Ringo Project Environmental Impact Statement, 34366-34368 [2015-14713]
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34366
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 115 / Tuesday, June 16, 2015 / Notices
States for funding for fuel pumps and
related infrastructure to encourage
increased ethanol use. FSA requires
each State to submit an application to
FSA on a form specified by FSA. States
will be required to report on the funding
distribution, which may require third
party reporting depending on how the
States distribute the funds.
The formula used to calculate the
total burden hours is ‘‘the estimated
average time per response (including
travel time)’’ times ‘‘the total estimated
annual responses.’’
Respondents: States.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
36.
Estimated Number of Responses per
Respondent: 14.
Estimated Total Annual Response:
504.
Estimated Average Time per
Response: 1.07 hours.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on
Response: 540 hours.
asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Note: The applicants will apply once and
report once per year, however, due to the
number of forms involved, it is estimated that
the number of responses is 14.
We are requesting comments on this
information collection to help us:
(1) Evaluate whether the collection of
information is necessary for the proper
performance of the agency, including
whether the information will have
practical utility;
(2) Evaluate the accuracy of the
agency’s estimate of burden, including
the validity of the methodology and
assumptions used;
(3) Enhance the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information to be
collected; or
(4) 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.
All responses to this notice, including
names and addresses, when provided,
will be summarized and included in the
request for OMB approval. All
comments will also become a matter of
public record.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
The title and number of the Federal
assistance in the Catalog of Federal
Domestic Assistance to which this
NOFA applies is 10.117, Biofuel
Infrastructure Partnership.
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Signed on June 11, 2015.
Val Dolcini,
Administrator, Farm Service Agency, and
Executive Vice President, Commodity Credit
Corporation.
[FR Doc. 2015–14763 Filed 6–15–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–05–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Ringo Project Environmental Impact
Statement
Forest Service, USDA.
Notice of Intent to prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
The USDA Forest Service will
prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) for a project called
Ringo, centered around Ringo Butte
south of Wickiup Reservoir on the
Crescent Ranger District.
The Ringo project area is home to a
myriad of wildlife and plant species
including big game species, northern
spotted owl, Oregon spotted frog, and
other wildlife. The project area borders
private forest land on the east as well as
surrounding the community of Wickiup
Acres. It contains popular locations for
hunting, fishing, and other types of
recreation. Values and ecosystem
services within the Ringo project area
were derived from values mapping
exercises with the Ringo IDT and from
a public meeting. Prominent values
expressed include high quality wildlife
habitat for sensitive and threatened
species, nearby private land and
communities, timber, firewood, forest
products, access to the forest for hiking,
wildlife viewing, driving, winter
recreation, developed and dispersed
camping, hunting opportunities, and
Odell Butte Lookout.
The Ringo Interdisciplinary Team
(IDT) determined the largest potential
for changes or threats to these values
comes from wildfire, insects and
disease. As evidenced by the Davis fire,
which covers a portion of the planning
area, wildfire can rapidly and
dramatically alter large areas and affect
safety and property. Disturbances such
as wildfire and insect and disease
outbreaks are natural processes
however, with the current fuel loading
and high density of trees in the Ringo
project area these disturbances can
become uncharacteristically severe.
In order to continue to provide these
values and services on the landscape
into the future, there is a need to reduce
tree density and surface fuels in order
to restore and maintain a resilient, fireadapted ecosystem.
SUMMARY:
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The project area is approximately
30,000 acres in portions of the Upper
Little Deschutes, Crescent Creek, Middle
Little Deschutes, and Brown’s CreekDeschutes watersheds. It is located in T.
