Flathead National Forest; Montana; Mid-Swan Landscape Restoration & Wildland Urban Interface Fuels Project, 53443-53444 [2018-23086]
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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 205 / Tuesday, October 23, 2018 / Notices
khammond on DSK30JT082PROD with NOTICES
the collection of information that such
persons are not required to respond to
the collection of information unless it
displays a currently valid OMB control
number.
Forest Service
Title: Forest Products Removal
Permits and Contracts.
OMB Control Number: 0596–0085.
Summary of Collection: The Food,
Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008
(Pub. L. 110–246, 122 Stat. 1651)
hereinafter the ‘‘2008 Farm Bill’’),
section 8105 authorizes that the
Secretary of Agriculture may provide,
free of charge, to federally recognized
Indian Tribes trees, portions of trees, or
forest products from National Forest
System lands for noncommercial
traditional and cultural purposes.
Individuals and businesses that wish to
remove forest products from national
forest lands must request a permit. 16
U.S.C. 551 requires the promulgation of
regulations to regulate forest use and
prevent destruction of the forests.
Regulations at 36 CFR 223.1 and 223.2
govern the sale of forest products such
as Christmas trees, pinecones, moss, and
mushrooms. Regulations at 36 CFR
223.5 through 223.11 set forth
conditions under which free use of
forest products may be obtained by
individuals or organizations. Upon
receiving a permit, the permittee must
comply with the terms of the permit at
36 CFR 261.6 that designate the forest
products that can be harvested and
under what conditions, such as limiting
harvest to a designated area or
permitting harvest of only specifically
designated material.
Need and Use of the Information:
Using forms FS–2400–1/BLM–5450–24,
FS–2400–4ANF and FS–2400–8, FS and
BLM will collect the name, vehicle
information, address and tax
identification number from persons
applying for permits. The information
will be used to keep a record of persons
buying forest products and to determine
if the applicant meets the criteria under
which free use or sale of forest products
is authorized by the regulations and to
ensure that the permittee has not
received product values in excess of the
amount allowed by regulation in any
one fiscal year and complies with the
regulations and terms of the permit.
Under the 2008 Farm Bill Authority, the
Federally recognized Indian Tribe/
Tribal Official makes their free-use
request in writing and submits it to the
appropriate local FS District Ranger’s
Office. This information is also needed
to allow FS compliance personnel to
identify permittees in the field. Without
the forest product removal program,
VerDate Sep<11>2014
20:20 Oct 22, 2018
Jkt 247001
achieving multiple use management
programs such as reducing fire hazard
and improving forest health on the
National Forest would be impaired.
Description of Respondents:
Individuals or households; Business or
other for-profit; State, Local or Tribal
Government.
Number of Respondents: 192,204.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting:
On occasion; Recordkeeping.
Total Burden Hours: 33,434.
Ruth Brown,
Departmental Information Collection
Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2018–23054 Filed 10–22–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3411–15–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Flathead National Forest; Montana;
Mid-Swan Landscape Restoration &
Wildland Urban Interface Fuels Project
Forest Service, USDA.
Notice of intent to prepare an
environmental impact statement.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
The Mid-Swan Landscape
Restoration and Wildland Urban
Interface Fuels Project (Mid-Swan) area
encompasses approximately 246,000
acres within the larger 1.3 million acre
Southwestern Crown of the Continent
landscape. This project is part of a longterm effort between the USDA Forest
Service and the Southwestern Crown
Collaborative to restore the resilience
and function of the ecosystem within
this landscape. The Mid-Swan project is
proposing treatments on approximately
70,000 acres to improve aquatic and
terrestrial biodiversity by removing
vegetation, planting drought tolerant
species found there historically, and
reducing fuel buildup in the wildland
urban interface (WUI).
