Intermountain Region, Boise National Forest, Idaho City Ranger District; Idaho; Becker Integrated Resource Project, 46396-46400 [2014-18809]
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46396
Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 153 / Friday, August 8, 2014 / Notices
submit their comments to OMB via
email to: OIRA_Submission@
OMB.EOP.GOV or fax (202) 395–5806
and to Departmental Clearance Office,
USDA, OCIO, Mail Stop 7602,
Washington, DC 20250–7602. Copies of
the submission(s) may be obtained by
calling (202) 720–8958.
An agency may not conduct or
sponsor a collection of information
unless the collection of information
displays a currently valid OMB control
number and the agency informs
potential persons who are to respond to
the collection of information that such
persons are not required to respond to
the collection of information unless it
displays a currently valid OMB control
number.
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Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service
Title: Karnal Bunt; Revision of
Regulations for Importing Wheat.
OMB Control Number: 0579–0240.
Summary of Collection: Under the
Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7701–
7772), the Secretary of Agriculture is
authorized to prohibit or restrict the
importation, entry, or movement of
plants and plant pests to prevent the
introduction of plant pests into the
United States or their dissemination
within the United States. The Animal
and Plant Health Inspection Service
(APHIS), domestic Karnal bunt
regulations are contained in SubpartKarnal Bunt (7 CFR 301.89–1 through
301.89–16). Karnal bunt is a fungal
disease of wheat. Karnal bunt is caused
by the smut fungus Tilletia indica
(Mitra) Mundkur and is spread by
spores, primarily through the movement
of infected seed.
Need and Use of the Information: In
order for APHIS to verify that the
articles are being imported in
compliance with the regulations, the
articles would have to be accompanied
by a phytosanitary certificate (PPQ Form
577) issued by the national plant
protection organization of the region of
origin. The certificate must include a
declaration stating that the regulated
articles originated in areas where Karnal
bunt is not known to occur, as attested
to either by survey resulting or by
testing for bunted karnals or spores.
Description of Respondents: Business
or other for-profit; Federal Government.
Number of Respondents: 500.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting:
On occasion.
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Total Burden Hours: 600.
Ruth Brown,
Departmental Information Collection
Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2014–18731 Filed 8–7–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–34–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Submission for OMB Review;
Comment Request
August 4, 2014.
The Department of Agriculture has
submitted the following information
collection requirement(s) to OMB for
review and clearance under the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995,
Public Law 104–13. Comments
regarding (a) whether the collection of
information is necessary for the proper
performance of the functions of the
agency, including whether the
information will have practical utility;
(b) the accuracy of the agency’s estimate
of burden including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used; (c)
ways to enhance the quality, utility and
clarity of the information to be
collected; (d) ways to minimize the
burden of the collection of information
on those who are to respond, including
through the use of appropriate
automated, electronic, mechanical, or
other technological collection
techniques or other forms of information
technology should be addressed to: Desk
Officer for Agriculture, Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs,
Office of Management and Budget
(OMB), OIRA_Submission@omb.eop.gov
or fax (202) 395–5806 and to
Departmental Clearance Office, USDA,
OCIO, Mail Stop 7602, Washington, DC
20250–7602. Comments regarding these
information collections are best assured
of having their full effect if received
within 30 days of this notification.
Copies of the submission(s) may be
obtained by calling (202) 720–8958.
An agency may not conduct or
sponsor a collection of information
unless the collection of information
displays a currently valid OMB control
number and the agency informs
potential persons who are to respond to
the collection of information that such
persons are not required to respond to
the collection of information unless it
displays a currently valid OMB control
number.
Food and Nutrition Service
Title: Evaluation of the Pilot Project
for Canned, Frozen, or Dried Fruits and
Vegetables in the Fresh Fruit and
Vegetable Program.
OMB Control Number: 0584–NEW.
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Summary of Collection: Section
4214(c) of the Agriculture Act of 2014
calls for the Secretary of Agriculture to
evaluate the Canned, Frozen, or Dried
(CFD) Fruits and Vegetables pilot
project in the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable
Program (FFVP) to address the impact of
giving high-need, low-income
elementary schools greater flexibility to
offer CFD fruits and vegetables in
addition to fresh produce. Schools
selected for the pilot—elementary
schools in low-income areas that have
difficulty accessing, preparing, or
storing fresh produce—will design and
implement their pilots to best suit their
needs. The FFVP is intended to improve
overall diet quality by teaching children
more healthful eating habits.
Need and Use of the Information: The
evaluation of the CFD pilot project has
four broad study objectives: (1) To
examine the impacts on student’s fruit
and vegetable consumption in pilot
schools; (2) To describe the impacts of
the pilot on school participants in
FFVP; (3) To describe the
implementation strategies used by
schools; and (4) To describe the
acceptance of the pilot by key
stakeholders. The evaluation will
provide the Food and Nutrition Service
(FNS) with the data and essential
information needed to answer the
study’s objectives and research
questions.
Description of Respondents:
Individuals or household; State, Local
or Tribal Government.
Number of Respondents: 24,367.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting:
Semi-annually; annually.
Total Burden Hours: 10,125.
Ruth Brown,
Departmental Information Collection
Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2014–18727 Filed 8–7–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–30–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Intermountain Region, Boise National
Forest, Idaho City Ranger District;
Idaho; Becker Integrated Resource
Project
Forest Service, USDA.
Notice of Intent to Prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
The Forest Service will
prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) to disclose the
environmental consequences of
implementing alternatives considered
for the Becker Integrated Resource
SUMMARY:
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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 153 / Friday, August 8, 2014 / Notices
Project. The 19,327 acre Becker project
area falls within the Crooked River
Watershed. The area is located
approximately 18 miles northeast of
Idaho City, Idaho, and about 48 miles
northeast of Boise, Idaho, in Boise
County. The primary travel routes in the
project area include State Highway 21
and National Forest System (NFS) roads
336, 362, 384, 385, 393 and 394. The
proposal includes 10,624 acres of
vegetation management and fuels
treatments, closing 24 miles of NFS
roads to public motorized use,
decommissioning an additional 30.8
miles of NFS and unauthorized roads,
designating 23.7 miles of new motorized
trail for vehicles less than or equal to 50
inches in width, authorizing 41.4 miles
of non-motorized summer trails,
authorizing 55.7 miles of non-motorized
winter trails, including a winter
motorized restriction area surrounding
the winter non-motorized trails, and
removing barriers on 23 culverts to
improve fish passage. The project
documents are available electronically
on the project Web page located at:
www.fs.fed.us/nepa/nepa_project_
exp.php?project=18922.
