Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, Okanogan County, WA; Bannon, Aeneas, Revis, and Tunk Grazing Allotments Environmental Impact Statement, 70137-70138 [2012-28420]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
• Forest Service

[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 226 (Friday, November 23, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70137-70138]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-28420]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, Okanogan County, WA; Bannon, 
Aeneas, Revis, and Tunk Grazing Allotments Environmental Impact 
Statement

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY: The USDA Forest Service will prepare an Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) to disclose the environmental effects of issuing Term 
Grazing Permits to continue authorizing cattle grazing on all or 
portions of four existing grazing allotments: Bannon, Aeneas, Revis, 
and Tunk; herein after referred to as BART. The issuance of Term 
Grazing Permits would continue to authorize grazing at current 
permitted cattle numbers and seasons of use.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis should be received 
by January 7, 2013. The draft environmental impact statement is 
expected to be filed with the Environmental Protection Agency and made 
available for public review in January 2013. The final environmental 
impact statement is expected to be available for review in February 
2013.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments and suggestions concerning the scope 
of the analysis to Christina Bauman, Project Lead, Tonasket District, 1 
West Winesap, Tonasket, Washington 98855, or phone 509-486-5112. 
Comments may also be sent via emailed to comments-pacificnorthwest-okanogan-tonasket@fs.fed.us with ``BART Grazing Allotment Management 
Plan'' in the subject line or via facsmile to 509-486-1922. Electronic 
comments must be part of an email message or as an attachment in either 
MS Word format (.doc or .docx), Rich Text Format (.rtf), Plain Text 
(.txt), or Portable Document Format (.pdf). Electronic comments 
containing viruses will be rejected.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christina Bauman, Project Leader, 
Tonasket District, Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, 1 West Winesap, 
Tonasket, Washington 98855 or call 509-486-5112.
    Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD) 
may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 
between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The assessment area covers about 36,803 
acres of National Forest System lands within T. 35 N., R. 28 & 29 E., 
and T. 36 N., R. 28 & 29 E., Willamette Meridian. Landmark locations 
include, Bannon Mountain, Tunk Mountain, Crawfish Lake, Aeneas, 
Barnell, Lost, Cole, Bench and Jungle Creeks, and Barnell Meadows.

Purpose and Need for Action

    The purpose of this assessment is to authorize continued grazing in 
the project area consistent with Forest Plan standards and guidelines 
as amended providing forage for permitted livestock grazing is proposed 
because of the following:
     Public Law 104-19 Section 504 of the 1995 Rescissions Act, 
as amended, requires each National Forest to establish and adhere to a 
schedule for completing NEPA analysis and updating allotment management 
plans for all rangeland allotments on National Forest System lands.
     Where consistent with other multiple use goals and 
objectives, there is congressional intent to allow livestock grazing on 
suitable lands (Multiple Use Sustained Yield Act of 1960; Forest and 
Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974; Federal Land Policy 
and Management Act of 1976; and the National Forest Management Act of 
1976.
     It is Forest Service policy to make forage available to 
qualified livestock operators from lands suitable for grazing 
consistent with land management plans (CFR 222.2(c); and Forest Service 
Manual [FSM] 2203.1).
     Recent surveys of the analysis area identified some areas 
that are of concern or are currently not meeting or moving toward 
desired conditions in a manner that is consistent with the Okanogan 
Forest Land and Resource Management Plan as amended. There is a need to 
modify range infrastructure and livestock management to move toward 
desired conditions for soils, vegetation and riparian resources. 
Livestock grazing is one of the factors that contribute to these 
altered resource conditions.

Proposed Action

    The proposed action authorizes continued livestock grazing at 
current levels using a combination of range improvements and adaptive 
management strategies to meet or move toward meeting Forest Plan 
Standards and to attain resource specific desired conditions.
    This alternative would implement adaptive management strategies 
analyzed in detail to provide management options if changes to the 
Proposed Action grazing strategy are

