Gore Creek Restoration Project; Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement, 21722-21723 [2012-8585]
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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 70 / Wednesday, April 11, 2012 / Notices
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moderate/high intensity wildfires, as
well as minimizing the spread of
wildfire originating from developed
areas onto forested lands. There is a
need to treat the surface (dead and
down fuels) and ladder fuels to reduce
the risk of spread and intensity of
wildfire.
• Minimize livestock impacts to
riparian features by developing range
improvements (e.g. off-site water
developments).
The Whisky Ridge Ecological
Restoration Project encompasses 18,285
acres. Approximately 7,500 acres would
be analyzed for treatments.
Proposed Action
The Whisky Ridge Ecological
Restoration Project proposes to;
• Restore key wildlife structures and
improve wildlife habitat by maintaining
and restoring key components that are
utilized for shelter, reproduction sites,
resting or food sources;
• Increase resiliency of mixed conifer,
pine and fir stands through density
management by beginning the process of
returning treatment areas to conditions
more closely resembling those present
prior to the early 1900s;
• Maintain or improve growth and
vigor of pine, mixed conifer, and fir
stands, as well as conifer plantations
through density management;
• Minimize the effects of wildland
fire in the high risk (probability of
ignition occurring), high hazard
(availability of fuels to sustain a fire)
wildland urban intermix area, and
surrounding forest by reducing the
potential for uncharacteristically large
and severe wildfire and facilitate
conditions that result in low-tomoderate severity wildland fire;
• Treat surface and ladder fuels to
reduce the potential for a surface fire to
transition into a sustained crown fire;
• Allow for the reintroduction of fire
as a process restoration tool;
• Recover failed conifer plantations
and openings by planting conifers
within specific sites;
• Use integrated weed management to
prevent and control infestations of
noxious weeds;
• Restore production and enhance
vitality of culturally gathered plant
material;
• Protect the historic values and
characteristics of archaeological and
historical cultural resources and
improve their integrity by reducing fuels
within cultural resource sites;
• Restore and stabilize degraded
watershed features such as meadows,
streams, and riparian features by
improving channel stability;
• Decommission unapproved trails
that are contributing to resource
degradation;
• Review the Sierra National Forest
Motorized Travel Management plan and
determine if any roads within the
Project area recommended for potential
decommissioning should be addressed
under this proposal;
Possible Alternatives
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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://
www.fs.fed.us/nepa/fs-usda-pop.php/
?project=37829, 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 submited 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 comnenter 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: April 4, 2012.
Scott G. Armentrout,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2012–8661 Filed 4–10–12; 8:45 am]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Gore Creek Restoration Project; Intent
To Prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement
Medicine Bow-Routt National
Forests, Forest Service, USDA.
Project: Gore Creek Restoration
Project.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an
environmental impact statement.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
National Environmental Policy Act,
notice is hereby given that the Forest
Service, Medicine Bow-Routt National
Forests, will prepare a Draft
Environmental Impact Statement to
disclose the environmental
consequences of the proposed Gore
Creek Restoration Project (Gore Creek).
The Gore Creek analysis area
encompasses approximately 76,000
acres of National Forest System (NFS)
land with 6,900 acres of interspersed
private land.
The Yampa Ranger District is
proposing a variety of actions in the
Gore Pass area to improve watershed
health and reduce potential erosion
issues. Timber harvesting that took
place outside of previously analyzed
timber sale boundaries has resulted in
impacts that had not been previously
analyzed. Before rehabilitation can be
completed, a new analysis must be
conducted to address the previous
activities and the proposed
rehabilitation activities.
In order to complete previously
analyzed vegetation management
projects, an analysis of additional
temporary roads needs to occur.
Included in the analysis is the further
consideration of the roads that would be
necessary to complete both proposed,
remaining timber management activities
and the restoration activities. The
analysis will be used to determine the
best methods for minimizing watershed
impacts from the current roads,
proposed roads and road construction.
