Department of Agriculture October 19, 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Forest Service proposes fuels reduction on approximately 4,400 acres within the Upper 204/Tollgate Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) as set forth in the Umatilla County Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) as amended. This project was planned and will be implemented using Healthy Forest Restoration Act (HFRA) of 2004 authorities. The Tollgate Fuels Reduction project is located in Umatilla and Union Counties, Oregon and the project planning area encompasses over 46,000 acres. The project planning area is approximately 40 miles south/southwest of Walla Walla, Washington. The proposed fuels treatments will seek to reduce standing and down fuels, improve area evacuation routes, improve firefighter/public safety and protect local infrastructure. Fuel reduction efforts will be completed through commercial timber harvest (3,050 acres) and non- commercial thinning (1,350 acres). Timber harvest would generally focus on the removal of small diameter trees; however, larger trees may be removed as necessary to meet project objectives. Activities within the Lookingglass Inventoried Roadless Area (IRA) would include ground and ladder fuel reduction through the removal of standing (live and dead) trees and dead and down material. These activities would occur adjacent to private property and FR 64. No activities will occur in the North Fork Umatilla Wilderness or the Walla Walla River Inventoried Roadless Area. Development and implementation of these actions will be conducted in accordance with the Healthy Forest Restoration Act (HFRA), National Forest Management Act (NFMA), National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Umatilla National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan and all other applicable laws and regulations.