Payette National Forest; Idaho; Granite Meadows Project, 54702-54704 [2018-23826]
Download as PDF
<![CDATA[
amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with NOTICES1
54702
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 211 / Wednesday, October 31, 2018 / Notices
managerial actions. The data collected
from the public, in concert with the
carrying capacity study, will help
determine future management objectives
and actions related to the Whole
Enchilada trail system.
If the survey were not to occur, vital
stakeholder information would be
absent from the recreation carrying
capacity study and would be incomplete
for all intents and purposes. Without the
survey, the subsequent carrying capacity
study would be incomplete and lacking
baseline data including public
perceptions about use and conditions.
The aforementioned 2013 Needs
Assessment that requires the Manti-La
Sal National Forest to conduct a
carrying capacity study, and by proxy,
a public survey, would be unmet and
the Forest Service could not potentially
increase commercial use on the Whole
Enchilada trail system. This trail has
seen increased use and popularity in the
last decade and current management
standards may be inadequate for natural
resource protection and public demand/
access to this trail system.
Estimate of Annual Burden: Each
survey will take anywhere from 15–20
minutes to complete fully.
Type of Respondents: Public
individuals: Trail users (hikers, bikers,
etc.), outfitter and guides (commercially
using the trail), and local business
owners (whom use the trail).
Estimated Annual Number of
Respondents: 1,000 Maximum for one
year in 2019.
Estimated Annual Number of
Responses per Respondent: 1.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on
Respondents: 20,000 minutes.
Comment is invited on: (1) Whether
this collection of information is
necessary for the stated purposes and
the proper performance of the functions
of the Agency, including whether the
information will have practical or
scientific utility; (2) the accuracy of the
Agency’s estimate of the burden of the
collection of information, 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
respondents, including the use of
automated, electronic, mechanical, or
other technological collection
techniques or other forms of information
technology.
All comments received in response to
this notice, including names and
addresses when provided, will be a
matter of public record. Comments will
be summarized and included in the
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:06 Oct 30, 2018
Jkt 247001
request for Office of Management and
Budget approval.
Dated: October 18, 2018.
Gregory C. Smith,
Acting Associate Deputy Chief, National
Forest System.
[FR Doc. 2018–23827 Filed 10–30–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3411–15–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Payette National Forest; Idaho; Granite
Meadows Project
Forest Service, USDA.
Notice of intent to prepare an
environmental impact statement.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
The Payette National Forest
will prepare an environmental impact
statement (EIS) to document the
potential effects of the Granite Meadows
Project. The Granite Meadows Project is
located north of New Meadows, Idaho
and north and west of McCall, Idaho on
the Boise Meridian, within Adams,
Valley and Idaho Counties. The analysis
will evaluate and disclose the effects of
implementing treatments on the
National Forest to meet the purpose and
need for the project. Proposed
treatments include timber harvest,
thinning, prescribed fire, road
treatments and road decommissioning,
watershed improvement and restoration
treatments, and recreation
improvements. Coordination with
existing permittees on grazing schedules
would also be included to meet the
purpose and need related to fuels
reduction.
SUMMARY:
Comments concerning the scope
of the analysis must be received by
December 17, 2018. The draft EIS is
expected in late July 2019, and the final
EIS is expected in December 2019.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to:
Keith Lannom, Forest Supervisor, 500 N
Mission Street, Building 2, McCall,
Idaho 83638. Comments may also be
sent via facsimile to 208–634–0744.
Comments may also be submitted
through the Granite Meadows Project
web page at https://www.fs.usda.gov/
project/?project=54029. To submit
comments using the web form select
‘‘Comment/Object on Project’’ under
‘‘Get Connected’’ on the right panel of
the project’s web page.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Erin
Phelps, New Meadows District Ranger,
208–347–0300, ephelps@fs.fed.us.
