Klamath National Forest, California, Jess Project, 26317-26318 [2013-10489]
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Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 87 / Monday, May 6, 2013 / Notices
through inspection, that they are
generally pest free, and based on our
determination that the restrictions in the
Federal Order are sufficient to mitigate
the risk associated with the quarantine
pest in question. Generally, we would
consider the importation from a country
of 10 or more plants in each of the last
3 fiscal years to constitute significant
trade in that taxon. However, we will
also consider other data showing that
there is significant trade in a taxon, even
if it does not meet this standard.
After reviewing any comments we
receive, we will announce our decision
regarding the addition of the taxa
described in the data sheets to the
NAPPRA lists in a subsequent notice. If
the Administrator’s determination that
the taxa are quarantine pests or hosts of
quarantine pests remains unchanged
following our consideration of the
comments, then we will add the taxa
described in the data sheets to the
appropriate NAPPRA list.
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 450 and 7701–7772
and 7781–7786; 21 U.S.C. 136 and 136a; 7
CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.3.
Done in Washington, DC, this 30th day of
April 2013.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2013–10656 Filed 5–3–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–34–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Klamath National Forest, California,
Jess Project
Forest Service, USDA.
Notice of intent to prepare an
environmental impact statement.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
The Klamath National Forest
will prepare an environmental impact
statement (EIS) to document and
publicly disclose the environmental
effects of fuels treatments on ridge tops
and along roadways, thinning in natural
stands and plantations, and meadow
treatments to improve ecosystem
function and resiliency while
contributing to rural economic health.
The project area is south of Sawyers Bar,
California. Treatments are proposed on
approximately 1,950 acres.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope
of the analysis must be received by June
20, 2013. The draft environmental
impact statement is expected November
2013 and the final environmental
impact statement is expected January
2014.
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Mar<15>2010
17:06 May 03, 2013
Jkt 229001
Send written comments to
Klamath National Forest Headquarters,
ATTN: Angie Bell, Project Leader, 1711
S. Main Street, Yreka, CA 96097.
Electronic comments can be made at the
project’s Web page: https://www.fs.fed.
us/nepa/nepa_project_exp.php?project=
38943, or via facsimile to (530) 841–
4571.
ADDRESSES:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Angie Bell, 530–842–6131, or Patty
Grantham, Forest Supervisor, 530–842–
6131.
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
The Jess project was developed to
improve ecosystem function and
resiliency while contributing to rural
economic health. A Forest Service
interdisciplinary team (IDT), composed
of specialists from a wide array of
disciplines in collaboration with
interested parties, developed a purpose
and need. The collaboration efforts
included several public meetings and a
field trip to discuss the need for change
and potential actions in the project area.
The IDT identified the following
purpose and need for this project by
comparing the existing conditions in the
project area with the desired conditions
described in the Forest Plan, LateSuccessional Reserve Assessments, the
North Fork Salmon Watershed
Assessment and the Sawyers Bar
Wildfire Community Protection Plan:
• Manage fuel loadings to reduce the
risk of wildfires affecting nearby
communities.
• Improve compositional, structural,
and functional attributes of biologically
diverse forest ecosystems by restoring
ecological processes that build
resiliency to high-intensity wildfire and
insect and disease.
• Provide a broad range of ecosystem
services, including wood products, rural
economic health, biodiversity, and the
beneficial uses of water.
Proposed Action
The IDT, in conjunction with the
informal collaborative group composed
of local, interested parties, inventoried
the project area to identify resource
concerns and develop management
activities (proposed actions) to achieve
the purpose and need for the Jess
Project. The following proposed actions
have been identified to move the project
area from the existing condition to the
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
26317
desired condition. Project design
features (PDFs) and best management
practices (BMPs) are incorporated into
this proposed action. The Forest Service
proposes the following treatments on
about 1,950 acres within the 8,735 acre
project boundary:
• Commercially harvest about 810
acres, including natural stands and
plantations, with about 120 acres
proposed for skyline and 690 acres of
ground-based yarding;
• Treating fuels on strategic ridge
tops on about 165 acres, including 95
acres of thinning, handpiling, and
burning and 70 acres of mastication;
• Reducing roadside fuels on about
615 acres over 15 miles of National
Forest Transportation System (NFTS)
roads;
• Prescribed underburning about 250
acres;
• Planting rust-resistant sugar pine on
scattered acres throughout the project
area;
• Enhancing meadows around Mud
Lake and other locations in the project
area; and
• Masticating and handpiling/burning
brush on about 150 acres for stand
health and big game habitat
enhancement.
