From: Subject: FR Doc 07-6301 Date: Tue, 15 Jan 2008 20:01:30 -0800 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20081800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/07-6301.htm X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.3198 FR Doc 07-6301 
[Federal Register: January 7, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 4)]
[Notices]              =20
[Page 1201-1202]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr07ja08-24]                        =20

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

=20
Plumas National Forest; California; Moonlight Fire Recovery and=20
Restoration Project

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.

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SUMMARY: The USDA, Forest Service, Plumas National Forest will prepare=20
an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on a proposal to harvest fire-
killed trees on approximately 14,000 acres in the Moonlight Fire area.=20
The Moonlight Fire burned about 65,000 acres in September 2007 on the=20
Plumas National Forest.

DATES: The draft environmental impact statement is expected in June=20
2008 and the final environmental impact statement is expected in=20
September 2008.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Rich Bednarski, Interdisciplinary=20
Team Leader, Mt. Hough Ranger District, 39696 Highway 70, Quincy, CA=20
95971. Comments may be: (1) Mailed; (2) hand delivered between the=20
hours of 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays Pacific Time; (3) faxed to (530)=20
283-1821; or (4) electronically mailed to: 
comments-pacificsouthwest-plumas-mthough@fs.fed.us. Please indicate =
the name ``Moonlight Fire=20

Recovery and Restoration Project'' on the subject line of your email.=20
Comments submitted electronically must be in Rich Text Format (.rtf) or=20
Word (.doc).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rich Bednarski, Interdisciplinary Team=20
Leader, Mt. Hough Ranger District, 39696 Highway 70, Quincy, CA 95971.=20
Telephone: (530) 283-7641 or electronic address: rbednarski@fs.fed.us.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed action is designed to meet the=20
standards and guidelines for land management activities in the Plumas=20
National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (1988), as amended by=20
the Herger-Feinstein Quincy Library Group (HFQLG) Final Supplemental=20
Environmental Impact Statement (FSEIS) and Record of Decision (ROD)=20
(1999, 2003), and as amended by the Sierra Nevada Forest Plan Amendment=20
FSEIS and ROD (2004).
    The proposed project is located in Plumas County, California,=20
within the Mt. Hough Ranger District of the Plumas National Forest. It=20
is located in all or portions of Sections 13, 23-27, 34-35, T28N, R10E;=20
all or portions of Sections 13-14, 17-19, 23-24, 29-34, T28N, R11E; all=20
or portions of Sections 19-20, 29-32, T28N, R12E; all or portions of=20
Sections 1-2, 13-14, 23-25, T27N, R10E; all or portions of Section 2-
11, 13-15, 17, 19-22, 25, 35-36, T27N, R11E; and all or portions of=20
Sections 5, 8, 17-20, 29-32, T27N, R12E.

Purpose and Need for Action

    The purpose of the project would be to contribute to the stability=20
and economic health of rural communities. The project would provide for=20
local economic benefit by creating jobs from the sale of dead=20
merchantable trees, as well as contribute to local and regional areas=20
with net revenues and receipts. The wood quality, volume, and value of=20
dead trees deteriorate rapidly. The value of trees would cover the cost=20
of their removal and possibly other activities associated with the=20
project.
    As a result of the Moonlight Fire, thousands of acres burned with=20
high vegetation burn severity resulting in deforested condition. As a=20
result, shrub species will dominate these areas for decades and=20
experience a delay in returning to a forested condition. The early=20
establishment of conifers through reforestation will expedite forest=20
regeneration.

Proposed Action

    The proposed action would harvest fire-killed conifer trees on=20
approximately 14,000 acres using the following methods: Ground based,=20
skyline, and helicopter. Trees greater than 14 inches diameter at=20
breast height (dbh) would be whole tree harvested on the ground-based=20
areas. Trees less than 14 inches dbh would be removed as biomass=20
material on the ground-based areas. About 600 acres would have trees=20
less than 14 inches dbh removed as biomass material. Ground-based=20
equipment would be restricted to slopes less than 35 percent, except on=20
decomposed granitic soils where equipment would be restricted to slopes=20
less than 25 percent. On the skyline and helicopter areas, trees=20
greater than 16 inches dbh would be harvested. Limbs and tops in the=20
skyline and helicopter areas would be lopped and scattered to a depth=20
less than 18 inches in height. Skyline yarding would require one end=20
suspension, with full suspension over intermittent or perennial=20
streams. Fire-killed conifers would be harvested from Riparian Habitat=20
Conservation Areas. Equipment restriction zone widths within Riparian=20
Habitat Conservation Areas would be established based on the stream=20
type and steepness of the slope adjacent to the streams. Snags would be=20
retained in snag retention areas, that are approximately ten acres in=20
size, on approximately ten percent of the project area. Salvage harvest=20
would not occur within the snag retention areas except for operability=20
(safety) reasons. Approximately 25 miles of temporary roads would be=20
constructed. Approximately 20 acres (nine landings) of helicopter=20
landings would be constructed. Excess fuels on landings would be piled,=20
a fireline constructed around the piles, and the piles burned.=20
Following completion of the project, the temporary roads and landings=20
would be subsoiled, reforested, and closed. Approximately 14,000 acres=20
would be reforested with conifer seedlings in widely spaced clusters to=20
emulate a naturally established forest. The areas would be reforested=20
with a mixture of native species.
    The Moonlight Fire impacted twenty California spotted owl Protected=20
Activity Centers (PACs). According to the Sierra Nevada Forest Plan=20
Amendment FSEIS and ROD (2004), page 37, after a stand-replacing event,=20
the habitat conditions are evaluated within a 1.5 mile radius around=20
the activity center to identify opportunities for re-mapping the PAC.=20
If there is insufficient suitable habitat for designating a PAC within=20
the 1.5 mile radius, the PAC may be removed from the network.

Possible Alternatives

    In addition to the proposed action, a no action alternative would=20
be analyzed. Additional alternatives may be developed and analyzed=20
throughout the environmental analysis.

Lead and Cooperating Agencies

    The USDA, Forest Service is the lead agency for this proposal.

Responsible Official

    Alice B. Carlton, Plumas National Forest Supervisor, P.O. Box=20
11500, Quincy, CA 95971.

[[Page 1202]]

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The decision to be made is whether to: (1) Implement the proposed=20
action; (2) meet the purpose and need for action through some other=20
combination of activities; or, (3) take no action at this time.

Scoping Process

    This notice of intent initiates the scoping process which guides=20
the development of the environmental impact statement. Scoping comments=20
will be most helpful if received by January 4, 2008. Scoping is=20
conducted to determine the significant issues that will be addressed=20
during the environmental analysis.

Permits or Licenses Required

    An Air Pollution Permit and a Smoke Management Plan are required by=20
local agencies. Early Notice of Importance of Public Participation in=20
Subsequent Environmental Review: A draft environmental impact statement=20
will be prepared for comment. The comment period on the draft=20
environmental impact statement 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
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.=20
519,553 (1978). Also, environmental objections that could be raised at=20
the 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.
    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: December 21, 2007.
Maria T. Garcia,
Acting Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 07-6301 Filed 1-4-08; 8:45 am]

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