Caribou-Targhee National Forest; Ashton/Island Park Ranger Station; Idaho; Buffalo TSI, 9165-9167 [2016-03868]
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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 36 / Wednesday, February 24, 2016 / Notices
d. Commercial or recreational hunting
and fishing interests; and
e. Developed outdoor recreation, offhighway vehicle users, or commercial
recreation interests.
The Committee will serve 2-year
terms and will meet three to six times
annually, or as often as necessary at the
times designated by the Designated
Federal Officer (DFO). The appointment
of members to the Committee are made
by the Secretary of Agriculture.
Members of the Committee serve
without compensation, but may be
reimbursed for travel expenses while
performing duties on behalf of the
Committee, subject to approval by the
DFO. Further information about the
Committee is posted on the Planning
Rule Advisory Committee Web site:
https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/
planningrule/committee.
Equal opportunity practices were
followed in accordance with U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA)
policies. To ensure that the
recommendations of the Committee
have taken into account the needs of the
diverse groups served by USDA,
membership includes to the extent
possible, individuals with demonstrated
ability to represent the needs of all
racial and ethnic groups, women and
men, and persons with disabilities.
Dated: February 17, 2016.
Gregory L. Parhan,
Assistant Secretary for Administration.
[FR Doc. 2016–03900 Filed 2–23–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3411–15–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Caribou-Targhee National Forest;
Ashton/Island Park Ranger Station;
Idaho; Buffalo TSI
Forest Service, USDA.
Notice of intent to prepare an
environmental impact statement.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
This project proposes to
reduce or prolong the overall
susceptibility to mountain pine beetle
attacks and crown fires in a subset of
previously harvested areas within the
analysis area. Precommercial thinning is
proposed so trees within these stands
maintain diameter and height growth as
well as increased crown development
and to move this project area toward
meeting specific goals, and objectives
outlined in the Targhee National Forest
Revised Forest Management Plan (RFP)
and the Properly Functioning Condition
Assessment (PFC).
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SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:59 Feb 23, 2016
Jkt 238001
Comments concerning the scope
of the analysis must be received by
March 25, 2016. The draft
environmental impact statement is
expected July 2016 and the final
environmental impact statement is
expected January 2017.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to
Mike Alfieri, Island Park Ranger Station,
3726 Highway 20, Island Park, ID 83429.
Comments may also be sent via email to
comments-intermtn-caribou-targheeashton-islandpark@fs.fed.us, or via
facsimile to 208–558–7812.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mike Alfieri, Forestry Technician 208–
558–4210 or malfieri@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:
DATES:
Purpose and Need for Action
The purpose of this project is to
reduce or prolong the overall
susceptibility to mountain pine beetle
attacks and crown fires in a subset of
previously harvested areas within the
analysis area. The purpose is to also to
provide for a variety of resource
products now and in the future. All of
the areas identified for treatment were
harvested using the clearcut method
over 20 years ago and are regenerated
with hundreds and even thousands of
trees per acre, primarily of lodgepole
pine. Precommercial thinning is
proposed so trees within these stands
maintain diameter and height growth as
well as increased crown development
and to move this project area toward
meeting specific goals, and objectives
outlined in the Targhee National Forest
Revised Forest Management Plan (RFP)
and the PFC. These include:
1. Use vegetation management to
achieve a broad array of multiple-use
and ecosystem management objectives,
including forest health, structure,
composition, and distribution in larger
landscapes. . . . Develop long term
vegetation and density management
strategies to reduce the risk of a future
catastrophic bark beetle epidemic (RFP
III–12). For the Buffalo project area this
goal has been further refined as leaving
approximately 195 trees per acre or a 15
by 15 foot overall tree spacing to
prolong the susceptibility to future
mountain pine beetle attacks.
2. Lodgepole pine stands in
Watershed 10 would provide a variety
of forest products now and in the future.
