Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest and Umpqua National Forest; Oregon; Stella Landscape Restoration Project, 22000-22002 [2018-10029]
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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 92 / Friday, May 11, 2018 / Notices
APHIS–2018–0026, Regulatory Analysis
and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station
3A–03.8, 4700 River Road, Unit 118,
Riverdale, MD 20737–1238.
Supporting documents and any
comments we receive on this docket
may be viewed at https://
www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=
APHIS-2018-0026 or in our reading
room, which is located in Room 1141 of
the USDA South Building, 14th Street
and Independence Avenue SW,
Washington, DC. Normal reading room
hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday
through Friday, except holidays. To be
sure someone is there to help you,
please call (202) 799–7039 before
coming.
For
information on the regulations to protect
endangered species of terrestrial plants
and forfeiture procedures, contact Dr.
John Veremis, National CITES Director,
PHP, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road,
Unit 40, Riverdale, MD 20737–1236;
(301) 851–2347. For copies of more
detailed information on the information
collection, contact Ms. Kimberly Hardy,
APHIS’ Information Collection
Coordinator, at (301) 851–2483.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Endangered Species Regulations
and Forfeiture Procedures.
OMB Control Number: 0579–0076.
Type of Request: Revision to and
extension of approval of an information
collection.
Abstract: Under the Endangered
Species Act of 1973, as amended (16
U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), the U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA) is
responsible for enforcing provisions of
the Act and the Convention on
International Trade in Endangered
Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
(CITES) that pertain to the importation,
exportation, or reexportation of plants.
As part of this mission, USDA’s
Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service (APHIS) administers the
regulations in 7 CFR part 355,
‘‘Endangered Species Regulations
Concerning Terrestrial Plants.’’ In
accordance with these regulations, any
entity wishing to engage in the business
of importing, exporting, or reexporting
terrestrial plants listed in the CITES
regulations at 50 CFR 17.12 or 23.23
must obtain a protected plant permit
from APHIS. Such entities include
importers, exporters, or reexporters who
sell, barter, collect, or otherwise
exchange or acquire terrestrial plants as
a livelihood or enterprise engaged in for
gain or profit. The requirement does not
apply to persons engaged in business
merely as carriers or customhouse
brokers.
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
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To obtain a protected plant permit,
entities must complete an application
and submit it to APHIS for approval.
When a permit has been issued, the
plants covered by the permit may be
imported into the United States,
exported, or reexported, provided they
are accompanied by documentation
required by the regulations and all other
conditions of the regulations are met.
Effectively regulating entities who are
engaged in the business of importing,
exporting, or reexporting endangered
species of terrestrial plants requires the
use of this application process, as well
as the use of other information
collection activities including, but not
limited to, appealing the denial of a
permit; marking containers used for the
importation, exportation, or
reexportation of the plants; notifying
APHIS of the impending importation,
exportation, or reexportation of the
plants; validating documents; creating
and maintaining records of importation,
exportation, and reexportation; and
submitting related reports from records
required to be maintained.
APHIS also administers regulations at
7 CFR part 356, ‘‘Forfeiture
Procedures,’’ which sets out procedures
for the forfeiture of plants or other
property by entities found to be in
violation of the Endangered Species Act
or the Lacey Act (16 U.S.C. 3371 et seq.).
Entities whose property is subject to
forfeiture may file with APHIS a waiver
of forfeiture procedures, a claim, a
request for return of property, or
petition for remission or mitigation of
forfeiture.
The information provided by these
information collection activities is
critical to APHIS’ ability to carry out its
responsibilities under the Endangered
Species Act and the Lacey Act. These
responsibilities include monitoring
importation, exportation, and
reexportation activities involving
endangered species of plants, as well as
the investigation of possible violations
and the forfeiture of plants or other
property.
We are asking the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) to
approve our use of these information
collection activities, as described, for an
additional 3 years.
The purpose of this notice is to solicit
comments from the public (as well as
affected agencies) concerning our
information collection. These comments
will help us:
(1) Evaluate 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;
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(2) Evaluate the accuracy of our
estimate of the burden of the collection
of information, including the validity of
the methodology and assumptions used;
(3) Enhance the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information to be
collected; and
(4) Minimize the burden of the
collection of information on those who
are to respond, through use, as
appropriate, of automated, electronic,
mechanical, and other collection
technologies; e.g., permitting electronic
submission of responses.