Individuals who use telecommunication
devices for the deaf (TDD) may call the
Federal Information Relay Service
DATES:
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
(FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339 between 8
a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday
through Friday. Additional project
information is available on the project
page of the Payette National Forest
website at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/
project/?project=54029.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
Granite Meadows Project area totals
approximately 83,000 acres, and
includes approximately 70,000 acres of
National Forest System (NFS) lands
within the New Meadows and McCall
Ranger Districts on the Payette National
Forest. Additionally, the project area
includes approximately 7,000 acres of
state land and 6,000 acres of private
land, where proposed treatments would
be covered under the Wyden Authority
(Wyden Amendment, Section 323(A) of
the Department of Interior and Related
Agencies Appropriations Act, 1999 as
included in Pub. L. 105–277, Div. A,
Section 101(e) as amended by Pub. L.
111–11, Section 3001). Actions
proposed for use under the Wyden
Authority would meet the intent and
requirements of state and federal laws
for actions on private and/or state lands.
The project is located in the Hard Creek,
Hartsell Creek-North Fork Payette River,
Elk Creek-Little Salmon River, Lower
Meadows Valley-Little Salmon River,
Round Valley Creek-Little Salmon
River, Sixmile Creek-Little Salmon
River, Box Creek-North Fork Payette
River, Fisher Creek, and Payette Lake
subwatersheds with the Little Salmon
and North Fork of the Payette subbasins.
Purpose and Need for Action
The Granite Meadows project is a
landscape-scale effort to improve
conditions across multiple resource
areas. The need for the project is based
on the difference between the existing
and desired conditions. The desired
conditions for this project are based
upon the Payette Forest Plan (USDA
Forest Service 2003), and the Watershed
Condition Framework (USDA Forest
Service 2011).
There is a need to increase the
diversity and resilience of the landscape
with an emphasis on promoting early
seral and fire resistent species (e.g.,
ponderosa pine and western larch), and
improving watershed function and
integrity. There is also a need to reduce
the threat of unnaturally high wildfire
intensity, especially in areas adjacent to
communities. Additionally, there is a
need to address the potential for user
conflict and improve forest user safety,
and effectively manage areas
experiencing detrimental impacts from
dispersed or unauthorized recreation.
There is also a need for economic
E:\FR\FM\31OCN1.SGM
31OCN1
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 211 / Wednesday, October 31, 2018 / Notices
stimulation for the communities
adjacent to and within the project area.
The purpose of the Granite Meadows
Project is to:
A. Move vegetation toward desired
conditions defined in the Forest Plan
with an emphasis on improving wildlife
habitat; reducing the risk of
uncharacteristic and undesirable
wildland fire; returning fire to the
ecosystem; promoting the development
of large tree forest structures mixed with
a mosaic of size classes; improving
growth, maintaining and promoting
seral species composition (e.g., quaking
aspen, whitebark pine, western larch,
ponderosa pine, and Douglas-fir), and
increasing resiliency to insects, disease,
and fire.
B. Support the development of fireadapted rural communities.
C. Provide for a safe, sustainable and
efficient NFS transportation network for
administration, utilization, and
protection of NFS lands, and reduce
road-related negative effects to
resources.
D. Move subwatersheds within the
project area toward the desired
conditions for soil, water, riparian, and
aquatic resources.
E. Implement site-specific streambank
and wetland restoration activities where
stream channels, wetlands, or riparian
areas are in a degraded condition.
F. Manage recreation use by
improving trails, addressing
unauthorized trails, improving other
recreation infrastructure, and thus
improve soil and water conditions while
also minmizing the potential for
conflicts between users, and addressing
the risk to forest users.
G. Contribute to the economic vitality
of the communities adjacent to the
Payette National Forest through
improvements to recreational
opportunities, timber sales, and other
removals of forest products, which also
fosters a resilient, adaptive ecosystem to
mitigate wildfire risk and strengthen
communities.
amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with NOTICES1
Proposed Action
The Proposed Action for the Granite
Meadows project includes vegetative
treatments (commerical, noncommerical, prescribed burning, and
associated actions); watershed
improvement and restoration
treatments; and recreation
improvements. Additionally,
coordination with existing permittees
on grazing programs would occur
within the project area to meet the
purpose and need of reducing the risk
of uncharacteristic and undesirable
wildland fire.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:06 Oct 30, 2018
Jkt 247001
Vegetative Treatments
The Forest Service proposes a
combination of commercial treatments,
non-commerical treatments (NCT) and
prescribed burning across the project
area. Treatments would be designed to
improve wildlife habitat conditions,
increase growth rates and tree vigor,
improve stand resiliency to natural
disturbance, reduce density-related
competition, reduce the likelihood of
extreme fire behavior in thinned tree
stands, and increase potential for
firefighter and public safety through
reduced fire intensity, if a wildfire
should occur. Treatments could occur
within the outer portions of some
riparian conservation areas (RCAs)
where necessary to meet the purpose
and need. Treatments would
incorporate mitigation measures to
address potential effects to soil, water,
riparian and aquatic resources.
