Eldorado and Stanislaus National Forests; California; Mokelumne Amador Calaveras Forest Resilience Project, 78842-78844 [2024-22038]

Download as PDF 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 VerDate Sep<11>2014 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 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 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: E:\FR\FM\26SEN1.SGM 26SEN1 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 187 / Thursday, September 26, 2024 / Notices khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES 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 VerDate Sep<11>2014 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 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 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 E:\FR\FM\26SEN1.SGM 26SEN1 78844 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. VerDate Sep<11>2014 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 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 [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


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