DATES: Project scoping was initiated
with publication of a legal notice in the
newspaper of record, the Idaho
Statesman, on May 7, 2014. This initial
scoping period ended on June 9, 2014.
Following review of comments received
and additional review with the
interdisciplinary team (IDT), the
Responsible Official has decided to
proceed with preparation of an EIS. As
a result, additional comments
concerning the scope of the analysis
will be accepted for an additional 30
days following publication of this NOI.
Comments must be received by
September 8, 2014. The publication date
in the Federal Register is the only
means for calculating the comment
period. The draft environmental impact
statement is expected in December
2014, and the final environmental
impact statement and Record of
Decision (ROD) are expected in June
2015.
This project is being planned under
authorization of the Pre-decisional
Administrative Review Process defined
by 36 CFR part 218. This new rule
replaces the previous project decision
appeal rules defined in 36 CFR part 215.
The new rule provides the public an
opportunity to comment and express
concerns on projects before decisions
are made, rather than after. The Forest
Service believes this aligns with our
collaborative approach to forest
management and increases the
likelihood of resolving those concerns,
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resulting in better, more informed
decisions.
Individuals and entities who submit
specific written comments at this stage
and/or already provided comments
during the earlier comment period from
May 7 through June 9, 2014, will be
eligible to object. An additional
comment opportunity will also be
provided during the comment period for
review of the Draft EIS (DEIS) and those
who provide specific written comments
during this comment period will also be
eligible to object. For more information
on 36 CFR Part 218, see the Federal
Register, Volume 78, No. 59, March 27,
2013
ADDRESSES: Written, facsimile, handdelivered, verbal, and electronic
comments concerning this project will
be accepted. Specific written comments
must be submitted to: Boise National
Forest, Idaho City Ranger District,
Attention: District Ranger, P.O. Box 129,
Idaho City, ID 83631; or by fax to 208–
392–6684. The office hours for those
submitting hand-delivered comments
are: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through
Friday, excluding holidays. Oral
comments may also be provided at the
Idaho City Ranger District office during
normal business hours via telephone
208–392–6681 or in person. However;
please be aware that to have standing to
object, specific written comments must
be provided at some point during this
comment period, the comment period
on the DEIS, or previously provided
during the initial scoping period
initatied on May 7, 2014.
Comments may also be submitted
through the Becker Integrated Resource
Project Web page at www.fs.fed.us/
nepa/nepa_project_
exp.php?project=18922. To submit
comments using the Web form select
‘‘Comment on Project’’ under ‘‘Get
Connected’’ on the right panel of the
project’s Web page.
Email comments must be submitted in
a format such as an email message, plain
text (.txt), rich text format (.rtf), Adobe
(.pdf) and Word (.doc) to commentsintermtn-boise-idaho-city@fs.fed.us.
Please put ‘‘Becker Integrated Resource
Project’’ in the subject line of email
comments. Comments must have an
identifiable name attached or
verification of identity will be required.
A scanned signature may serve as
verification on electronic comments.
Comments or requests received in
response to this publication, including
names and addresses of those who
respond, will be part of the public
record for this proposed action.
Comments received in response to
this request will be available for public
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inspection on the ‘‘Public Comment
Reading Room’’ at the project Web site:
www.fs.fed.us/nepa/nepa_project_
exp.php?project=18922.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Randall Hayman, Forest Planner, Boise
National Forest at the email address
above or by phone at 208–373–4157.
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
19,327-acre Becker project area falls
within the Middle Crooked River
Watershed (HUC 17050110503),
formerly named the Beaver-Edna
watershed, and Pikes Fork (HUC
17050110502) subwatersheds; both
subwatersheds are part of the larger
Crooked River Watershed. The area is
located approximately 18 miles
northeast of Idaho City, Idaho, and
about 48 miles northeast of Boise, Idaho,
in Boise County . The following primary
drainages and streams are located in the
project area: Crooked River, Whoop-UmUp Creek, Lamar Creek, Beaver Creek,
Pikes Fork Creek, Banner Creek, Little
Beaver Creek, and Edna Creek. The Pilot
Peak mountain landform lies in the
southwest corner of the project area,
State Highway 21 bisects the area,
Banner Ridge lies along the north end,
and Crooked River and Lamar Creek
roughly form the southern boundary of
the project area.
Purpose and Need for Action: Four
purposes have been identified for the
project: (1) Contribute to the restoration
of low- to mid-elevation forests in the
project area; forests that fall within the
non-lethal and mixed1 fire regime.
Modifying forest densities, tree size
classes, and species composition and
breaking-up the horizontal and vertical
wildland fuel continuity will reduce the
risk of uncharacteristic standreplacement wildfire and improve forest
resiliency. Moving conditions toward
those that are more representative of the
desired condition for the fire regimes in
the project area will benefit wildlife
habitat restoration, as well as provide
greater assurance that forested overstory
cover in this landscape, which attracts
recreational users to the area, is
sustained over time; (2) Improve
watershed conditions by reducing
motorized route-related impacts to
water resources, fish, soil, and wildlife
and associated habitats while providing
for a safe and efficient transportation
system necessary to meet long-term
management needs. (Travel Analysis
Process Report for the Becker
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Restoration Project (USDA Forest
Service, May 2014)); (3) Improve and
enhance the quality and diversity of
recreational opportunities in the Middle
Crooked River and Pikes Fork
subwatersheds by reducing risk of loss
of forested overstory cover, providing
for a variety of recreation experiences,
and reducing the potential for conflicts
between motorized and non-motorized
recreational users; and (4) Support the
local and regional economies by
providing enhanced recreational
opportunities by utilizing wood
products from the suited timber base,
and by implementing forest restoration
activities.
