From: Subject: FR Doc E7-1606 Date: Mon, 5 Feb 2007 21:14:21 -0800 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/E7-1606.htm X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.3028 FR Doc E7-1606 
[Federal Register: February 1, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 21)]
[Notices]              =20
[Page 4683-4685]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr01fe07-30]                        =20


[[Page 4683]]

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

=20
Klamath National Forest; California: Round Valley Fuels Reduction=20
and Vegetation Management 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=20
statement on a proposal to reduce fuels and manage vegetation on about=20
18,700 acres on the Klamath National Forest in Northern California. The=20
proposal intends to reduce the fuel hazard that leads to uncontrollable=20
wildfire, improve forage for big game, reduce juniper, enhance aspen,=20
and to promote a diverse and resilient forest.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received=20
by March 5, 2007. The draft environmental impact statement is expected=20
in September 2007, and the final environmental impact statement is=20
expected in December 2007.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Margaret Boland, Forest Supervisor,=20
C/O Kelly Pavlica, Goosenest Ranger District, 37805 Highway 97,=20
Macdoel, CA 96058. Electronic comments must be submitted in a format=20
such as an e-mail message, plain text (.txt), rich text format (.rtf),=20
or Word (.doc) to 
comments-pacificsouthwest-klamath-goosenest@fs.fed.us.


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Emelia Barnum, EIS Team Leader, (530)=20
398-4391, Ext. 5767, or Kelly Pavlica, EIS Co-Team Leader (530) 398-
4391, Ext. 5730.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The project is located on the Goosenest=20
Ranger District of the Klamath National Forest. The project area=20
includes Cedar Mountain and continues south to the community of=20
Tennant, California. The legal location is in Township 45 North, Range=20
1 East, Sections 23-26, 35, 36; Township 45 North, Range 1 West,=20
Sections 19-21, 27-33; Township 44 North, Range 1 East, Sections 1-3,=20
10-15, 21-28, 33-35; Township 44 North, Range 1 West, Sections 5, 7,=20
18, 19-20, 29-30; and Township 43 North, Range 1 East, Sections 2, 3,=20
10, 11, 14 Mount Diablo Meridian. This project is within Management=20
Areas 10 (Riparian Reserve), 14 (Winter Range), 15 (Partial Retention),=20
and 16 (Forage), as designated by the Klamath National Forest Land and=20
Resource Management Plan (LRMP). The project is also within the=20
boundaries of the federally recognized wildland urban interface (WUI)=20
of the community of Tennant, California. The project also encompasses=20
or is adjacent to other outlying residential areas and private=20
property.

Purpose and Need for Action

    The purpose and need for action is as follows:
     To reduce fuels in order to create a defensible space for=20
fire suppression resources and to decrease the potential for=20
detrimental wildfire effects to the overall project area, the community=20
of Tennant, outlying residents, and private property.
     To improve big game habitat by providing a well-
distributed, patchy mosaic of big game cover and browse habitat and by=20
reducing the density of roads.
     To reduce the number of juniper trees to produce forage=20
for wildlife and to allow herbaceous plants to grow.
     To promote thrifty, vigorous trees resilient to=20
environmental factors in multiple stages of development.
     To encourage aspen in areas where conifer encroachment is=20
crowding out the species.
    The existing condition of the project area (described below) does=20
not meet the desired conditions described in the LRMP.
     Stand replacing wildfires could take place in much of the=20
project area, due to surface fuels, understory vegetation, and dense=20
stand conditions. A potential exists for wildfires to detrimentally=20
affect the community of Tennant, outlying residents, and private=20
property.
     Ponderosa pine stands within the project area are=20
overstocked for the dry site and highly susceptible to insect-induced=20
mortality, disease and stand replacing fires. These stands are both=20
plantations, planted mostly in the 1980s, and stands that were=20
naturally regenerated after turn of the 20th century railroad logging.=20
Currently, natural regeneration is limited in many of these areas due=20
to poor site conditions. Because of this, several stands in the=20
southern portion of the project area are predominately even-aged.
     Mixed-conifer stands on Cedar Mountain are overstocked for=20
the dry site and highly susceptible to insect-induced mortality,=20
disease and stand replacing fires. Regeneration is abundant in the=20
Cedar Mountain area. Many of the larger, older trees in the area are in=20
poor condition due to increased competition for water and nutrients by=20
the encroachment of trees and brush.
     Western juniper has expanded its range, altering site=20
conditions and vegetative structure and composition. Due to the=20
expansion of juniper, available forage for big game has decreased, and=20
the potential for an uncontrollable wildfire to occur has increased.
     Nearly all stands contain a high component of mature to=20
decadent bitterbrush that is in decline. Decadent bitterbrush is less=20
palatable for deer because it produces less leader growth, which is=20
what deer consume as browse. Decadent bitterbrush is more flammable due=20
to the accumulation of dead plant material, and the plants are more=20
susceptible to mortality from wildfire. The younger age class is absent=20
from many of the mature and decadent bitterbrush stands, and is needed=20
for future replacement of browse.
     Aspen stands are being replaced by conifers near Antelope=20
Creek, due to shading and resource competition. Aspen trees require=20
abundant sunlight to thrive. In addition to abundant sunlight, young=20
aspen require protection from browsing in order to establish. Aspen is=20
considered a keystone species that provides biodiversity across the=20
landscape.