DATES: Comments concerning the scope
of the analysis must be received by
November 23, 2018. The publication of
the Draft Environmental Impact
Statement (DEIS) is expected in April
2019, and the Final Environmental
Impact Statement (FEIS) is expected to
be published in October 2019.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to
Mid-Swan Project, Attention: Sandy
Mack, 24 Fort Missoula Road, Missoula,
MT 59804. Comments may also be sent
via email to bslrp@fs.fed.us, or
submitted through an electronic form
available on our project page at https://
www.fs.usda.gov/projects/flathead/
landmanagement/projects.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Sandy Mack, Team Leader, via email at
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
53443
spmack@fs.fed.us, or calling 406–329–
3817; Chris Dowling, Swan Lake District
Ranger, via email at cdowling@fs.fed.us,
or calling 406–837–7501.
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
Today’s Mid-Swan landscape is the
result of mixed ownerships across a
diverse landscape with a variety of
forest types. Timber harvest was
prevalent in this area through the 20th
century with combined state forest
cutting to support local schools, harvest
for commercial timber interests owned
by Plum Creek, and National Forest
System (NFS) lands that are managed
for multiple uses. Fire suppression and
commercially aggressive harvest
practices left fire intolerant tree species
behind to reseed the area. A logging
method known as high-grading was
practiced in some areas that removed
the best trees and their naturally
selected seed source. Roads in the area
were built to a mix of design standards;
and, are in various states of
maintenance with less stable roads
contributing to sedimentation into
watersheds.
The purpose of the Mid-Swan project
is to restore and maintain aquatic
biodiversity, and terrestrial biodiversity.
It is also to reduce the risk from wildfire
in the wildland urban interface where
national forest system lands are close or
adjacent to private land. The Mid-Swan
area is at risk of losing key habitat
components for native aquatic and
terrestrial species in this ecologically
important landscape. Currently state,
federal and private infrastructure,
recreationists, and residents are at risk
from fire. Wildland firefighters are
especially at risk when engaging with
extreme wildfire behavior in this area.
The Mid-Swan landscape was
assessed with three-dimensional high
resolution aerial photography through
photo interpretation, ground truthing,
and modeling in order to determine the
needs across the landscape.
The following problems have been
identified regarding aquatic biodiversity
within the project area:
1. Amount of sediment in streams;
2. fish barriers blocking access to
available habitat; and
3. lack of small scale disturbance in
riparian areas due to reduced beaver
activity and warming waters.
Problems with terrestrial biodiversity
include:
E:\FR\FM\23OCN1.SGM
23OCN1
53444
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 205 / Tuesday, October 23, 2018 / Notices
khammond on DSK30JT082PROD with NOTICES
1. Loss of large trees and old forest
structure;
2. loss of western white pine and
whitebark pine;
3. Lynx habitat quality and
distribution and long-term availability;
4. missed fire intervals through fire
suppression (fire deficit);
5. overabundance of young forests
with multi-stories and shade tolerant
species, in particular subalpine fir;
6. highly fragmented forests in the
valley bottom (too many small patches);
and
7. homogenous forests at higher
elevations due to fire suppression (in a
few large patches).
An analysis of the WUI identified that
current fuel conditions would create
flame lengths greater than four feet
precluding direct attack. Crown fire
initiation and crown fire propagation
conditions are high.
Proposed Action
In order to restore and maintain
aquatic ecosystem resilience, this
project proposes to storm proof
(decommission, store, or improve)
approximately 167 miles of existing
Forest Service roads, including about 20
miles of road that are within riparian
management zones (RMZ). The goals of
the project include: Reducing sediment
loads in streams through road storage
and decommissioning (storm proofing);
removal of five fish passage barriers
(culverts) at road/stream crossings;
application of vegetative treatment
actions within RMZs to better match
desired conditions; and, to install
beaver dam analog structures at nine
stream sites to increase water holding
capacity in cold water drainages. The
artificial beaver dams would slightly
offset predicted climate induced
stressors in key stream reaches.
The Mid-Swan EIS will also propose
treatments on forest ecosystems to
promote resilience by reducing ladder
fuels, decreasing crown bulk density,
and reducing the risk of crown fire in
large ponderosa pine, western larch and
Douglas-fir forest types. Other proposed
treatments will include thinning to
reduce competition from shade tolerant
conifers. Goals include planting rust
resistant western white pine stock in
suitable areas after regeneration harvest.