Proposed Action: In the context of
Boise National Forest Plan desired
conditions (Forest Service 2010b,
Appendices A and E), the cumulative
effects of past and present disturbances,
fire suppression, and management
actions have resulted in departed
forested stand and landscape patch
conditions. These departed conditions
have increased the risk of
uncharacteristic forest stand-replacing
wildfires; reduced quantity and quality
of habitat for wildlife species of
conservation concern associated with
non-lethal fire regimes (e.g., whiteheaded woodpecker); and redistributed
habitat for wildlife species whose
source habitat is associated more with
mixed1 fire regimes (e.g., flammulated
owl) in areas where it historically would
not have occurred. Habitat has generally
increased in the mixed1 fire regime
patches and decreased in the non-lethal
patches.
To address Purpose #1, vegetation
restoration utilizing (1) commercial
timber harvest activities would be
conducted on about 3,243 acres utilizing
tractor and tractor/off-road jammer
logging systems; (2) miscellaneous wood
products would be removed through
thinning on an additional 1,547 acres;
and (3) non-commercial thinning of
small diameter trees would occur on an
additional 3,452 acres, mostly within
existing plantations, with no product
removal. Total acres proposed for
mechanical vegetative treatment would
be 8,242, of which about 25% would be
within riparian conservation areas
(RCAs) as defined in the Boise National
Forest Plan, Appendix B.
Approximately 5.7 miles of temporary
roads are anticipated to be constructed
to support commercial timber harvest
activities.
Both activity fuel treatments (i.e.,
fuels resulting from mechanical
treatments) and natural fuels treatments
would occur on approximately 9,796
acres. Activity fuels treatments include
combinations of (1) chip, lop and
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scatter, handpile and burn, and/or burn
concentrations; (2) whole tree yard to
landings, lop and scatter, handpile and
burn and/or burn concentrations; and
(3) yard bole material to landings,
handpile and burn concentrations, and
lop and scatter. Natural fuels treatments
include both direct and indirect
application of prescribed fire. Within 3–
5 years following mechanical treatments
and completion of initial activity fuel
activities, follow-up restoration
prescribed fire treatments are
anticipated to be applied across
approximately 10,624 acres of the
19,327 acre project area.
To address Purpose #2, approximately
(1) 4.9 miles of NFS roads would be
reconstructed; (2) 1.3 miles of new road
would be constructed; (3) 3.9 miles of
unauthorized routes would be added to
the transportation system; (4) 23.3 miles
of NFS roads and 7.5 miles of
unauthorized routes would be
decommissioned; and (5) 6.9 miles of
NFS roads would be converted to trails.
As a result of road treatments, the 78.1
miles of roads currently open to public
use for full size vehicles would be
reduced to 53 miles. However, as
discussed under Purpose #3 below, 23.7
miles of new motorized trail would be
developed and open to public motorized
use for vehicles less than or equal to 50
inches in width. Thus, total miles of
roads and trails open to public
motorized use would be 76.4 miles, a
net reduction of routes open to public
motorized use of 1.4 miles from the
current situation.
In addition to the road management
activities identified above, 23 aquatic
organism passage barriers (culverts
within existing roads) would be treated
to remove barriers. This includes
removal or replacement of 7 culverts
within priority critical bull trout habitat
and another 15 culverts outside priority
critical bull trout habitat. In addition, 1
culvert would be treated through outlet
pool modification in order to eliminate
barrier concerns.
To address Purpose #3, new
motorized and non-motorized trail
opportunities will be developed and/or
authorized. These trail systems will take
advantage of existing NFS roads and/or
unauthorized routes to the extent
practicable in order to minimize the
need for new trail construction and
associated disturbance. Overlap of the
motorized and non-motorized system
and shared use on NFS roads open to
full size motor vehicle public use will
be minimized to reduce potential user
conflicts, user safety issues, and
improve the overall quality of the
recreation experience for all user
groups. Specifically, (1) a new 23.7 mile
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motorized trail will be designated with
supporting trailhead facilities; (2) 41.7
miles of summer non-motorized trails
would be authorized; and (3) 55.7 miles
of winter non-motorized trails would be
authorized. To further reduce conflicts
and potential safety issues between
motorized and non-motorized winter
recreationists and improve the quality of
the overall quality of the non-motorized
recreation experience within the project
area, the winter motorized restriction
area east of Highway 21 in the project
area would be extended to areas
adjacent to the non-motorized trail
system west of Highway 21 and in the
southern portion of the project area.
To address Purpose #4, several of the
aspects of the proposed action will
provide support to local and regional
economies including (1) by
accomplishing Purposes #1 and #3,
improvements and sustainability of the
recreational use and experience within
the Becker project area will continue to
provide recreational user support,
resulting in both direct and indirect
benefits to local and regional
economies; (2) wood products will also
be an output of accomplishing Purpose
#1. Specifically, it is expected the
following wood products would be
generated, (a) 6–8 million board feet of
sawlogs, (b) a quarter million board feet
of post and pole material, (c) more than
1,700 cords of fuelwood, and (d) more
than 42,000 tons of woody biomass
would be provided; and (3) other
restoration activities are anticipated to
generate economic outputs to support
local and regional economies. This
includes contract work for (a) road
realignment, construction,
reconstruction, and maintenance; (b)
motorized and non-motorized
recreational trail realignment,
construction, reconstruction, and
maintenance; (c) aquatic organism
passage culvert replacement, removal
and/or improvements; (d) noncommercial tree thinning; (e)
installation of road closure barriers
(seasonal and long term); and (f) activity
fuel treatments, both mechanical and
prescribed fire.
In addition to the actions developed
to specifically address Purposes #1
through #4, an amendment to the Forest
Plan standard 0763 is proposed to (1)
add a modification Visual Quality
Objectives (VQOs) to the motorized trail
proposed to be designated; (2) partial
retention VQOs to the winter and
summer non-motorized trails to be
authorized; (3) partial retention VQOs
around the recreational Yurts in the
project area; and (4) change the
foreground retention requirement along
Highway 21 to partial retention to allow
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for accomplishment of vegetation
restoration activities.
