Bitterroot National Forest, Darby Ranger District, Como Forest Health Project, 36163-36164 [2013-14229]
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Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 116 / Monday, June 17, 2013 / Notices
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food and Nutrition Service
Forest Service
National Advisory Council on Maternal,
Infant and Fetal Nutrition; Notice of
Meeting
Bitterroot National Forest, Darby
Ranger District, Como Forest Health
Project
AGENCY:
Forest Service, USDA.
Notice of intent to prepare an
environmental impact statement.
AGENCY:
Food and Nutrition Service,
ACTION:
USDA.
ACTION:
Notice of meeting.
Pursuant to the Federal
Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. APP.,
this notice announces a meeting of the
National Advisory Council on Maternal,
Infant and Fetal Nutrition.
SUMMARY:
Date and Time: July 23–25, 2013,
9:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
Place: The meeting will be held at the
Virginian Suites, 1500 Arlington
Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia 22209.
DATES:
The
National Advisory Council on Maternal,
Infant, and Fetal Nutrition will meet to
continue its study of the Special
Supplemental Nutrition Program for
Women, Infants and Children (WIC),
and the Commodity Supplemental Food
Program (CSFP). The agenda will
include updates and a discussion of
Breastfeeding Promotion and Support
activities, the WIC food packages, WIC
funding, Electronic Benefits Transfer,
CSFP initiatives and current research
studies.
Status: Meetings of the National
Advisory Council on Maternal, Infant
and Fetal Nutrition are open to the
public. Members of the public may
participate, as time permits. Members of
the public may file written statements
with the contact person named below
before or after the meeting.
Contact Person For Additional
Information: Anne Bartholomew,
Supplemental Food Programs Division,
Food and Nutrition Service, Department
of Agriculture, (703) 305–2746. If
members of the public need special
accommodations, please notify Anita
Cunningham by July 17, 2013, at (703)
305–0986, or email at
Anita.Cunningham@fns.usda.gov.
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SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Dated: June 10, 2013.
Yvette S. Jackson,
Acting Administrator, Food and Nutrition
Service.
[FR Doc. 2013–14308 Filed 6–14–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–30–P
VerDate Mar<15>2010
20:38 Jun 14, 2013
The USDA Forest Service,
Bitterroot National Forest will prepare
an environmental impact statement
(EIS) to document and disclose the
effects analysis of the proposed Como
Forest Health Project (Como FHP). The
Como FHP covers approximately 5,640
acres of national forest land between
Lake Como and Lost Horse Roads, about
XX miles northwest of Darby in Ravalli
County, Montana. The purpose of the
Como FHP is to (1) reduce potential
mortality of large diameter ponderosa
pine caused by increasing mountain
pine beetle populations; (2) reduce fuel
loads and maintain the historic fire
return interval; (3) improve forest
resilience to dwarf mistletoe, root rot,
Douglas-fir beetle, and spruce budworm;
(4) and maintain the visual integrity of
the larger Lake Como Recreation Area.
Commercial harvest is proposed on
about 1,860 acres, pre-commercial
thinning on about 330 acres, and
prescribed fire on about 3,000 acres to
achieve the purposes of the Como FHP.
Three sections of road totaling about 0.8
of a mile are proposed for construction
to support the timber harvest. The roads
would be closed after timber operations.
Site-specific Bitterroot National Forest
Plan amendments may be proposed for
coarse woody debris, snags, elk habitat
effectiveness, thermal cover, old growth,
and visual quality.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope
of the analysis must be received by July
17, 2013. The draft environmental
impact statement is expected December
2013 and the final environmental
impact statement is expected July 2014.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to
Chuck Oliver, Darby District Ranger,
P.O. Box 388, Darby, MT, 59829.
Comments may also be sent via email to
comments-northern-bitterrootdarby@fs.fed.us, or via facsimile to 406–
821–4264.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sara
Grove, South Zone Interdisciplinary
Team Leader; West Fork Ranger Station;
6735 West Fork Road; Darby, Montana
59829; phone (406) 821–1251; email
sgrove@fs.fed.us.
Individuals who use
telecommunication devices for the deaf
(TDD) may call the Federal Information
SUMMARY:
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36163
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 Como Forest Health project
(Como FHP) is proposed to manage the
forest in the 5,640 acre project area to:
(1) Reduce potential mountain pine
beetle-caused tree mortality in large
diameter ponderosa pine, (2) reduce fuel
loads and maintain the historic fire
return interval, (3) improve the forest
resilience to native insects and diseases,
and (4) maintain the visual integrity of
the larger Lake Como Recreation Area.