Tree composition will also be improved
through the removal of encroaching
subalpine fir and Engelmann spruce and
the planting of rust resistant whitebark
pine. Another goal of the Mid-Swan
project is to restore whitebark pine
stands by caching rust resistant
whitebark pine seeds; and, converting
overabundant competing multistory
subalpine fir patches to other cover
VerDate Sep<11>2014
20:20 Oct 22, 2018
Jkt 247001
types with better structural stages.
Whitebark pine restoration would also
be promoted by breaking up large
homogeneous patches through
mechanical treatments and prescribed
fire.
To reduce risk of wildfire in the WUI,
proposed actions will include removing
vegetation to reduce potential flame
lengths to four feet or less; reducing
ladder fuels to minimize crown fire
initiation; and reduction of canopy fuels
to minimize crown fuel propagation.
Vegetation treatments would include:
Non-commercial thinning on
approximately 2,900 acres, thinning
with variable retention on 12,000 acres,
thinning with regeneration openings on
21,700 acres, regeneration harvest with
variable retention on 7,400 acres,
controlled burning on 24,600 acres,
planting on 500 acres, and seed caching
on 900 acres. Proposed treatment
methods include the use of tractor,
skyline, helicopter, and hand
treatments. The total number of acres
proposed for treatment is approximately
70,000. Both temporary and permanent
road construction would be needed to
access treatments. This project would
not change, increase, or reduce open
motorized travel routes identified in the
Flathead National Forest Motor Vehicle
Use Map.
Responsible Official
The Responsible Official for this
project is the Flathead National Forest
Supervisor.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The Flathead National Forest
Supervisor will decide whether to
implement the action as proposed, take
no action, or to implement an
alternative, or combination of
alternatives, that have been analyzed.
The Forest Supervisor will also decide
whether to amend the Land and
Resource Management Plan, if
necessary, to implement the decision.
Forest Plan Amendment
Two project-specific suspension of
forest plan standards would be required
to implement the proposed actions and
achieve desired conditions. The
substantive requirements of the 2012
Planning Rule (36 CFR 219) that are
directly related to the proposed
amendments are § 36 CFR 219.8 (a)(1);
219.9 (a)(1); 219.9 (a)(2); 219.9 (b)(1);
and 219.10 (a)(8). The proposed
amendments are:
1. Conduct non-commercial thinning
and regeneration operations in
snowshoe hare habitat that occurs from
the stand initiation structural stage
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
(Northern Rockies Lynx Management
Direction (NRLMD) Standard Veg S5).
2. Conduct thinning activities in
mature, multi-story lynx and snowshoe
hare habitat (NRLMD Standard Veg S6).
Permits or Licenses Required
When the project is scheduled for
implementation the appropriate 404
permits and approval from the US Army
Corps of Engineers will be obtained for
fish barrier removal and beaver dam
analog structures among other proposed
actions. Montana Streamside Protection
Act, 124 permits, would be obtained for
any activity that disturbs stream
channels.
Scoping Process
This notice of intent (NOI) to publish
an EIS initiates the scoping process,
which guides the development of the
EIS. An open house will be scheduled
following the publication of this NOI
and release of the scoping document.
The public will be informed through
mailing and media release of the date,
time, and location.
Your comments will be most useful if
they describe a specific action and the
environmental effects of that action
(cause and effect). If you cite literature
in your comments please provide us
with a complete bibliography and a
copy of the reference material.
It is important that reviewers provide
their comments so they are useful to the
Agency’s preparation of the EIS.
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 4, 2018.
Allen Rowley,
Acting Associate Deputy Chief, National
Forest System.
[FR Doc. 2018–23086 Filed 10–22–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3411–15–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Monongahela National Forest, West
Virginia; Big Rock Project
Forest Service, USDA.
