Fremont-Winema National Forest; Chiloquin Ranger District; Oregon: Lobert Restoration Project Environmental Impact Statement, 62013-62014 [2015-26288]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
• Forest Service

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 199 (Thursday, October 15, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62013-62014]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-26288]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Fremont-Winema National Forest; Chiloquin Ranger District; 
Oregon: Lobert Restoration Project Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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

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SUMMARY: The Forest Service will prepare an Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) to disclose the environmental effects of commercial and 
non-commercial vegetation management activities, prescribed burning, 
road activities, recreation opportunity improvements, and other 
restoration activities. Other design criteria are included to protect 
resources and facilitate management activities. The project is located 
on the Chiloquin Ranger District, Fremont-Winema National Forest, 
Klamath County, Oregon.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received 
by November 16, 2015. The draft environmental impact statement is 
expected September 2016 and the final environmental impact statement is 
expected December 2016.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Constance Cummins, Forest 
Supervisor, Fremont-Winema National Forest, c/o Kelly Ware, 38500 
Highway 97 North, Chiloquin, OR 97624. Comments may also be sent via 
email to comments-pacificnorthwest-winema-chiloquin@fs.fed.us, or via 
facsimile to 541-783-2134.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kelly Ware, NEPA Planner, Chiloquin 
Ranger District, 38500 Highway 97 North, Chiloquin, OR 97624. Phone: 
541-783-4039. Email: kware@fs.fed.us.
    Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD) 
may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 
between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Lobert project area encompasses 
approximately 97,500 acres of National Forest System lands and is 
located within the Klamath Tribes' former 1954 reservation. The project 
lies within portions of the Sprague River, Hog Creek-Williamson River, 
Swan Lake Valley, Long Lake Valley-Upper Klamath Lake, Yonna Valley-
Lost River, and Wood River watersheds. The project area is in Klamath 
County, generally located between the communities of Fort Klamath and 
Chiloquin, south to Hagelstein Park, and east to Swan Lake Point and 
Saddle Mountain. The legal description for the project planning area 
includes Townships 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 South, and Ranges 07, 08, 09, 10 
East, Willamette Meridian, Klamath County, Oregon.

Purpose and Need for Action

    The purpose and need for the Lobert Restoration Project was 
developed by comparing the management objectives and desired conditions 
of the Winema Forest Plan to the existing conditions in the project 
planning area related to watershed and forest resiliency and function. 
Where plan information was not explicit, best available science and 
local research, including the Klamath Tribes' Management Plan, were 
utilized. Comparison of the existing and desired condition indicates 
the specific needs to: (1) Restore forest structure, composition, and 
density toward more resistance and resilient vegetative conditions 
given the historic fire regime by reducing the horizontal and vertical 
connectivity and density of standing

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vegetation, surface fuels, and/or ladder fuels; (2) protect and release 
large and old trees from competition; (3) reduce uncharacteristic 
wildfire effects within the project planning area including the Saddle 
Mountain Cultural Resource Area and WUI; (4) Maintain and improve 
habitat for fish and wildlife species present in the project planning 
area, particularly mule deer; (5) restore degraded physical and 
biological stream processes that sustain floodplain ecosystem 
structure, function and diversity; (6) implement recovery plans for 
federally listed species; (7) reduce risk of northern spotted owl 
habitat degradation and loss from uncharacteristic wildfire and/or 
insect and disease outbreak; (8) conserve and restore cultural plants 
and maintain habitat for two rare endemic plant populations; (9) 
provide for a variety of social and cultural values and opportunities 
in the project area, including availability of traditional use plants, 
a variety of wood products, enhanced recreation experiences and 
opportunities, and a safe road system that moves toward current public 
access and resource management objectives.

