Wallowa-Whitman National Forest; Oregon; Notice of Intent to Cancel Preparation of a Supplement to the 2012 Final Environmental Impact Statement for Snow Basin Vegetation Management Project, 12065-12066 [2016-05090]

Download as PDF 12065 Notices Federal Register Vol. 81, No. 45 Tuesday, March 8, 2016 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings, delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency statements of organization and functions are examples of documents appearing in this section. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Food and Nutrition Service Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES March 2, 2016. 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 are requested regarding (1) 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; (2) the accuracy of the agency’s estimate of burden including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) 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. Comments regarding this information collection received by April 7, 2016 will be considered. Written comments 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. 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 VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:02 Mar 07, 2016 Jkt 238001 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: WIC Participant and Program Characteristics Study. OMB Control Number: 0584–NEW. Summary of Collection: This data collection effort for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Participant and Program Characteristics Study is authorized by 7 CFR 246.25(b)(3) (2011). This legislation requires State and local agencies to provide information required by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) for the creation of biennial reports on WIC participant and program characteristics (PC). This information includes, at a minimum, income and nutritional risk characteristics of participants, information on breastfeeding incidence and duration, and participation in the program by category (pregnant, breastfeeding, and postpartum women; infants; and children) within each priority level (as established in 7 CFR 246.7 (e)(4)) and by migrant farmworker households. The study affirms USDA’s Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services’ fourth strategic goal for 2014–2018: to ensure all of America’s children have access to safe, nutritious, and balanced meals. Need and Use of the Information: The WIC PC Study will collect updated program characteristics data from each of the 90 WIC State agencies. FNS uses this data for general program monitoring as well as for managing the information needs of the program. The data is used to estimate budgets, submit civil rights reporting, identify needs for research, and review current and proposed WIC policies and procedures. FNS uses this data to produce the WIC PC reports which provide the most comprehensive and up-to-date statistics on WIC. Description of Respondents: State, Local, or Tribal Government. Number of Respondents: 90. Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Biennially. Total Burden Hours: 530. Food and Nutrition Service Title: WIC Infant and Toddler Feeding Practices Study–2 (ITFPS–2) Age 5 Extension. PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 OMB Control Number: 0584–0580. Summary of Collection: The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 (Pub. L. 111–296, Sec. 305) mandates programs under its authorization, including WIC, to cooperate with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) program research and evaluation activities. The USDA’s Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) serves a highly-vulnerable population: low-income pregnant and post-partum women, infants, and children through their fifth birthday who are at nutritional risk. The program provides supplemental food packages, health referrals and nutrition education for participants. The Age 5 Extension will follow children through the entire period of their WIC eligibility, and provide the data to answer research questions relevant to WIC program and policy as well as the nutrition and wellbeing of children up to their 5th birthday. Need and Use of the Information: The study is needed to provide the Food and Nutrition Service with information on the factors that influence feeding practices and the nutrition and health outcomes of children in the first three years of their lives. The Age 5 Extension study will expand the data collection to their fifth year of life. Description of Respondents: Individuals or households; Businesses or other for-profit institutions; Not-forprofit institutions; and State, Local or Tribal Government. Number of Respondents: 5,869. Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion; semi-annually. Total Burden Hours: 11,619. Ruth Brown, Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer. [FR Doc. 2016–05065 Filed 3–7–16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–30–P DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Forest Service Wallowa-Whitman National Forest; Oregon; Notice of Intent to Cancel Preparation of a Supplement to the 2012 Final Environmental Impact Statement for Snow Basin Vegetation Management Project AGENCY: E:\FR\FM\08MRN1.SGM Forest Service, USDA. 08MRN1 12066 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 45 / Tuesday, March 8, 2016 / Notices Notice of intent to cancel preparation of a supplemental environmental impact statement. ACTION: On August 6, 2014, the USDA Forest Service published a Notice of Intent in the Federal Register (Vol. 79, No. 151, page 45761) to prepare a Supplement to the Snow Basin Vegetation Management Project Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to address the environmental impact of the project on elk and elk habitat. The USDA Forest Service no longer intends to prepare the Supplement and the project has been cancelled. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dea Nelson, Environmental Coordinator, Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, 1550 Dewey, Suite A, Baker City, OR 97814; or, 541–523–1216; or, dnelson09@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. SUMMARY: Thomas Montoya, Forest Supervisor. [FR Doc. 2016–05090 Filed 3–7–16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–11–P DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Forest Service Umatilla National Forest, North Fork John Day Ranger District; Oregon; Ten Cent Community Wildfire Protection Project 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) to analyze impacts for fuels treatment in the Granite Creek Watershed of the North Fork John Day Ranger District of the Umatilla National Forest and the Whitman Ranger District of the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. Scoping for the EIS was open for 30 days in July 2015 and numerous comments were received from the public. These comments were used to form the issues for the EIS. DATES: The draft environmental impact statement is expected to be available for public comment in May 2016 and the final environmental impact statement is expected to be completed in September 2016. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andrew Stinchfield, North Fork John asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:02 Mar 07, 2016 Jkt 238001 Day Ranger District, P.O. Box 158, Ukiah, OR 97880, (541) 427–3231. 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 and need of the Ten Cent Community Wildfire Protection Project is to provide a safer working environment for firefighters while improving probability of success in protecting life and property associated with the adjacent private lands in the event of a wildfire within or threatening the values at risk (VAR) in the Granite Zone as defined by the Grant County Community Wildfire Protection Plan. These values at risk include the cities of Granite and Greenhorn, scattered inholdings (intermix), and the ingress/ egress routes from private lands. Modeled flame lengths across the planning area are currently around 4.6 feet, with some stands showing modeled flame lengths as high as 20 feet. Many of the stands within the analysis area are predicted to exhibit active crown fires as well. The desired condition would result in areas within the strategically placed Defensible Fuel Profile Zones (DFPZs) exhibiting flame lengths of less than 4 feet and reducing the probability of a wildfire burning through the crowns of live trees. Defensible Fuel Profile Zones are defined as linear paths through a forested area in which surface and canopy fuels have been altered but where significant overstory is retained to shade the surface fuels. Fires that exhibit flame lengths of less than 4 feet can generally be attacked at the head or flanks by firefighters using hand tools. Handline should be able to hold the fire within the line, and with ladder fuels removed the chance of the fire running into the live tree crowns is greatly reduced as well. Running crown fires lead to unpredictable ember generation (spotting) which can further threaten values at risk. Therefore, there is a need: • To create a series of strategically placed DFPZs in order to modify the existing fuels to reduce potential fire behavior to low intensity and reduce the probability of crown fire and spotting. • To enhance landscape resilience to future wildfires within the Granite Creek watershed. • To maintain and enhance local communities and economies by providing a diversity of resource management activities, recreational PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 opportunities, commodity outputs, and ecosystem services from public lands. The overall need for the Ten Cent Community Wildfire Protection Project is to modify the predicted fire behavior in the project area while also supporting local communities by providing goods and services. Proposed Action The Forest Service proposes the following actions within the project area to address the purpose and need for action. Multiple types of fuel reduction treatments would occur across these stands and would be designed to increase crown spacing and reduce surface fuels. These treatments would occur along the private land boundaries and extend up to 1.5 miles away from those boundaries, where indicated by predicted fire behavior. The goal would be to create a contiguous DFPZ along all private land borders within the project area. Strategic DFPZs would also be placed along roads and the forest stands within these zones would be treated a maximum of 500 feet from both sides of the road as necessary. The width of treatment would be dictated by current stand conditions as well as other resource management needs. The goal of these roadside treatments would be DFPZs that help facilitate safe evacuation of residents and recreationists in the event of a wildfire, slow the progress of a wildfire coming out of the Wilderness, and provide suppression forces a higher probability of successfully managing a wildfire using indirect or more direct suppression tactics. The proposed actions, with the exception of some prescribed burning, are within 1.5 miles of identified values at risk (cities of Granite and Greenhorn, private inholdings/structures, ingress and egress routes) with most of the treatments occurring within 0.25 miles of the values at risk. The area treated would include 8,137 acres of stands identified that currently support flame lengths greater than or equal to 4 feet and have a high potential for crown fire initiation. A total of 6,035 acres would be treated along egress routes within the project area. About 38,000 acres of prescribed fire is proposed across the watershed including a maximum of about 9,500 acres located in the NFJD Wilderness. Possible Alternatives The Forest Service developed 4 alternatives in response to issues raised by the public: • Alternative 1—No Action • Alternative 2—Proposed Action E:\FR\FM\08MRN1.SGM 08MRN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 45 (Tuesday, March 8, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12065-12066]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-05090]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Wallowa-Whitman National Forest; Oregon; Notice of Intent to 
Cancel Preparation of a Supplement to the 2012 Final Environmental 
Impact Statement for Snow Basin Vegetation Management Project

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

[[Page 12066]]


ACTION: Notice of intent to cancel preparation of a supplemental 
environmental impact statement.

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SUMMARY: On August 6, 2014, the USDA Forest Service published a Notice 
of Intent in the Federal Register (Vol. 79, No. 151, page 45761) to 
prepare a Supplement to the Snow Basin Vegetation Management Project 
Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to address the environmental 
impact of the project on elk and elk habitat. The USDA Forest Service 
no longer intends to prepare the Supplement and the project has been 
cancelled.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dea Nelson, Environmental Coordinator, 
Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, 1550 Dewey, Suite A, Baker City, OR 
97814; or, 541-523-1216; or, dnelson09@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.

Thomas Montoya,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2016-05090 Filed 3-7-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P

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