Possible Alternatives: Additional
alternatives may be developed that
include one or more of the following
components: (1) Adding acres for
vegetation restoration over that
identified in the proposed action in
areas accessible from the existing
transportation system to improve
management efficiency and economic
return to support other restoration work;
(2) retention of larger diameter trees
greater than or equal to 18 inches
diameter, throughout the project area;
(3) reducing the amount of soil, water
and wildlife habitat impact by reducing
the acres of ground base logging systems
and converting those acres to helicopter
yarding systems; (4) similarly, use
helicopter yarding systems around the
non-motorized summer trail system to
reduce the need to re-open roads that
have vegetated in and, in their current
condition, provide for a quality
recreational experience; (5) open access
roads to the yurts for use by renters
either seasonally or yearlong, that were
closed under the proposed action; (6)
develop the motorized trail for use by
vehicles less than or equal to 60 inches
in width, rather than limiting it to less
than or equal to 50 inches in width; (7)
eliminate the proposed motorized trail
system to reduce impacts on soil, water,
fish and wildlife habitat; (8) reroute
proposed motorized trail locations out
of RCAs to the extent practicable; (9)
provide a greater separation between the
motorized and non-motorized trail
systems to minimize the noise impacts
on the quality of the non-motorized
recreation experience; and (10) include
a seasonal closure from May 1 to June
15 to all mechanized equipment on
seasonally closed motorized roads/trails
and non-motorized trails east of
Highway 21 and north of Beaver Creek
to minimize disturbance to big game
during the calving period.
Responsible Official: The Responsible
Official is the Forest Supervisor for the
Boise National Forest, Cecilia R.
Seesholtz.
Nature of Decision to be Made: The
six decisions to be made include: (1)
Should vegetation maintenance and
restoration treatments (mechanical and
fire) in the Project area be implemented,
and if so, which forested stands should
be treated, and what silvicultural
prescriptions and methods should be
applied? (2) Should the transportation
system be managed within the Project
area as recommended in the Travel
Analysis Process Report for the Becker
Restoration Project (USDA Forest
Service, May 2014), and if so, which
road management treatments should be
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implemented? (3) Should recreation
management activities in the Project
area be implemented, and if so, which
motorized and/or non-motorized
proposed trails/trailhead improvements
should be implemented, including: (a)
Should the proposed motorized trail be
designated as a motorized recreation
trail per 36 CFR 212.51, subpart B, and
if so, which portions and for what type
of vehicle use? (b) Should the proposed
non-motorized trails be authorized, and
if so, which portions and for what type
of recreation user? (c) Should motorized
winter restrictions (i.e., area restriction)
be added to the winter travel map per
36 CFR 212.51, subpart C, and if so,
which portions? (4) Should culvert
treatments be implemented to improve
access to aquatic habitat in the Project
area, and if so, which culverts should be
removed or replaced? (5) What design
features and/or mitigation measures
should be applied to activities to
mitigate undesirable effects? (6) Should
Forest Plan standard 0763 be amended
to add and/or modify VQOs around
proposed trails and along Highway 21,
and if so, which VQOs should be added
and/or modified?
Preliminary Issues: Eleven
preliminary issues have been identified:
(1) Tractor-jammer logging destroys
ground cover, exposes mineral soil to
erosion, and compacts soils from
reduced absorption and increased
runoff. Logging systems that result in
the lightest ecological impacts on the
forest should be used (e.g. helicopter
and cable or skyline systems); (2) Reopening roads/trails used by mountain
bikers, hikers, and equestrians, and staff
to allow for log hauling and forest
thinning, will change the road/trail
surface, remove existing vegetation
within the road prisms, changing their
overall character. This will impact the
quality of the recreation experience for
the users of these trails; (3) Construction
of new roads, including temporary
roads, are not appropriate in already
heavily roaded or degraded ecosystems;
(4) Removal of trees greater than 18
inches in dbh, unless there are sitespecific exceptions, may impact the
retention and/or requirement of old
forest habitat components such as snags,
down trees and understory vegetation;
(5) If the public access roads to the
Skyline (Road 362F) and Stargaze (Road
394B) yurt summer parking spots are
closed, summer use will drop
dramatically if the public has to walk in
1.5 to 2 miles from Highway 21; (6) 50
inch width limit on proposed ATV trails
does not take into account the increased
popularity of UTV vehicles. UTV’s are
not limited to utilitarian duties any
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46399
longer. Most manufacturers produce
sport versions with high popularity.
Most ATV users are migrating to UTV
usage; (7) New trails in the RCA will
impact riparian function and process,
particularly given the existing high road
densities in the project area; (8)
Designation of a motorized trail that
overlaps portions of the non-motorized
trails to be authorized will result in user
conflicts and reduce the quality of
experience for the non-motorized users;
(9) Designation of the proposed
motorized trail will not be consistent
with wildlife and aquatic resource
objectives; (10) Use of the nonmotorized trail system during the spring
results in big game disturbance during
critical periods (i.e., calving); and (11)
Winter motorized travel restrictions
should not be a part of this project. No
evidence is shown that there is a need
to designate winter non-motorized trails
which include winter motorized travel
restrictions in areas around those trails.
Permits and Licenses that may be
Required: The following permits may be
required to implement the Proposed
Action under the Clean Water Act: (1)
CWA Section 404 Permit from the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers; (2) Stream
Alteration Permit from the Idaho
Department of Water Resources; (3)
Water Quality Standards Short Term
Activity Exemption from the Idaho
Department of Environmental Quality
(IDEQ); (4) National Pollutant Discharge
Elimination System (NPDES) permit
from the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency; (5) CWA Section 401
Certification from IDEQ; (6) Conditional
use permit and road maintenance
agreement from affected County; and (7)
Other permits from Idaho
Transportation Department and/or other
entities.
Early Notice of Importance of Public
Participation in Subsequent
Environmental Review: A Notice of
Availability (NOA) will be published in
the Federal Register and a legal notice
will be published in the newspaper of
record for the Boise National Forest, the
Idaho Statesman, to inform the public
when the DEIS is available for review
and comment. The DEIS will be
distributed to all parties who responded
during the scoping period initiated on
May 7, 2014, and in response to this
NOI to prepare an EIS, or who otherwise
notified the Agency at some point prior
to release of the DEIS of their interest to
receive information pertaining to this
proposal.