22 S., R. 8 E.; and R. 9 E.; T. 23 S., R.
8 E.; and R. 9 E.; T. 24 S., R. 7 E.; T.
and R. 8 E.; T. 25 S., R. 7 E.; Willamette
Meridian. The alternatives would
include the proposed action, no action,
and additional alternatives that respond
to issues generated through the scoping
process. The agency will give notice of
the full environmental analysis and
decision making process so interested
and affected parties may participate and
contribute to the final decision.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope
of the analysis must be received 30 days
following the date that this notice
appears in the Federal Register.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to
Holly Jewkes, District Ranger, Crescent
Ranger District, P.O. Box 208, Crescent,
OR 97733. Comments can also be
emailed to: comments-pacificnorthwestdeschutes-crescent@fs.fed.us. The
public will have another opportunity to
comment when alternatives have been
developed and the environmental
impact statement is made available.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Ringo project leads Michelle King,
District Environmental Coordinator at
(541) 433–3216, or Joe Bowles, District
Silviculturist at (541) 433–3200.
Responsible Official: The responsible
official will be John Allen, Deschutes
Forest Supervisor, 63095 Deschutes
Market Road, Bend, Oregon, 97701.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose and Need: The objectives
developed for the Ringo Project are
consistent with recommendations and
direction presented in the Multiple Use
Sustained Yield Act of 1960, the
National Cohesive Wildland Fire
Management Strategy, the Deschutes
Land and Resource Management Plan as
amended, and other national and
regional guidance. The purpose and
need of Ringo is to reduce tree density
and surface fuels in order to restore and
maintain a resilient, fire-adapted
ecosystem that will protect or enhance
quality habitat for key wildlife species
including the northern spotted owl,
white-headed woodpecker, and big
game, allow for safe and effective
wildfire response, maintain developed
and dispersed recreational
opportunities, and contribute to local
and regional economies by providing
timber, firewood, and other forest
products.
Proposed Action: The proposed action
includes approximately 6,688 acres of
thinning. This includes primarily
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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 115 / Tuesday, June 16, 2015 / Notices
thinning from below which removes the
smallest trees first until the desired
density is achieved. Various techniques
would be used to maintain or increase
variability in tree spacing. Thinning
increases individual tree growth and
reduces fire and insect risk by reducing
ladder fuels and overall stand density.
Less fire resilient tree species such as
lodgepole pine and white fir would be
preferentially removed. Approximately
4,620 acres are expected to produce a
merchantable timber product and the
remaining 2,068 acres, which have
smaller or fewer trees, may be utilized
as chip wood or biomass if market
conditions are favorable. Treatments are
designed to keep tree densities at
desired levels for 20 or 30 years.
Ringo proposes approximately 884
acres of improvement cuts. In lodgepole
pine (719 acres) this treatment removes
damaged, diseased, or otherwise
unhealthy trees. The majority of these
stands have previously suffered high
mortality from bark beetle attack.
Within the range of the northern spotted
owl, the overstory is no longer dense
enough for spotted owl dispersal
habitat. Removing these overstory trees
would accelerate growth in the
understory to achieve dispersal habitat
faster. In mixed conifer areas (165 acres)
this treatment would primarily involve
removing white fir and other damaged
and diseased trees along the edges of the
Davis fire. These stands experienced
moderate mortality in the fire which
produced high ground fuel loads and
downed wood. Existing ground fuels
and downed wood would also be
reduced in these stands to allow for safe
and effective fire response.
The proposed action includes
approximately 64 acres of meadow
enhancement which would occur in
wetter lodgepole pine areas that
previously were more open. The
majority of trees would be removed
from these areas. Meadows and
grasslands are a rare habitat on the
Deschutes National Forest. This
treatment would enhance understory
vegetation which is important for big
game and other animal species.
There will also be road status changes
meaning roads that are currently
classified as open but are physically
blocked or missmapped would be
closed and alternate ingress and egress
routes currently listed as closed would
be opened. This will reduce confusion
in the event of wildfire evacuations and
further aid the safety and effectiveness
of wildfire response.
