercial sized trees
would be removed utilizing multiple contracts including
[[Page 65682]]
stewardship, timber sale, and service contracts.
Remove conifers from hardwood stands (e.g., aspen, oak,
and birch) and restore meadows on approximately 3,497 acres to provide
habitat diversity and wildfire protection by enhancing natural fuel
breaks.
Reduce the amount of fuels that currently exists.
Treatments could include (but are not limited to) lopping, chipping,
crushing, piling and burning; creating fuel breaks along roads and
adjacent to private property, particularly those properties with houses
and subdivisions. Roadway treatments would improve access (ingress/
egress) for the public, as well as emergency services in the event of a
wildfire. Prescribed broadcast burning would also be allowed anywhere
strategically practical within the project area, up to approximately
27,000 acres. The goals of prescribed fire are to reduce fuel loading
and continuity to help protect private property and Forest resources,
and to increase the quantity and quality of forage for big game and
other wildlife resources. Annually, the Mystic Ranger District conducts
approximately 2,000 to 4,000 acres of prescribed broadcast burning.
These annual, accomplished acres are spread across the district and are
split among multiple planning areas. Burning designated areas within
the Calumet Project Area could take up to ten years to accomplish.
Use of existing road templates, with less than five miles
of new construction, would be required to carry out vegetation
treatments.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis would be most
useful if received by 30-days following the date of this notice. The
draft environmental impact statement is expected to be available for
public review by February 2012 and the final environmental impact
statement is expected to be completed by May 2012.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Jackie Groce, Acting District
Ranger, Black Hills National Forest, Mystic Ranger District, Calumet
Project Area, 8221 South Highway 16, Rapid City, South Dakota 57702.
Telephone Number: (605) 343-1567. E-mail: comments-rocky-mountain-black-hills-mystic@fs.fed.us with ``Calumet'' as the subject.
Electronic comments must be readable in Word, Rich Text, or PDF
formats.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have any questions or need
additional information, please contact Lou Conroy, Team Leader or
Jackie Groce, Acting District Ranger, at the Mystic Ranger District
office in Rapid City at (605) 343-1567.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The actions proposed are in direct response
to management direction provided by the Black Hills National Forest
Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan). The site specific
actions are designed, based on Forest Plan Standards and Guidelines, to
move existing resource conditions in the Calumet Project Area toward
meeting Forest Plan Goals and Objectives. The project area lies
approximately six miles southwest of Rapid City, SD. Sheridan Lake is
also located within the project area. Anticipated issues include:
reducing MPB infestation and risk; protecting local communities,
private and public lands, infrastructure and access from severe
wildfire; associated fire and fuels hazard reduction needs in the
wildland-urban interface; support or opposition to forest thinning
using commercial timber harvest; impacts of vegetation treatment and
multiple forest uses on wildlife habitat. The range of alternatives
analyzed in the EIS is expected to be consistent with Sec. 104 of HFRA.
Purpose and Need for Action
The purpose of the Calumet Project is to:
Moves existing land and resource conditions toward desired
conditions as specified in the Forest Plan.
Reduce the threat to ecosystem components including forest
resources, from the existing insect and disease (mountain pine beetle)
epidemic.
Restore resource conditions to a healthy, resilient fire-
adapted ecosystem.
Help protect local communities and resources from
catastrophic wildfire.
This project is focused on implementing management actions that
move toward achieving:
Desired conditions and objectives embodied in Goals 2, 3,
7, and 10 of the Forest Plan (as amended).
Goals and objectives applicable to Forest Plan Management
Area (MA) 3.7--Late Successional Forest Landscape (~780 acres); MA 5.1
Resource Production Emphasis (~5,621 acres); MA 5.4--Big Game Winter
Range Emphasis (~18,259 acres); and MA 8.2 Developed Recreation Complex
(~2,686 acres), that lie within Calumet Project Area, described in
Chapter III of the Forest Plan (Phase II Amendment).
Goals of the Healthy Forest Restoration Act (HFRA) of 2003
(HR 1904) and other National level initiatives and policy that provide
procedural tools to hasten processes focused on reducing insects or
disease on public and adjacent private lands, and reducing the
probability and occurrence of severe wildfire in the fire adapted
ecosystems, especially near at risk communities and in the wildland-
urban interface. Moreover, it is appropriate that proposed actions be
designed in consideration of the fuels hazard reduction management
recommendations and guidelines provided by the Pennington County
Community Wildfire Protection Plan of 2007.