More dense stands would provide
smaller diameter products such as post
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
9165
and poles; less dense stands would
provide larger diameter trees that could
be harvested as sawtimber in the future.
Stands that remain susceptible to crown
fire or mountain pine beetle would
eventually die providing firewood. For
the Buffalo project, firewood, post and
poles could be a byproduct of the
proposed treatments. In the future, the
areas thinned with this proposal would
provide sawtimber available for future
harvest (RFP III 31–33).
3. The likelihood of future landscapelevel crown fire will be reduced in order
to protect human life and safety,
developments, structures, and sensitive
resource values (RFP III–6). The
roadside fuelbreak along a portion of
Fish Creek Road would increase
chances that firefighters will be able to
safely engage either unwanted wildfires
or fires for resource benefit. For the
Buffalo project area, the various
treatments would reduce spacing
between tree canopies to reduce the
potential of crown fire; and ground fuels
will be minimized to decrease the
potential for a surface fire and for a
surface fire to reach the crowns.
The desired condition for this project
is outlined in the three goals stated
above. The need for this project is to
bring this landscape closer to meeting
these desired conditions.
With reference to susceptibility to
mountain pine beetle, thinned
lodgepole stands have more open grown
conditions which leave tree stand’s
microclimate less desirable for
mountain pine beetle. Wind speeds can
increase within thinned stands,
disrupting pheromone plumes that let
other beetles know there is available
food. Efforts to prevent undesirable
levels of bark beetle-caused tree
mortality must change susceptibility
through reductions in tree competition,
disruption of pheromone plumes thus
negatively affecting host-finding, and
reduction in the fecundity, fitness and
survivorship of target bark beetle
species. Less dense trees have thicker
phloem which favors mountain pine
beetle production but this strategy also
increases resistance of individual trees
through increased tree vigor allowing
the trees the energy or turgor pressure
to expel the beetle. Trees of low vigor
related to a higher relative stand density
caused by competition for water and
nutrients are more susceptible to bark
beetle attack. Areas that are not
precommercially thinned and have very
high densities of lodgepole pine are also
less susceptible for mountain pine
beetle because of reduced phloem
thickness.
Watershed 10 will have a variety of
lodgepole pine stands that would
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24FEN1
9166
Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 36 / Wednesday, February 24, 2016 / Notices
provide for various forest products now
and in the future. Stands that have been
previously precommercial thinned to
leave approximately 360 trees per acre
would provide sawtimber when the
lodgepole pine matures. If these stands
are not harvested before they reach 80
to 100 years old, they may be
susceptible to mountain pine beetle
attack, die and become available for
firewood. The lodgepole pine stands
that would not be precommercially
thinned could provide post and poles
now and into the future. Areas that are
proposed for precommercial thinning
through this project could provide
sawtimber when the lodgepole pine
matures. Post, poles and firewood
would be a byproduct of the thinning
when the project is implemented.
In lodgepole pine-dominated stands,
fire can behave in two different
extremes. Typically, fire creeps and
smolders along the forest floor shaded
by the dense tree canopy and hindered
by the lack of ground fuels. However,
under dry and windy conditions with
heavy dead fuel accumulations, fires
can spread through those surface fuels
and quickly get up into the canopy.
These fires are typically high-intensity,
stand-replacing fires that do not occur
often, but burn many acres and are very
difficult to extinguish when they do
occur. If left untreated, the current
lodgepole pine-dominated stands within
this project would over time create the
surface fuels necessary to allow fire to
get into the canopy and potentially
produce crown fire that is so difficult to
suppress. The roadside fuels reduction
project would enhance a fuel break
along a key Forest Service Road, Fish
Creek (082) to increase chances that
firefighters will be able to safely engage
either unwanted wildfires or fires for
resource benefit. Roadside fuel breaks
located in areas where fire can be safely
restored to the landscape would
contribute to maintaining fire as a
disturbance on this landscape as well as
allow safe effective wildfire response
with minimal exposure to firefighters.