Additional treatments include slash
treatments and underburning. Slash
created by the proposed mechanical
activities would be treated by a variety
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17:18 Jun 15, 2015
Jkt 235001
of methods in order to create desired
fuels conditions. Methods include hand
and grapple piling followed by pile
burning, utilization, or chipping/
grinding. Approximately 5,476 acres of
underburning would occur in the
majority of ponderosa pine dominated
stands after mechanical treatment.
Additional areas that were previously
treated in other projects or whose
current conditions facilitate safe and
effective operations are also included.
The combination of these activities
provide for a more resilient and fireadapted ecosystem. By reducing the
overall landscape wildfire risk, dense
wildlife habitat such as northern spotted
owl nesting roosting and foraging (NRF)
and big game hiding cover will be
protected without receiving thinning
treatments. Wildlife habitat will be
enhanced by reducing nest predation in
white-headed wood pecker habitat with
open ponderosa pine, increasing
individual tree growth in areas that can
provide future NRF, and providing
better big game forage in meadow
enhancements. Safe and effective
wildfire response will be aided by
reduced fire intensities and the
flexibility of using recently treated areas
for suppression as well as clearer routes
for public evacuation by road.
Recreation opportunities would be
maintained by reducing the risk of large
fires that negatively affect the wildlife,
trees, and other characteristics that draw
people to the Ringo area. Finally, wood
products removed in these treatments
would provide timber, firewood and
other forest products to the local and
regional economies.
Comment: Public comments about
this proposal are requested in order to
assist in identifying issues, determine
how to best manage the resources, and
to focus the analysis. Comments
received to this notice, including names
and addresses of those who comment,
will be considered part of the public
record on this proposed action and will
be available for public inspection.
Comments submitted anonymously will
be accepted and considered; however,
those who submit anonymous
comments will not have standing to
object to the subsequent decision under
36 CFR 218. Additionally, pursuant to 7
CFR 1.27(d), any person may request the
agency to withhold a submission from
public record by showing how the
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
permits such confidentiality. Persons
requesting such confidentiality should
be aware that, under FOIA,
confidentiality may be granted in only
very limited circumstances, such as to
protect trade secrets. The Forest Service
will inform the requester of the agency’s
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34367
decision regarding the request for
confidentiality, and where the request is
denied the agency will return the
submission and notify the requester that
the comments may be resubmitted with
or without name and address within a
specified number of days. A draft EIS
will be filed with the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) and available
for public review by spring 2016. The
EPA will publish a Notice of
Availability (NOA) of the draft EIS in
the Federal Register. The final EIS is
scheduled to be available in the fall of
2016. The comment period on the draft
EIS will be 45 days from the date the
EPA publishes the NOA in the Federal
Register.
The Forest Service believes, at this
early state, it is important to give
reviewers notice of several court rulings
related to public participation in the
environmental review process. First,
reviewers of a draft EIS 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 contentious
[Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp.
v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519, 533 (1978)].
Also, environmental objections that
could be raised at the draft EIS state but
that are not raised until after completion
of the final EIS may be waived or
dismissed by the courts [City of Angoon
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 45-day
comment period so that comments and
objections are made available to the
Forest Service at a time when it can be
meaningfully considered and respond to
them in the final EIS.
To assist the Forest Service in
identifying the considering issues and
concerns on the proposed action,
comments on the draft EIS should be as
specific as possible. It is also helpful if
comments refer to specific pages or
chapters of the draft statement.
Comments may also address the
adequacy of the draft EIS of the merits
of the alternative formulated and
discussed in the statement. 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. In the final EIS, the Forest
Service is required to respond to
substantive comments received during
the comment period for the draft EIS.
The Forest Service is the lead agency
and the responsible official is the Forest
Supervisor for the Deschutes National
Forest. The responsible official will
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34368
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 115 / Tuesday, June 16, 2015 / Notices
decide where, and whether or not to
take action to meet the desired
condition within the project area. The
responsible official will also decide how
to mitigate impacts of these actions and
will determine when and how
monitoring of effects will take place.