Mountain pine beetle populations are
increasing across the Bitterroot National
Forest and in this popular recreation
area. Decreasing forest density and
maintaining the historic fire return
interval would preserve the large
diameter ponderosa pine characteristic
of this forest type, improve general
forest resilience to natural disturbances
(native insects, diseases, and fire), and
maintain the aesthetics of the larger
recreation area. Because the project area
is in and adjacent to the popular Lake
Como recreation area, visual integrity
standards would be a focus of project
design during and after treatments.
Proposed Action
The Darby District Ranger on the
Bitterroot National Forest proposes to
treat 5,190 acres of forest in the 5,640acre Lake Como Forest Health project
area. The Como Forest Health project
area lies between Lake Como Road and
Lost Horse Road, about three miles
northwest of Darby, Montana
(R22W,T4N, Sec. 13, 24, 25, 36;
R21W,T4N, Sec 17–21, 28–31).
Treatments include commercial timber
harvest on 1,860 acres, small tree
thinning on 330 acres, and low to
moderate severity prescribed fires on
about 3,000 acres.
To support timber harvest, three
sections of road totaling 0.8 mile would
need to be constructed and added to the
National Forest System of Roads. These
road sections are needed now and in the
future to access Unit 41 and units in a
recent acquisition to the forest. In
addition to the new system road
segments, the use of 2.3 miles of
temporary road and 3.5 miles of tracked
line machine trail would be needed to
yard timber from the cutting units. The
new system road would be closed, and
the temporary road and tracked line
machine trail would be obliterated
following harvest. Another 0.5 mile of
forest road would be converted to a nonmotorized trail. Approximately six
miles of undetermined roads exist in the
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36164
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 116 / Monday, June 17, 2013 / Notices
project area. About three miles of these
roads are needed to haul timber from
the sale area and for future management
of the national forest. These roads
would be added to the Bitterroot
National Forest System of Roads
database and closed until needed for
forest management. The remaining three
miles of undetermined roads not needed
for future national forest management
would be obliterated by full or partial
recontouring.
Possible Alternatives
Two alternatives to the proposed
action have been identified. One
alternative would treat units that are
accessible with the existing road system.
No new system roads or temporary
roads would be constructed and tracked
line machine trail would not be
developed. The second alternative to the
proposed action would address
potential conflicts by focusing on forest
plan objectives for wildlife habitat and
visual quality in management areas 2,
3a, 3b, and 3c.
Another alternative that would not
require any forest plan amendments was
considered. It will not be carried
through the analysis because existing
conditions in the project area do not
meet forest plan standards and there are
no management actions that can create
conditions to meet forest plan
standards.
Responsible Official
Julie K. King, Bitterroot National
Forest Supervisor, 1801 N. First,
Hamilton, Montana 59840–3114.
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Preliminary Issues
Scoping was initiated in November
2010 and restarted in February 2013.
Issues identified through these scoping
processes include: (1) Road
management; (2) balancing forest
management practices with recreation,
visual quality, wildlife, fisheries,
hydrology, and fire management; (3)
economics of timber harvest; and (4) the
effects and costs of obliterating roads.
Jkt 229001
[FR Doc. 2013–14229 Filed 6–14–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–11–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Tongass National Forest; KetchikanMisty Fiords Ranger District; Alaska;
Saddle Lakes Timber Sale
Environmental Impact Statement
Forest Service, USDA.
Corrected notice of intent to
prepare an environmental impact
statement; correction.
ACTION:
The Responsible Official will select
the proposed action, an alternative to
the proposed action (including the no
action alternative), or modify the
proposed action or alternatives to the
proposed action. The decision may
include amendments to the Bitterroot
National Forest Plan standards for
coarse woody debris, visual quality
objectives, old growth, and thermal and
hiding cover.
20:38 Jun 14, 2013
Dated: June 3, 2013.
Julie K. King,
Forest Supervisor.
AGENCY:
Nature of Decision To Be Made
VerDate Mar<15>2010
Scoping Process
This notice of intent initiates the
scoping process, which guides the
development of the environmental
impact statement.
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, anonymous
comments will not provide the Agency
with the ability to provide the
respondent with subsequent
environmental documents.
