Eldorado and Stanislaus National Forests; California; Mokelumne Amador Calaveras Forest Resilience Project, 78842-78844 [2024-22038]
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78842
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 187 / Thursday, September 26, 2024 / Notices
khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
respond, including through the use of
appropriate automated, electronic,
mechanical, or other technological
collection techniques and other forms of
information technology.
Comments regarding this information
collection received by October 28, 2024
will be considered. Written comments
and recommendations for the proposed
information collection should be
submitted within 30 days of the
publication of this notice on the
following website www.reginfo.gov/
public/do/PRAMain. Find this
particular information collection by
selecting ‘‘Currently under 30-day
Review—Open for Public Comments’’ or
by using the search function.
An agency may not conduct or
sponsor a collection of information
unless the collection of information
displays a currently valid OMB control
number and the agency informs
potential persons who are to respond to
the collection of information that such
persons are not required to respond to
the collection of information unless it
displays a currently valid OMB control
number.
Rural Business-Cooperative Service
Title: Rural Micro-Entrepreneur
Assistance Program.
OMB Control Number: 0570–0062.
Summary of Collection: The Rural
Microentrepreneur Assistance Program
(RMAP), authorized under section 6022
of the Food, Conservation, and Energy
Act of 2008 (2008 Farm Bill), which
amends section subtitle D of the
Consolidated Farm and Rural
Development Act of 2008 (CON Act)
provides rural microentrepreneurs with
the skills necessary to establish new
rural microenterprises, to provide
continuing technical and financial
assistance related to the successful
operation of rural microenterprises, and
to assist with the cost of providing other
activities and services related to the
successful operation of rural
microenterprise development
organizations (MDOs) and rural
microenterprises. The Secretary makes
direct loans to MDOs (MDOs that are
participating in the program are referred
to as ‘‘microlenders’’) for the purpose of
capitalizing microloan revolving funds
to provide fixed interest rate business
loans of $50,000 or less to
microentrepreneurs, as defined in the
2008 Farm Bill.
Need and Use of the Information:
Microlenders seeking loans and/or
grants will have to submit applications
that include specified information,
certifications, and agreements to the
Agency. This information will be used
to determine applicant eligibility and to
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17:11 Sep 25, 2024
Jkt 262001
ensure that funds are used for
authorized purposes. Applications for
continued participation in RMAP,
during years 2 and 3, will include
primarily any needed updates to the
information submitted with the initial
application.
Description of Respondents: Business
or other for-profit; Not-for-profit
Institutions; State, Local or Tribal
governments.
Number of Respondents: 40.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting:
Quarterly, Annually.
Total Burden Hours: 1,907.
Levi S. Harrell,
Departmental Information Collection
Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2024–22071 Filed 9–25–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–XY–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Proposed Recreation Fee Sites
Forest Service, Agriculture
(USDA).
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
The National Forests in
Mississippi are proposing to establish a
recreation fee site and two special
recreation permits. Proposed recreation
fees collected at the proposed recreation
fee site and for the proposed special
recreation permits would be used for
operation, maintenance, and
improvement of the site and the
specialized recreation use covered by
the proposed special recreation permit.
An analysis of nearby recreation fee
sites and specialized recreation uses
with similar amenities shows the
proposed recreation fees that would be
charged at the proposed recreation fee
site and for the proposed special
recreation permit are reasonable and
typical of similar recreation fee sites and
specialized recreation uses in the area.
DATES: If approved, the proposed
recreation fees would be established no
earlier than six months following the
publication of this notice in the Federal
Register.
ADDRESSES: National Forests in
Mississippi, Attention: Recreation Fees,
968 Highway 15 South, Laurel, MS
39443.
SUMMARY:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Jacob Rhyne, Recreation Program
Manager, 601–804–9767 or
Jacob.rhyne@usda.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement
Act (16 U.S.C. 6803(b)) requires the
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Forest Service to publish in the Federal
Register a six-month advance notice of
establishment of recreation fee sites. In
accordance with Forest Service
Handbook 2309.13, chapter 30, the
Forest Service will publish the proposed
recreation fee sites and proposed
recreation fees in local newspapers and
other local publications for public
comment. Most of the proposed
recreation fees would be spent where
they are collected to enhance the visitor
experience at the proposed recreation
fee sites.