This fuel break is located within the
wildland urban interface (WUI) and
would remove surface, ladder, and
crown fuels.
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Proposed Action
The proposed action would
precommercially thin approximately
3900 acres located within the Buffalo
River Watershed to achieve the desired
conditions stated in the Purpose and
Need. Areas identified to be thinned are
past harvest units composed primarily
of lodgepole pine presently stocked at
greater than 500 trees per acre.
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17:59 Feb 23, 2016
Jkt 238001
Precommercial Thinning Units
• Trees would be thinned to a 15 by
15 foot spacing with the exception of
the Aquatic Influence Zone (AIZ).
• Within 25 feet of any stream or AIZ,
Reduce leave tree spacing from 15 by 15
foot spacing to 12 by 12 foot spacing,
unless approved by a hydrologist or fish
biologist.
• Within riparian areas and Aquatic
Influence Zones (AIZ) felled trees would
be left where they fall and felled in a
way that protects residual vegetation
from damage.
Roadside fuel break—Within the 600
feet (300 feet on either side of the road)
of the Fish Creek Road (FS 082).
• Thin to a 20 by 20 foot spacing.
• Within 25 feet of any stream or
aquatic influence zone (AIZ), reduce
leave tree spacing to 12 by 12 feet,
unless approved by a hydrologist or fish
biologist.
• Masticate remaining slash.
Masticated chips would not exceed a
depth of three inches.
• Areas designated for tree removal
will not impact current road closures.
• Pioneered roads will be
rehabilitated once trees have been
removed.
• Within AIZs, do not remove (for
pile burning or mastication) dead and
down material greater than 6 inches or
less than 2 inches in diameter.
• Within AIZ, lop and scatter material
that is less than 2 inches in diameter
(i.e. do not remove for pile burning or
mastication).
• Where feasible, do not pile burn or
masticate within AIZ. If practicable,
pull material completely outside of the
AIZ to pile burn or masticate. If not
feasible, pile material as far from stream
channels as practical given the local
terrain.
• No heavy equipment operation (e.g.
masticator, skidder, etc.) shall occur in
the AIZ off of existing routes unless
approved by a soil scientist or
hydrologist.
• Within AIZ, minimize the
mechanized treatment of wood residue.
All debris associated with treatments
shall be left or placed in such a manner
as to prevent their entry into streams.
• Do not burn material within the
bankfull channel.
• Fell trees in a way that protects
residual vegetation from damage.
Minimize ground-disturbing activities.
• Avoid heavy equipment use on
slopes greater than 40 percent.
• Rutting in skid trails should not
exceed six to eight inches in depth (wet
condition) over more than ten percent of
a designated skid trail system. No
yarding operations should take place
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
when ground conditions are wet enough
that there is a risk of such rutting. Avoid
operations if soil is saturated.
• No new roads, skid trails, or
landings will be constructed within the
AIZ until appropriate standards for
construction, maintenance, and
operations are in place. Use previously
disturbed areas for landings. All newly
constructed landings, skid trails, and
temporary roads shall be obliterated. No
temporary stream crossings are
necessary.
Design Criteria Common to All
Treatments
• Trees remaining following thinning
would have straight stems, well-formed
crowns, be free of insect or disease
damage, vigorous annual terminal
growth, and crown ratio of 40 percent or
more.
• To promote species diversity,
conifers other than lodgepole pine
would remain within the treatment
units except in aspen clumps.
• No aspen would be cut.
• No five needle pines would be cut.
• All conifers except five needle
pines would be cut within two aspen
tree heights of an aspen clump (3 or
more aspen trees).
• Cutting of trees would be
accomplished by crews using chain
saws.
• Trees on the ground would provide
opportunities to gather firewood, post
and poles anywhere within the
treatment units. Those removing
products can only drive within 300 feet
of either side of an open or gated forest
service system road to retrieve their
wood.