Estimate of burden: The public
burden for this collection of information
is estimated to average 0.094 hours per
response.
Respondents: U.S. importers and
exporters of endangered species of
terrestrial plants.
Estimated annual number of
respondents: 1,097.
Estimated annual number of
responses per respondent: 148.
Estimated annual number of
responses: 162,217.
Estimated total annual burden on
respondents: 15,254 hours. (Due to
averaging, the total annual burden hours
may not equal the product of the annual
number of responses multiplied by the
reporting burden per response.)
All responses to this notice will be
summarized and included in the request
for OMB approval. All comments will
also become a matter of public record.
Done in Washington, DC, this 7th day of
May 2018.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2018–10097 Filed 5–10–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–34–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest
and Umpqua National Forest; Oregon;
Stella Landscape Restoration Project
Forest Service, USDA.
Notice of intent to prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
The USDA Forest Service,
Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest
(RRSNF), High Cascade Ranger District,
is providing notice that it will prepare
an Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) for the Stella Landscape
Restoration Project (Project), which
would implement multiple landscape
restoration actions on National Forest
System lands within an approximately
64,000-acre project planning area.
SUMMARY:
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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 92 / Friday, May 11, 2018 / Notices
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES
Restoration actions include vegetation
treatments, prescribed fire, sustainable
recreation, and sustainable roads
actions. Included in the project area is
approximately 4,000 acres on the
Umpqua National Forest, in the
Huckleberry Special Interest Area,
which is adjacent to the RRSNF. Only
non-commercial activities are proposed
on the Umpqua National Forest. In order
to implement the Project, the RRSNF
also identified the need for a projectspecific amendment to the Rogue River
Land and Resource Management Plan to
exempt the Big Game Winter Range
Management Strategy from the thermal
cover requirement.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope
of the analysis must be received by June
11, 2018. The Draft Environmental
Impact Statement (DEIS) is expected in
spring of 2019 and the Final
Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS)
is expected in spring of 2020.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to
David Palmer, District Ranger, High
Cascade Ranger District, 47201 Hwy. 62,
Prospect, OR 97536. Comments may be
submitted electronically at commentspacificnorthwest-rogueriverhighcascades@fs.fed.us. Comments may
also be sent via facsimile to 541–247–
3641 or submitted in person during
regular business hours, Monday–Friday,
8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. at the address listed
above.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Anne Trapanese, Environmental
Coordinator atrapanese@fs.fed.us, 541–
560–3433.
Individuals who use
telecommunication devices for the deaf
may call the Federal Information Relay
Service at 1–800–877–8339 between 8
a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday
through Friday.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose and Need
The purpose and need for this project
includes the need to restore forest
resiliency by reestablishing forest
structure and pattern, vegetation
composition and diversity, and riparian
communities to conditions that are more
resilient to natural disturbance
processes. Comparison of the existing
condition with the desired condition
indicates the specific need to reduce
risk of habitat degradation and loss from
uncharacteristic wildfire and/or insect
and disease outbreak. There is a need to
maintain and improve habitat for fish
and wildlife species and sustain and
enhance northern spotted owl habitat to
aid in recovery.
Additionally, there is a need to
conserve and restore culturally
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19:21 May 10, 2018
Jkt 244001
significant plants and maintain habitat
for rare plant populations. There is a
need within the project area to provide
for a variety of social and cultural
values and opportunities, such as
huckleberry picking and hunting. There
is a need to contribute to the RRSNF
probable sale quantity target, and a need
to restore and provide a sustainable road
and trail transportation system.
Proposed Action
This project proposes approximately
23,000 acres of variable density
thinning, 3,000 acres of plantation
thinning, and 5,500 acres of noncommercial plantation thinning for a
total of 31,500 acres of vegetation
treatment. Thinning of natural stands
and managed stands, along with
application of prescribed fire, would be
the primary restoration actions for pines
and plantation units. Thinning in pure
Douglas fir stands would allow for the
growth of large trees in the future.