Acres by treatment type do not
account for the overlap in treatment
types. Thinning treatments are likely to
take place over the first five years after
decision, followed by prescribed
burning and pile burning in subsequent
years. A more detailed description of
this proposal, including access, is
below.
Commercial harvest of trees larger
than 9 inches dbh will occur on over
800 acres. Commercial treatments will
vary with species preference and would
be driven by topographic location,
amount of disease present, and desired
regeneration species. Trees with greater
than 20–50% of their crown infected
with mistletoe, depending on unit, will
be candidates for removal. Dominant
and co-dominant trees with full crowns,
despite mistletoe infection will be
maintained in treatment units. Several
units have groups of older trees that will
be retained as islands to provide spatial
variation. Some small openings will be
increased to resemble more historic gap
sizes of 1–21⁄2 acres. Hardwoods will be
favored and will be thinned around in
areas. Enhancement of hardwoods and
reduction of conifer competition is
prescribed in several units. Patches of
saplings and pole size trees will be
avoided during treatment. Overall, the
best crowns will be maintained with
crown spacing varying from five to
twenty feet wide. Sugar pines proven to
be rust-resistant from a local seed zone
E:\FR\FM\06MYN1.SGM
06MYN1
26318
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 87 / Monday, May 6, 2013 / Notices
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
and appropriate elevation bands will be
planted in newly created openings
within areas of historical dominance.
Small diameter (less than 9 inches
diameter at breast height (dbh)) conifers
in ridge top fuel treatments will be
thinned, handpiled, and burned.
Mastication will occur along strategic
ridges between the handpiled areas to
complete the ridge treatments.
Roadside treatments will manually
cut, handpile, and burn brush and small
diameter trees (less than 6 inches dbh)
within buffers about 100 feet wide on
either side of the road. Actual treatment
may vary in size and width depending
on fuel conditions. Trees less than 10
inches dbh will be thinned to an average
of 20-foot bole spacing. Existing brush
densities will be reduced by 40–60%
where they exist. All hazard trees will
be identified and removed in
accordance with danger tree guidelines.
Roadside fuels treatments would
complement treatments proposed by the
local fire safe council.
Pre-commercial treatments will thin
small diameter conifers (less than 9
inches dbh) to approximately 28–30 foot
bole spacing or a specified distance
from trees of a certain diameter. For
example, if a tree is four inches dbh,
then spacing will be dbh times 12 plus
10 feet, equaling 14-foot bole spacing.
There will be species specific
preferences for thinning in some units.
Meadow treatments will consist of
manually removing small diameter
conifers (less than 9 inches dbh). The
removed trees will be handpiled and
burned. Noxious weed will be removal
using manual techniques. Willows may
be planted in and around the meadows
where needed to increase shade and
bank stability.
Three miles of existing roadbeds will
be used as temporary roads for shortterm access and then closed following
project completion to reduce log
skidding distances and associated
impacts to soils and other resources. No
new temporary roads are proposed.
Existing landings will be used to the
extent possible. The estimated number
of new landings needed for the project
is 30, with a maximum size less than
one-acre each.
Responsible Official
Patricia Grantham, Klamath National
Forest Supervisor, 1711 South Main
Street, Yreka, California 96097, will
prepare and sign the Record of Decision
at the conclusion of the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
review.
VerDate Mar<15>2010
17:06 May 03, 2013
Jkt 229001
Nature of Decision To Be Made
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
The Forest Service is the lead agency
for the project. Based on the result of the
NEPA analysis, the Forest Supervisor’s
Record of Decision regarding the Jess
Project will recommend implementation
of one of the following: (1) The
proposed action and mitigation
necessary to minimize or avoid adverse
impacts; (2) An alternative to the
proposed action and mitigation
necessary to minimize or avoid adverse
impacts; or (3) The no-action
alternative. The Record of Decision will
also document the consistency of the
proposed action or one of the
alternatives with the Klamath National
Forest Land and Resource Management
Plan.
Submission for OMB Review;
Comment Request
Scoping Process
This notice of intent initiates the
scoping process, which guides the
development of the environmental
impact statement. To assist the Forest
Service in identifying and considering
issues and concerns on the proposed
action, comments should be as specific
as possible.
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.
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
be part of the public record for this
proposed action. Comments submitted
anonymously will be accepted and
considered, however.
Dated: April 25, 2013.