A proposed expanded amenity
recreation fee of $10 per night would be
charged for Big Foot Horse Camp. A
proposed special recreation permit
recreation fee of $10 per person per day
is proposed at the South Bethel
Motorized Trail. In addition, a proposed
special recreation permit recreation fee
of $5 per person per day is proposed at
the Black Creek Shooing Range.
Expenditures of recreation fees
collected at the proposed recreation fee
site and for the proposed special
recreation permits would enhance
recreation opportunities, improve
customer service, and address
maintenance needs. Once public
involvement is complete, the proposed
recreation fee site, proposed special
recreation permits, and proposed
recreation fees will be reviewed by a
Recreation Resource Advisory
Committee prior to a final decision and
implementation.
Dated: September 19, 2024.
Jacqueline Emanuel,
Associate Deputy Chief, National Forest
System.
[FR Doc. 2024–22007 Filed 9–25–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3411–15–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Eldorado and Stanislaus National
Forests; California; Mokelumne
Amador Calaveras Forest Resilience
Project
Forest Service, Agriculture
(USDA).
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement.
AGENCY:
The Forest Service (‘‘Forest
Service’’), United States Department of
Agriculture is preparing an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
for the Mokelumne Amador Calaveras
(MAC) Forest Resilience Project. The
MAC Forest Resilience Project is a
246,838-acres planning effort designed
to address the threats wildfire and
SUMMARY:
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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 187 / Thursday, September 26, 2024 / Notices
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climate change elicit to watershed
resiliency at a scale and intensity that
will be effective in improving our ability
to protect communities, critical
infrastructure, wildlife habitat and
ecosystem services. Current forest
conditions have placed the Project Area
at an elevated risk of high-severity
wildfires. The proposed action includes
vegetation management treatments
designed to better align current forest
structure and composition with desired
conditions, focusing on fuel reduction,
forest thinning, prescribed fire, fuel
break construction and maintenance,
non-native invasive plant control and
eradication, and other ecological and
watershed restoration activities. The
Planning, Appeals, and Litigation
System identification number for the
project is 65796.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope
of the analysis must be received by
October 28, 2024. The draft
environmental impact statement is
expected mid-2025 and the final
environmental impact statement is
expected early 2026.
ADDRESSES: Submit written comments
via mail or by hand delivery to Eldorado
National Forest Supervisor’s Office at
100 Forni Road, Placerville, CA 95667.
Comments may be submitted
electronically online via the project
website https://www.fs.usda.gov/
project/?project=65796. From the
project website, click on the ‘Comment/
Object on Project’ link located on the
right-hand side under the ‘Get
Connected’ box.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Carinna Robertson, Resource
Management Staff Officer via email at
carinna.robertson@usda.gov, or by
phone at 1–209–813–6039. Individuals
who use telecommunication devices for
the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at
800–877–8339, 24 hours a day, every
day of the year, including holidays.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose and Need for Action
The purpose of MAC Forest
Resilience Project is to restore
ecosystem health and resilience to
wildfire, insect and disease, drought,
and climate change; reduce safety
hazards across public lands; reduce the
spread of non-native species; maintain
and support local economies, and
maintain and improve aspen groves,
riparian areas, streams, and meadows.
The proposed actions are needed to
reduce the risks of wildfire within and
adjacent to USDA Forest Service
managed lands, improve and maintain
safe ingress/egress routes for fire
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17:11 Sep 25, 2024
Jkt 262001
personnel, equipment, and the public,
maintain and promote plant and
wildlife habitat and biodiversity, and
reduce the spread of non-native invasive
plants.
Proposed Action
The MAC Forest Resilience Project
will include a broad range of
management activities to meet the
purpose and need of the project. A
combination of commercial and noncommercial mechanical forest thinning,
other mechanical and hand fuel
treatments, prescribed fire, hazard tree
removal, salvage logging, invasive
species treatments, and additional
ecological restoration activities are
proposed. Forest thinning will be
implemented to reduce fuel loads,
reduce stand densities, and increase
forest heterogeneity across the
landscape. Multiple logging systems,
road maintenance, temporary road
construction, and landing development
will be required for product removal
during forest thinning.
Shaded fuel breaks will be
constructed and maintained to break up
large expanses of continuous fuels,
support firefighter access and safety,
and provide control points for the
implementation of prescribed fire.
Prescribed fire treatments will be
implemented, including, but not limited
to, pile burning and understory
broadcast burning, to reduce fuel loads,
increase understory productivity and
diversity, and allow fire to perform its
natural ecological role.