The DEIS is expected to be published
in December 2014. The comment period
on the DEIS will end 45 days following
the date of publication of the notice of
availability (NOA) in the Federal
E:\FR\FM\08AUN1.SGM
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mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Register. The publication date in the
Federal Register is the only means for
calculating the comment period for the
DEIS. The Final EIS and draft ROD are
anticipated to be released in March 2014
for the objection filing period. The Final
FEIS and ROD are anticipated to be
released in June 2014.
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 the DEIS 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 scoping, DEIS, or objection
filing stage but that are not raised until
after completion of the final
environmental impact statement and
final decision 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 formal
comment periods identified above so
that substantive comments and
objections are made available to the
Forest Service at a time when they can
be meaningfully considered and are able
to respond to them in the final
environmental impact statement and
decision.
To assist the Forest Service in
identifying and considering issues and
concerns on the proposed action,
comments should be as specific as
possible; to have standing to object
during the objection filing period,
specific written comments must be
provided as defined at 36 CFR part 218.
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.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Dated: July 31, 2014.
Cecilia R. Seesholtz,
Forest Supervisor, Boise National Forest.
Rocky Mountian Regional Office
[FR Doc. 2014–18809 Filed 8–7–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–11–P
VerDate Mar<15>2010
16:51 Aug 07, 2014
Jkt 232001
Forest Service
Newspapers Used for Publication of
Legal Notice in the Rocky Mountain
Region, Which Includes Colorado,
Kansas, Nebraska, and Parts of South
Dakota and Wyoming
AGENCY:
ACTION:
Forest Service, USDA.
Notice.
This notice lists the
newspapers that Ranger Districts,
Forests, and the Regional Office of the
Rocky Mountain Region will use to
publish legal notices required under 36
CFR part 218 and 219. The intended
effect of this action is to inform
interested members of the public which
newspapers will be used to publish
legal notices for opportunities to
comment or file an administrative
review on USDA Forest Service
proposals.
SUMMARY:
Publication of legal notices in
the listed newspapers will begin on the
date of this publication and continue
until further notice.
DATES:
USDA Forest Service, Rocky
Mountain Region; ATTN: Regional
Administrative Review Coordinator; 740
Simms Street, Golden, Colorado 80401.
ADDRESSES:
Ken
Tu, Regional Administrative Review
Coordinator, 303–275–5156.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
The
administrative review procedures at 36
CFR 218 and 219 require the Forest
Service to publish notices in a
newspaper of general circulation. The
content of the notices is specified in 36
CFR 218 and 219. In general, the notices
will identify: The decision or project, by
title or subject matter; the name and title
of the official making the decision; how
to obtain additional information; and
where and how to file comments or
requests for administrative review. The
date the notice is published will be used
to establish the official date for the
beginning of the comment or filing
period. The newspapers to be used are
as follows:
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Regional Forester decisions affecting
National Forest System lands in
Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska and those
portions of South Dakota and Wyoming
within the Rocky Mountain Region: The
Denver Post, published daily in Denver,
Colorado.
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Arapaho and Roosevelt National
Forests and Pawnee National
Grassland, Colorado
Forest Supervisor decisions:
Coloradoan, published daily in Fort
Collins, Colorado.
District Ranger decisions for Canyon
Lakes District: Coloradoan, published
daily in Fort Collins, Colorado.
District Ranger decisions for Pawnee
District: Greeley Tribune, published
daily in Greeley, Colorado.
District Ranger decisions for Boulder
District: Daily Camera, published daily
in Boulder, Colorado.
District Ranger decisions for Clear
Creek District: Clear Creek Courant,
published weekly in Idaho Springs,
Colorado.
District Ranger decisions for Sulphur
District: Middle Park Times, published
weekly in Granby, Colorado.
Bighorn National Forest, Wyoming
Forest Supervisor decisions: Casper
Star-Tribune, published daily in Casper,
Natrona County, Wyoming.
District Ranger Decisions
Casper Star-Tribune, published daily
in Casper, Natrona County, Wyoming.
Black Hills National Forest, South
Dakota and Eastern Wyoming
Forest Supervisor decisions: The
Rapid City Journal, published daily in
Rapid City, Pennington County, South
Dakota.
District Ranger decision: The Rapid
City Journal, published daily in Rapid
City, Pennington County, South Dakota.
Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and
Gunnison National Forests, Colorado
Forest Supervisor decisions: Grand
Junction Daily Sentinel, published daily
in Grand Junction, Colorado.
District Ranger decisions for Grand
Valley District: Grand Junction Daily
Sentinel, published daily in Grand
Junction, Colorado.
District Ranger decisions for Paonia
District: Delta County Independent,
published weekly in Delta, Colorado.
District Ranger decisions for
Gunnison Districts: Gunnison Country
Times, published weekly in Gunnison,
Colorado.
District Ranger decisions for Norwood
District: Telluride Daily Planet,
published daily in Telluride, Colorado.
District Ranger decisions for Ouray
District: Montrose Daily Press,
published daily in Montrose, Colorado.
E:\FR\FM\08AUN1.SGM
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 153 (Friday, August 8, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46396-46400]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-18809]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Intermountain Region, Boise National Forest, Idaho City Ranger
District; Idaho; Becker Integrated Resource Project
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Forest Service will prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) to disclose the environmental consequences of
implementing alternatives considered for the Becker Integrated Resource
[[Page 46397]]
Project. The 19,327 acre Becker project area falls within the Crooked
River Watershed. The area is located approximately 18 miles northeast
of Idaho City, Idaho, and about 48 miles northeast of Boise, Idaho, in
Boise County. The primary travel routes in the project area include
State Highway 21 and National Forest System (NFS) roads 336, 362, 384,
385, 393 and 394. The proposal includes 10,624 acres of vegetation
management and fuels treatments, closing 24 miles of NFS roads to
public motorized use, decommissioning an additional 30.8 miles of NFS
and unauthorized roads, designating 23.7 miles of new motorized trail
for vehicles less than or equal to 50 inches in width, authorizing 41.4
miles of non-motorized summer trails, authorizing 55.7 miles of non-
motorized winter trails, including a winter motorized restriction area
surrounding the winter non-motorized trails, and removing barriers on
23 culverts to improve fish passage. The project documents are
available electronically on the project Web page located at:
www.fs.fed.us/nepa/nepa_project_exp.php?project=18922.