Changes in road maintenance levels and
road decommissioning would address
water quality concerns, provide for
wildlife needs, and move towards a
sustainable road system.
Approximately 13,000 acres of special
habitat restoration are proposed. The
special habitat restoration would use
primarily non-commercial mechanical
treatment to restore a variety of different
habitats. The restoration treatments
would benefit huckleberry, aspen,
meadow, oak, and legacy pine.
Forty-two miles of stream restoration
are proposed within the project area.
Stream restoration would utilize large
wood and rock placement in fish
bearing streams to restore habitat. These
structures improve the complexity and
function of instream habitat. The
culverts targeted for replacement would
allow all life stages of aquatic organisms
to pass. The current culverts in these
locations do not allow this.
The recreation proposals include
installing modern vault style outhouses
at Woodruff Day Use area. The existing
outhouses at this popular day use site
are cemented culverts that may not hold
up over time, and could have a negative
impact on water quality. This is
necessary to maintain and improve fish
habitat, of which water quality is an
important component. The Off-Highway
Vehicle (OHV) trail re-route would take
existing trail off of mixed use
maintenance level 2 roads and place it
on maintenance level 1 roads to
improve safety for riders.
The proposed action includes
decommissioning approximately 40
miles of roads and changing 64 miles of
roads to maintenance level 1. The
proposed changes to road maintenance
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22001
levels and decommissioning will make
the current transportation system more
sustainable. Many of these roads are
currently being managed at a lower
maintenance level on the ground, or are
already part of the OHV Trail system.
Some of these roads have been
identified as likely not needed in
Subpart A of Travel Management (36
CFR 212, Subpart A).
A project specific forest plan
amendment is also likely needed to
accomplish restoration actions within
Management Strategy 14, Big Game
Winter Range. This amendment would
exempt the project from the requirement
for thermal cover over ‘‘50 percent of
500–1000 acre analysis areas.’’ The
amendment would apply to the 7,984
acres in this Management Strategy in the
project area. This amendment would be
the only exemption to Plan standards,
and all other standards and guidelines
would be unaffected; it would only
apply to the RRSNF. When proposing a
Forest Plan amendment, the 2012
planning rule (36 CFR 219), as
amended, requires the responsible
official to provide in the initial notice
‘‘which substantive requirements of
§ 219.8 through 219.11 are likely to be
directly related to the amendment’’
(§ 219.13(b)(2)). Whether a rule
provision is likely to be directly related
to an amendment is determined by any
one of the following: The purpose for
the amendment, the beneficial effects of
the amendment, and the substantial
adverse effects of the amendment, as
informed by the best available scientific
information, scoping, effects analysis,
monitoring data or other rationale.
Based on this amendment proposal and
requirements of the planning rule, the
following substantive requirements of
36 CFR 219 would likely be directly
related to the proposed amendment: 36
CFR 219.10(a)(1) Aesthetic values,
cultural and heritage resources,
ecosystem services, fish and wildlife
species, forage, grazing and rangelands,
habitat and habitat connectivity,
recreation settings and opportunities,
riparian areas, scenery, soil, surface
water quality, timber, vegetation,
viewsheds; and (a)(5) Habitat
conditions, subject to the requirements
of 36 CFR 219.9, for wildlife, fish, and
plants commonly enjoyed and used by
the public; for hunting, fishing,
trapping, gathering, observing,
subsistence, and other activities (in
collaboration with federally recognized
Tribes, Alaska Native Corporations,
other Federal agencies, and State and
local governments).
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22002
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 92 / Friday, May 11, 2018 / Notices
Possible Alternatives
The Project will analyze no action, the
proposed action, and additional
alternatives developed during the
evaluation period that respond to issues
generated throught the scoping process.
The agency will give notice of the full
environemental analysis and decision
making process so interested and
affected parties may participate and
contribute to the final decision.
Responsible Official
The responsible officials for this
decision will be the Forest Supervisor
for the RRSNF and the Forest
Supervisor for the Umpqua National
Forest.
Dated: April 20, 2018.
Chris French,
Associate Deputy Chief, National Forest
System.
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The Forest Supervisors will decide
where, and whether or not, to take
action to meet desired conditions within
the planning area. The responsible
officials also will decide how to mitigate
any potential impacts of these actions
and will determine when and how
possible effects monitoring would take
place. The final Project decision and
rationale will be documented in a
Record of Decision supported by a Final
EIS.