The Ringo project decision and
rationale will be documented in the
Record of Decision. Per 36 CFR
218.7(a)(2), this is a project
implementing a land management plan
and not authorized under HFRA, section
101(2), and is thus subject to subparts A
and C of 36 CFR 218—Project level
Predecisional Administrative Review
Process.
Dated: June 8, 2015.
Holly Jewkes,
District Ranger.
[FR Doc. 2015–14713 Filed 6–15–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–11–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Economics and Statistics
Administration
Commerce Data Advisory Council
Economic and Statistics
Administration, Department of
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of Public Meeting.
AGENCY:
The Economic and Statistics
Administration (ESA) is giving notice of
a meeting of Commerce Data Advisory
Council (CDAC). The CDAC will
address areas such as data management
practices; common, open data
standards; policy issues related to
privacy, latency, and consistency;
effective models for public-private
partnership; external uses of Commerce
data; and, methods to build new
feedback loops between the Department
and data users. The CDAC will meet in
a plenary session on July 30, 2015. Lastminute changes to the schedule are
possible, which could prevent giving
advance public notice of schedule
adjustments.
DATES: July 30, 2015. The meeting will
begin at approximately at 9:00 a.m. and
end at approximately 5:00 p.m.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at
Intel Corporation, Robert Noyce
Building—Front Desk Lobby, 2200
Mission College Blvd., Santa Clara, CA
95054.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Burton Reist, BReist@doc.gov, Director
of External Communication and DFO,
CDAC, Department of Commerce,
Economics and Statistics
Administration, 1401 Constitution Ave.
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SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:21 Jun 15, 2015
Jkt 235001
NW., Washington, DC 20230, telephone
(202) 482–3331.
The CDAC
comprises as many as 20 members. The
Committee provides an organized and
continuing channel of communication
between recognized experts in the data
industry (collection, compilation,
analysis, dissemination and privacy
protection) and the Department of
Commerce. The CDAC provides advice
and recommendations, to include
process and infrastructure
improvements, to the Secretary, DOC
and the DOC data-bureau leadership on
ways to make Commerce data easier to
find, access, use, combine and
disseminate. The aim of this advice
shall be to maximize the value of
Commerce data to all users including
governments, businesses, communities,
academia, and individuals.
The Committee is established in
accordance with the Federal Advisory
Committee Act (Title 5, United States
Code, Appendix 2, Section 10(a)(b)).
All meetings are open to the public.
A brief period will be set aside at the
meeting for public comment on July 30,
2015. However, individuals with
extensive questions or statements must
submit them in writing to:
DataAdvisoryCouncil@doc.gov (subject
line ‘‘July 2015 CDAC Meeting Public
Comment’’), or by letter submission to
the Director of External Communication
and DFO, CDAC, Department of
Commerce, Economics and Statistics
Administration, 1401 Constitution Ave.
NW., Washington, DC 20230. Such
submissions will be included in the
record for the meeting if received by
Wednesday, July 22, 2015.
The meeting is physically accessible
to persons with disabilities. Requests for
sign language interpretation or other
auxiliary aids should be directed to the
Director of External Communication as
soon as possible, preferably two weeks
prior to the meeting. If you plan to
attend the meeting, please register by
Monday, July 27, 2015. You may access
the online registration from the
following link: https://
www.eventbrite.com/e/department-ofcommerce-data-advisory-council-cdacjuly-2015-meeting-tickets-17278450310.
Seating is available to the public on
a first-come, first-served basis.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Dated: June 11, 2015.
Austin Durrer,
Chief of Staff for Under Secretary for
Economic Affairs, Economics and Statistics
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2015–14796 Filed 6–15–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration
Notice of Scope Rulings
Enforcement and Compliance,
International Trade Administration,
Department of Commerce.
AGENCY:
DATES:
Effective date: June 16, 2015.