DATES: Project scoping was initiated with publication of a legal notice
in the newspaper of record, the Idaho Statesman, on May 7, 2014. This
initial scoping period ended on June 9, 2014. Following review of
comments received and additional review with the interdisciplinary team
(IDT), the Responsible Official has decided to proceed with preparation
of an EIS. As a result, additional comments concerning the scope of the
analysis will be accepted for an additional 30 days following
publication of this NOI. Comments must be received by September 8,
2014. The publication date in the Federal Register is the only means
for calculating the comment period. The draft environmental impact
statement is expected in December 2014, and the final environmental
impact statement and Record of Decision (ROD) are expected in June
2015.
This project is being planned under authorization of the Pre-
decisional Administrative Review Process defined by 36 CFR part 218.
This new rule replaces the previous project decision appeal rules
defined in 36 CFR part 215. The new rule provides the public an
opportunity to comment and express concerns on projects before
decisions are made, rather than after. The Forest Service believes this
aligns with our collaborative approach to forest management and
increases the likelihood of resolving those concerns, resulting in
better, more informed decisions.
Individuals and entities who submit specific written comments at
this stage and/or already provided comments during the earlier comment
period from May 7 through June 9, 2014, will be eligible to object. An
additional comment opportunity will also be provided during the comment
period for review of the Draft EIS (DEIS) and those who provide
specific written comments during this comment period will also be
eligible to object. For more information on 36 CFR Part 218, see the
Federal Register, Volume 78, No. 59, March 27, 2013
ADDRESSES: Written, facsimile, hand-delivered, verbal, and electronic
comments concerning this project will be accepted. Specific written
comments must be submitted to: Boise National Forest, Idaho City Ranger
District, Attention: District Ranger, P.O. Box 129, Idaho City, ID
83631; or by fax to 208-392-6684. The office hours for those submitting
hand-delivered comments are: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday,
excluding holidays. Oral comments may also be provided at the Idaho
City Ranger District office during normal business hours via telephone
208-392-6681 or in person. However; please be aware that to have
standing to object, specific written comments must be provided at some
point during this comment period, the comment period on the DEIS, or
previously provided during the initial scoping period initatied on May
7, 2014.
Comments may also be submitted through the Becker Integrated
Resource Project Web page at www.fs.fed.us/nepa/nepa_project_
exp.php?project=18922. To submit comments using the Web form select
``Comment on Project'' under ``Get Connected'' on the right panel of
the project's Web page.
Email comments must be submitted in a format such as an email
message, plain text (.txt), rich text format (.rtf), Adobe (.pdf) and
Word (.doc) to comments-intermtn-boise-idaho-city@fs.fed.us. Please put
``Becker Integrated Resource Project'' in the subject line of email
comments. Comments must have an identifiable name attached or
verification of identity will be required. A scanned signature may
serve as verification on electronic comments.
Comments or requests received in response to this publication,
including names and addresses of those who respond, will be part of the
public record for this proposed action.
Comments received in response to this request will be available for
public inspection on the ``Public Comment Reading Room'' at the project
Web site: www.fs.fed.us/nepa/nepa_project_exp.php?project=18922.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Randall Hayman, Forest Planner, Boise
National Forest at the email address above or by phone at 208-373-4157.
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 19,327-acre Becker project area falls
within the Middle Crooked River Watershed (HUC 17050110503), formerly
named the Beaver-Edna watershed, and Pikes Fork (HUC 17050110502)
subwatersheds; both subwatersheds are part of the larger Crooked River
Watershed. The area is located approximately 18 miles northeast of
Idaho City, Idaho, and about 48 miles northeast of Boise, Idaho, in
Boise County . The following primary drainages and streams are located
in the project area: Crooked River, Whoop-Um-Up Creek, Lamar Creek,
Beaver Creek, Pikes Fork Creek, Banner Creek, Little Beaver Creek, and
Edna Creek. The Pilot Peak mountain landform lies in the southwest
corner of the project area, State Highway 21 bisects the area, Banner
Ridge lies along the north end, and Crooked River and Lamar Creek
roughly form the southern boundary of the project area.
Purpose and Need for Action: Four purposes have been identified for
the project: (1) Contribute to the restoration of low- to mid-elevation
forests in the project area; forests that fall within the non-lethal
and mixed1 fire regime. Modifying forest densities, tree size classes,
and species composition and breaking-up the horizontal and vertical
wildland fuel continuity will reduce the risk of uncharacteristic
stand-replacement wildfire and improve forest resiliency. Moving
conditions toward those that are more representative of the desired
condition for the fire regimes in the project area will benefit
wildlife habitat restoration, as well as provide greater assurance that
forested overstory cover in this landscape, which attracts recreational
users to the area, is sustained over time; (2) Improve watershed
conditions by reducing motorized route-related impacts to water
resources, fish, soil, and wildlife and associated habitats while
providing for a safe and efficient transportation system necessary to
meet long-term management needs. (Travel Analysis Process Report for
the Becker
[[Page 46398]]
Restoration Project (USDA Forest Service, May 2014)); (3) Improve and
enhance the quality and diversity of recreational opportunities in the
Middle Crooked River and Pikes Fork subwatersheds by reducing risk of
loss of forested overstory cover, providing for a variety of recreation
experiences, and reducing the potential for conflicts between motorized
and non-motorized recreational users; and (4) Support the local and
regional economies by providing enhanced recreational opportunities by
utilizing wood products from the suited timber base, and by
implementing forest restoration activities.
Proposed Action: In the context of Boise National Forest Plan
desired conditions (Forest Service 2010b, Appendices A and E), the
cumulative effects of past and present disturbances, fire suppression,
and management actions have resulted in departed forested stand and
landscape patch conditions. These departed conditions have increased
the risk of uncharacteristic forest stand-replacing wildfires; reduced
quantity and quality of habitat for wildlife species of conservation
concern associated with non-lethal fire regimes (e.g., white-headed
woodpecker); and redistributed habitat for wildlife species whose
source habitat is associated more with mixed1 fire regimes (e.g.,
flammulated owl) in areas where it historically would not have
occurred. Habitat has generally increased in the mixed1 fire regime
patches and decreased in the non-lethal patches.