Hazard trees will be identified, felled,
and removed to improve safety along
roadways, recreation areas, trails, access
routes, infrastructure, and other specific
areas. Salvage of insect-, disease-,
drought-, and fire-killed trees is
included to efficiently eliminate
accumulated fuels and to facilitate a
rapid response to mortality events.
Non-native invasive plant control and
eradication treatments are proposed for
known infestations and for future new
infestations. Manual, biological, and
chemical control or targeted grazing
methods will be used to eradicate
infestations or to contain or control their
spread.
Ecological restoration activities will
include aspen grove maintenance and
improvement, riparian improvements
such as native plant plantings and
streambank stabilization, removal of
encroaching conifers and trail and road
rerouting around meadows, as well as
process-based stream restoration
techniques and aquatic organism
passage improvements.
Treatments will be implemented
using a staged approach over the next 10
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78843
years. Follow-up treatments to achieve
or maintain desired conditions will be
implemented beyond 10 years. To
determine priorities and locations for
treatments, spatial modeling will be
used to identify focus areas for
maximizing effectiveness. The proposed
action will include an extensive list of
management requirements, including
restrictions, constraints, and retention
requirements for protection of resources
and to ensure compliance with
applicable laws, regulations, and policy.
Forest Plan Amendments
The proposed action will include
project-specific forest plan amendments
to implement the management
approaches and conservation measures
presented in the Conservation Strategy
for the California Spotted Owl in the
Sierra Nevada (USDA Forest Service
2019).
The EIS will also consider an
alternative developed in compliance
with the existing Forest Plans to enable
a comparative assessment of the
proposed action developed in
compliance with the project-specific
forest plan amendments and similar
actions proposed under current plan
direction. The Eldorado and Stanislaus
Forests will each make independent
decisions on the potential future
adoption of any project-specific Forest
Plan amendments included in the EIS.
Expected Impacts
The MAC Forest Resilience Project
EIS will evaluate both the effectiveness
of the proposed action and action
alternative(s) at meeting the purpose
and needs of the project and the
potential environmental consequences
of these proposed actions in comparison
to the no action alternative. The EIS will
focus the analysis to address significant
issues identified through the public
scoping process. The project is expected
to significantly increase forest health
and resilience by reducing the
likelihood of high-severity wildfire,
reducing stand densities, and increasing
forest heterogeneity. Restoration to
healthier, more resilient and more fireresistant forests will reduce
uncontrolled emissions and public
health impacts from wildfire smoke over
the long term, improve growth, life
span, and carbon storage of residual
trees. Surface water quality, supply, and
reliability will be protected by reducing
fire-induced soil erosion, benefiting
local and downstream users,
hydroelectric and water supply
infrastructure, and special-status
species.
The consequences of taking no action
are high. The area would remain at an
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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 187 / Thursday, September 26, 2024 / Notices
elevated risk of high-severity wildfire
that would result in forest and wildlife
habitat losses and watershed
degradation. The treatments proposed to
create the desired conditions may cause
short-term impacts to sensitive
resources, including California spotted
owl protected activity centers.
Responsible Officials
The Responsible Officials will be
Amy Reid, Acting Forest Supervisor,
Eldorado National Forest, and Jason
Kuiken, Forest Supervisor, Stanislaus
National Forest.
khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
Scoping Comments and the Objection
Process
This notice of intent initiates the
scoping process, which guides the
development of the environmental
impact statement. In this process the
Agency is requesting comments on
potential alternatives and impacts, and
identification of any relevant
information, studies, or analyses of any
kind concerning impacts affecting the
quality of the human environment.
There will be up to two public
workshops during the scoping period.
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 final EIS;
therefore, comments should be provided
prior to the close of the comment period
and should clearly articulate the
reviewer’s concerns and contentions.
Commenting during scoping and any
other designated opportunity to
comment provided by the Responsible
Official as prescribed by the applicable
regulations will also govern eligibility to
object once the final EIS and draft
Record of Decision has been published.
Comments received in response to this
solicitation, including names and
addresses of those who comment, will
be part of the public record for this
proposed action. Comments submitted
anonymously will be accepted and
considered; however, they will not be
used to establish eligibility for the
objection process.
Objections will be accepted only from
those who have previously submitted
specific written comments regarding the
proposed project during scoping or
other designated opportunity for public
comment in accordance with § 218.5(a).
Issues raised in objections must be
based on previously submitted timely,
specific written comments regarding the
proposed project unless based on new
information arising after designated
opportunities.