Patricia A. Grantham,
Klamath National Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2013–10489 Filed 5–3–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–11–P
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Sfmt 4703
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: U.S. Census—Age Search.
OMB Control Number: 0607–0117.
Form Number(s): BC–600, BC–600SP,
BC–649(L), BC–658(L).
Type of Request: Revision of a
currently approved collection.
Burden Hours: 628.
Number of Respondents: 2,799.
Average Hours per Response: 11
minutes.
Needs and Uses: The U.S. Census
Bureau maintains the 1910–2010
Federal censuses for searching
purposes. The purpose of the searching
is to provide, upon request, transcripts
of personal data from historical
population census records. Information
relating to age, place of birth, and
citizenship is provided upon payment
of the established fee to individuals for
their use in qualifying for social
security, old age benefits, retirement,
court litigation, passports, insurance
settlements, etc. The age and citizenship
searching service is a self-supporting
operation. Expenses incurred in
providing census transcripts are covered
by the fees paid by individuals
requesting a search of the census
records. The census records are
confidential by an Act of Congress. The
Census Bureau is prohibited by federal
laws from disclosing any information
contained in the records except upon
written request from the person to
whom the information pertains or to a
legal representative.
Affected Public: Individuals or
households.
Frequency: On occasion.
Respondent’s Obligation: Required to
obtain benefits.
Legal Authority: Title 13 U.S.C.,
Section 8a.
OMB Desk Officer: Brian HarrisKojetin, (202) 395–7314.
Copies of the above information
collection proposal can be obtained by
calling or writing Jennifer Jessup,
Departmental Paperwork Clearance
Officer, (202) 482–0336, Department of
Commerce, Room 6616, 14th and
Constitution Avenue NW., Washington,
DC 20230 (or via the Internet at
jjessup@doc.gov).
Written comments and
recommendations for the proposed
E:\FR\FM\06MYN1.SGM
06MYN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 87 (Monday, May 6, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26317-26318]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-10489]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Klamath National Forest, California, Jess Project
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Klamath National Forest will prepare an environmental
impact statement (EIS) to document and publicly disclose the
environmental effects of fuels treatments on ridge tops and along
roadways, thinning in natural stands and plantations, and meadow
treatments to improve ecosystem function and resiliency while
contributing to rural economic health. The project area is south of
Sawyers Bar, California. Treatments are proposed on approximately 1,950
acres.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received
by June 20, 2013. The draft environmental impact statement is expected
November 2013 and the final environmental impact statement is expected
January 2014.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Klamath National Forest
Headquarters, ATTN: Angie Bell, Project Leader, 1711 S. Main Street,
Yreka, CA 96097. Electronic comments can be made at the project's Web
page: https://www.fs.fed.us/nepa/nepa_project_exp.php?project=38943,
or via facsimile to (530) 841-4571.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Angie Bell, 530-842-6131, or Patty
Grantham, Forest Supervisor, 530-842-6131.
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
The Jess project was developed to improve ecosystem function and
resiliency while contributing to rural economic health. A Forest
Service interdisciplinary team (IDT), composed of specialists from a
wide array of disciplines in collaboration with interested parties,
developed a purpose and need. The collaboration efforts included
several public meetings and a field trip to discuss the need for change
and potential actions in the project area. The IDT identified the
following purpose and need for this project by comparing the existing
conditions in the project area with the desired conditions described in
the Forest Plan, Late-Successional Reserve Assessments, the North Fork
Salmon Watershed Assessment and the Sawyers Bar Wildfire Community
Protection Plan:
Manage fuel loadings to reduce the risk of wildfires
affecting nearby communities.
Improve compositional, structural, and functional
attributes of biologically diverse forest ecosystems by restoring
ecological processes that build resiliency to high-intensity wildfire
and insect and disease.
Provide a broad range of ecosystem services, including
wood products, rural economic health, biodiversity, and the beneficial
uses of water.
Proposed Action
The IDT, in conjunction with the informal collaborative group
composed of local, interested parties, inventoried the project area to
identify resource concerns and develop management activities (proposed
actions) to achieve the purpose and need for the Jess Project. The
following proposed actions have been identified to move the project
area from the existing condition to the desired condition. Project
design features (PDFs) and best management practices (BMPs) are
incorporated into this proposed action. The Forest Service proposes the
following treatments on about 1,950 acres within the 8,735 acre project
boundary:
Commercially harvest about 810 acres, including natural
stands and plantations, with about 120 acres proposed for skyline and
690 acres of ground-based yarding;
Treating fuels on strategic ridge tops on about 165 acres,
including 95 acres of thinning, handpiling, and burning and 70 acres of
mastication;
Reducing roadside fuels on about 615 acres over 15 miles
of National Forest Transportation System (NFTS) roads;
Prescribed underburning about 250 acres;
Planting rust-resistant sugar pine on scattered acres
throughout the project area;
Enhancing meadows around Mud Lake and other locations in
the project area; and
Masticating and handpiling/burning brush on about 150
acres for stand health and big game habitat enhancement.