The Department of Commerce
(‘‘Department’’) hereby publishes a list
of scope rulings and anticircumvention
determinations made between January
1, 2015, and March 31, 2015, inclusive.
We intend to publish future lists after
the close of the next calendar quarter.
SUMMARY:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Brenda E. Waters, AD/CVD Operations,
Customs Liaison Unit, Enforcement and
Compliance, International Trade
Administration, U.S. Department of
Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution
Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230;
telephone: 202–482–4735.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The Department’s regulations provide
that the Secretary will publish in the
Federal Register a list of scope rulings
on a quarterly basis.1 Our most recent
notification of scope rulings was
published on April 24, 2015.2 This
current notice covers all scope rulings
and anticircumvention determinations
made by Enforcement and Compliance
between January 1, 2015, and March 31,
2015, inclusive. Subsequent lists will
follow after the close of each calendar
quarter.
Scope Rulings Made Between January
1, 2015 and March 31, 2015
Japan
A–588–869: Diffusion-Annealed NickelPlated Flat-Rolled Steel Products From Japan
Requestor: Saft America; certain nickelplated punched steel also known as NI
coated steel Strip and Flat Rolled lOS NA, LT
600MM, Plated/Coated, NESOI products are
outside the scope of the order; January 5,
2015.
Mexico
A–201–805: Circular Welded Non-Alloy Steel
Pipe From Mexico
Requestor: Productos Lamaninados de
Monterrey, S.A. de C.V. (Prolamsa); certain
black, circular tubing produced to American
Society of Testing and Materials standard A–
513 and manufactured by Prolamsa is
‘‘mechanical tubing’’ specifically excluded
from the scope of the order; January 12, 2015.
1 See
19 CFR 351.225(o).
Notice of Scope Rulings, 80 FR 22969 (April
24, 2015).
2 See
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 115 (Tuesday, June 16, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34366-34368]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-14713]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Ringo Project Environmental Impact Statement
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The USDA Forest Service will prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) for a project called Ringo, centered around Ringo Butte
south of Wickiup Reservoir on the Crescent Ranger District.
The Ringo project area is home to a myriad of wildlife and plant
species including big game species, northern spotted owl, Oregon
spotted frog, and other wildlife. The project area borders private
forest land on the east as well as surrounding the community of Wickiup
Acres. It contains popular locations for hunting, fishing, and other
types of recreation. Values and ecosystem services within the Ringo
project area were derived from values mapping exercises with the Ringo
IDT and from a public meeting. Prominent values expressed include high
quality wildlife habitat for sensitive and threatened species, nearby
private land and communities, timber, firewood, forest products, access
to the forest for hiking, wildlife viewing, driving, winter recreation,
developed and dispersed camping, hunting opportunities, and Odell Butte
Lookout.
The Ringo Interdisciplinary Team (IDT) determined the largest
potential for changes or threats to these values comes from wildfire,
insects and disease. As evidenced by the Davis fire, which covers a
portion of the planning area, wildfire can rapidly and dramatically
alter large areas and affect safety and property. Disturbances such as
wildfire and insect and disease outbreaks are natural processes
however, with the current fuel loading and high density of trees in the
Ringo project area these disturbances can become uncharacteristically
severe.
In order to continue to provide these values and services on the
landscape into the future, there is a need to reduce tree density and
surface fuels in order to restore and maintain a resilient, fire-
adapted ecosystem.
