Department of Agriculture February 18, 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Ochoco National Forest is preparing an environmental impact statement (EIS) to analyze the effects of managing fuels and vegetation within the 31,500-acre Canyon project area, which is approximately 20 miles east of Prineville, Oregon. The project area includes National Forest System lands in the Upper Ochoco Creek Watershed. The alternatives that will be analyzed include the proposed action, no action, and additional alternatives that respond to issues generated through the scoping process. The Ochoco National Forest will give notice of the full environmental analysis and decision making process so interested and affected people may participate and contributes to the final decision.

On January 14, 2009, NRCS published in the Federal Register a proposed rule for the Healthy Forests Reserve Program (HFRP) with a public comment period closing on February 13, 2009. The proposed rule included changes to address amendments to HFRP associated with enactment of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008. NRCS is hereby reopening the public comment period for the HFRP proposed rule and amending the closing date to March 20, 2009.

The Ochoco National Forest is preparing an environmental impact statement (EIS) to analyze the effects of changing grazing management in five grazing allotments on the Lookout Mountain Ranger District. These five allotments are: Big Summit, Pringle, Brush Creek, Lost Horse and North Fork. The proposed action will reauthorize term grazing permits, make rangeland improvements, manage livestock use and distribution to facilitate the improvement of riparian conditions, including streambank stability, riparian vegetation, and water temperature, and will conduct riparian restoration activities on some streams in the project area. These actions are needed to achieve and maintain consistency with the Ochoco National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan, as amended.