Recurrent application of the necessary
treatments (primarily prescribed fire)
every 5 to 20 years would maintain the
desired condition.
Commercial Vegetative Treatments:
Treatments would occur on
approximately 25,000 acres and would
a incorporate a variety of silvicultural
systems, including both intermediate
and regneration treatments, depending
on stand conditions and species
composition. The primary target for
commercial treatments are accessible
stands where removal of commercial
sized trees would aid in achieving one
or more of the following: Maintaining or
restoring the desired vegetative
conditions at the landscape scale;
meeting wildland urban interface (WUI)
objectives (e.g., supports the
development of fire-adapted rural
communities and/or reduces the risk of
uncharacteristic and undesirable
wildland fire); and/or meeting
recreation objectives, such as improving
skier experience and safety at Brundage
Ski Resort.
Non-Commercial Treatments: Noncommercial thinning (NCT) would
occur on approximately 75,000 acres
and would be completed in areas of
commercial harvest as well as outside of
commercial harvest. This would consist
of trees generally less than ten inches
diameter at breast height (DBH). Primary
target acres for NCT consist of stands
within 1⁄2 mile of structures; plantations;
high-use recreation areas where
vegetation management would maintain
or enhance recreation objectives; areas
with forest health concerns due to insect
and disease; areas with with undesirable
competition to early seral species; areas
where density related stress/mortality is
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
54703
undesirable; and/or roadside treatments
to improve ingress and egress routes.
Prescribed Fire Treatments:
Prescribed fire treatments would occur
on approximately 83,000 acres. Nearly
all of the project area (excluding the
Bruin Mountain Reasearch Natural Area
and additional areas deemed unsuited
or critical) would be considered for
prescribed fire over the next 20 years.
Commercial activities would generally
be completed prior to the application of
fire, except where the application of fire
prior to thinning does not affect
commercial activities. Approximately
500 to 10,000 acres of prescribed fire
would be applied annually.
Associated Actions: Activities
associated with implementing the above
vegetative treaments include road
maintenance and use; temporary roads,
road relocation, rock pits, brush
disposal, site preparation, and planting.
Treatments on Private and State Lands
Within the Project Area
Through agreements between the
USDA Forest Service, willing private
landowners, county governments, and
Idaho Department of Lands (i.e., those
identified within the project area
boundary), treatments would seek to
meet the purpose and need for the
project and could include noncommercial thinning, prescribed fire,
brush disposal, planting and seeding of
native vegetation, watershed
improvements (e.g., culvert
replacements and stream stabilization),
and road repair. Actions proposed as
part of this project would comply with
all laws applicable to management of
state and private land. Agreements
under the Wyden Authority would not
restrict or preclude these land owners
from managing or implementing other
additional activities on their lands.
Funding for activities outside the scope
or purpose authorized under the Wyden
Authority would have to be funded by
other sources.
Watershed Improvement and
Restoration Treatments
These activities would include NFS
road treatments, unauthorized route
treatments, streambank and wetland
restoration activities, and fish passage
improvements. Road management
actions for this project would utilize the
McCall and New Meadows Ranger
District Travel Analysis
recommendations (completed in 2014
and 2015, respectively). Unauthorized
routes not needed for future
management would also be evaluated
for some level of restoration treatment
as required by Forest Service Manual
7734.01. and 7734.02. Site-specific
E:\FR\FM\31OCN1.SGM
31OCN1
54704
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 211 / Wednesday, October 31, 2018 / Notices
streambank and wetland restoration
actions would occur in Sater Meadows,
Mud Creek, or other areas across the
project area where stream channels,
wetlands, or riparian areas are in a
degraded condition. Actions to improve
stream channels, riparian habitat, and
wetlands may include: Streambank
stabilization, minor channel realignment, fence reconstruction, and
planting native vegetation. These
actions may also include placement of
instream or streambank structures such
as, but not limited to, rock, large woody
debris, beaver dam analogs (BDAs), and
barriers to prevent unauthorized
motorized travel in sensitive areas.