Included in the analysis of the existing
and proposed road construction will be
the consideration of restoration of
dispersed campsites within riparian
areas within the project area, which may
be impacting watershed health. Also
included in the analysis will be the
effects of disposing of merchantable
timber and other vegetation resulting
from emergency clearing work within
the power line right-of-ways in the
analysis area.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope
of the analysis should be received by 30
SUMMARY:
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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 70 / Wednesday, April 11, 2012 / Notices
days from the publication of this Notice.
The Draft Environmental Impact
Statement is expected to be available for
public review in January 2013, the Final
Environmental Impact Statement is
expected to be available in March 2013,
and the Record of Decision is expected
to be released in March 2013.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to
Jack Lewis, Yampa District Ranger, P.O.
Box 7, Yampa, Colorado 80483 or email
comments to comments-rockymountain-medicine-bowyampa@fs.fed.us. All comments,
including names and addresses of
commenters, when provided, are placed
in the record and will be available for
public inspection and copying. The
public may review the comments at the
Yampa Ranger District, 300 Roselawn
Ave., Yampa, Colorado 80483. Visitors
are encouraged to call ahead to (970)
638–4516 to facilitate entry into the
building.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Jamie Krezelok, Project Manager, Hahn
Peaks/Bears Ears Ranger District, 925
Weiss Drive, Steamboat Springs,
Colorado 80487, (970) 870–2256 or
email—jkrezelok@fs.fed.us. Individuals
who use telecommunication devices for
the deaf (TTF) 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:
wreier-aviles on DSK5TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Purpose and Need for Action
The purpose of the Gore Creek project
is to address the environmental impacts
created during implementation of the
Rock Creek decision and reduce current
impacts associated with roads in the
analysis area.
The needs for the proposed action
include:
• Analyzing the landings, slash piles,
and skid trails that were inadvertently
created during timber sale activities.
• Analyze effects of temporary roads
needed to complete the Rock Creek
sales.
• Analyze additional proposed
actions associated with completing the
Rock Creek sales.
• Analyze the clean-up activities for
powerlines in the analysis area.
• Improve watershed health through
relocation and/or decommissioning of
roads and dispersed campsites that may
be causing adverse impacts to stream
networks within the project boundary.
Proposed Action
The Yampa Ranger District of the
Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests,
proposes to authorize vegetation
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Jkt 226001
management and restoration activities
on specified areas within the Gore Creek
Restoration project area in order to meet
or move toward desired conditions in a
specified timeframe. Vegetation
treatments may include; piling and
stacking of timber that has already been
cut, removing decks, and pile burning.
Associated rehabilitation activities on
landings, slash piles, skid trails, and
temporary roads may include; ripping,
seeding, slash, re-contouring,
scarification, and erosion control.
Watershed improvement projects are
proposed on National Forest System
Roads (NFSR) 185, 241, 242, 243, and
246 and may include; changing primary
type of use on portions of existing roads,
improving drainage on roads, re-routing
portions of system roads, road
decommissioning, new road
construction, and dispersed campsite
decommissioning along streams.
Responsible Official
The Official responsible for this
proposal is Jack H. Lewis, District
Ranger, Yampa Ranger District, The
responsible Official will consider the
analysis and conclusions of the
environmental effects and then
document the final decision in a Record
of Decision (ROD).
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The Gore Creek Restoration
Environmental Impact Statement will
document the site-specific management
proposals, alternatives to the Proposed
Action, and the analysis of the effects of
the activities proposed in the
alternatives. It will form the basis for the
Responsible Official to determine: (1)
Whether or not the Proposed Action and
alternatives are responsive to the issues,
consistent with Forest Plan direction
and if not whether a Forest Plan
amendment would be necessary, meet
the purpose and need, and are
consistent with other related laws and
regulations directing National Forest
Management activities; (2) whether or
not the information in the analysis is
sufficient to implement proposed
activities; and (3) which actions, if any,
to approve.