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17:11 Sep 25, 2024
Jkt 262001
Permits, Licenses or other
Authorizations Required
influenced by the plan (36 CFR
219.8(b)(1)).
The Project includes actions within
aquatic or riparian areas that may be
subject to future permitting
requirements under Section 404 of the
Clean Water Act (CWA), Section 401 of
the CWA, and/or Section 1600 et seq of
California Fish and Game Code.
Additionally, the Project will require
consultation with the United States Fish
and Wildlife Service (USFWS) on listed
species. Based on current and potential
future funding from the state of
California, compliance with the
California Environmental Quality Act
will be required.
Keith Lannom,
Associate Deputy Chief, National Forest
System.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
AGENCY:
Given the purpose and need, the
Responsible Officials will determine
whether the proposed actions comply
with all applicable laws governing
Forest Service actions and with the
applicable standards and guidelines
found in the Forest Plans of the
Eldorado National Forest and Stanislaus
National Forest; whether the EIS has
sufficient environmental analysis to
make an informed decision; and
whether the proposed action and any
action alternatives meet the purpose and
needs for action. With this information,
the Responsible Officials must decide
whether to select the proposed action
and what, if any, additional actions
should be required.
Substantive Provisions
The substantive provisions of 36 CFR
219.8 through 219.11 that may directly
apply to the proposed project-specific
forest plan amendments are 36 CFR
219.9 Diversity of Plant and Animal
Communities, (a) Ecosystem plan
components, (1) Ecosystem integrity (36
CFR 219 (a)(1)); 36 CFR 219.9 Diversity
of Plant and Animal Communities, (a)
Ecosystem plan components, (2)
Ecosystem diversity, (i) key
characteristics associated with the
terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem types
(36 CFR 219(a)(2)(I)); 36 CFR 219.9
Diversity of Plant and Animal
Communities, (a) Ecosystem plan
components, (2) Ecosystem diversity,
(ii) rare aquatic and terrestrial plant and
animal communities (36 CFR 219
(a)(2)(ii)); and 36 CFR 219.8
Sustainability, (b) Social and Economic
Sustainability, (1) Social, cultural, and
economic conditions relevant to the area
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[FR Doc. 2024–22038 Filed 9–25–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3411–15–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Office of the Secretary
[Docket Number: 240918–0243]
RIN 0605–XZ001
Department of Commerce Open
Government Plan
Office of the Secretary,
Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Request for comments for the
Department of Commerce Open
Government Plan; reopening of
comment period.
On August 7, 2024, the U.S.
Department of Commerce’s Office of
Privacy and Open Government issued a
request for public comments (RFC) on
improvements to the presentation of the
Department’s eighth Open Government
Plan. That request sought public input
on how to improve upon the
organization, scope, form, and format of
the Department’s seventh Open
Government Plan document, how to
enhance readability and reach a broader
audience, and how best to convey in the
document how the Department’s eighth
Open Government Plan incorporates
themes from the fifth U.S. Open
Government National Action Plan that
was issued on December 28, 2022. The
comment period for the Open
Government Plan closed on September
6, 2024. Unfortunately, the RFC was not
available for public comments via the
Federal eRulemaking Portal at https://
www.regulations.gov/. Accordingly, the
Department hereby reopens the
comment period for an additional 60
days.
SUMMARY:
The comment period for the
notice published August 7, 2024, at 89
FR 64405, is reopened. Comments on
this notice must be submitted on or
before November 25, 2024.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
via the Federal eRulemaking Portal at
https://www.regulations.gov/. Follow
the instructions for submitting
comments. All public comments
received are subject to the Freedom of
Information Act and will be posted in
their entirety at https://
www.regulations.gov/, including any
personal and business confidential
DATES:
E:\FR\FM\26SEN1.SGM
26SEN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 187 (Thursday, September 26, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 78842-78844]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-22038]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Eldorado and Stanislaus National Forests; California; Mokelumne
Amador Calaveras Forest Resilience Project
AGENCY: Forest Service, Agriculture (USDA).
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Forest Service (``Forest Service''), United States
Department of Agriculture is preparing an Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) for the Mokelumne Amador Calaveras (MAC) Forest
Resilience Project. The MAC Forest Resilience Project is a 246,838-
acres planning effort designed to address the threats wildfire and
[[Page 78843]]
climate change elicit to watershed resiliency at a scale and intensity
that will be effective in improving our ability to protect communities,
critical infrastructure, wildlife habitat and ecosystem services.