Per 36 CFR 218.7(a)(2), this is a
project proposing to implement a land
management plan and is not authorized
under the Healthy Forests Restoration
Act (HFRA). Therefore, it is subject to
both subparts A and B of 36 CFR 218,
Project-level Predecisional
Administrative Review Process. This
administrative review process also
applies to the project-specific
amendment, consistent with 36 CFR
219.59. Only those who submit timely
and specific written comments
regarding the proposed project or
activity during a public comment period
established by the responsible official
are eligible to file an objection
§ 218.24(b)(6). The publication date of
the NOI in the Federal Register is the
exclusive means for calculating this
scoping period. For issues to be raised
in objections, they must be based on
previously submitted specific written
comments regarding the proposed
project or activity and attributed to the
objector.
Scoping Process
This notice of intent initiates the
scoping process, which guides the
development of the EIS. 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
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19:21 May 10, 2018
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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.
Documents related to information in
this notice are available for review at:
https://www.fs.fed.us/nepa/nepa_
project_exp.php?project=5324.
[FR Doc. 2018–10029 Filed 5–10–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3411–15–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Information Collection; Commercial
Use of the Woodsy Owl Symbol
Forest Service, USDA.
Notice; request for comment.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
In accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the
Forest Service is seeking comments
from all interested individuals and
organizations on the currently approved
information collection, Commercial Use
of the Woodsy Owl Symbol.
DATES: Comments must be received in
writing on or before July 10, 2018 to be
assured of consideration. Comments
received after that date will be
considered to the extent practicable.
ADDRESSES: Comments concerning this
notice should be addressed to the Office
of the Conservation Education Program,
National Symbols Program Manager,
U.S. Forest Service, 201 14th Street SW,
Mail Stop 1147, Washington, DC 20250–
1147.
Comments also may be submitted via
email to ivelez@fs.fed.us. The public
may inspect comments received at the
Office of Conservation Education
Program, Room 1C, U.S. Forest Service,
201 14th Street SW, Washington, DC.
Visitors are urged to call ahead to 202–
205–5681 to facilitate entrance into the
building.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Iris
Velez, National Symbols Program
Manager, Office of Conservation
Education Program, at 202–205–5681.
Individuals who use telecommunication
devices for the deaf (TDD) may call the
Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1–800–
877–8339 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.,
SUMMARY:
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Eastern Standard Time, Monday
through Friday.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Commercial Use of the Woodsy
Owl Symbol.
OMB Number: 0596–0087.
Expiration Date of Approval: 06/30/
2018.
Type of Request: Extension of a
currently approved collection.
Abstract: The Woodsy Owl-Smoky
Bear Act of 1974 established the
Woodsy Owl symbol and slogan,
authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture
to manage the use of the slogan and
symbol, authorizes the licensing of the
symbol for commercial use, and
provides for continued protection of the
symbol. Part 272 of Title 36 of the Code
of Federal Regulations authorizes the
Chief of the Forest Service to approve
commercial use of the Woodsy Owl
symbol and to collect royalty fees.
Commercial use includes replicating
Woodsy Owl symbol or logo on items,
such as tee shirts, mugs, pins, figurines,
ornaments, stickers, and toys and using
the image and or slogan of the icon in
motion pictures, documentaries, TV,
magazine stories, and books, magazines,
and other for-profit paper products.
Woodsy Owl is America’s symbol for
the conservation of the environment.
The public service campaign slogans
associated with Woodsy Owl are ‘‘Give
a Hoot, Don’t Pollute’’ and ‘‘Lend a
Hand, Care for the Land.’’ The mission
statement of the Woodsy Owl’s
conservation campaign is to help young
children discover the natural world and
join in life-long actions to care for that
world.
The USDA Forest Service National
Symbols Program Manager will use the
collected information to determine if the
applicant will receive a license or
renewal of an existing license and the
associated royalty fees. Information
collected includes, but is not limited to,
tenure of business or non-profit
organization, current or planned
products, physical location, projected
sales volume, and marketing plans.