Proposed Action

    The Forest proposed action includes restoration activities for the 
following resources: Vegetation management, aquatic restoration, 
recreation interpretive site improvement, and associated road 
management activities to address the purpose and need. These activities 
would occur over approximately the next 10 years.
    Vegetation management will include a mix of commercial thinning, 
small tree thinning, prescribed fire, and other fuels treatments. The 
use of different methods would be determined by site conditions, 
accessibility and specific resource protection needs. The proposal 
includes 9 different restoration treatments: (1) Dry ponderosa pine 
restoration; (2) dry mixed conifer restoration; (3) moist mixed conifer 
restoration; (4) xeric ponderosa pine restoration; (5) dispersal 
habitat for northern spotted owl (NSO); (6) foraging habitat (NSO); (7) 
wildland urban interface fuels reduction; (8) riparian restoration; (9) 
endemic plant enhancement.
    The proposed action will include large wood and spawning gravel 
placement in six stream reaches that are deficient in wood, riparian 
hardwood species planting, headcut repair, and spring enhancement. 
Spring enhancement may include: (1) Removal or repair of spring boxes 
or other spring development equipment; (2) installation of protective 
fencing; (3) vegetation treatments to improve hydrologic conditions (4) 
planting/sowing riparian species.
    Approximately 13.2 miles of roads are proposed to be closed post-
implementation, 162 miles of roads are proposed for decommissioning, 
and 4.5 miles of roads would have their operational maintenance levels 
upgraded.
    Recreation activities proposed include removal of three flush 
facilities from the Spring Creek Campground and picnic area and 
installation of one vault toilet. Two vault toilets that no longer meet 
water quality standards would be removed from the Oux Kanee Overlook; 
one would be replaced with a vault toilet that meets current standards.
    The Lobert Restoration Project will also include a variety of 
project design criteria that serve to mitigate impacts of activities to 
forest resources, including wildlife, soils, watershed condition, 
aquatic species, riparian habitat conservation areas, heritage 
resources, visuals, rangeland, botanical resources, and invasive 
plants. The proposed action may also include amendments to the Winema 
National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan, as amended.

Possible Alternatives

    The Forest Service will consider a range of alternatives. One of 
these will be the ``no action'' alternative in which none of the 
proposed action would be implemented. Additional alternatives may be 
included in response to issues raised by the public during the scoping 
process or due to additional concerns for resource values identified by 
the interdisciplinary team.

Responsible Official

    The Forest Supervisor of the Fremont-Winema National Forest, 1301 
South G Street, Lakeview, OR 97630, is the Responsible Official. As the 
Responsible Official, I will decide if the proposed action will be 
implemented. I will document the decision and rationale for the 
decision in the Record of Decision. I have delegated the responsibility 
for preparing the draft EIS and final EIS to the District Ranger, 
Chiloquin Ranger District.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    Based on the purpose and need, the Responsible Official reviews the 
proposed action, the other alternatives, the environmental 
consequences, and public comments on the analysis in order to make the 
following decision: (1) Whether to implement timber harvest and 
associated fuels treatments, prescribed burning, and watershed work, 
including the design features and potential mitigation measures to 
protect resources; and if so, how much and at what specific locations; 
(2) What, if any, specific project monitoring requirements are needed 
to assure design features and potential mitigation measures are 
implemented and effective, and to evaluate the success of the project 
objectives. A project specific monitoring plan will be developed.

Scoping Process

    This notice of intent initiates the scoping process, which guides 
the development of the environmental impact statement. The 
interdisciplinary team will continue to seek information, comments, and 
assistance from Federal, State, and local agencies, Tribal governments, 
and other individuals or organizations that may be interested in, or 
affected by, the proposed action.
    It is important that reviewers provide their comments at such times 
and in such manner that they are useful to the agency's preparation of 
the environmental impact statement. Therefore, comments should be 
provided prior to the close of the comment period and should clearly 
articulate the reviewer's concerns and contentions.
    Comments received in response to this solicitation, including names 
and addresses of those who comment, will be part of the public record 
for this proposed action. Comments submitted anonymously will be 
accepted and considered.

    Dated: October 1, 2015.
Constance Cummins,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2015-26288 Filed 10-14-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P