Road-crossing improvements have been
identified in the project area to improve
fish passage and hydrologic
connectivity, including crossings in the
Round Valley Creek Little Salmon River
subwatershed, the Sixmile Creek Little
Salmon River subwatershed, and in the
Upper Goose Creek subwatershed.
amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with NOTICES1
Recreation Improvements
To meet the purpose and need for the
project, recreation improvements would
include:
(A) Improving the existing trail
system by establishing user-created
(unauthorized) trails as system trails
where appropriate, converting some
roads to trails, and removing usercreated trails that negetatively impact
watershed and soil health;
(B) replacing or repairing existing
facilities, including restrooms and lake
amenities;
(C) addressing dispersed recreation
issues by enhancing sites, hardening
sites, closing some sites, and/or sign
installation;
(D) managing roads (including
relocation), posting signage and/or
considering closure orders (temporary
and/or permanent) to address public
safety in areas where conflicting use
occurs; and
(E) improving skier experience and
safety through vegetative treatments
within the Brundage Mountain Resort’s
ski area.
More detailed information on the
purpose and need for the project as well
as the Proposed Action can be found on
the project page of the Payette National
Forest website at: https://
www.fs.usda.gov/project/
?project=54029.
Responsible Official
18:06 Oct 30, 2018
Scoping Process
This notice of intent initiates the
scoping process, which helps guide the
development of the environmental
impact statement. It is important that
reviewers provide their comments at
such times and in such a 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
project. Comments submitted
anonymously however will also be
accepted and considered; however,
anonymous comments will not provide
the Agency with the ability to provide
the respondent with subsequent
information concerning the project.
Dated October 11, 2018.
Allen Rowley,
Acting Associate Deputy Chief, National
Forest System.
[FR Doc. 2018–23826 Filed 10–30–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3411–15–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Business—Cooperative Service
Information Collection Activity;
Comment Request
Rural Business—Cooperative
Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice and request for
comments.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the
Rural Business—Cooperative Service, an
agency of the United States Department
SUMMARY:
The Forest Supervisor of the Payette
National Forest is the Responsible
Official.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The Responsible Official will decide
whether or not, and in what manner,
lands within the Granite Meadows
project area would be treated to best
meet the purpose and need. The
decision will be based on a
consideration of the environmental
effects of implementing the proposed
action or alternatives. The Responsible
Official may select the proposed action,
any alternative analyzed in detail, a
modified proposed action or alternative,
or no action. If an action alternative is
selected, the Responsible Official will
determine what design features,
mitigation measures and monitoring
requirements are included in the
decision.
Jkt 247001
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
of Agriculture’s (USDA), invites
comments on this information
collection for which the Agency intends
to request approval from the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB).
DATES: Comments on this notice must be
received by December 31, 2018.
Development Innovation Center—
Regulatory Team, USDA, 1400
Independence Ave. SW, STOP 1522,
Room 5162 South Building,
Washington, DC 20250–1522.
Telephone: (202) 690–1078. Email:
Michele.Brooks@wdc.usda.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Office
of Management and Budget’s (OMB)
regulation (5 CFR 1320) implementing
provisions of the Paperwork Reduction
Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104–13) requires
that interested members of the public
and affected agencies have an
opportunity to comment on information
collection and recordkeeping activities
(see 5 CFR 1320.8(d)). This notice
identifies an information collection that
the Agency is submitting to OMB for
revision.
Comments are invited on (a) 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; (b) the accuracy of the
agency’s estimate of burden including
the validity of the methodology and
assumption used; (c) ways to enhance
the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and (d)
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 on
other forms and information technology.
Comments may be sent to Michele
Brooks, Team Lead, Rural Development
Innovation Center—Regulatory Team,
USDA, 1400 Independence Ave. SW,
STOP 1522, Room 5162 South Building,
Washington, DC 20250–1522.
