Department of Agriculture August 10, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Plumas National Forest, in cooperation with Butte, Plumas and Sierra Counties, will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to treat noxious weeds on National Forest system lands under an integrated weed management approach. Actions proposed through this project focus on eradication or control of invasive species along roads over the next 10 years. The potentially affected areas includes 706 known sites that cover 310 acres and additional roadside sites (within 100 feet of roads) within the next ten years not previously identified. Treatment acres for new infestations would not exceed a total of 2,000 acres over the 10-year period. The range of acres treated under the proposed action over the ten-year period would be 310 to 2,310. Up to five different control tactics would be prescribed for each infested area depending on phenology of a particular species, proximity to water and other sensitive resources, and size of infestation. Of the 310 acres of current infestations: 4 Acres are being proposed to be treated by mechanical/hand control tactics, 34.5 acres with herbicides, 191.5 acres with a combination of mechanical and herbicide tactics, and 80 acres with a combination of mechanical, biocontrol and herbicide tactics. A variety of noxious weeds would be treated, including but not limited to Canada Thistle, Medusa head, Yellow star thistle, Scotch broom, Hariy whitetop, Dyer's Woad, Perennial Pepperweed, French broom, Spanish broom, and Spotted Knapweed.