• Each treatment would be sequenced
as follows: Cut trees, remove products
removal such as firewood, post or poles
would occur for not more than three
years, treat slash.
• There would be no new road
construction or reconstruction. No
decommissioned roads would be
opened for the project. Approximately
13.82 miles of restricted (gated roads)
would be used to access thinning units.
The gated roads would only be used by
people associated with the thinning
project and the gates would remain
locked at all times.
• Following precommercial thinning
operations, gated roads (FS Roads 083,
105, 448, 447 and 116) would be opened
as necessary to firewood, post and pole
removal within the treatment units.
Those removing firewood, post and
poles can only drive within 300 feet of
either side of an open or gated forest
service system road to retrieve their
wood.
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24FEN1
Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 36 / Wednesday, February 24, 2016 / Notices
• All open and restricted gated roads
within or adjacent to the units shall be
kept free of felled trees.
• No thinning activities would occur
before July 1 to reduce the effects to
nesting migratory birds.
• All contractors and people involved
with the proposed project must comply
with the applicable food storage special
order in effect when the work is
performed.
• There is one pond located within
the project area. No precommercial
thinning will occur within 300 feet of
the pond to avoid adverse effects to
amphibians.
• Generally strive to maintain fine
organic matter over at least 50 percent
of the area (RFP, pages III–6 & 7).
• Five to ten tons of woody debris
would remain on the ground following
treatments.
• Areas of pile burning will be
evaluated and monitored to determine if
seeding or additional rehabilitation is
warranted to minimize weed spread and
maintain soil productivity.
• Adjust chipping size and depth to
provide a variation of chip depth
(maximum depth of three inches
including patches of unchipped) and
chip size to allow differing
decomposition rates and soil moisture
retention lengths and to avoid
negatively impacting available soil
nitrogen.
• Locate public firewood as close to
the existing roads as possible (material
resulting from thinning).
• Plan for burning of piles to occur
when soils are wet from snow or rain to
limit impacts on soil organic matter,
physical properties and soil organisms.
• Routes pioneered into the project
area will need to be evaluated for the
most appropriate rehabilitation and
closure methods. Options may include:
Leaving additional slash over the area,
roughing up the segment where the
route departs from a system road or
mastication perpendicular to the
segment.
Possible Alternatives
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Responsible Official
The Ashton/Island Park District
Ranger is the responsible official and
will make the decision.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
In the decision, the responsible
official will decide whether or not to
precommercially thin the identified
stands of trees.
17:59 Feb 23, 2016
This notice of intent initiates the
scoping process, which guides the
development of the environmental
impact statement.
The purpose of this comment period
is to provide an opportunity for the
public to provide early and meaningful
participation on a proposed action prior
to a decision being made by the
Responsible Official. It is important that
reviewers provide their comments at
such times and in such manner that
they are useful to the agency’s
preparation of the environmental impact
statement. Therefore, comments should
be provided prior to the close of the
comment period and should clearly
articulate the reviewer’s concerns and
contentions.
Comments received in response to
this solicitation, including names and
addresses of those who comment, will
be part of the public record for this
proposed action. Comments submitted
anonymously will be accepted and
considered, however.
Public comment on this analysis is
pursuant to the pre-decisional process
described at 36 CFR 218, Subparts A
and B.
Only those who comment and meet
all the requirements contained in 36
CFR 218.25(a)(3) will have standing to
object to the project during the 45 day
pre-decisional objection period. The
objection period will occur following
the distribution of the final EIS and
draft Record of Decision. Comments
submitted in response to this
solicitation must meet the definition of
‘‘specific written comments’’ as defined
at 36 CFR 218.2, particularly ‘‘. . .
specific written comments should be
within the scope of the proposed action,
have a direct relationship to the
proposed action, and must include
supporting reasons for the responsible
official to consider.’’
Dated: February 18, 2016.
Elizibeth Davy,
District Ranger.