Telephone: (202) 690–1078. Email:
Michele.Brooks@wdc.usda.gov.
Title: 7 CFR Part 4280–E, Rural
Business Development Grants.
OMB Control Number: 0570–0070.
Type of Request: Extension of
currently approved package.
Abstract: The Agricultural Act of
2014, Public Law 113–79 (2014 Farm
Bill) (7 U.S.C. 1932(c)), authorizes the
Rural Business Development Grant
(RBDG) program to facilitate the
development of small and emerging
private businesses, industries, and
related employment as well as
identifying and analyzing business
opportunities, establishing business
E:\FR\FM\31OCN1.SGM
31OCN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 211 (Wednesday, October 31, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54702-54704]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-23826]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Payette National Forest; Idaho; Granite Meadows Project
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Payette National Forest will prepare an environmental
impact statement (EIS) to document the potential effects of the Granite
Meadows Project. The Granite Meadows Project is located north of New
Meadows, Idaho and north and west of McCall, Idaho on the Boise
Meridian, within Adams, Valley and Idaho Counties. The analysis will
evaluate and disclose the effects of implementing treatments on the
National Forest to meet the purpose and need for the project. Proposed
treatments include timber harvest, thinning, prescribed fire, road
treatments and road decommissioning, watershed improvement and
restoration treatments, and recreation improvements. Coordination with
existing permittees on grazing schedules would also be included to meet
the purpose and need related to fuels reduction.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received
by December 17, 2018. The draft EIS is expected in late July 2019, and
the final EIS is expected in December 2019.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to: Keith Lannom, Forest Supervisor,
500 N Mission Street, Building 2, McCall, Idaho 83638. Comments may
also be sent via facsimile to 208-634-0744. Comments may also be
submitted through the Granite Meadows Project web page at https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=54029. To submit comments using the
web form select ``Comment/Object on Project'' under ``Get Connected''
on the right panel of the project's web page.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Erin Phelps, New Meadows District
Ranger, 208-347-0300, [email protected]. 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. Additional project
information is available on the project page of the Payette National
Forest website at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=54029.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Granite Meadows Project area totals
approximately 83,000 acres, and includes approximately 70,000 acres of
National Forest System (NFS) lands within the New Meadows and McCall
Ranger Districts on the Payette National Forest. Additionally, the
project area includes approximately 7,000 acres of state land and 6,000
acres of private land, where proposed treatments would be covered under
the Wyden Authority (Wyden Amendment, Section 323(A) of the Department
of Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1999 as included
in Pub. L. 105-277, Div. A, Section 101(e) as amended by Pub. L. 111-
11, Section 3001). Actions proposed for use under the Wyden Authority
would meet the intent and requirements of state and federal laws for
actions on private and/or state lands. The project is located in the
Hard Creek, Hartsell Creek-North Fork Payette River, Elk Creek-Little
Salmon River, Lower Meadows Valley-Little Salmon River, Round Valley
Creek-Little Salmon River, Sixmile Creek-Little Salmon River, Box
Creek-North Fork Payette River, Fisher Creek, and Payette Lake
subwatersheds with the Little Salmon and North Fork of the Payette
subbasins.
Purpose and Need for Action
The Granite Meadows project is a landscape-scale effort to improve
conditions across multiple resource areas. The need for the project is
based on the difference between the existing and desired conditions.
The desired conditions for this project are based upon the Payette
Forest Plan (USDA Forest Service 2003), and the Watershed Condition
Framework (USDA Forest Service 2011).
There is a need to increase the diversity and resilience of the
landscape with an emphasis on promoting early seral and fire resistent
species (e.g., ponderosa pine and western larch), and improving
watershed function and integrity. There is also a need to reduce the
threat of unnaturally high wildfire intensity, especially in areas
adjacent to communities. Additionally, there is a need to address the
potential for user conflict and improve forest user safety, and
effectively manage areas experiencing detrimental impacts from
dispersed or unauthorized recreation. There is also a need for economic
[[Page 54703]]
stimulation for the communities adjacent to and within the project
area.