To address Purpose 1, vegetation restoration utilizing (1)
commercial timber harvest activities would be conducted on about 3,243
acres utilizing tractor and tractor/off-road jammer logging systems;
(2) miscellaneous wood products would be removed through thinning on an
additional 1,547 acres; and (3) non-commercial thinning of small
diameter trees would occur on an additional 3,452 acres, mostly within
existing plantations, with no product removal. Total acres proposed for
mechanical vegetative treatment would be 8,242, of which about 25%
would be within riparian conservation areas (RCAs) as defined in the
Boise National Forest Plan, Appendix B. Approximately 5.7 miles of
temporary roads are anticipated to be constructed to support commercial
timber harvest activities.
Both activity fuel treatments (i.e., fuels resulting from
mechanical treatments) and natural fuels treatments would occur on
approximately 9,796 acres. Activity fuels treatments include
combinations of (1) chip, lop and scatter, handpile and burn, and/or
burn concentrations; (2) whole tree yard to landings, lop and scatter,
handpile and burn and/or burn concentrations; and (3) yard bole
material to landings, handpile and burn concentrations, and lop and
scatter. Natural fuels treatments include both direct and indirect
application of prescribed fire. Within 3-5 years following mechanical
treatments and completion of initial activity fuel activities, follow-
up restoration prescribed fire treatments are anticipated to be applied
across approximately 10,624 acres of the 19,327 acre project area.
To address Purpose 2, approximately (1) 4.9 miles of NFS
roads would be reconstructed; (2) 1.3 miles of new road would be
constructed; (3) 3.9 miles of unauthorized routes would be added to the
transportation system; (4) 23.3 miles of NFS roads and 7.5 miles of
unauthorized routes would be decommissioned; and (5) 6.9 miles of NFS
roads would be converted to trails. As a result of road treatments, the
78.1 miles of roads currently open to public use for full size vehicles
would be reduced to 53 miles. However, as discussed under Purpose
3 below, 23.7 miles of new motorized trail would be developed
and open to public motorized use for vehicles less than or equal to 50
inches in width. Thus, total miles of roads and trails open to public
motorized use would be 76.4 miles, a net reduction of routes open to
public motorized use of 1.4 miles from the current situation.
In addition to the road management activities identified above, 23
aquatic organism passage barriers (culverts within existing roads)
would be treated to remove barriers. This includes removal or
replacement of 7 culverts within priority critical bull trout habitat
and another 15 culverts outside priority critical bull trout habitat.
In addition, 1 culvert would be treated through outlet pool
modification in order to eliminate barrier concerns.
To address Purpose 3, new motorized and non-motorized
trail opportunities will be developed and/or authorized. These trail
systems will take advantage of existing NFS roads and/or unauthorized
routes to the extent practicable in order to minimize the need for new
trail construction and associated disturbance. Overlap of the motorized
and non-motorized system and shared use on NFS roads open to full size
motor vehicle public use will be minimized to reduce potential user
conflicts, user safety issues, and improve the overall quality of the
recreation experience for all user groups. Specifically, (1) a new 23.7
mile motorized trail will be designated with supporting trailhead
facilities; (2) 41.7 miles of summer non-motorized trails would be
authorized; and (3) 55.7 miles of winter non-motorized trails would be
authorized. To further reduce conflicts and potential safety issues
between motorized and non-motorized winter recreationists and improve
the quality of the overall quality of the non-motorized recreation
experience within the project area, the winter motorized restriction
area east of Highway 21 in the project area would be extended to areas
adjacent to the non-motorized trail system west of Highway 21 and in
the southern portion of the project area.
To address Purpose 4, several of the aspects of the
proposed action will provide support to local and regional economies
including (1) by accomplishing Purposes 1 and 3,
improvements and sustainability of the recreational use and experience
within the Becker project area will continue to provide recreational
user support, resulting in both direct and indirect benefits to local
and regional economies; (2) wood products will also be an output of
accomplishing Purpose 1. Specifically, it is expected the
following wood products would be generated, (a) 6-8 million board feet
of sawlogs, (b) a quarter million board feet of post and pole material,
(c) more than 1,700 cords of fuelwood, and (d) more than 42,000 tons of
woody biomass would be provided; and (3) other restoration activities
are anticipated to generate economic outputs to support local and
regional economies. This includes contract work for (a) road
realignment, construction, reconstruction, and maintenance; (b)
motorized and non-motorized recreational trail realignment,
construction, reconstruction, and maintenance; (c) aquatic organism
passage culvert replacement, removal and/or improvements; (d) non-
commercial tree thinning; (e) installation of road closure barriers
(seasonal and long term); and (f) activity fuel treatments, both
mechanical and prescribed fire.
In addition to the actions developed to specifically address
Purposes 1 through 4, an amendment to the Forest Plan
standard 0763 is proposed to (1) add a modification Visual Quality
Objectives (VQOs) to the motorized trail proposed to be designated; (2)
partial retention VQOs to the winter and summer non-motorized trails to
be authorized; (3) partial retention VQOs around the recreational Yurts
in the project area; and (4) change the foreground retention
requirement along Highway 21 to partial retention to allow
[[Page 46399]]
for accomplishment of vegetation restoration activities.
Possible Alternatives: Additional alternatives may be developed
that include one or more of the following components: (1) Adding acres
for vegetation restoration over that identified in the proposed action
in areas accessible from the existing transportation system to improve
management efficiency and economic return to support other restoration
work; (2) retention of larger diameter trees greater than or equal to
18 inches diameter, throughout the project area; (3) reducing the
amount of soil, water and wildlife habitat impact by reducing the acres
of ground base logging systems and converting those acres to helicopter
yarding systems; (4) similarly, use helicopter yarding systems around
the non-motorized summer trail system to reduce the need to re-open
roads that have vegetated in and, in their current condition, provide
for a quality recreational experience; (5) open access roads to the
yurts for use by renters either seasonally or yearlong, that were
closed under the proposed action; (6) develop the motorized trail for
use by vehicles less than or equal to 60 inches in width, rather than
limiting it to less than or equal to 50 inches in width; (7) eliminate
the proposed motorized trail system to reduce impacts on soil, water,
fish and wildlife habitat; (8) reroute proposed motorized trail
locations out of RCAs to the extent practicable; (9) provide a greater
separation between the motorized and non-motorized trail systems to
minimize the noise impacts on the quality of the non-motorized
recreation experience; and (10) include a seasonal closure from May 1
to June 15 to all mechanized equipment on seasonally closed motorized
roads/trails and non-motorized trails east of Highway 21 and north of
Beaver Creek to minimize disturbance to big game during the calving
period.
