[Federal Register: April 10, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 69)]
[Notices]
[Page 17596-17598]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr10ap03-27]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Klamath National Forest, California, Horse Heli Project
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
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SUMMARY: The Forest Service will prepare an environmental impact
statement on a proposal to treat vegetation using a variety of
silvicultural methods on approximately 1,680 acres of National Forest
System lands in the Horse Creek watershed near the towns of Horse Creek
and Klamath River, in Siskiyou County, California. Approximately 1.9
miles of classified
[[Page 17597]]
and 1.6 miles of unclassified roads are proposed for decommissioning.
Approximately 1.8 miles of unclassified roads would be added to the
transportation system. Activities would likely take place within five
years of the decision. An amendment to the Klamath National Forest Land
and Resource Management Plan to modify an existing standard and
guideline is also part of the proposal.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis should be received
within 14 days of the publication of this notice in the Federal
Register. The draft environmental impact statement is expected by May
2003, and the final environmental impact statement is expected by
September 2003.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Ray Haupt, District Ranger, Scott
River Ranger District, 11263 N. Highway 3, Fort Jones, CA 96032.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bill Bailey, Timber Management
Officer, at the above address or call (530) 468-5351.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose and Need for Action
The purpose of this proposed action is to protect the long-term
hydrologic and aquatic health within the Horse Creek watershed and four
7th field subwatersheds (Horse/Middle, Buckhorn, Kohl, and Doggett
Creeks). The Horse/Middle, Buckhorn, and Doggett Creek subwatersheds
are considered impaired, as described in the Horse Creek Ecosystem
Analysis (also known as a Watershed Analysis, November 2002). During
the Horse Creek Ecosystem Analysis process, existing conditions were
compared to the desired conditions in the Klamath National Forest Land
and Resource Management Plan, and a need to reduce both stocking and
fuel levels was identified. This would also reduce the risk of
catastrophic fire and promote forest stand health and longevity. The
need was further documented with a fuels inventory completed in the
summer of 2002 that showed abnormally high fuel levels of 33 tons per
acre in the project area.
The higher elevations of the project area are comprised of stands
of Shasta red fir. These stands are heavily infested with dwarf
mistletoe and Cytospora (a common and damaging canker in true fir) due
to years of fire suppression, drought, and stress from overcrowded
stands. Mortality and disease are highly evident. There are many
visible dead trees, standing and on the ground, as well as infected
trees with dead needles in large portions of the crowns. The lower
elevations of the project area are comprised of mixed conifer timber
stands. These stands vary in average tree size and stocking levels.
Although they are not heavily infested with disease, they are at
abnormal risk to wildfire. Fire risk modeling using existing fuel
levels indicates that stands within the project area would burn with
severe intensity in the event of a wildfire.
Proposed Action
The Scott River District of the Klamath National Forest proposes to
treat vegetation on approximately 1,680 acres in the Horse Creek
watershed using the following silvicultural prescriptions (acreages are
approximate): 699 acres of thinning, 344 acres of group selection, 553
acres of sanitation/salvage, 72 acres of green tree retention, and 12
acres of overstory removal. Tractor, cable, and helicopter logging
methods would be used, with helicopter as the predominant method.
Project-generated fuels would be treated through a combination of
mastication (reducing vegetative matter to small pieces using
machinery) and hand piling/burning. Mastication would occur on areas
that are less than 45% slope gradient. Hand piling would occur on
steeper slopes and any areas with machine entry exclusions.
All Shasta red fir, white fir, and hemlock stumps would be hand
treated with the fungicide Sporax[reg] to reduce the spread of fungus
Heterobasidion annosum (Fomes annosus).
Openings created from group selection and green tree retention
prescriptions would be planted and baiting for pocket gophers. Baiting
application method would consist of probing and/or spooning method of
below-ground application of strychnine.
There would be no new system road construction. Approximately 1.9
miles on seven classified road segments are proposed for
decommissioning in this project design. Approximately 1.6 miles of
eight unclassified roads and road segments are proposed for
decommissioning. Approximately 1.8 miles of two existing unclassified
roads are proposed for adding to the transportation system.
The areas proposed for treatment are within the General Forest,
Retention, Partial Retention, Special Interest Area (Condrey Mountain
Blueschist), and Riparian Reserve land allocations in the Klamath
National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan. The legal
description for the proposal is Township 47 North, Range 9 West,
Sections 19, 20, and 30; Township 47 North, Range 10 West, Sections 11-
15, 22, 24, and 26; Mount Diablo Meridian. All activities would likely
be completed within five years of the decision being made.