The purpose of the Granite Meadows Project is to:
A. Move vegetation toward desired conditions defined in the Forest
Plan with an emphasis on improving wildlife habitat; reducing the risk
of uncharacteristic and undesirable wildland fire; returning fire to
the ecosystem; promoting the development of large tree forest
structures mixed with a mosaic of size classes; improving growth,
maintaining and promoting seral species composition (e.g., quaking
aspen, whitebark pine, western larch, ponderosa pine, and Douglas-fir),
and increasing resiliency to insects, disease, and fire.
B. Support the development of fire-adapted rural communities.
C. Provide for a safe, sustainable and efficient NFS transportation
network for administration, utilization, and protection of NFS lands,
and reduce road-related negative effects to resources.
D. Move subwatersheds within the project area toward the desired
conditions for soil, water, riparian, and aquatic resources.
E. Implement site-specific streambank and wetland restoration
activities where stream channels, wetlands, or riparian areas are in a
degraded condition.
F. Manage recreation use by improving trails, addressing
unauthorized trails, improving other recreation infrastructure, and
thus improve soil and water conditions while also minmizing the
potential for conflicts between users, and addressing the risk to
forest users.
G. Contribute to the economic vitality of the communities adjacent
to the Payette National Forest through improvements to recreational
opportunities, timber sales, and other removals of forest products,
which also fosters a resilient, adaptive ecosystem to mitigate wildfire
risk and strengthen communities.
Proposed Action
The Proposed Action for the Granite Meadows project includes
vegetative treatments (commerical, non-commerical, prescribed burning,
and associated actions); watershed improvement and restoration
treatments; and recreation improvements. Additionally, coordination
with existing permittees on grazing programs would occur within the
project area to meet the purpose and need of reducing the risk of
uncharacteristic and undesirable wildland fire.
Vegetative Treatments
The Forest Service proposes a combination of commercial treatments,
non-commerical treatments (NCT) and prescribed burning across the
project area. Treatments would be designed to improve wildlife habitat
conditions, increase growth rates and tree vigor, improve stand
resiliency to natural disturbance, reduce density-related competition,
reduce the likelihood of extreme fire behavior in thinned tree stands,
and increase potential for firefighter and public safety through
reduced fire intensity, if a wildfire should occur. Treatments could
occur within the outer portions of some riparian conservation areas
(RCAs) where necessary to meet the purpose and need. Treatments would
incorporate mitigation measures to address potential effects to soil,
water, riparian and aquatic resources. Recurrent application of the
necessary treatments (primarily prescribed fire) every 5 to 20 years
would maintain the desired condition.
Commercial Vegetative Treatments: Treatments would occur on
approximately 25,000 acres and would a incorporate a variety of
silvicultural systems, including both intermediate and regneration
treatments, depending on stand conditions and species composition. The
primary target for commercial treatments are accessible stands where
removal of commercial sized trees would aid in achieving one or more of
the following: Maintaining or restoring the desired vegetative
conditions at the landscape scale; meeting wildland urban interface
(WUI) objectives (e.g., supports the development of fire-adapted rural
communities and/or reduces the risk of uncharacteristic and undesirable
wildland fire); and/or meeting recreation objectives, such as improving
skier experience and safety at Brundage Ski Resort.
Non-Commercial Treatments: Non-commercial thinning (NCT) would
occur on approximately 75,000 acres and would be completed in areas of
commercial harvest as well as outside of commercial harvest. This would
consist of trees generally less than ten inches diameter at breast
height (DBH). Primary target acres for NCT consist of stands within \1/
2\ mile of structures; plantations; high-use recreation areas where
vegetation management would maintain or enhance recreation objectives;
areas with forest health concerns due to insect and disease; areas with
with undesirable competition to early seral species; areas where
density related stress/mortality is undesirable; and/or roadside
treatments to improve ingress and egress routes.
Prescribed Fire Treatments: Prescribed fire treatments would occur
on approximately 83,000 acres. Nearly all of the project area
(excluding the Bruin Mountain Reasearch Natural Area and additional
areas deemed unsuited or critical) would be considered for prescribed
fire over the next 20 years. Commercial activities would generally be
completed prior to the application of fire, except where the
application of fire prior to thinning does not affect commercial
activities. Approximately 500 to 10,000 acres of prescribed fire would
be applied annually.
