[Federal Register: July 24, 2009 (Volume 74, Number = 141)] [Notices] =20 [Page 36654-36655] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr24jy09-22] =20 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Forest Service =20 Shasta-Trinity National Forest, California; Harris Vegetation=20 Management Project AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Shasta-Trinity National Forest proposes to improve forest=20 health and restore fire-adapted ecosystem characteristics on=20 approximately 3,000 acres of National Forest System Lands in and=20 adjacent to the Harris Mountain Late-Successional Reserve. Ground and=20 ladder fuels would be reduced. In addition, forested stands would be=20 thinned to yield a fire-resilient forest where periodic low-intensity=20 surface fires can be safely reintroduced. Selective removal of trees is=20 proposed to produce forested areas dominated by fire-resilient tree=20 species with sustainable densities and to exhibit stand structure that=20 provides habitat for late-seral dependent species. Reducing overcrowded=20 conditions will enhance tree survival from insects, drought and=20 disease, and natural disturbance. Trees to be removed would generally=20 be smaller in size than trees retained; renewable by-products including=20 commercial sawtimber and energy from biomass are expected. Dying and=20 diseased mature lodgepole stands within the project area would be=20 regenerated through the removal of most overstory trees. Aspen and oak=20 hardwood trees species will be retained. Removal of conifers competing=20 with existing aspen and oak hardwood trees will enhance the overall=20 diversity of forest stands. Surface and ladder fuel loads will be=20 reduced through removal of brush and small-diameter trees in the forest=20 understory and by underburning. Proposed road reconstruction, closure=20 and decommissioning will aid in restoration of drainage patterns and=20 sediment regimes supporting aquatic systems. The project is located in=20 Siskiyou County within portions of T41N, R1E, section 1; T42N R1E=20 section 36; T42N R2E sections 17-21 and 28-36; and T41N R2E sections 1- 6 and 9 Mt. Diablo Meridian. DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received=20 no later than 30 days after the publication of this notice in the=20 Federal Register. The draft environmental impact statement is expected=20 in April 2010 and the final environmental impact statement is expected=20 in September 2010. ADDRESSES: Send written comments to District Ranger Priscila S. Franco,=20 Shasta-McCloud Management Unit, 204 W. Alma St., Mt. Shasta, California=20 96067. Electronic comments can be sent via e-mail to: comments- pacificsouthwest-shasta-trinity-mtshasta-mccloud@fs.fed.us. Comments received in response to this solicitation, including names=20 and addresses of those who comment, will be part of the public record=20 for this proposed action. Comments submitted anonymously will be=20 accepted and considered; however, anonymous comments will not provide=20 the respondent with standing to participate in subsequent=20 administrative review or judicial review. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Natvig, P.O. Box 688, Hot=20 Springs, SD 57747, telephone (605) 745-3253, e-mail jnatvig@fs.fed.us. Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD)=20 may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339=20 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through Friday. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:=20 Purpose and Need for Action The purpose of the proposed action is to improve forest health and=20 growth, protect and enhance conditions of late-successional forest=20 ecosystems and reduce fuel loading. The 9,100 acre project area falls=20 within lands identified by the Shasta-Trinity Land and Resource=20 Management Plan (Forest Plan) as Matrix (76 percent) and Late- Successional Reserve (24 percent). Forest stands are overcrowded=20 resulting in competition for water, nutrients and sunlight--conditions=20 which increase the risk of insect infestation. Lodgepole pine stands in=20 the project area are overmature and infected with disease. The=20 overstory trees are dying and new trees are becoming established;=20 however, disease is spreading from the overstory to the new stand.