Licensees submit quarterly reports,
which include:
1. A list of each item sold with the
Woodsy Owl symbol.
2. Projected sales of each item.
3. The sales price of each item.
4. Total sales subject to Forest Service
royalty fee.
5. Royalty fee due based on sales
quantity and price.
6. Description and itemization of
deductions (such as fees waived or
previously paid as part of advance
royalty payment).
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 92 (Friday, May 11, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22000-22002]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-10029]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest and Umpqua National Forest;
Oregon; Stella Landscape Restoration Project
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The USDA Forest Service, Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest
(RRSNF), High Cascade Ranger District, is providing notice that it will
prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Stella
Landscape Restoration Project (Project), which would implement multiple
landscape restoration actions on National Forest System lands within an
approximately 64,000-acre project planning area.
[[Page 22001]]
Restoration actions include vegetation treatments, prescribed fire,
sustainable recreation, and sustainable roads actions. Included in the
project area is approximately 4,000 acres on the Umpqua National
Forest, in the Huckleberry Special Interest Area, which is adjacent to
the RRSNF. Only non-commercial activities are proposed on the Umpqua
National Forest. In order to implement the Project, the RRSNF also
identified the need for a project-specific amendment to the Rogue River
Land and Resource Management Plan to exempt the Big Game Winter Range
Management Strategy from the thermal cover requirement.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received
by June 11, 2018. The Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) is
expected in spring of 2019 and the Final Environmental Impact Statement
(FEIS) is expected in spring of 2020.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to David Palmer, District Ranger, High
Cascade Ranger District, 47201 Hwy. 62, Prospect, OR 97536. Comments
may be submitted electronically at [email protected]. Comments may also be sent via
facsimile to 541-247-3641 or submitted in person during regular
business hours, Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at the address
listed above.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Anne Trapanese, Environmental
Coordinator [email protected], 541-560-3433.
Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf may call
the Federal Information Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339 between 8 a.m.
and 8 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose and Need
The purpose and need for this project includes the need to restore
forest resiliency by reestablishing forest structure and pattern,
vegetation composition and diversity, and riparian communities to
conditions that are more resilient to natural disturbance processes.
Comparison of the existing condition with the desired condition
indicates the specific need to reduce risk of habitat degradation and
loss from uncharacteristic wildfire and/or insect and disease outbreak.
There is a need to maintain and improve habitat for fish and wildlife
species and sustain and enhance northern spotted owl habitat to aid in
recovery.
Additionally, there is a need to conserve and restore culturally
significant plants and maintain habitat for rare plant populations.
There is a need within the project area to provide for a variety of
social and cultural values and opportunities, such as huckleberry
picking and hunting. There is a need to contribute to the RRSNF
probable sale quantity target, and a need to restore and provide a
sustainable road and trail transportation system.
Proposed Action
This project proposes approximately 23,000 acres of variable
density thinning, 3,000 acres of plantation thinning, and 5,500 acres
of non-commercial plantation thinning for a total of 31,500 acres of
vegetation treatment. Thinning of natural stands and managed stands,
along with application of prescribed fire, would be the primary
restoration actions for pines and plantation units. Thinning in pure
Douglas fir stands would allow for the growth of large trees in the
future. Changes in road maintenance levels and road decommissioning
would address water quality concerns, provide for wildlife needs, and
move towards a sustainable road system.
Approximately 13,000 acres of special habitat restoration are
proposed. The special habitat restoration would use primarily non-
commercial mechanical treatment to restore a variety of different
habitats. The restoration treatments would benefit huckleberry, aspen,
meadow, oak, and legacy pine.
Forty-two miles of stream restoration are proposed within the
project area. Stream restoration would utilize large wood and rock
placement in fish bearing streams to restore habitat. These structures
improve the complexity and function of instream habitat. The culverts
targeted for replacement would allow all life stages of aquatic
organisms to pass. The current culverts in these locations do not allow
this.
The recreation proposals include installing modern vault style
outhouses at Woodruff Day Use area. The existing outhouses at this
popular day use site are cemented culverts that may not hold up over
time, and could have a negative impact on water quality. This is
necessary to maintain and improve fish habitat, of which water quality
is an important component. The Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) trail re-route
would take existing trail off of mixed use maintenance level 2 roads
and place it on maintenance level 1 roads to improve safety for riders.