[[Page 70138]]

needed. Monitoring would be designed for early detection of resource 
conditions that would trigger management changes. Triggers would be 
developed to identify when a specific threshold is about to be reached 
and cattle need to be moved. The length of time each pasture is grazed 
and whether additional fences would be installed would be determined by 
monitoring results. Adaptive management strategies include installation 
of water developments in the first stage and may include construction 
of additional fences in subsequent years if needed, where the permittee 
and the Forest Service agree that additional fencing would improve 
livestock management and riparian areas. A monitoring plan would be 
implemented to determine progress in attainment of Forest Plan 
standards and guidelines.
    Range improvement proposals include:
     Removal of approximately 3 miles of fence no longer needed 
for livestock management and 2 non-functioning water developments.
     Relocation of 4 troughs and one corral outside of the 
Riparian Habitat Conservation Area (RHCA) and 1 fence approximately 1.5 
miles long.
     Development of 16 springs including exclosures around 
spring source.
     Reconstruction of 3 existing spring developments.
     Construction of 2 new corrals.
     Construction of 1 hardened crossing on Aeneas Creek.
     Possible construction of approximately 13 miles of new 
pasture fence for rested areas.
    More detailed information about the proposed action and maps can be 
accessed on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest internet site https://data.ecosystem-management.org/nepaweb/nepa_project_exp.php?project=38873.

Possible Alternatives

    In addition to the Proposed Action and any alternative that is 
developed following the scoping effort, the project interdisciplinary 
team will analyze the effects of:
     No Action alternative: No grazing permits would be 
reauthorized; cattle would be removed from all allotments within two 
years. There would be no change of allotment management in this two 
year period. All structural improvements currently in place would be 
allowed to deteriorate over time or be removed if funding is available.
     Accelerated improvement: This alternative would 
reauthorize grazing at current numbers with the implementation of a 
four-year strategy that includes installation of water developments in 
the first year, the construction of fences in the second, third year 
and fourth years. This alternative would rest from livestock grazing 
these newly created pastures with the most sensitive riparian areas.
    Range improvement proposals include:
     Removal of approximately 3 miles of fence no longer needed 
for livestock management and 2 non-functioning water developments.
     Relocation of 4 troughs and one corral outside the RHCA 
and 1 fence approximately 1.5 miles long.
     Development of 16 springs including exclosures around 
spring source.
     Reconstruction of 3 existing spring developments.
     Construction of 2 new corrals.
     Construction of 1 hardened crossing on Aeneas Creek.
     Construction of approximately 13 miles of new pasture 
fence for rested areas.

Additional grazing alternatives may be considered in response to 
scoping issues and other resource values.

Responsible Official

    The responsible official will be the Forest Supervisor, Okanogan-
Wenatchee National Forest, 215 Melody Lane, Wenatchee, Washington 
98801.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    An environmental analysis will evaluate site-specific issues, 
consider management alternatives and analyze the potential effects of 
the proposed action and alternatives. An environmental impact statement 
will provide the Responsible Official with the information needed to 
decide whether to adopt and implement the proposed action, or an 
alternative to the proposed action, or take no action to reauthorize 
grazing in the Bannon, Aeneas, Revis, and Tunk grazing Allotments.
    This EIS will tier to the Okanogan National Forest Land and 
Resource Management Plan and its subsequent amendments, which provide 
overall guidance for land management activities on the Okanogan-
Wenatchee National Forest.

Preliminary Issues

    Preliminary issues identified include the effects of livestock 
grazing on riparian resources such as stream bank and channel 
instability, high stream width/depth ratio, lack of diverse riparian 
vegetation, high stream sedimentation, and soil compaction, 
displacement or erosion.

Scoping Process

    This notice of intent initiates the scoping process, which guides 
the development of the Environmental Impact Statement. Public comments 
about this proposal are requested in order to assist in identifying 
issues, and determining how to best manage the resources, and focus the 
analysis.
    It is important that reviewers provide their comments at such times 
and in such manner that they are useful to the agency's preparation of 
the environmental impact statement. Therefore, comments should be 
provided prior to the close of the comment period and should clearly 
articulate the reviewer's concerns and contentions.
    Comments received in response to this solicitation, including names 
and addresses of those who comment, will become part of the public 
record for this proposal and will be available for public inspection. 
Comments submitted anonymously will be accepted and considered; 
however, anonymous comments will not provide the agency with the 
ability to provide the commenter with subsequent environmental 
documents.

Rebecca Lockett Heath,
Forest Supervisor, Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest.
[FR Doc. 2012-28420 Filed 11-21-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-75-P