Department of Agriculture April 5, 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

On March 31, 2006 the Malheur National Forest published a Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a similar project (Federal Register Vol. 72, No. 62, page 16281-1628). There has been a delay in filing the 2006 draft EIS and the invasive plant inventory and proposed action have been updated since then resulting in this correction. The following information is the updated Proposed Action. The Forest Service proposes to eradicate, control, or contain invasive plants within the Malheur National Forest. The Proposed Action is to treat invasive plants using integrated methods including chemical (herbicides and adjuvants), physical treatments (mechanical and manual treatment), and biological controls. These treatments will be used on existing infestations (approximately 2,287 acres) or new infestations, including new plant species that currently are not found on the Forest. Treatment could be anywhere on Forest Service system lands including rangelands, wilderness, timber harvest areas, along roads and road rights-of-way (including decommissioned roads), along trail routes, at dispersed and developed recreation sites, and on other disturbed sites (i.e. fires, flood events, and rock sources) where invasive plants are located. Mulching, seeding and planting of competitive, desirable vegetation may occur to restore treated sites.