Comment Requested
This notice of intent initiates the
scoping process that guides the
development of the environmental
impact statement. Comments that are
site-specific in nature are most helpful
to resource professionals when trying to
narrow and address the public’s issues
and concerns.
All comments will be reviewed and
considered to identify relevant issues.
Issues that cannot be resolved through
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21723
design features or minor changes to the
Proposed Action may generate
alternatives to the Proposed Action.
This process is driven by comments
received from the public, other agencies,
and internal Forest Service concerns. To
assist in commenting, a scoping letter
providing more detail on the project
proposal has been prepared and is
available to interested parties at https://
www.fs.usda.gov/projects/mbr/
landmanagement/projects. Contact
Jamie Krezelok, Project Coordinator, at
the address listed in this notice of intent
if you would like to receive a copy.
Dated: April 4, 2012.
Melissa A. Dressen,
Yampa Acting District Ranger.
[FR Doc. 2012–8585 Filed 4–10–12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–11–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Submission for OMB Review;
Comment Request
The Department of Commerce will
submit to the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) for clearance the
following proposal for collection of
information under the provisions of the
Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C.
chapter 35).
Agency: U.S. Census Bureau.
Title: Generic Clearance for
Geographic Partnership Programs.
OMB Control Number: 0607–0795.
Form Number(s): Various.
Type of Request: Extension of a
currently approved collection.
Burden Hours: 200,450.
Number of Respondents: 39,109.
Average Hours per Response: 15
hours on average.
Needs and Uses: The U.S. Census
Bureau requests approval from the
Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) for a three year extension of the
generic clearance called the Geographic
Partnership Programs (GPPs) that covers
a number of activities needed to update
or conduct research on the Master
Address File/Topologically Integrated
Geographic Encoding and Referencing
(MAF/TIGER) System. The information
collected by these programs in
cooperation with tribal, state, and local
governments is essential to the mission
of the Census Bureau and directly
contributes to the successful outcome of
censuses and surveys conducted by the
Census Bureau. The generic clearance
allows the Census Bureau to focus its
limited resources on actual operational
planning, development of procedures,
and implementation of programs to
update and improve the geographic and
E:\FR\FM\11APN1.SGM
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 11, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21722-21723]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-8585]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Gore Creek Restoration Project; Intent To Prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement
AGENCY: Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests, Forest Service, USDA.
Project: Gore Creek Restoration Project.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act,
notice is hereby given that the Forest Service, Medicine Bow-Routt
National Forests, will prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement
to disclose the environmental consequences of the proposed Gore Creek
Restoration Project (Gore Creek). The Gore Creek analysis area
encompasses approximately 76,000 acres of National Forest System (NFS)
land with 6,900 acres of interspersed private land.
The Yampa Ranger District is proposing a variety of actions in the
Gore Pass area to improve watershed health and reduce potential erosion
issues. Timber harvesting that took place outside of previously
analyzed timber sale boundaries has resulted in impacts that had not
been previously analyzed. Before rehabilitation can be completed, a new
analysis must be conducted to address the previous activities and the
proposed rehabilitation activities.
In order to complete previously analyzed vegetation management
projects, an analysis of additional temporary roads needs to occur.
Included in the analysis is the further consideration of the roads that
would be necessary to complete both proposed, remaining timber
management activities and the restoration activities. The analysis will
be used to determine the best methods for minimizing watershed impacts
from the current roads, proposed roads and road construction. Included
in the analysis of the existing and proposed road construction will be
the consideration of restoration of dispersed campsites within riparian
areas within the project area, which may be impacting watershed health.