Jkt 238001
BILLING CODE 3411–15–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
National Advisory Committee for
Implementation of the National Forest
System Land Management Planning
Rule
Forest Service, USDA
Notice of meetings.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
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Frm 00007
Fmt 4703
The National Advisory
Committee for Implementation of the
National Forest System Land
Management Planning Rule Committee
(Committee) will meet in Washington,
DC. Attendees may also participate via
webinar and conference call. The
Committee operates in compliance with
the Federal Advisory Committee Act
(FACA) (Pub. L. 92–463). Committee
information can be found by visiting the
Committee’s Web site at: https://www.fs.
usda.gov/main/planningrule/committee.
DATES: The meetings will be held inperson and via webinar/conference call
on the following dates and times:
• Tuesday, March 8, 2016, from 9:00
a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST
• Wednesday, March 9, 2016, from
9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST
All meetings are subject to
cancellation. For updated status of
meetings prior to attendance, please
contact the person listed under FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at
the USDA Forest Service, Sidney R.
Yates Building, 1400 Independence
Avenue, Southwest, Washington DC.
For anyone who would like to attend via
webinar and/or conference call, please
visit the Web site listed above or contact
the person listed in the section titled
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
Written comments may be submitted
as described under SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION. All comments, including
names and addresses, when provided,
are placed in the record and available
for public inspection and copying. The
public may inspect comments received
at the USDA Forest Service Washington
Office—Yates Building. Please call
ahead to facilitate entry into the
building.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Jennifer Helwig, Committee
Coordinator, by phone at 202–205–0892,
or by email at jahelwig@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 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.,
Eastern Standard Time, Monday
through Friday.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
purpose of this meeting is to provide:
1. Continued deliberations on
formulating advice for the Secretary,
2. Discussion of Committee work
group findings,
3. Hearing public comments, and
4. Administrative tasks.
This meeting is open to the public.
The agenda will include time for people
to make oral comments of three minutes
or less. Individuals wishing to make an
SUMMARY:
[FR Doc. 2016–03868 Filed 2–23–16; 8:45 am]
At a minimum, the proposed action
and a no action alternative would be
analyzed.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
Scoping Process
Sfmt 4703
9167
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 36 (Wednesday, February 24, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9165-9167]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-03868]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Caribou-Targhee National Forest; Ashton/Island Park Ranger
Station; Idaho; Buffalo TSI
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This project proposes to reduce or prolong the overall
susceptibility to mountain pine beetle attacks and crown fires in a
subset of previously harvested areas within the analysis area.
Precommercial thinning is proposed so trees within these stands
maintain diameter and height growth as well as increased crown
development and to move this project area toward meeting specific
goals, and objectives outlined in the Targhee National Forest Revised
Forest Management Plan (RFP) and the Properly Functioning Condition
Assessment (PFC).
DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received
by March 25, 2016. The draft environmental impact statement is expected
July 2016 and the final environmental impact statement is expected
January 2017.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Mike Alfieri, Island Park Ranger
Station, 3726 Highway 20, Island Park, ID 83429. Comments may also be
sent via email to comments-intermtn-caribou-targhee-ashton-islandpark@fs.fed.us, or via facsimile to 208-558-7812.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mike Alfieri, Forestry Technician 208-
558-4210 or malfieri@fs.fed.us.
Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD)
may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339
between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose and Need for Action
The purpose of this project is to reduce or prolong the overall
susceptibility to mountain pine beetle attacks and crown fires in a
subset of previously harvested areas within the analysis area. The
purpose is to also to provide for a variety of resource products now
and in the future. All of the areas identified for treatment were
harvested using the clearcut method over 20 years ago and are
regenerated with hundreds and even thousands of trees per acre,
primarily of lodgepole pine. Precommercial thinning is proposed so
trees within these stands maintain diameter and height growth as well
as increased crown development and to move this project area toward
meeting specific goals, and objectives outlined in the Targhee National
Forest Revised Forest Management Plan (RFP) and the PFC. These include:
1. Use vegetation management to achieve a broad array of multiple-
use and ecosystem management objectives, including forest health,
structure, composition, and distribution in larger landscapes. . . .