The project area is approximately 30,000 acres in portions of the
Upper Little Deschutes, Crescent Creek, Middle Little Deschutes, and
Brown's Creek-Deschutes watersheds. It is located in T. 22 S., R. 8 E.;
and R. 9 E.; T. 23 S., R. 8 E.; and R. 9 E.; T. 24 S., R. 7 E.; T. and
R. 8 E.; T. 25 S., R. 7 E.; Willamette Meridian. The alternatives would
include the proposed action, no action, and additional alternatives
that respond to issues generated through the scoping process. The
agency will give notice of the full environmental analysis and decision
making process so interested and affected parties may participate and
contribute to the final decision.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received
30 days following the date that this notice appears in the Federal
Register.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Holly Jewkes, District Ranger,
Crescent Ranger District, P.O. Box 208, Crescent, OR 97733. Comments
can also be emailed to: comments-pacificnorthwest-deschutes-crescent@fs.fed.us. The public will have another opportunity to comment
when alternatives have been developed and the environmental impact
statement is made available.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ringo project leads Michelle King,
District Environmental Coordinator at (541) 433-3216, or Joe Bowles,
District Silviculturist at (541) 433-3200.
Responsible Official: The responsible official will be John Allen,
Deschutes Forest Supervisor, 63095 Deschutes Market Road, Bend, Oregon,
97701.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose and Need: The objectives developed for the Ringo Project
are consistent with recommendations and direction presented in the
Multiple Use Sustained Yield Act of 1960, the National Cohesive
Wildland Fire Management Strategy, the Deschutes Land and Resource
Management Plan as amended, and other national and regional guidance.
The purpose and need of Ringo is to reduce tree density and surface
fuels in order to restore and maintain a resilient, fire-adapted
ecosystem that will protect or enhance quality habitat for key wildlife
species including the northern spotted owl, white-headed woodpecker,
and big game, allow for safe and effective wildfire response, maintain
developed and dispersed recreational opportunities, and contribute to
local and regional economies by providing timber, firewood, and other
forest products.
Proposed Action: The proposed action includes approximately 6,688
acres of thinning. This includes primarily
[[Page 34367]]
thinning from below which removes the smallest trees first until the
desired density is achieved. Various techniques would be used to
maintain or increase variability in tree spacing. Thinning increases
individual tree growth and reduces fire and insect risk by reducing
ladder fuels and overall stand density. Less fire resilient tree
species such as lodgepole pine and white fir would be preferentially
removed. Approximately 4,620 acres are expected to produce a
merchantable timber product and the remaining 2,068 acres, which have
smaller or fewer trees, may be utilized as chip wood or biomass if
market conditions are favorable. Treatments are designed to keep tree
densities at desired levels for 20 or 30 years.
Ringo proposes approximately 884 acres of improvement cuts. In
lodgepole pine (719 acres) this treatment removes damaged, diseased, or
otherwise unhealthy trees. The majority of these stands have previously
suffered high mortality from bark beetle attack. Within the range of
the northern spotted owl, the overstory is no longer dense enough for
spotted owl dispersal habitat. Removing these overstory trees would
accelerate growth in the understory to achieve dispersal habitat
faster. In mixed conifer areas (165 acres) this treatment would
primarily involve removing white fir and other damaged and diseased
trees along the edges of the Davis fire. These stands experienced
moderate mortality in the fire which produced high ground fuel loads
and downed wood. Existing ground fuels and downed wood would also be
reduced in these stands to allow for safe and effective fire response.
The proposed action includes approximately 64 acres of meadow
enhancement which would occur in wetter lodgepole pine areas that
previously were more open. The majority of trees would be removed from
these areas. Meadows and grasslands are a rare habitat on the Deschutes
National Forest. This treatment would enhance understory vegetation
which is important for big game and other animal species.
There will also be road status changes meaning roads that are
currently classified as open but are physically blocked or missmapped
would be closed and alternate ingress and egress routes currently
listed as closed would be opened. This will reduce confusion in the
event of wildfire evacuations and further aid the safety and
effectiveness of wildfire response.
Additional treatments include slash treatments and underburning.
Slash created by the proposed mechanical activities would be treated by
a variety of methods in order to create desired fuels conditions.
Methods include hand and grapple piling followed by pile burning,
utilization, or chipping/grinding. Approximately 5,476 acres of
underburning would occur in the majority of ponderosa pine dominated
stands after mechanical treatment. Additional areas that were
previously treated in other projects or whose current conditions
facilitate safe and effective operations are also included.