A Notice of Intent (NOI) to
prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement for the Saddle Lakes Timber
Sale project was published in the
Federal Register (77 FR 27013) on May
8, 2012. Due to the length of time that
has passed since the first NOI was
published, and changes in the dates that
the Draft and Final Environmental
Impact Statements are expected, the
Tongass National Forest is publishing
this Corrected NOI. Additionally, the
United States Department of Agriculture
published a final rule in the Federal
Register (78 FR 18481–18504) on March
27, 2013 to establish a new process by
which the public may file objections
seeking predecisional administrative
review of proposed projects and
activities implementing land
management plans documented with a
Record of Decision or Decision Notice
SUMMARY:
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(reference 36 CFR part 218). This new
process replaces the administrative
appeals process at 36 CFR part 215. As
the Record of Decision for the Saddle
Lakes project is not expected until after
September 27, 2013, the Saddle Lakes
project is now subject to these new
predecisional administrative review
procedures.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Susan Howle, Team Leader, KetchikanMisty Fiords Ranger District, 3031
Tongass Avenue, Ketchikan, Alaska
99901, (907) 225–3542.
Corrections
In the Federal Register (77 FR 27013–
27015) of May 8, 2012 on page 27014,
in the first column, correct the DATES
caption to read:
DATES: Additional opportunity for formal
comments will be accepted after release of
the Draft Environmental Impact Statement,
which is expected to be published in October
2013. The Final Environmental Impact
Statement is expected in May 2014.
In the Federal Register (77 FR 27013–
27015) of May 8, 2012 on page 27014,
in the first column, correct the FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT caption
as follows:
Remove the contact information for
Rob Reeck and Linda Pulliam. Correct
the caption to read:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: ; or
Susan Howle, Team Leader, telephone (907)
225–3542, also at the Ketchikan-Misty Fiords
Ranger District, 3031 Tongass Avenue,
Ketchikan, Alaska 99901.
In the Federal Register (77 FR 27013–
27015) of May 8, 2012 on page 27015,
in the first column, after last paragraph,
correct by adding the following under
‘‘Scoping Process’’ caption:
Scoping Process: Forest Service regulations
at 36 CFR part 218, Subparts A and B,
published March 27, 2013 (78 FR 18481–
18504) regarding the project-level
predecisional administrative review process
applies to projects and activities
implementing land management plans that
are not authorized under the Healthy Forest
Restoration Act. This proposed project is
subject to 36 CFR part 218. Instead of an
appeal period, there will be an objection
process before the final decision is made, and
after the Final Environmental Impact
Statement and draft Record of Decision are
mailed (reference 36 CFR 218.7). Individuals
and entities as defined in 36 CFR 218.2 who
have submitted timely, specific written
comments (see 36 CFR 218.2) regarding a
proposed project or activity that is subject to
these regulations during any designated
opportunity for public comment may file an
objection. Objections will be accepted only
from those who have previously submitted
timely, specific written comments regarding
the proposed project during scoping, the 45day DEIS comment period, or other public
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 116 (Monday, June 17, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36163-36164]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-14229]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Bitterroot National Forest, Darby Ranger District, Como Forest
Health Project
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The USDA Forest Service, Bitterroot National Forest will
prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) to document and
disclose the effects analysis of the proposed Como Forest Health
Project (Como FHP). The Como FHP covers approximately 5,640 acres of
national forest land between Lake Como and Lost Horse Roads, about XX
miles northwest of Darby in Ravalli County, Montana. The purpose of the
Como FHP is to (1) reduce potential mortality of large diameter
ponderosa pine caused by increasing mountain pine beetle populations;
(2) reduce fuel loads and maintain the historic fire return interval;
(3) improve forest resilience to dwarf mistletoe, root rot, Douglas-fir
beetle, and spruce budworm; (4) and maintain the visual integrity of
the larger Lake Como Recreation Area. Commercial harvest is proposed on
about 1,860 acres, pre-commercial thinning on about 330 acres, and
prescribed fire on about 3,000 acres to achieve the purposes of the
Como FHP. Three sections of road totaling about 0.8 of a mile are
proposed for construction to support the timber harvest. The roads
would be closed after timber operations. Site-specific Bitterroot
National Forest Plan amendments may be proposed for coarse woody
debris, snags, elk habitat effectiveness, thermal cover, old growth,
and visual quality.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received
by July 17, 2013. The draft environmental impact statement is expected
December 2013 and the final environmental impact statement is expected
July 2014.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Chuck Oliver, Darby District
Ranger, P.O. Box 388, Darby, MT, 59829. Comments may also be sent via
email to comments-northern-bitterroot-darby@fs.fed.us, or via facsimile
to 406-821-4264.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sara Grove, South Zone
Interdisciplinary Team Leader; West Fork Ranger Station; 6735 West Fork
Road; Darby, Montana 59829; phone (406) 821-1251; email
sgrove@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 Time, Monday through Friday.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose and Need for Action
The Como Forest Health project (Como FHP) is proposed to manage the
forest in the 5,640 acre project area to: (1) Reduce potential mountain
pine beetle-caused tree mortality in large diameter ponderosa pine, (2)
reduce fuel loads and maintain the historic fire return interval, (3)
improve the forest resilience to native insects and diseases, and (4)
maintain the visual integrity of the larger Lake Como Recreation Area.