Proposed Action

    The Klamath National Forest proposes the following actions to move=20
toward LRMP desired conditions (the total acreage proposed for=20
treatment is about 18,700 acres within the 20,100-acre planning area):
    Treatments will include the following:
     Prescribed underburning: Approximately 6,440 acres will be=20
underburned in varying intensities to reduce fuels, change future fire=20
behavior, and promote a mosaic of browse age classes and herbaceous=20
seral stages.
     Brush/small tree mowing: Approximately 330 acres will be=20
mowed with light mechanical equipment to lower fuel bed heights and=20
promote a mosaic of browse age classes.
     Defensible space: Along forest roads 45N10 and 43N20,=20
vegetation will be reduced within 150 feet of the road to provide a=20
defensible space for firefighters in the event of a wildfire. Mowing,=20
thinning, and prescribed underburning will be used as needed to create=20
the defensible space. These treatments will primarily target brush and=20
ladder fuels.
     Juniper reduction: Approximately 3,620 acres of juniper=20
reduction is planned throughout the planning area. Where continuous=20
stands of juniper exist, the larger, older trees will be

[[Page 4684]]

retained as well as patches of juniper to provide wildlife cover and=20
biodiversity.
     Aspen enhancement: Approximately 7 acres of conifers will=20
be removed in order to promote the regeneration of aspen near Antelope=20
Creek. The largest conifers and snags will be retained where safety=20
permits. These acres would not be contiguous but, wherever possible, be=20
placed around openings and locations where aspen is already present.
     Thinning from below: Approximately 8,750 acres in natural=20
stands and 2,520 acres in plantations will be thinned to variable=20
spacing. The goal is to reduce aerial and ladder fuels and tree=20
densities, and to promote and maintain larger, more resilient trees,=20
while retaining beneficial elements to wildlife such as structural=20
diversity. Occasionally, we will culture a large tree with desired=20
characteristics by removing trees around it up to one tree-length in=20
distance. Plantation thinning will include concurrent brush mowing.
     Planting: Across the southern portion of the project area,=20
approximately 10% of the openings will be planted where natural=20
regeneration failed following turn of the twentieth century railroad=20
logging. These sites will be prepared for planting, and ponderosa pine=20
will be planted. This will begin the development of new age classes=20
within ponderosa pine stands where natural regeneration is scarce.=20
Trees planted will be spaced to a width that will reduce the future=20
fire hazard usually associated with dense plantations.
     Bald eagle habitat enhancement: Approximately 135 acres=20
will be identified for bald eagle emphasis. This area will be managed=20
according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Pacific Bald Eagle=20
Recovery Plan to promote habitat required by bald eagles for long-term=20
nesting and roosting. The bald eagle is a federally listed Threatened=20
species.
    Standard design features, such as protection of heritage sites and=20
no-treatment buffers around caves, will be used. Untreated wildlife=20
areas and variable intensities of treatment will protect resources and=20
provide biodiversity. These non-treatment areas are not included in the=20
above acreage estimates. Forest Service crews, service contracts,=20
stewardship contracts and/or commercial timber sales may implement=20
these actions. All harvesting and mowing activities will be ground-
based. Wherever possible, tree tops and limbs will be skidded to the=20
landing to minimize activity-generated slash. Borax will be applied to=20
cut surfaces of stumps 14 inches and greater to prevent development of=20
annosus root disease infection centers.
    To facilitate stand access for project activities, a few temporary=20
road spurs will be created or reopened, and several existing=20
unauthorized roads will be used. Approximately 4 miles of new temporary=20
road spurs will be closed and re-vegetated after project=20
implementation. In an effort to bring roads from an unmanaged condition=20
to a managed condition, up to 17 miles of existing unauthorized roads=20
that are needed for travel management and access will be added to=20
Forest System, and about 13 miles of existing roads (both authorized=20
and unauthorized) will be closed.
    Roads proposed for closure are: 44N10Y.2, 44.14.3, 44N28.1, 44N92,=20
22N93.1C, 44N93.1C1, 45N10A, 45N10B, 45N10C, 45N10D, 45N10E, 45N10F,=20
45N11A.1, 45N21Y.1, 5Q003.1, 5Q003.2, 6Q003.1, and 6Q003.1A. A seasonal=20
closure from January 1 to August 31 is proposed for 45N10=20
(approximately 3.2 miles north of county road 6Q003 at the existing=20
gate).