Withdrawal of notice of intent
to prepare environmental impact
statement.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
E:\FR\FM\23OCN1.SGM
23OCN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 205 (Tuesday, October 23, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53443-53444]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-23086]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Flathead National Forest; Montana; Mid-Swan Landscape Restoration
& Wildland Urban Interface Fuels Project
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Mid-Swan Landscape Restoration and Wildland Urban
Interface Fuels Project (Mid-Swan) area encompasses approximately
246,000 acres within the larger 1.3 million acre Southwestern Crown of
the Continent landscape. This project is part of a long-term effort
between the USDA Forest Service and the Southwestern Crown
Collaborative to restore the resilience and function of the ecosystem
within this landscape. The Mid-Swan project is proposing treatments on
approximately 70,000 acres to improve aquatic and terrestrial
biodiversity by removing vegetation, planting drought tolerant species
found there historically, and reducing fuel buildup in the wildland
urban interface (WUI).
DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received
by November 23, 2018. The publication of the Draft Environmental Impact
Statement (DEIS) is expected in April 2019, and the Final Environmental
Impact Statement (FEIS) is expected to be published in October 2019.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Mid-Swan Project, Attention: Sandy
Mack, 24 Fort Missoula Road, Missoula, MT 59804. Comments may also be
sent via email to [email protected], or submitted through an electronic
form available on our project page at https://www.fs.usda.gov/projects/flathead/landmanagement/projects.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sandy Mack, Team Leader, via email at
[email protected], or calling 406-329-3817; Chris Dowling, Swan Lake
District Ranger, via email at [email protected], or calling 406-837-
7501.
Individuals who use telecommun- ication 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
Today's Mid-Swan landscape is the result of mixed ownerships across
a diverse landscape with a variety of forest types. Timber harvest was
prevalent in this area through the 20th century with combined state
forest cutting to support local schools, harvest for commercial timber
interests owned by Plum Creek, and National Forest System (NFS) lands
that are managed for multiple uses. Fire suppression and commercially
aggressive harvest practices left fire intolerant tree species behind
to reseed the area. A logging method known as high-grading was
practiced in some areas that removed the best trees and their naturally
selected seed source. Roads in the area were built to a mix of design
standards; and, are in various states of maintenance with less stable
roads contributing to sedimentation into watersheds.
The purpose of the Mid-Swan project is to restore and maintain
aquatic biodiversity, and terrestrial biodiversity. It is also to
reduce the risk from wildfire in the wildland urban interface where
national forest system lands are close or adjacent to private land. The
Mid-Swan area is at risk of losing key habitat components for native
aquatic and terrestrial species in this ecologically important
landscape. Currently state, federal and private infrastructure,
recreationists, and residents are at risk from fire. Wildland
firefighters are especially at risk when engaging with extreme wildfire
behavior in this area.
The Mid-Swan landscape was assessed with three-dimensional high
resolution aerial photography through photo interpretation, ground
truthing, and modeling in order to determine the needs across the
landscape.
The following problems have been identified regarding aquatic
biodiversity within the project area:
1. Amount of sediment in streams;
2. fish barriers blocking access to available habitat; and
3. lack of small scale disturbance in riparian areas due to reduced
beaver activity and warming waters.
Problems with terrestrial biodiversity include:
[[Page 53444]]
1. Loss of large trees and old forest structure;
2. loss of western white pine and whitebark pine;
3. Lynx habitat quality and distribution and long-term
availability;
4. missed fire intervals through fire suppression (fire deficit);
5. overabundance of young forests with multi-stories and shade
tolerant species, in particular subalpine fir;
6. highly fragmented forests in the valley bottom (too many small
patches); and
7. homogenous forests at higher elevations due to fire suppression
(in a few large patches).
An analysis of the WUI identified that current fuel conditions
would create flame lengths greater than four feet precluding direct
attack. Crown fire initiation and crown fire propagation conditions are
high.
Proposed Action
In order to restore and maintain aquatic ecosystem resilience, this
project proposes to storm proof (decommission, store, or improve)
approximately 167 miles of existing Forest Service roads, including
about 20 miles of road that are within riparian management zones (RMZ).
The goals of the project include: Reducing sediment loads in streams
through road storage and decommissioning (storm proofing); removal of
five fish passage barriers (culverts) at road/stream crossings;
application of vegetative treatment actions within RMZs to better match
desired conditions; and, to install beaver dam analog structures at
nine stream sites to increase water holding capacity in cold water
drainages. The artificial beaver dams would slightly offset predicted
climate induced stressors in key stream reaches.