Forestwide Standard and Guideline 11-4 of the Klamath National
Forest Land and Resource Management Plan would be modified to state:
``Perpetuate the sustainable, aesthetically valued landscape character
when implementing Forest programs and activities. Achieve Forest Visual
Quality Objectives (VQOs) to help conserve that character's existing
and potential valued attributes. If the character is seriously
threatened due to current ecosystem conditions, individual corrective
alterations may be permitted, even if inconsistent with the Forest VQO.
When undertaking such corrective actions, the following provisions
apply:
(a) Alterations must remain consistent with the Forest VQO in the
cumulative sense, thereby meeting the VQO within the affected area's
immediate viewshed and/or its linear viewing corridor;
(b) Public scenery interests of the affected area must be fully
considered; and
(c) Alterations in excess of the Forest VQO would persist no longer
than 10 years after project completion.''
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The Forest Service must decide whether it will implement this
project, including a project-specific amendment to the Klamath National
Forest Land and Resource Management Plan; implement an alternative that
meets the purpose and need; or not implement any project at this time.
Responsible Official
Margaret Boland, Forest Supervisor, USDA Forest Service, 1312
Fairlane Road, Yreka, California 96097 is the Responsible Official.
Scoping Process
In October 2001, this project was included in the Klamath National
Forest's Fall 2001 Schedule of Proposed Actions, which was posted on
the Klamath National Forest's internet website and mailed to interested
parties. In January 2003, a scoping letter was sent to potentially
affected individuals and anyone who expressed interest in the proposal.
This Notice of Intent invites additional public comment on this
proposal and initiates the preparation of the environmental impact
statement. Due to the extensive scoping effects already conducted, no
scoping meeting is planned. The public is encouraged to take part in
the planning process and to visit with Forest Service officials at any
time during the analysis and prior to the decision.
[[Page 17598]]
While public participation in this analysis is welcome at any time,
comments received within 14 days of the publication of this notice will
be especially useful in the preparation of the draft environmental
impact statement. The scoping process will include identifying
potential issues, significant issues to be analyzed in depth,
alternatives to the proposed action, and potential environmental
effects of the proposal and alternatives.
Comment Requested
This notice of intent initiates the scoping process, which guides
the development of the environmental impact statement.
Early Notice of Importance of Public Participation in Subsequent
Environmental Review
A draft environmental impact statement will be prepared for
comment. The comment period on the draft environmental impact statement
will be 45 days from the date the Environmental Protection Agency
publishes the notice of availability in the Federal Register.
The Forest Service believes, at this early stage, it is important
to give reviewers notice of several court rulings related to public
participation in the environmental review process. First, reviewers of
draft environmental impact statements must structure their
participation in the environmental review of the proposal so that it is
meaningful and alerts an agency to the reviewer's position and
contentions. Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519,
553 (1978). Also, environmental objections that could be raised at the
draft environmental impact statement stage but that are not raised
until after completion of the final environmental impact statement may
be waived or dismissed by the courts. City of Angoon v. Hodel, 803 F.2d
1016, 1022 (9th Cir. 1986) and Wisconsin Heritages, Inc. v. Harris, 490
F. Supp. 1334, 1338 (E.D. Wis. 1980). Because of these court rulings,
it is very important that those interested in this proposed action
participate by the close of the 45-day comment period so that
substantive comments and objections are made available to the Forest
Service at a time when it can meaningfully consider them and respond to
them in the final environmental impact statement.
To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues
and concerns on the proposed action, comments on the draft
environmental impact statement should be as specific as possible. It is
also helpful if comments refer to specific pages or chapters of the
draft statement. Comments may also address the adequacy of the draft
environmental impact statement or the merits of the alternatives
formulated and discussed in the statement. Reviewers may wish to refer
to the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for implementing
the procedural provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act at
40 CFR 1503.3 in addressing these points.
Comments received, including the names and addresses of those who
comment, will be considered part of the public record on this proposal
and will be available for public inspection.
(Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7 and 1508.22; Forest Service Handbook
1909.15, Section 21).
Dated: April 4, 2002.
Margaret J. Boland,
Forest Supervisor, Klamath National Forest.
[FR Doc. 03-8755 Filed 4-9-03; 8:45 am]
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