Develop long term vegetation and density management strategies to
reduce the risk of a future catastrophic bark beetle epidemic (RFP III-
12). For the Buffalo project area this goal has been further refined as
leaving approximately 195 trees per acre or a 15 by 15 foot overall
tree spacing to prolong the susceptibility to future mountain pine
beetle attacks.
2. Lodgepole pine stands in Watershed 10 would provide a variety of
forest products now and in the future. More dense stands would provide
smaller diameter products such as post and poles; less dense stands
would provide larger diameter trees that could be harvested as
sawtimber in the future. Stands that remain susceptible to crown fire
or mountain pine beetle would eventually die providing firewood. For
the Buffalo project, firewood, post and poles could be a byproduct of
the proposed treatments. In the future, the areas thinned with this
proposal would provide sawtimber available for future harvest (RFP III
31-33).
3. The likelihood of future landscape-level crown fire will be
reduced in order to protect human life and safety, developments,
structures, and sensitive resource values (RFP III-6). The roadside
fuelbreak along a portion of Fish Creek Road would increase chances
that firefighters will be able to safely engage either unwanted
wildfires or fires for resource benefit. For the Buffalo project area,
the various treatments would reduce spacing between tree canopies to
reduce the potential of crown fire; and ground fuels will be minimized
to decrease the potential for a surface fire and for a surface fire to
reach the crowns.
The desired condition for this project is outlined in the three
goals stated above. The need for this project is to bring this
landscape closer to meeting these desired conditions.
With reference to susceptibility to mountain pine beetle, thinned
lodgepole stands have more open grown conditions which leave tree
stand's microclimate less desirable for mountain pine beetle. Wind
speeds can increase within thinned stands, disrupting pheromone plumes
that let other beetles know there is available food. Efforts to prevent
undesirable levels of bark beetle-caused tree mortality must change
susceptibility through reductions in tree competition, disruption of
pheromone plumes thus negatively affecting host-finding, and reduction
in the fecundity, fitness and survivorship of target bark beetle
species. Less dense trees have thicker phloem which favors mountain
pine beetle production but this strategy also increases resistance of
individual trees through increased tree vigor allowing the trees the
energy or turgor pressure to expel the beetle. Trees of low vigor
related to a higher relative stand density caused by competition for
water and nutrients are more susceptible to bark beetle attack. Areas
that are not precommercially thinned and have very high densities of
lodgepole pine are also less susceptible for mountain pine beetle
because of reduced phloem thickness.
Watershed 10 will have a variety of lodgepole pine stands that
would
[[Page 9166]]
provide for various forest products now and in the future. Stands that
have been previously precommercial thinned to leave approximately 360
trees per acre would provide sawtimber when the lodgepole pine matures.
If these stands are not harvested before they reach 80 to 100 years
old, they may be susceptible to mountain pine beetle attack, die and
become available for firewood. The lodgepole pine stands that would not
be precommercially thinned could provide post and poles now and into
the future. Areas that are proposed for precommercial thinning through
this project could provide sawtimber when the lodgepole pine matures.
Post, poles and firewood would be a byproduct of the thinning when the
project is implemented.
In lodgepole pine-dominated stands, fire can behave in two
different extremes. Typically, fire creeps and smolders along the
forest floor shaded by the dense tree canopy and hindered by the lack
of ground fuels. However, under dry and windy conditions with heavy
dead fuel accumulations, fires can spread through those surface fuels
and quickly get up into the canopy. These fires are typically high-
intensity, stand-replacing fires that do not occur often, but burn many
acres and are very difficult to extinguish when they do occur. If left
untreated, the current lodgepole pine-dominated stands within this
project would over time create the surface fuels necessary to allow
fire to get into the canopy and potentially produce crown fire that is
so difficult to suppress. The roadside fuels reduction project would
enhance a fuel break along a key Forest Service Road, Fish Creek (082)
to increase chances that firefighters will be able to safely engage
either unwanted wildfires or fires for resource benefit. Roadside fuel
breaks located in areas where fire can be safely restored to the
landscape would contribute to maintaining fire as a disturbance on this
landscape as well as allow safe effective wildfire response with
minimal exposure to firefighters. This fuel break is located within the
wildland urban interface (WUI) and would remove surface, ladder, and
crown fuels.