The Mid-Swan EIS will also propose treatments on forest ecosystems
to promote resilience by reducing ladder fuels, decreasing crown bulk
density, and reducing the risk of crown fire in large ponderosa pine,
western larch and Douglas-fir forest types. Other proposed treatments
will include thinning to reduce competition from shade tolerant
conifers. Goals include planting rust resistant western white pine
stock in suitable areas after regeneration harvest. Tree composition
will also be improved through the removal of encroaching subalpine fir
and Engelmann spruce and the planting of rust resistant whitebark pine.
Another goal of the Mid-Swan project is to restore whitebark pine
stands by caching rust resistant whitebark pine seeds; and, converting
overabundant competing multistory subalpine fir patches to other cover
types with better structural stages. Whitebark pine restoration would
also be promoted by breaking up large homogeneous patches through
mechanical treatments and prescribed fire.
To reduce risk of wildfire in the WUI, proposed actions will
include removing vegetation to reduce potential flame lengths to four
feet or less; reducing ladder fuels to minimize crown fire initiation;
and reduction of canopy fuels to minimize crown fuel propagation.
Vegetation treatments would include: Non-commercial thinning on
approximately 2,900 acres, thinning with variable retention on 12,000
acres, thinning with regeneration openings on 21,700 acres,
regeneration harvest with variable retention on 7,400 acres, controlled
burning on 24,600 acres, planting on 500 acres, and seed caching on 900
acres. Proposed treatment methods include the use of tractor, skyline,
helicopter, and hand treatments. The total number of acres proposed for
treatment is approximately 70,000. Both temporary and permanent road
construction would be needed to access treatments. This project would
not change, increase, or reduce open motorized travel routes identified
in the Flathead National Forest Motor Vehicle Use Map.
Responsible Official
The Responsible Official for this project is the Flathead National
Forest Supervisor.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The Flathead National Forest Supervisor will decide whether to
implement the action as proposed, take no action, or to implement an
alternative, or combination of alternatives, that have been analyzed.
The Forest Supervisor will also decide whether to amend the Land and
Resource Management Plan, if necessary, to implement the decision.
Forest Plan Amendment
Two project-specific suspension of forest plan standards would be
required to implement the proposed actions and achieve desired
conditions. The substantive requirements of the 2012 Planning Rule (36
CFR 219) that are directly related to the proposed amendments are Sec.
36 CFR 219.8 (a)(1); 219.9 (a)(1); 219.9 (a)(2); 219.9 (b)(1); and
219.10 (a)(8). The proposed amendments are:
1. Conduct non-commercial thinning and regeneration operations in
snowshoe hare habitat that occurs from the stand initiation structural
stage (Northern Rockies Lynx Management Direction (NRLMD) Standard Veg
S5).
2. Conduct thinning activities in mature, multi-story lynx and
snowshoe hare habitat (NRLMD Standard Veg S6).
Permits or Licenses Required
When the project is scheduled for implementation the appropriate
404 permits and approval from the US Army Corps of Engineers will be
obtained for fish barrier removal and beaver dam analog structures
among other proposed actions. Montana Streamside Protection Act, 124
permits, would be obtained for any activity that disturbs stream
channels.
Scoping Process
This notice of intent (NOI) to publish an EIS initiates the scoping
process, which guides the development of the EIS. An open house will be
scheduled following the publication of this NOI and release of the
scoping document. The public will be informed through mailing and media
release of the date, time, and location.
Your comments will be most useful if they describe a specific
action and the environmental effects of that action (cause and effect).
If you cite literature in your comments please provide us with a
complete bibliography and a copy of the reference material.
It is important that reviewers provide their comments so they are
useful to the Agency's preparation of the EIS. 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 4, 2018.
Allen Rowley,
Acting Associate Deputy Chief, National Forest System.
[FR Doc. 2018-23086 Filed 10-22-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3411-15-P