Mountain pine beetle populations are increasing across the Bitterroot
National Forest and in this popular recreation area. Decreasing forest
density and maintaining the historic fire return interval would
preserve the large diameter ponderosa pine characteristic of this
forest type, improve general forest resilience to natural disturbances
(native insects, diseases, and fire), and maintain the aesthetics of
the larger recreation area. Because the project area is in and adjacent
to the popular Lake Como recreation area, visual integrity standards
would be a focus of project design during and after treatments.
Proposed Action
The Darby District Ranger on the Bitterroot National Forest
proposes to treat 5,190 acres of forest in the 5,640-acre Lake Como
Forest Health project area. The Como Forest Health project area lies
between Lake Como Road and Lost Horse Road, about three miles northwest
of Darby, Montana (R22W,T4N, Sec. 13, 24, 25, 36; R21W,T4N, Sec 17-21,
28-31). Treatments include commercial timber harvest on 1,860 acres,
small tree thinning on 330 acres, and low to moderate severity
prescribed fires on about 3,000 acres.
To support timber harvest, three sections of road totaling 0.8 mile
would need to be constructed and added to the National Forest System of
Roads. These road sections are needed now and in the future to access
Unit 41 and units in a recent acquisition to the forest. In addition to
the new system road segments, the use of 2.3 miles of temporary road
and 3.5 miles of tracked line machine trail would be needed to yard
timber from the cutting units. The new system road would be closed, and
the temporary road and tracked line machine trail would be obliterated
following harvest. Another 0.5 mile of forest road would be converted
to a non-motorized trail. Approximately six miles of undetermined roads
exist in the
[[Page 36164]]
project area. About three miles of these roads are needed to haul
timber from the sale area and for future management of the national
forest. These roads would be added to the Bitterroot National Forest
System of Roads database and closed until needed for forest management.
The remaining three miles of undetermined roads not needed for future
national forest management would be obliterated by full or partial
recontouring.
Possible Alternatives
Two alternatives to the proposed action have been identified. One
alternative would treat units that are accessible with the existing
road system. No new system roads or temporary roads would be
constructed and tracked line machine trail would not be developed. The
second alternative to the proposed action would address potential
conflicts by focusing on forest plan objectives for wildlife habitat
and visual quality in management areas 2, 3a, 3b, and 3c.
Another alternative that would not require any forest plan
amendments was considered. It will not be carried through the analysis
because existing conditions in the project area do not meet forest plan
standards and there are no management actions that can create
conditions to meet forest plan standards.
Responsible Official
Julie K. King, Bitterroot National Forest Supervisor, 1801 N.
First, Hamilton, Montana 59840-3114.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The Responsible Official will select the proposed action, an
alternative to the proposed action (including the no action
alternative), or modify the proposed action or alternatives to the
proposed action. The decision may include amendments to the Bitterroot
National Forest Plan standards for coarse woody debris, visual quality
objectives, old growth, and thermal and hiding cover.
Preliminary Issues
Scoping was initiated in November 2010 and restarted in February
2013. Issues identified through these scoping processes include: (1)
Road management; (2) balancing forest management practices with
recreation, visual quality, wildlife, fisheries, hydrology, and fire
management; (3) economics of timber harvest; and (4) the effects and
costs of obliterating roads.
Scoping Process
This notice of intent initiates the scoping process, which guides
the development of the environmental impact statement.
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, anonymous comments will not provide
the Agency with the ability to provide the respondent with subsequent
environmental documents.
Dated: June 3, 2013.
Julie K. King,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2013-14229 Filed 6-14-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P