Acres by treatment type do not account for the overlap in treatment
types. Thinning treatments are likely to take place over the first five
years after decision, followed by prescribed burning and pile burning
in subsequent years. A more detailed description of this proposal,
including access, is below.
Commercial harvest of trees larger than 9 inches dbh will occur on
over 800 acres. Commercial treatments will vary with species preference
and would be driven by topographic location, amount of disease present,
and desired regeneration species. Trees with greater than 20-50% of
their crown infected with mistletoe, depending on unit, will be
candidates for removal. Dominant and co-dominant trees with full
crowns, despite mistletoe infection will be maintained in treatment
units. Several units have groups of older trees that will be retained
as islands to provide spatial variation. Some small openings will be
increased to resemble more historic gap sizes of 1-2\1/2\ acres.
Hardwoods will be favored and will be thinned around in areas.
Enhancement of hardwoods and reduction of conifer competition is
prescribed in several units. Patches of saplings and pole size trees
will be avoided during treatment. Overall, the best crowns will be
maintained with crown spacing varying from five to twenty feet wide.
Sugar pines proven to be rust-resistant from a local seed zone
[[Page 26318]]
and appropriate elevation bands will be planted in newly created
openings within areas of historical dominance.
Small diameter (less than 9 inches diameter at breast height (dbh))
conifers in ridge top fuel treatments will be thinned, handpiled, and
burned. Mastication will occur along strategic ridges between the
handpiled areas to complete the ridge treatments.
Roadside treatments will manually cut, handpile, and burn brush and
small diameter trees (less than 6 inches dbh) within buffers about 100
feet wide on either side of the road. Actual treatment may vary in size
and width depending on fuel conditions. Trees less than 10 inches dbh
will be thinned to an average of 20-foot bole spacing. Existing brush
densities will be reduced by 40-60% where they exist. All hazard trees
will be identified and removed in accordance with danger tree
guidelines. Roadside fuels treatments would complement treatments
proposed by the local fire safe council.
Pre-commercial treatments will thin small diameter conifers (less
than 9 inches dbh) to approximately 28-30 foot bole spacing or a
specified distance from trees of a certain diameter. For example, if a
tree is four inches dbh, then spacing will be dbh times 12 plus 10
feet, equaling 14-foot bole spacing. There will be species specific
preferences for thinning in some units.
Meadow treatments will consist of manually removing small diameter
conifers (less than 9 inches dbh). The removed trees will be handpiled
and burned. Noxious weed will be removal using manual techniques.
Willows may be planted in and around the meadows where needed to
increase shade and bank stability.
Three miles of existing roadbeds will be used as temporary roads
for short-term access and then closed following project completion to
reduce log skidding distances and associated impacts to soils and other
resources. No new temporary roads are proposed. Existing landings will
be used to the extent possible. The estimated number of new landings
needed for the project is 30, with a maximum size less than one-acre
each.
Responsible Official
Patricia Grantham, Klamath National Forest Supervisor, 1711 South
Main Street, Yreka, California 96097, will prepare and sign the Record
of Decision at the conclusion of the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) review.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The Forest Service is the lead agency for the project. Based on the
result of the NEPA analysis, the Forest Supervisor's Record of Decision
regarding the Jess Project will recommend implementation of one of the
following: (1) The proposed action and mitigation necessary to minimize
or avoid adverse impacts; (2) An alternative to the proposed action and
mitigation necessary to minimize or avoid adverse impacts; or (3) The
no-action alternative. The Record of Decision will also document the
consistency of the proposed action or one of the alternatives with the
Klamath National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan.
Scoping Process
This notice of intent initiates the scoping process, which guides
the development of the environmental impact statement. To assist the
Forest Service in identifying and considering issues and concerns on
the proposed action, comments should be as specific as possible.
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.
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 be part of the public record
for this proposed action. Comments submitted anonymously will be
accepted and considered, however.
Dated: April 25, 2013.
Patricia A. Grantham,
Klamath National Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2013-10489 Filed 5-3-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P