Also included in the analysis will be the effects of disposing of
merchantable timber and other vegetation resulting from emergency
clearing work within the power line right-of-ways in the analysis area.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis should be received
by 30
[[Page 21723]]
days from the publication of this Notice. The Draft Environmental
Impact Statement is expected to be available for public review in
January 2013, the Final Environmental Impact Statement is expected to
be available in March 2013, and the Record of Decision is expected to
be released in March 2013.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Jack Lewis, Yampa District Ranger,
P.O. Box 7, Yampa, Colorado 80483 or email comments to comments-rocky-mountain-medicine-bow-yampa@fs.fed.us. All comments, including names
and addresses of commenters, when provided, are placed in the record
and will be available for public inspection and copying. The public may
review the comments at the Yampa Ranger District, 300 Roselawn Ave.,
Yampa, Colorado 80483. Visitors are encouraged to call ahead to (970)
638-4516 to facilitate entry into the building.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jamie Krezelok, Project Manager, Hahn
Peaks/Bears Ears Ranger District, 925 Weiss Drive, Steamboat Springs,
Colorado 80487, (970) 870-2256 or email_jkrezelok@fs.fed.us.
Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf (TTF) 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:
Purpose and Need for Action
The purpose of the Gore Creek project is to address the
environmental impacts created during implementation of the Rock Creek
decision and reduce current impacts associated with roads in the
analysis area.
The needs for the proposed action include:
Analyzing the landings, slash piles, and skid trails that
were inadvertently created during timber sale activities.
Analyze effects of temporary roads needed to complete the
Rock Creek sales.
Analyze additional proposed actions associated with
completing the Rock Creek sales.
Analyze the clean-up activities for powerlines in the
analysis area.
Improve watershed health through relocation and/or
decommissioning of roads and dispersed campsites that may be causing
adverse impacts to stream networks within the project boundary.
Proposed Action
The Yampa Ranger District of the Medicine Bow-Routt National
Forests, proposes to authorize vegetation management and restoration
activities on specified areas within the Gore Creek Restoration project
area in order to meet or move toward desired conditions in a specified
timeframe. Vegetation treatments may include; piling and stacking of
timber that has already been cut, removing decks, and pile burning.
Associated rehabilitation activities on landings, slash piles, skid
trails, and temporary roads may include; ripping, seeding, slash, re-
contouring, scarification, and erosion control. Watershed improvement
projects are proposed on National Forest System Roads (NFSR) 185, 241,
242, 243, and 246 and may include; changing primary type of use on
portions of existing roads, improving drainage on roads, re-routing
portions of system roads, road decommissioning, new road construction,
and dispersed campsite decommissioning along streams.
Responsible Official
The Official responsible for this proposal is Jack H. Lewis,
District Ranger, Yampa Ranger District, The responsible Official will
consider the analysis and conclusions of the environmental effects and
then document the final decision in a Record of Decision (ROD).
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The Gore Creek Restoration Environmental Impact Statement will
document the site-specific management proposals, alternatives to the
Proposed Action, and the analysis of the effects of the activities
proposed in the alternatives. It will form the basis for the
Responsible Official to determine: (1) Whether or not the Proposed
Action and alternatives are responsive to the issues, consistent with
Forest Plan direction and if not whether a Forest Plan amendment would
be necessary, meet the purpose and need, and are consistent with other
related laws and regulations directing National Forest Management
activities; (2) whether or not the information in the analysis is
sufficient to implement proposed activities; and (3) which actions, if
any, to approve.
Comment Requested
This notice of intent initiates the scoping process that guides the
development of the environmental impact statement. Comments that are
site-specific in nature are most helpful to resource professionals when
trying to narrow and address the public's issues and concerns.
All comments will be reviewed and considered to identify relevant
issues. Issues that cannot be resolved through design features or minor
changes to the Proposed Action may generate alternatives to the
Proposed Action. This process is driven by comments received from the
public, other agencies, and internal Forest Service concerns. To assist
in commenting, a scoping letter providing more detail on the project
proposal has been prepared and is available to interested parties at
https://www.fs.usda.gov/projects/mbr/landmanagement/projects. Contact
Jamie Krezelok, Project Coordinator, at the address listed in this
notice of intent if you would like to receive a copy.
Dated: April 4, 2012.
Melissa A. Dressen,
Yampa Acting District Ranger.
[FR Doc. 2012-8585 Filed 4-10-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P