The combination of these activities provide for a more resilient
and fire-adapted ecosystem. By reducing the overall landscape wildfire
risk, dense wildlife habitat such as northern spotted owl nesting
roosting and foraging (NRF) and big game hiding cover will be protected
without receiving thinning treatments. Wildlife habitat will be
enhanced by reducing nest predation in white-headed wood pecker habitat
with open ponderosa pine, increasing individual tree growth in areas
that can provide future NRF, and providing better big game forage in
meadow enhancements. Safe and effective wildfire response will be aided
by reduced fire intensities and the flexibility of using recently
treated areas for suppression as well as clearer routes for public
evacuation by road. Recreation opportunities would be maintained by
reducing the risk of large fires that negatively affect the wildlife,
trees, and other characteristics that draw people to the Ringo area.
Finally, wood products removed in these treatments would provide
timber, firewood and other forest products to the local and regional
economies.
Comment: Public comments about this proposal are requested in order
to assist in identifying issues, determine how to best manage the
resources, and to focus the analysis. Comments received to this notice,
including names and addresses of those who comment, will be considered
part of the public record on this proposed action and will be available
for public inspection. Comments submitted anonymously will be accepted
and considered; however, those who submit anonymous comments will not
have standing to object to the subsequent decision under 36 CFR 218.
Additionally, pursuant to 7 CFR 1.27(d), any person may request the
agency to withhold a submission from public record by showing how the
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) permits such confidentiality. Persons
requesting such confidentiality should be aware that, under FOIA,
confidentiality may be granted in only very limited circumstances, such
as to protect trade secrets. The Forest Service will inform the
requester of the agency's decision regarding the request for
confidentiality, and where the request is denied the agency will return
the submission and notify the requester that the comments may be
resubmitted with or without name and address within a specified number
of days. A draft EIS will be filed with the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) and available for public review by spring 2016. The EPA
will publish a Notice of Availability (NOA) of the draft EIS in the
Federal Register. The final EIS is scheduled to be available in the
fall of 2016. The comment period on the draft EIS will be 45 days from
the date the EPA publishes the NOA in the Federal Register.
The Forest Service believes, at this early state, it is important
to give reviewers notice of several court rulings related to public
participation in the environmental review process. First, reviewers of
a draft EIS 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 contentious [Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power
Corp. v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519, 533 (1978)]. Also, environmental
objections that could be raised at the draft EIS state but that are not
raised until after completion of the final EIS may be waived or
dismissed by the courts [City of Angoon 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 45-day comment period so that comments and objections
are made available to the Forest Service at a time when it can be
meaningfully considered and respond to them in the final EIS.
To assist the Forest Service in identifying the considering issues
and concerns on the proposed action, comments on the draft EIS should
be as specific as possible. It is also helpful if comments refer to
specific pages or chapters of the draft statement. Comments may also
address the adequacy of the draft EIS of the merits of the alternative
formulated and discussed in the statement. 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. In the final EIS, the Forest
Service is required to respond to substantive comments received during
the comment period for the draft EIS. The Forest Service is the lead
agency and the responsible official is the Forest Supervisor for the
Deschutes National Forest. The responsible official will
[[Page 34368]]
decide where, and whether or not to take action to meet the desired
condition within the project area. The responsible official will also
decide how to mitigate impacts of these actions and will determine when
and how monitoring of effects will take place.
The Ringo project decision and rationale will be documented in the
Record of Decision. Per 36 CFR 218.7(a)(2), this is a project
implementing a land management plan and not authorized under HFRA,
section 101(2), and is thus subject to subparts A and C of 36 CFR 218--
Project level Predecisional Administrative Review Process.
Dated: June 8, 2015.
Holly Jewkes,
District Ranger.
[FR Doc. 2015-14713 Filed 6-15-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P