Current forest conditions have placed the Project Area at an elevated
risk of high-severity wildfires. The proposed action includes
vegetation management treatments designed to better align current
forest structure and composition with desired conditions, focusing on
fuel reduction, forest thinning, prescribed fire, fuel break
construction and maintenance, non-native invasive plant control and
eradication, and other ecological and watershed restoration activities.
The Planning, Appeals, and Litigation System identification number for
the project is 65796.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received
by October 28, 2024. The draft environmental impact statement is
expected mid-2025 and the final environmental impact statement is
expected early 2026.
ADDRESSES: Submit written comments via mail or by hand delivery to
Eldorado National Forest Supervisor's Office at 100 Forni Road,
Placerville, CA 95667. Comments may be submitted electronically online
via the project website https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=65796.
From the project website, click on the `Comment/Object on Project' link
located on the right-hand side under the `Get Connected' box.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carinna Robertson, Resource Management
Staff Officer via email at [email protected], or by phone at
1-209-813-6039. Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the
deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at
800-877-8339, 24 hours a day, every day of the year, including
holidays.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose and Need for Action
The purpose of MAC Forest Resilience Project is to restore
ecosystem health and resilience to wildfire, insect and disease,
drought, and climate change; reduce safety hazards across public lands;
reduce the spread of non-native species; maintain and support local
economies, and maintain and improve aspen groves, riparian areas,
streams, and meadows. The proposed actions are needed to reduce the
risks of wildfire within and adjacent to USDA Forest Service managed
lands, improve and maintain safe ingress/egress routes for fire
personnel, equipment, and the public, maintain and promote plant and
wildlife habitat and biodiversity, and reduce the spread of non-native
invasive plants.
Proposed Action
The MAC Forest Resilience Project will include a broad range of
management activities to meet the purpose and need of the project. A
combination of commercial and non-commercial mechanical forest
thinning, other mechanical and hand fuel treatments, prescribed fire,
hazard tree removal, salvage logging, invasive species treatments, and
additional ecological restoration activities are proposed. Forest
thinning will be implemented to reduce fuel loads, reduce stand
densities, and increase forest heterogeneity across the landscape.
Multiple logging systems, road maintenance, temporary road
construction, and landing development will be required for product
removal during forest thinning.
Shaded fuel breaks will be constructed and maintained to break up
large expanses of continuous fuels, support firefighter access and
safety, and provide control points for the implementation of prescribed
fire.
Prescribed fire treatments will be implemented, including, but not
limited to, pile burning and understory broadcast burning, to reduce
fuel loads, increase understory productivity and diversity, and allow
fire to perform its natural ecological role.
Hazard trees will be identified, felled, and removed to improve
safety along roadways, recreation areas, trails, access routes,
infrastructure, and other specific areas. Salvage of insect-, disease-,
drought-, and fire-killed trees is included to efficiently eliminate
accumulated fuels and to facilitate a rapid response to mortality
events.
Non-native invasive plant control and eradication treatments are
proposed for known infestations and for future new infestations.
Manual, biological, and chemical control or targeted grazing methods
will be used to eradicate infestations or to contain or control their
spread.
Ecological restoration activities will include aspen grove
maintenance and improvement, riparian improvements such as native plant
plantings and streambank stabilization, removal of encroaching conifers
and trail and road rerouting around meadows, as well as process-based
stream restoration techniques and aquatic organism passage
improvements.
Treatments will be implemented using a staged approach over the
next 10 years. Follow-up treatments to achieve or maintain desired
conditions will be implemented beyond 10 years. To determine priorities
and locations for treatments, spatial modeling will be used to identify
focus areas for maximizing effectiveness. The proposed action will
include an extensive list of management requirements, including
restrictions, constraints, and retention requirements for protection of
resources and to ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations,
and policy.
Forest Plan Amendments
The proposed action will include project-specific forest plan
amendments to implement the management approaches and conservation
measures presented in the Conservation Strategy for the California
Spotted Owl in the Sierra Nevada (USDA Forest Service 2019).
The EIS will also consider an alternative developed in compliance
with the existing Forest Plans to enable a comparative assessment of
the proposed action developed in compliance with the project-specific
forest plan amendments and similar actions proposed under current plan
direction. The Eldorado and Stanislaus Forests will each make
independent decisions on the potential future adoption of any project-
specific Forest Plan amendments included in the EIS.