The proposed action includes decommissioning approximately 40 miles
of roads and changing 64 miles of roads to maintenance level 1. The
proposed changes to road maintenance levels and decommissioning will
make the current transportation system more sustainable. Many of these
roads are currently being managed at a lower maintenance level on the
ground, or are already part of the OHV Trail system. Some of these
roads have been identified as likely not needed in Subpart A of Travel
Management (36 CFR[thinsp]212, Subpart A).
A project specific forest plan amendment is also likely needed to
accomplish restoration actions within Management Strategy 14, Big Game
Winter Range. This amendment would exempt the project from the
requirement for thermal cover over ``50 percent of 500-1000 acre
analysis areas.'' The amendment would apply to the 7,984 acres in this
Management Strategy in the project area. This amendment would be the
only exemption to Plan standards, and all other standards and
guidelines would be unaffected; it would only apply to the RRSNF. When
proposing a Forest Plan amendment, the 2012 planning rule (36 CFR 219),
as amended, requires the responsible official to provide in the initial
notice ``which substantive requirements of Sec. [thinsp]219.8 through
219.11 are likely to be directly related to the amendment'' (Sec.
219.13(b)(2)). Whether a rule provision is likely to be directly
related to an amendment is determined by any one of the following: The
purpose for the amendment, the beneficial effects of the amendment, and
the substantial adverse effects of the amendment, as informed by the
best available scientific information, scoping, effects analysis,
monitoring data or other rationale. Based on this amendment proposal
and requirements of the planning rule, the following substantive
requirements of 36 CFR 219 would likely be directly related to the
proposed amendment: 36 CFR 219.10(a)(1) Aesthetic values, cultural and
heritage resources, ecosystem services, fish and wildlife species,
forage, grazing and rangelands, habitat and habitat connectivity,
recreation settings and opportunities, riparian areas, scenery, soil,
surface water quality, timber, vegetation, viewsheds; and (a)(5)
Habitat conditions, subject to the requirements of 36 CFR[thinsp]219.9,
for wildlife, fish, and plants commonly enjoyed and used by the public;
for hunting, fishing, trapping, gathering, observing, subsistence, and
other activities (in collaboration with federally recognized Tribes,
Alaska Native Corporations, other Federal agencies, and State and local
governments).
[[Page 22002]]
Possible Alternatives
The Project will analyze no action, the proposed action, and
additional alternatives developed during the evaluation period that
respond to issues generated throught the scoping process. The agency
will give notice of the full environemental analysis and decision
making process so interested and affected parties may participate and
contribute to the final decision.
Responsible Official
The responsible officials for this decision will be the Forest
Supervisor for the RRSNF and the Forest Supervisor for the Umpqua
National Forest.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The Forest Supervisors will decide where, and whether or not, to
take action to meet desired conditions within the planning area. The
responsible officials also will decide how to mitigate any potential
impacts of these actions and will determine when and how possible
effects monitoring would take place. The final Project decision and
rationale will be documented in a Record of Decision supported by a
Final EIS.
Per 36 CFR 218.7(a)(2), this is a project proposing to implement a
land management plan and is not authorized under the Healthy Forests
Restoration Act (HFRA). Therefore, it is subject to both subparts A and
B of 36 CFR 218, Project-level Predecisional Administrative Review
Process. This administrative review process also applies to the
project-specific amendment, consistent with 36 CFR 219.59. Only those
who submit timely and specific written comments regarding the proposed
project or activity during a public comment period established by the
responsible official are eligible to file an objection Sec.
218.24(b)(6). The publication date of the NOI in the Federal Register
is the exclusive means for calculating this scoping period. For issues
to be raised in objections, they must be based on previously submitted
specific written comments regarding the proposed project or activity
and attributed to the objector.
Scoping Process
This notice of intent initiates the scoping process, which guides
the development of the EIS. 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.
Documents related to information in this notice are available for
review at: https://www.fs.fed.us/nepa/nepa_project_exp.php?project=5324.
Dated: April 20, 2018.
Chris French,
Associate Deputy Chief, National Forest System.
[FR Doc. 2018-10029 Filed 5-10-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3411-15-P