Responsible Official

    Margaret Boland, Forest Supervisor, Klamath National Forest, 1312=20
Fairlane Road, Yreka, CA 96097-9549.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The decision to be made is whether to implement the action as=20
proposed, not to implement the Proposed Action, or to implement an=20
alternative.

Scoping Process

    If you have information you feel the Forest Service may not be=20
aware of, or feel you have issues (points of dispute, debate, or=20
disagreement) regarding potential effects of this proposed action,=20
please contact Kelly Pavlica at the Goosenest Ranger District, 37805=20
Highway 97, Macdoel, CA 96058, (530) 398-4391, within 30 days of=20
publication of this notice. We will use any significant issues that are=20
identified to develop alternatives to the Proposed Action.
    All input and comments received during project planning are a=20
matter of public record. Names and addresses of participants are not=20
confidential. If you are interested participating in a field visit to=20
the proposed project area please contact Kelly Pavlica at the number=20
listed above. A field trip with interested participants will be=20
arranged.

Permits or Licenses Required

    We are requesting temporary road access to the northern portion of=20
the project area from a private landowner.

Comment Requested

    This notice of intent initiates the scoping process which guides=20
the development of the environmental impact statement. For questions=20
about the project, please contact Kelly Pavlica at (530) 398-4391.
    Early Notice of Importance of Public Participation in Subsequent=20
Environmental Review: A draft environmental impact statement will be=20
prepared for comment. The comment period on the draft environmental=20
impact statement will be 45 days from the date the Environmental=20
Protection Agency publishes the notice of availability in the Federal=20
Register.
    The Forest Service believes, at this early stage, it is important=20
to give reviewers notice of several court rulings related to public=20
participation in the environmental review process. First, reviewers of=20
draft environmental impact statements must structure their=20
participation in the environmental review of the proposal so that it is=20
meaningful and alerts an agency to the reviewer's position and=20
contentions. Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519,=20
553 (1978). Also, environmental objections that could be raised at the=20
draft environmental impact statement stage but that are not raised=20
until after completion of the final environmental impact statement may=20
be waived or dismissed by the courts. City of Angoon v. Hodel, 803 F.2d=20
1016, 1022 (9th Cir. 1986) and Wisconsin Heritages, Inc. v. Harris, 490=20
F. Supp. 1334, 1338 (E.D. Wis. 1980). Because of these court rulings,=20
it is very important that those interested in this proposed action=20
participate by the close of the 45 day comment period so that=20
substantive comments and objections are made available to the Forest=20
Service at a time when it can meaningfully consider them and respond to=20
them in the final environmental impact statement.
    To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues=20
and concerns on the proposed action, comments on the draft=20
environmental impact statement should be as specific as possible. It is=20
also helpful if comments refer to specific pages or chapters of the=20
draft statement. Comments may also address the adequacy of the draft=20
environmental impact statement or the merits of the alternatives=20
formulated and discussed in the statement. Reviewers may wish to refer=20
to the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for implementing=20
the procedural provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act at=20
40 CFR 1503.3 in addressing these points.

[[Page 4685]]

    Comments received, including the names and addresses of those who=20
comment, will be considered part of the public record on this proposal=20
and will be available for public inspection.

(Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7 and 1508.22; Forest Service Handbook=20
1909.15, Section 21)

    Dated: January 23, 2007.
Margaret J. Boland,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. E7-1606 Filed 1-31-07; 8:45 am]

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