=20 Natural disturbances, such as wildfire that released aspen and oak=20 hardwoods, have been suppressed over the last 60 years; hardwoods are=20 in decline as a result. Conifer species dominate the overstory canopy=20 and out-compete aspen and oak hardwoods for available sunlight and=20 other site resources. Late-Successional Reserves are allocated by the=20 Forest Plan to provide late-successional and old-growth forest;=20 however, less than one percent of this reserve is currently providing=20 such habitat (Shasta-Trinity National Forest Wide Late-Successional=20 Reserve Assessment, 1999). Dense forest conditions delay the=20 development of early seral to mid-successional conditions and mid- successional to late-successional stands. Dense understory trees=20 coupled with an accumulation of surface fuels increases the chances of=20 a wildfire reaching the overstory canopy, yielding the potential for=20 stand replacement. The proposed action is also designed to provide for=20 proper drainage of system roads to minimize surface erosion. It will=20 also ensure that culverts in the area are fully functional and of=20 proper size to facilitate area drainage and prevent erosion-causing=20 water flow over the surface of the road. There are approximately two=20 miles of unclassified and Forest System roads in the project area that=20 are unnecessary for long term management; the proposed action would=20 decommission these road segments. Proposed Action The proposed action includes: (1) Thinning in mixed conifer stands;=20 (2) lodgepole pine regeneration harvest; (3) enhancement and retention=20 of hardwood species; (4) fuel treatments; (5) road reconstruction; and=20 (6) road decommissioning. [[Page 36655]] Activities included in this proposal would result in: (a) Approximately 1,650 acres would be thinned by removing=20 understory and midstory trees to improve stand health, growth and=20 resistance to insect and disease; (b) Approximately 400 acres of overstocked stands within the Harris=20 Mountain Late Successional Reserve would be thinned by removing=20 primarily understory and midstory trees to promote the growth of large=20 diameter trees, improve stand health and reduce ladder fuels. Thinning=20 treatments would retain 10 percent or more of the stand in unthinned=20 patches and up to 15 percent of the stand would be in heavily thinned=20 patches or openings up to \1/4\ acre in size for stand diversity; (c) Approximately 260 acres of overstocked and diseased lodgepole=20 pine stands would be regenerated by harvesting most overstory trees. A=20 minimum of 15 percent of the overstory would remain. A new stand would=20 be established through natural regeneration and targeted planting; (d) Oak trees within harvest units and one aspen stand of=20 approximately 20 acres would be released by removing conifers; (e) Forest fuels would be reduced by thinning to decrease=20 understory and mid-story stocking on a total of approximately 2,050=20 acres. Following harvest, approximately 320 acres of heavy surface=20 fuels would be machine-piled and burned. Underburning some areas with a=20 relatively cool surface fire would reduce surface fuel loading.=20 Following thinning, 660 acres would be underburned and prescribed fire=20 would reduce fuels on 620 acres outside harvest units; (f) Salvage harvest within the Harris Mountain Late-Successional=20 Reserve would reduce fuel loading on 30 acres; (g) Road management would decrease the open-road density by=20 decommissioning approximately \1/2\ mile of Forest System road and 1\1/ 2\ miles of unclassified roads. Erosion of existing roads would be=20 decreased through improved road drainage, culvert replacement and=20 surfacing roads with rock. Forest thinning and fuels reduction would be accomplished primarily=20 through commercial harvest. Harvest operations would yield sawtimber=20 and chip products. Trees would be felled, removed and processed with=20 mechanized equipment. Harvested trees would be transported from the=20 stump to central landing areas adjacent to roads where they would be=20 limbed and processed into sawtimber logs or chips. Responsible Official J. Sharon Heywood, Forest Supervisor, Shasta-Trinity National=20 Forest. Nature of Decision To Be Made The Forest Supervisor will decide whether to implement the proposed=20 action, take an alternative action that meets the purpose and need or=20 take no action. Scoping Process This notice of intent initiates the scoping process, which guides=20 the development of the environmental impact statement. The project is=20 included in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest's quarterly schedule of=20 proposed actions (SOPA). Information on the proposed action will also=20 be posted on the forest Web site (http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=3Dlea= vingFR.html&log=3Dlinklog&to=3Dhttp://www.fs.fed.us/r5/shastatrin= ity/projects) and advertised in both the Redding Record=20 Searchlight and the Mount Shasta Herald. It is important that reviewers provide their comments at such times=20 and in such manner that they are useful to the agency's preparation of=20 the environmental impact statement. Therefore, comments should be=20 provided prior to the close of the comment period and should clearly=20 articulate the reviewer's concerns and contentions. The submission of=20 timely and specific comments can affect a reviewer's ability to=20 participate in subsequent administrative appeal or judicial review. Dated: July 16, 2009. J. Sharon Heywood, Forest Supervisor, Shasta-Trinity National Forest. [FR Doc. E9-17515 Filed 7-23-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410-11-M