From: Subject: FR Doc 07-285 Date: Mon, 29 Jan 2007 19:46:09 -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/2007/07-285.htm X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.3028 FR Doc 07-285 
[Federal Register: January 25, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 16)]
[Notices]              =20
[Page 3383-3385]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr25ja07-24]                        =20

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

=20
Scriver Creek Integrated Restoration Project, Boise National=20
Forest, ID

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare Environmental Impact Statement.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Emmett Ranger District of the Boise National Forest will=20
prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) for a resource=20
management project in the Scriver Creek drainage. The entire project=20
area is located in watersheds that drain into the Middle Fork Payette=20
River. The 11,500-acre project area is located approximately 6 miles=20
north of Crouch, Idaho.
    The agency invites written comments and suggestions on the scope of=20
the analysis. The agency also hereby gives notice of the environmental=20
analysis and decisionmaking process that will occur on the proposal so=20
interested and affected people are aware of how they

[[Page 3384]]

may participate and contribute to final decision. At this time, no=20
public meetings to discuss the project are planned.
    Proposed Action: Three purposes have been identified for the=20
project: (1) Modify stand density, structure, species composition, and=20
surface fuels to restore suitable white-headed woodpecker and=20
flammulated owl habitat, in addition to providing forest conditions=20
that are more resistant to insects, disease and wildfire; (2) initiate=20
watershed restoration within the Scriver Creek 6th Field hydrologic=20
unit (subwatershed) to improve watershed conditions and reduce long-
term sedimentation caused by existing roads, in addition to reducing=20
road-related impacts to wildlife, fish, soil, and water resources; (3)=20
provide commercial timber that supports local and/or regional sawmills,=20
employment, and economies.
    The Proposed Action would implement silvicultural activities,=20
including thinning of commercial trees on 2,826 acres (570 acres of=20
commercial thinning, 1,445 acres of commercial thinning followed by=20
prescribed fire, and 811 acres of commercial thinning followed by=20
machine pile and burning). An estimated 928 acres would be harvested=20
with off-road jammer/tractor, 870 acres would be skyline logged and a=20
helicopter would harvest about 1,028 acres. The Proposed Action would=20
employ silvicultural prescriptions including commercial thin, and=20
thinning of submerchantable trees occurring naturally and within about=20
846 acres of existing plantations.
    Approximately 16.5 miles of road would be decommissioned, of which=20
an estimated 0.7 mile or road would be decommissioned while leaving the=20
existing drainage and road prism sufficient for a future motorized=20
trail. Approximately 16.1 miles of road improvement on National Forest=20
System (NFS) roads 693, 6930, 695B, and 696 would take place. Roughly=20
2.4 miles of new specified road and approximately 1.1 miles of=20
temporary road would be constructed to facilitate harvest activities.=20
Approximately 3.8 miles of NFS roads 696 and 693B would be realigned to=20
eliminate roads and road segments paralleling within Riparian=20
Conservation Area (RCA) corridors, and 1.3 miles of NFS road 693A would=20
be reconstructed. Fish passage would be restored by replacing or=20
removing the existing culvert on NFS road 693A and two culverts on NFS=20
roads 693 and 695 would be replaced with fish passable structures. All=20
perennial crossings would have up to 300 feet of surface gravel applied=20
on both sides of the crossing on those roads used in conjunction with=20
timber harvest (except for roads to be decommissioned). Twelve=20
helicopter landings would be developed. Except for administrative use,=20
about 20.5 miles of authorized roads would be closed year-round to=20
motorized use after vegetation treatments are complete.
    Preliminary Issues: Preliminary concerns with the Proposed Action=20
include potential impacts on water quality and terrestrial wildlife=20
species.
    Possible Alternatives to the Proposed Action: One alternative to=20
the Proposed Action that has been discussed thus far is a No Action=20
alternative. Other alternatives will likely be developed as issues are=20
identified and information received.
    Decisions to be Made: The Boise National Forest Supervisor will=20
decide the following: (1) Should vegetation be managed within the=20
project area at this time, and if so, which stands should be treated=20
and what silvicultural systems applied? (2) Should roads be built at=20
this time, and if so, how many miles should be built and where should=20
they occur within the project area? (3) Should identified road=20
maintenance activities occur at this time? (4) Should road=20
decommissioning and realignment take place and which roads and how=20
would this happen? (5) What design features, mitigation measures, and/
or monitoring should be applied to the project?

DATES: Comments concerning the proposed project and analysis are=20
encouraged and should be postmarked or received within 30 days=20
following publication of this announcement in the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to the Emmett Ranger District,=20
ATTN: Ann Roseberry, 1805 Highway 16, Room No. 5, Emmett, ID 83617; or=20
sent electronically to comments-intermt=
n-boise-emmett@fs.fed.us.=20
Electronic comments must be submitted in plain text or another format=20
compatible with Microsoft Word. Comments may also be delivered to the=20
above address during regular business hours of 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.=20
Monday-Friday. Comments can also be submitted by phone at 208-365-7000=20
or fax to 208-365-7037. Comments received in response to this request=20
will be available for public inspection and will be released in their=20
entirety if requested pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Further information can be obtained=20
from Ann Roseberry at the address mentioned above or by calling 208-
365-7000.
    Schedule: Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS), July 2007.=20
Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS), December 2007.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The entire project area drains into the=20
Middle Fork Payette River and, although there are no 303(d)/305(b)=20
listed streams within the project area, Scriver Creek drains to a=20
segment of the Middle Fork Payette River, which is currently listed in=20
Section 4a, Impaired Waterbodies with a TMDL complete for sediment=20
(Idaho, State of, 1998a). A TMDL is currently in place and addresses=20
the entire length of the Middle Fork Payette River.
    The entire project area lies within Management Area 14 (Lower=20
Middle Fork Payette River), discussed on pages III-254 through III-265=20
in the Boise National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest=20
Plan). Several Management Prescription Categories (MPCs) apply within=20
this management area. However, only MPC 5.2 occurs within the project=20
area. The Proposed Action includes management activities within MPC 5.2=20
only.
    The comment period on the DEIS will be 45 days from the date the=20
Environmental Protection Agency publishes the notice of availability in=20
the Federal 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
the DEIS must structure their participation in the environmental review=20
of the proposal so that it is meaningful and alerts an agency to the=20
reviewer's position and contentions. Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp.=20
v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519, 553 (1978). Also, environmental objections that=20
could be raised at the DEIS stage but are not raised until after=20
completion of the FEIS may be waived or dismissed by the courts. City=20
of Angoon v. Hodel, 803 F. 2d 1016, 1002 (9th Cir., 1986) and Wisconsin=20
Heritages, Inc. v. Harris, 490 F. Supp. 1334, 1338 (E.D. Wis. 1980).=20
Because of these court rulings, it is very important that those=20
interested in this proposed action participate by the close of the DEIS=20
45-day comment period so that substantive comments and objections are=20
made available to the Forest Service at a time when it can meaningfully=20
consider them and respond to them in the FEIS.
    To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues=20
and concerns on the proposed action, comments on the DEIS should be as=20
specific as possible. It is also helpful if comments refer to specific=20
pages or

[[Page 3385]]

chapters of the draft statement. Reviewers may wish to refer to the=20
Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for implementing the=20
procedural provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act at 40=20
CFR 1503.3 in addressing these points.
    Responsible Official: Richard A. Smith, Forest Supervisor, Boise=20
National Forest, 1249 South Vinnell Way, Suite 200, Boise, ID 83709.

    Dated: January 18, 2007.
Richard A. Smith,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 07-285 Filed 1-24-07; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410-11-M