Proposed Action
The proposed action would precommercially thin approximately 3900
acres located within the Buffalo River Watershed to achieve the desired
conditions stated in the Purpose and Need. Areas identified to be
thinned are past harvest units composed primarily of lodgepole pine
presently stocked at greater than 500 trees per acre.
Precommercial Thinning Units
Trees would be thinned to a 15 by 15 foot spacing with the
exception of the Aquatic Influence Zone (AIZ).
Within 25 feet of any stream or AIZ, Reduce leave tree
spacing from 15 by 15 foot spacing to 12 by 12 foot spacing, unless
approved by a hydrologist or fish biologist.
Within riparian areas and Aquatic Influence Zones (AIZ)
felled trees would be left where they fall and felled in a way that
protects residual vegetation from damage.
Roadside fuel break--Within the 600 feet (300 feet on either side
of the road) of the Fish Creek Road (FS 082).
Thin to a 20 by 20 foot spacing.
Within 25 feet of any stream or aquatic influence zone
(AIZ), reduce leave tree spacing to 12 by 12 feet, unless approved by a
hydrologist or fish biologist.
Masticate remaining slash. Masticated chips would not
exceed a depth of three inches.
Areas designated for tree removal will not impact current
road closures.
Pioneered roads will be rehabilitated once trees have been
removed.
Within AIZs, do not remove (for pile burning or
mastication) dead and down material greater than 6 inches or less than
2 inches in diameter.
Within AIZ, lop and scatter material that is less than 2
inches in diameter (i.e. do not remove for pile burning or
mastication).
Where feasible, do not pile burn or masticate within AIZ.
If practicable, pull material completely outside of the AIZ to pile
burn or masticate. If not feasible, pile material as far from stream
channels as practical given the local terrain.
No heavy equipment operation (e.g. masticator, skidder,
etc.) shall occur in the AIZ off of existing routes unless approved by
a soil scientist or hydrologist.
Within AIZ, minimize the mechanized treatment of wood
residue. All debris associated with treatments shall be left or placed
in such a manner as to prevent their entry into streams.
Do not burn material within the bankfull channel.
Fell trees in a way that protects residual vegetation from
damage. Minimize ground-disturbing activities.
Avoid heavy equipment use on slopes greater than 40
percent.
Rutting in skid trails should not exceed six to eight
inches in depth (wet condition) over more than ten percent of a
designated skid trail system. No yarding operations should take place
when ground conditions are wet enough that there is a risk of such
rutting. Avoid operations if soil is saturated.
No new roads, skid trails, or landings will be constructed
within the AIZ until appropriate standards for construction,
maintenance, and operations are in place. Use previously disturbed
areas for landings. All newly constructed landings, skid trails, and
temporary roads shall be obliterated. No temporary stream crossings are
necessary.
Design Criteria Common to All Treatments
Trees remaining following thinning would have straight
stems, well-formed crowns, be free of insect or disease damage,
vigorous annual terminal growth, and crown ratio of 40 percent or more.
To promote species diversity, conifers other than
lodgepole pine would remain within the treatment units except in aspen
clumps.
No aspen would be cut.
No five needle pines would be cut.
All conifers except five needle pines would be cut within
two aspen tree heights of an aspen clump (3 or more aspen trees).
Cutting of trees would be accomplished by crews using
chain saws.
