Ochoco National Forest, Paulina Ranger District; Oregon; Black Mountain Vegetation and Fuels Management Project EIS, 2094-2095 [2015-00537]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
• Forest Service

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 10 (Thursday, January 15, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2094-2095]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-00537]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Ochoco National Forest, Paulina Ranger District; Oregon; Black 
Mountain Vegetation and Fuels Management Project EIS

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.

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SUMMARY: The Ochoco National Forest is preparing an environmental 
impact statement (EIS) to analyze the effects of managing vegetation 
and fuels within the 34,011 acre Black Mountain project area, which is 
approximately 35 miles east of Prineville, Oregon. The project area 
includes National Forest system lands within the North Fork Crooked 
River watershed. The alternatives that will be analyzed include the 
proposed action, no action, and additional alternatives that will 
respond to issues generated through the scoping process. The Ochoco 
National Forest will give notice of the full environmental analysis and 
decision making process so interested and affected people may 
participate and contribute to the final decision.

DATES: Scoping comments must be received by March 2, 2015. The draft 
environmental impact statement is expected to be completed and 
available for public comment in October, 2015. The final environmental 
impact statement is expected to be completed in March, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Sandra Henning, District Ranger, 
Paulina Ranger District, Ochoco National Forest, 3160 NE Third Street, 
Prineville, Oregon 97754. Alternately, electronic comments may be sent 
to comments-pacificnorthwest ochoco@fs.fed.us. Electronic comments must 
be submitted as part of the actual email message, or as an attachment 
in plain text (.txt), Microsoft Word (.doc), rich text format(.rtf), or 
portable document format (.pdf).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeffrey Marszal, Project Leader at 
3160 NE Third Street, Prineville, Oregon 97754, or at (541) 416-6500, 
or by email at jmarszal@fs.fed.us.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Purpose and Need for Action

    The existing condition of the Black Mountain project area was 
evaluated in 2014 and documented in the Black Mountain project record. 
The evaluation determined that conditions in the planning area have 
departed from the historic conditions in several ways.

[[Page 2095]]

     Tree species compositions are outside the historic range 
of variability.
     A reduction in Late and Old Structured forest (LOS); 
especially single-strata LOS.
     A reduction in open-canopy stands accompanied by an 
increase in stand densities and multi-storied stands.
     An increased risk of large-scale loss of forest to 
wildfire.
     An increased risk of insect infestation and/or disease 
that can impact forested stands.
     A decline in riparian/aquatic conditions and hardwood 
communities.
    Based upon direction from the Ochoco Forest Plan and an evaluation 
of the project area existing condition, the Paulina Ranger District has 
determined that within the Black Mountain project area:
    1. There is a need to manage vegetation towards the historic range 
of variability and provide a range of forest conditions and habitats 
that would support historic disturbance processes, native wildlife, and 
plant species; this includes maintaining and increasing Late Old 
Structure (LOS), especially single-strata LOS.
    2. There is a need to reduce forest density and fuel loadings in 
order to reduce the risk that disturbance events such as insect, 
disease, and wildfire will lead to a loss of desired forest conditions.
    3. There is a need to maintain existing old trees, especially 
early-seral and fire tolerant species, i.e. ponderosa pine, and western 
larch.
    4. There is a need to improve riparian and aquatics condition along 
with associated vegetation within Riparian Habitat Conservation Areas 
(RHCAs) and maintain and enhance hardwood communities.
    5. There is a need to contribute to the local and regional 
economies through restoration activities including providing timber and 
other wood products now and in the future.

Proposed Action

    The proposed action includes a variety of management strategies and 
activities, including commercial thinning with follow-up noncommercial 
thinning and/or slashes treatment (5,364 acres), noncommercial 
treatment with slash treatment (1,040 acres), underburning (3,234 
acres) and hardwood enhancement (151 acres). Implementation of the 
proposed action would require some connected actions; these include use 
of temporary roads on existing disturbance (25.4 miles), use of new 
temporary roads (.86 mile), stream restoration (7 miles), and material 
source expansion (1 location, 5 acres). Implementation of the proposed 
action would require the following mitigation to reduce or eliminate 
unwanted effects; these include road closure (1 mile) and road 
decommission (1.86 miles).

Responsible Official

    The responsible official will be Stacey Forson, Forest Supervisor, 
Ochoco National Forest, 3160 NE Third Street, Prineville, Oregon 97754

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    Given the purpose and need, the deciding official will review the 
proposed action, the other alternatives, and the environmental 
consequences in order to determine whether and under what circumstances 
vegetation and fuels management will be implemented in the Black 
Mountain project area.

Preliminary Issues

    The project's interdisciplinary team has developed a list of 
preliminary issues that will be used during the analysis of effects. 
Other issues may arise as a result of public comment and further 
analysis. Preliminary issues include:
     Invasive Plant Species (Noxious Weeds). Several 
populations of noxious weeds are known to exist within the project 
area. There is a risk that management activities may exacerbate the 
weed situation by spreading existing populations or introducing new 
ones.
     Peck's Mariposa Lily. Management activities can improve 
habitat for this sensitive species, but there is also risk of impacting 
individual plants and/or habitat where it occurs in the project area.
     Soil Productivity. Maintenance of soil productivity is an 
important objective for management of National Forest Lands. When 
mechanized equipment is used in the Forest, soil can become displaced 
and compacted, which can impact productivity.
     Water Quality. The main streams in the project area, 
Peterson, Porter and Allen Creeks, are listed on Oregon DEQ's 303(d) 
list due to high summer temperatures. Management activities can result 
in reduced shade on streams, as well as contribute sediment into the 
streams, which impacts water quality and decreases habitat quality for 
fish and other riparian fauna.
     Wildlife Habitat. Activities intended to improve forest 
health and resiliency may reduce habitat effectiveness for some 
wildlife species, including forest raptors and big game.

Scoping Process

    The 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 a 
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 comments 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.

    Dated: January 9, 2015.
Sandra Henning,
District Ranger.
[FR Doc. 2015-00537 Filed 1-14-15; 8:45 am]
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