Responsible Official: The Responsible Official is the Forest
Supervisor for the Boise National Forest, Cecilia R. Seesholtz.
Nature of Decision to be Made: The six decisions to be made
include: (1) Should vegetation maintenance and restoration treatments
(mechanical and fire) in the Project area be implemented, and if so,
which forested stands should be treated, and what silvicultural
prescriptions and methods should be applied? (2) Should the
transportation system be managed within the Project area as recommended
in the Travel Analysis Process Report for the Becker Restoration
Project (USDA Forest Service, May 2014), and if so, which road
management treatments should be implemented? (3) Should recreation
management activities in the Project area be implemented, and if so,
which motorized and/or non-motorized proposed trails/trailhead
improvements should be implemented, including: (a) Should the proposed
motorized trail be designated as a motorized recreation trail per 36
CFR 212.51, subpart B, and if so, which portions and for what type of
vehicle use? (b) Should the proposed non-motorized trails be
authorized, and if so, which portions and for what type of recreation
user? (c) Should motorized winter restrictions (i.e., area restriction)
be added to the winter travel map per 36 CFR 212.51, subpart C, and if
so, which portions? (4) Should culvert treatments be implemented to
improve access to aquatic habitat in the Project area, and if so, which
culverts should be removed or replaced? (5) What design features and/or
mitigation measures should be applied to activities to mitigate
undesirable effects? (6) Should Forest Plan standard 0763 be amended to
add and/or modify VQOs around proposed trails and along Highway 21, and
if so, which VQOs should be added and/or modified?
Preliminary Issues: Eleven preliminary issues have been identified:
(1) Tractor-jammer logging destroys ground cover, exposes mineral soil
to erosion, and compacts soils from reduced absorption and increased
runoff. Logging systems that result in the lightest ecological impacts
on the forest should be used (e.g. helicopter and cable or skyline
systems); (2) Re-opening roads/trails used by mountain bikers, hikers,
and equestrians, and staff to allow for log hauling and forest
thinning, will change the road/trail surface, remove existing
vegetation within the road prisms, changing their overall character.
This will impact the quality of the recreation experience for the users
of these trails; (3) Construction of new roads, including temporary
roads, are not appropriate in already heavily roaded or degraded
ecosystems; (4) Removal of trees greater than 18 inches in dbh, unless
there are site-specific exceptions, may impact the retention and/or
requirement of old forest habitat components such as snags, down trees
and understory vegetation; (5) If the public access roads to the
Skyline (Road 362F) and Stargaze (Road 394B) yurt summer parking spots
are closed, summer use will drop dramatically if the public has to walk
in 1.5 to 2 miles from Highway 21; (6) 50 inch width limit on proposed
ATV trails does not take into account the increased popularity of UTV
vehicles. UTV's are not limited to utilitarian duties any longer. Most
manufacturers produce sport versions with high popularity. Most ATV
users are migrating to UTV usage; (7) New trails in the RCA will impact
riparian function and process, particularly given the existing high
road densities in the project area; (8) Designation of a motorized
trail that overlaps portions of the non-motorized trails to be
authorized will result in user conflicts and reduce the quality of
experience for the non-motorized users; (9) Designation of the proposed
motorized trail will not be consistent with wildlife and aquatic
resource objectives; (10) Use of the non-motorized trail system during
the spring results in big game disturbance during critical periods
(i.e., calving); and (11) Winter motorized travel restrictions should
not be a part of this project. No evidence is shown that there is a
need to designate winter non-motorized trails which include winter
motorized travel restrictions in areas around those trails.
Permits and Licenses that may be Required: The following permits
may be required to implement the Proposed Action under the Clean Water
Act: (1) CWA Section 404 Permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers;
(2) Stream Alteration Permit from the Idaho Department of Water
Resources; (3) Water Quality Standards Short Term Activity Exemption
from the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (IDEQ); (4) National
Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit from the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency; (5) CWA Section 401 Certification from
IDEQ; (6) Conditional use permit and road maintenance agreement from
affected County; and (7) Other permits from Idaho Transportation
Department and/or other entities.
Early Notice of Importance of Public Participation in Subsequent
Environmental Review: A Notice of Availability (NOA) will be published
in the Federal Register and a legal notice will be published in the
newspaper of record for the Boise National Forest, the Idaho Statesman,
to inform the public when the DEIS is available for review and comment.
The DEIS will be distributed to all parties who responded during the
scoping period initiated on May 7, 2014, and in response to this NOI to
prepare an EIS, or who otherwise notified the Agency at some point
prior to release of the DEIS of their interest to receive information
pertaining to this proposal.
The DEIS is expected to be published in December 2014. The comment
period on the DEIS will end 45 days following the date of publication
of the notice of availability (NOA) in the Federal
[[Page 46400]]
Register. The publication date in the Federal Register is the only
means for calculating the comment period for the DEIS. The Final EIS
and draft ROD are anticipated to be released in March 2014 for the
objection filing period. The Final FEIS and ROD are anticipated to be
released in June 2014.
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
the DEIS 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 scoping, DEIS, or objection filing stage but
that are not raised until after completion of the final environmental
impact statement and final decision 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 formal comment periods identified above so that substantive
comments and objections are made available to the Forest Service at a
time when they can be meaningfully considered and are able to respond
to them in the final environmental impact statement and decision.
To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues
and concerns on the proposed action, comments should be as specific as
possible; to have standing to object during the objection filing
period, specific written comments must be provided as defined at 36 CFR
part 218. 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.
Dated: July 31, 2014.
Cecilia R. Seesholtz,
Forest Supervisor, Boise National Forest.
[FR Doc. 2014-18809 Filed 8-7-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P