Associated Actions: Activities associated with implementing the
above vegetative treaments include road maintenance and use; temporary
roads, road relocation, rock pits, brush disposal, site preparation,
and planting.
Treatments on Private and State Lands Within the Project Area
Through agreements between the USDA Forest Service, willing private
landowners, county governments, and Idaho Department of Lands (i.e.,
those identified within the project area boundary), treatments would
seek to meet the purpose and need for the project and could include
non-commercial thinning, prescribed fire, brush disposal, planting and
seeding of native vegetation, watershed improvements (e.g., culvert
replacements and stream stabilization), and road repair. Actions
proposed as part of this project would comply with all laws applicable
to management of state and private land. Agreements under the Wyden
Authority would not restrict or preclude these land owners from
managing or implementing other additional activities on their lands.
Funding for activities outside the scope or purpose authorized under
the Wyden Authority would have to be funded by other sources.
Watershed Improvement and Restoration Treatments
These activities would include NFS road treatments, unauthorized
route treatments, streambank and wetland restoration activities, and
fish passage improvements. Road management actions for this project
would utilize the McCall and New Meadows Ranger District Travel
Analysis recommendations (completed in 2014 and 2015, respectively).
Unauthorized routes not needed for future management would also be
evaluated for some level of restoration treatment as required by Forest
Service Manual 7734.01. and 7734.02. Site-specific
[[Page 54704]]
streambank and wetland restoration actions would occur in Sater
Meadows, Mud Creek, or other areas across the project area where stream
channels, wetlands, or riparian areas are in a degraded condition.
Actions to improve stream channels, riparian habitat, and wetlands may
include: Streambank stabilization, minor channel re-alignment, fence
reconstruction, and planting native vegetation. These actions may also
include placement of instream or streambank structures such as, but not
limited to, rock, large woody debris, beaver dam analogs (BDAs), and
barriers to prevent unauthorized motorized travel in sensitive areas.
Road-crossing improvements have been identified in the project area to
improve fish passage and hydrologic connectivity, including crossings
in the Round Valley Creek Little Salmon River subwatershed, the Sixmile
Creek Little Salmon River subwatershed, and in the Upper Goose Creek
subwatershed.
Recreation Improvements
To meet the purpose and need for the project, recreation
improvements would include:
(A) Improving the existing trail system by establishing user-
created (unauthorized) trails as system trails where appropriate,
converting some roads to trails, and removing user-created trails that
negetatively impact watershed and soil health;
(B) replacing or repairing existing facilities, including restrooms
and lake amenities;
(C) addressing dispersed recreation issues by enhancing sites,
hardening sites, closing some sites, and/or sign installation;
(D) managing roads (including relocation), posting signage and/or
considering closure orders (temporary and/or permanent) to address
public safety in areas where conflicting use occurs; and
(E) improving skier experience and safety through vegetative
treatments within the Brundage Mountain Resort's ski area.
More detailed information on the purpose and need for the project
as well as the Proposed Action can be found on the project page of the
Payette National Forest website at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=54029.
Responsible Official
The Forest Supervisor of the Payette National Forest is the
Responsible Official.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The Responsible Official will decide whether or not, and in what
manner, lands within the Granite Meadows project area would be treated
to best meet the purpose and need. The decision will be based on a
consideration of the environmental effects of implementing the proposed
action or alternatives. The Responsible Official may select the
proposed action, any alternative analyzed in detail, a modified
proposed action or alternative, or no action. If an action alternative
is selected, the Responsible Official will determine what design
features, mitigation measures and monitoring requirements are included
in the decision.
Scoping Process
This notice of intent initiates the scoping process, which helps
guide the development of the environmental impact statement. It is
important that reviewers provide their comments at such times and in
such a 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 project. Comments submitted anonymously however will also be
accepted and considered; however, anonymous comments will not provide
the Agency with the ability to provide the respondent with subsequent
information concerning the project.
Dated October 11, 2018.
Allen Rowley,
Acting Associate Deputy Chief, National Forest System.
[FR Doc. 2018-23826 Filed 10-30-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3411-15-P