Expected Impacts
The MAC Forest Resilience Project EIS will evaluate both the
effectiveness of the proposed action and action alternative(s) at
meeting the purpose and needs of the project and the potential
environmental consequences of these proposed actions in comparison to
the no action alternative. The EIS will focus the analysis to address
significant issues identified through the public scoping process. The
project is expected to significantly increase forest health and
resilience by reducing the likelihood of high-severity wildfire,
reducing stand densities, and increasing forest heterogeneity.
Restoration to healthier, more resilient and more fire-resistant
forests will reduce uncontrolled emissions and public health impacts
from wildfire smoke over the long term, improve growth, life span, and
carbon storage of residual trees. Surface water quality, supply, and
reliability will be protected by reducing fire-induced soil erosion,
benefiting local and downstream users, hydroelectric and water supply
infrastructure, and special-status species.
The consequences of taking no action are high. The area would
remain at an
[[Page 78844]]
elevated risk of high-severity wildfire that would result in forest and
wildlife habitat losses and watershed degradation. The treatments
proposed to create the desired conditions may cause short-term impacts
to sensitive resources, including California spotted owl protected
activity centers.
Responsible Officials
The Responsible Officials will be Amy Reid, Acting Forest
Supervisor, Eldorado National Forest, and Jason Kuiken, Forest
Supervisor, Stanislaus National Forest.
Scoping Comments and the Objection Process
This notice of intent initiates the scoping process, which guides
the development of the environmental impact statement. In this process
the Agency is requesting comments on potential alternatives and
impacts, and identification of any relevant information, studies, or
analyses of any kind concerning impacts affecting the quality of the
human environment. There will be up to two public workshops during the
scoping period.
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 final EIS; therefore, comments should be provided prior to the
close of the comment period and should clearly articulate the
reviewer's concerns and contentions. Commenting during scoping and any
other designated opportunity to comment provided by the Responsible
Official as prescribed by the applicable regulations will also govern
eligibility to object once the final EIS and draft Record of Decision
has been published. Comments received in response to this solicitation,
including names and addresses of those who comment, will be part of the
public record for this proposed action. Comments submitted anonymously
will be accepted and considered; however, they will not be used to
establish eligibility for the objection process.
Objections will be accepted only from those who have previously
submitted specific written comments regarding the proposed project
during scoping or other designated opportunity for public comment in
accordance with Sec. 218.5(a). Issues raised in objections must be
based on previously submitted timely, specific written comments
regarding the proposed project unless based on new information arising
after designated opportunities.
Permits, Licenses or other Authorizations Required
The Project includes actions within aquatic or riparian areas that
may be subject to future permitting requirements under Section 404 of
the Clean Water Act (CWA), Section 401 of the CWA, and/or Section 1600
et seq of California Fish and Game Code. Additionally, the Project will
require consultation with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service
(USFWS) on listed species. Based on current and potential future
funding from the state of California, compliance with the California
Environmental Quality Act will be required.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
Given the purpose and need, the Responsible Officials will
determine whether the proposed actions comply with all applicable laws
governing Forest Service actions and with the applicable standards and
guidelines found in the Forest Plans of the Eldorado National Forest
and Stanislaus National Forest; whether the EIS has sufficient
environmental analysis to make an informed decision; and whether the
proposed action and any action alternatives meet the purpose and needs
for action. With this information, the Responsible Officials must
decide whether to select the proposed action and what, if any,
additional actions should be required.
Substantive Provisions
The substantive provisions of 36 CFR 219.8 through 219.11 that may
directly apply to the proposed project-specific forest plan amendments
are 36 CFR 219.9 Diversity of Plant and Animal Communities, (a)
Ecosystem plan components, (1) Ecosystem integrity (36 CFR 219 (a)(1));
36 CFR 219.9 Diversity of Plant and Animal Communities, (a) Ecosystem
plan components, (2) Ecosystem diversity, (i) key characteristics
associated with the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem types (36 CFR
219(a)(2)(I)); 36 CFR 219.9 Diversity of Plant and Animal Communities,
(a) Ecosystem plan components, (2) Ecosystem diversity, (ii) rare
aquatic and terrestrial plant and animal communities (36 CFR 219
(a)(2)(ii)); and 36 CFR 219.8 Sustainability, (b) Social and Economic
Sustainability, (1) Social, cultural, and economic conditions relevant
to the area influenced by the plan (36 CFR 219.8(b)(1)).
Keith Lannom,
Associate Deputy Chief, National Forest System.
[FR Doc. 2024-22038 Filed 9-25-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3411-15-P