Proposed Action
Proposed actions include the following:
Thin and harvest approximately 14,954 acres of pine stands
using a variety of methods to treat MPB infested stands, reduce the
overall density of pine trees and create a mosaic of structural stages
across the landscape. Both commercial and non-commercial sized trees
would be removed utilizing multiple contracts including stewardship,
timber sale, and service contracts.
Remove conifers from hardwood stands (e.g., aspen, oak,
and birch) and restore meadows on approximately 3,497 acres to provide
habitat diversity and wildfire protection by enhancing natural fuel
breaks.
Reduce the amount of fuels that currently exists.
Treatments could include (but are not limited to) lopping, chipping,
crushing, piling and burning; creating fuel breaks along roads and
adjacent to private property, particularly those properties with houses
and subdivisions. Roadway treatments would improve access (ingress/
egress) for the public, as well as emergency services in the event of a
wildfire. Prescribed broadcast burning would also be allowed anywhere
strategically practical within the project area, up to approximately
27,000 acres. The goals of prescribed fire are to reduce fuel loading
and continuity to help protect private property and Forest resources,
and to increase the quantity and quality of forage for big game and
other wildlife resources. Annually, the Mystic Ranger District conducts
approximately 2,000 to 4,000 acres of prescribed broadcast burning.
These annual, accomplished acres are spread across the district and are
split among multiple planning areas. Burning designated areas within
the Calumet Project Area could take up to ten years to accomplish.
Use of existing road templates, with less than five miles
of new construction, would be required to carry out vegetation
treatments.
[[Page 65683]]
Responsible Official
District Ranger, Mystic Ranger District, Black Hills National
Forest, 8221 South Highway 16, Rapid City, South Dakota 57702.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The decision to be made is whether or not to implement the proposed
action or possible alternative at this time.
Scoping Process
Comments and input regarding the proposal will be received via
direct mailing from the public, other groups, and agencies during the
initial public comment period in October and November 2011. If you
would like to be more involved, a public meeting is scheduled for
Thursday, November 3, 2011, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Mystic Ranger
District Office, Rapid City, South Dakota. Comments submitted based on
this NOI will be most useful if received within 30-days from the date
of this notice. Response to the draft EIS will be sought from the
interested public beginning in February 2012.
Comment Requested
This notice of intent provides information that the agency will
prepare an environmental impact statement in response to public comment
and feedback during the October and November 2011, scoping period.
Comments received will assist the planning team to develop the mailing
list for the draft EIS and help identify key issues and opportunities
used to refine the proposal or possible alternative and mitigation
measures. Comments on the DEIS will be requested during the 45-day
comment period following the Notice of Availability, expected to be
published in the Federal Register in February 2012 (See discussion
below).
Early Notice of Importance of Public Participation in Subsequent
Environmental Review
The Forest Service believes, at this early stage, it is important
to give reviewers notice of several court rulings related to public
participation in the environmental review process. First, reviewers of
draft environmental impact statements must structure their
participation in the environmental review of the proposal so that it is
meaningful and alerts an agency to the reviewer's position and
contentions. Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519,
553 (1978). Also, environmental objections that could be raised at the
draft environmental impact statement stage but that are not raised
until after completion of the final environmental impact statement may
be waived or dismissed by the courts. City of Angoon v. Hodel, 803 F.2d
1016, 1022 (9th Cir. 1986) and Wisconsin Heritages, Inc. v. Harris, 490
F. Supp. 1334, 1338 (E.D. Wis. 1980). Because of these court rulings,
it is very important that those interested in this proposed action
participate by the close of the 45-day comment period so that
substantive comments and objections are made available to the Forest
Service at a time when it can meaningfully consider them and respond to
them in the final environmental impact statement.
To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues
and concerns on the proposed action, comments on the draft
environmental impact statement should be as specific as possible. It is
also helpful if comments refer to specific pages or chapters of the
draft statement. Comments may also address the adequacy of the draft
environmental impact statement or the merits of the alternatives
formulated and discussed in the statement. Reviewers may wish to refer
to the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for implementing
the procedural provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act at
40 CFR 1503.3 in addressing these points.
Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7 and 1508.22; Forest Service Handbook
1909.15, Section 21.
Dated: October 17, 2011.
Robert J. Thompson,
Acting Deputy Forest Supervisor, Black Hills National Forest.
[FR Doc. 2011-27404 Filed 10-21-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P