Trees on the ground would provide opportunities to gather
firewood, post and poles anywhere within the treatment units. Those
removing products can only drive within 300 feet of either side of an
open or gated forest service system road to retrieve their wood.
Each treatment would be sequenced as follows: Cut trees,
remove products removal such as firewood, post or poles would occur for
not more than three years, treat slash.
There would be no new road construction or reconstruction.
No decommissioned roads would be opened for the project. Approximately
13.82 miles of restricted (gated roads) would be used to access
thinning units. The gated roads would only be used by people associated
with the thinning project and the gates would remain locked at all
times.
Following precommercial thinning operations, gated roads
(FS Roads 083, 105, 448, 447 and 116) would be opened as necessary to
firewood, post and pole removal within the treatment units. Those
removing firewood, post and poles can only drive within 300 feet of
either side of an open or gated forest service system road to retrieve
their wood.
[[Page 9167]]
All open and restricted gated roads within or adjacent to
the units shall be kept free of felled trees.
No thinning activities would occur before July 1 to reduce
the effects to nesting migratory birds.
All contractors and people involved with the proposed
project must comply with the applicable food storage special order in
effect when the work is performed.
There is one pond located within the project area. No
precommercial thinning will occur within 300 feet of the pond to avoid
adverse effects to amphibians.
Generally strive to maintain fine organic matter over at
least 50 percent of the area (RFP, pages III-6 & 7).
Five to ten tons of woody debris would remain on the
ground following treatments.
Areas of pile burning will be evaluated and monitored to
determine if seeding or additional rehabilitation is warranted to
minimize weed spread and maintain soil productivity.
Adjust chipping size and depth to provide a variation of
chip depth (maximum depth of three inches including patches of
unchipped) and chip size to allow differing decomposition rates and
soil moisture retention lengths and to avoid negatively impacting
available soil nitrogen.
Locate public firewood as close to the existing roads as
possible (material resulting from thinning).
Plan for burning of piles to occur when soils are wet from
snow or rain to limit impacts on soil organic matter, physical
properties and soil organisms.
Routes pioneered into the project area will need to be
evaluated for the most appropriate rehabilitation and closure methods.
Options may include: Leaving additional slash over the area, roughing
up the segment where the route departs from a system road or
mastication perpendicular to the segment.
Possible Alternatives
At a minimum, the proposed action and a no action alternative would
be analyzed.
Responsible Official
The Ashton/Island Park District Ranger is the responsible official
and will make the decision.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
In the decision, the responsible official will decide whether or
not to precommercially thin the identified stands of trees.
Scoping Process
This notice of intent initiates the scoping process, which guides
the development of the environmental impact statement.
The purpose of this comment period is to provide an opportunity for
the public to provide early and meaningful participation on a proposed
action prior to a decision being made by the Responsible Official. It
is important that reviewers provide their comments at such times and in
such manner that they are useful to the agency's preparation of the
environmental impact statement. Therefore, comments should be provided
prior to the close of the comment period and should clearly articulate
the reviewer's concerns and contentions.
Comments received in response to this solicitation, including names
and addresses of those who comment, will be part of the public record
for this proposed action. Comments submitted anonymously will be
accepted and considered, however.
Public comment on this analysis is pursuant to the pre-decisional
process described at 36 CFR 218, Subparts A and B.
Only those who comment and meet all the requirements contained in
36 CFR 218.25(a)(3) will have standing to object to the project during
the 45 day pre-decisional objection period. The objection period will
occur following the distribution of the final EIS and draft Record of
Decision. Comments submitted in response to this solicitation must meet
the definition of ``specific written comments'' as defined at 36 CFR
218.2, particularly ``. . . specific written comments should be within
the scope of the proposed action, have a direct relationship to the
proposed action, and must include supporting reasons for the
responsible official to consider.''
Dated: February 18, 2016.
Elizibeth Davy,
District Ranger.
[FR Doc. 2016-03868 Filed 2-23-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3411-15-P