[Federal Register: April 7, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 65)]
[Notices]
[Page 15693-15694]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr07ap09-18]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Bighorn National Forest; Wyoming; Livestock Grazing and
Vegetation Management EIS; Livestock Grazing and Vegetation Management
on Six Geographic Areas on the Tongue, Medicine Wheel/Paintrock, and
Powder River Ranger Districts, Bighorn National Forest, Sheridan,
Johnson, Washakie, and Big Horn Counties, WY
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
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SUMMARY: The USDA, Forest Service, will prepare an environmental impact
statement (EIS) to implement vegetation management strategies on forty
three (43) domestic livestock grazing allotments, which will result in
development of new allotment management plans (AMPs). On portions of
the analysis area, fuel management in forested and sagebrush/grassland
communities is being analyzed. The agency gives notice of the full
environmental analysis and decision-making process so that interested
and affected people are aware of how they may participate in the
process and contribute to the final decision.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received
by May 7, 2009. Based on past actions of this type, the Responsible
Official has determined that an environmental impact statement will be
prepared for this project. The draft environmental impact statement is
expected January 2010 and the final environmental impact statement is
expected September 2010.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to William T. Bass, Bighorn National
Forest Supervisor, 2013 Eastside Second Street, Sheridan, Wyoming
82801. Comments may also be sent via e-mail to comments-
bighorn@fs.fed.us or via facsimile to 307-674-2668.
It is important that reviewers provide their comments at such times
and in such a way that they are useful to the Agency's preparation of
the EIS. Therefore, comments should be provided prior to the close of
the comment period and should clearly articulate the reviewer's
concerns and contentions. The submission of timely and specific
comments can affect a reviewer's ability to participate in subsequent
administrative review or judicial review.
Comments received in response to this solicitation, including names
and addresses of those who comment, will be part of the public record
for this proposed action. Comments submitted anonymously will be
accepted and considered; however, anonymous comments will not provide
the respondent with standing to participate in subsequent
administrative review or judicial review.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Laurie Walters-Clark,
Interdisciplinary Team Leader, Bighorn National Forest, phone (307)
674-2627.
Individuals who use telecommuni- cation devices for the deaf (TDD)
may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339
between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This NOI corrects two past notices: Beaver
Creek NOI (5/16/07) and Goose Creek NOI (5/29/08). These allotments are
being included in this analysis. All comments received on Beaver Creek
or Goose Creek will be retained for this analysis.
The 43 allotments to be analyzed are located in the Shell Creek,
Paintrock Creek, Goose Creek, Little Bighorn River, Piney Creek/Rock
Creek, and Tensleep geographic areas as mapped by the 2005 Bighorn
National Forest Revised Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest
Plan). Only National Forest System lands (NFS) within the Bighorn
National Forest will be considered in the proposal. The purpose of the
analysis is to determine if livestock grazing will continue on the
analysis area. If the decision is to continue livestock grazing,
management strategies outlining how livestock are to graze will be
developed to assure implementation of Forest Plan management direction.
The analysis will consider actions that continue to improve trends in
vegetation, watershed conditions, and ecological sustainability
relative to livestock grazing and fire and fuel management within the
allotments. Management actions are proposed to be implementated
beginning in the year 2011. The Forest Plan identified livestock
grazing as an appropriate use and made initial determinations for lands
capable and suitable for grazing by domestic livestock. The Forest Plan
also identified fuel management activities as appropriate, where needed
to maintain or restore ecosystem health.
The 43 allotments involved are: Antelope Ridge Sheep and Goat,
Bear/Crystal Creek Sheep and Goat, Beaver Creek Sheep and Goat, Finger
Creek Cattle and Horse, Grouse Creek Sheep and Goat, Hunt Mountain
Sheep and Goat, Little Horn Sheep and Goat, Red Canyon Cattle and
Horse, Red Canyon Sheep and Goat, Sunlight Mesa Cattle and Horse,
Whaley Creek Sheep and Goat, Wiley-Sundown Cattle and Horse, Matthews
Ridge Cattle and Horse, South Park Cattle and Horse, Big Goose Cattle
and Horse, Little Goose Cattle and Horse, Little Goose Canyon Cattle
and Horse, Walker Prairie Cattle and Horse, Rapid Creek Cattle and
Horse, Stull Lakes Cattle and Horse, Tourist Horse Special Use Permit,
Fisher Mountain Cattle and Horse, Little Horn Cattle and Horse, Red
Springs Cattle and Horse, Sage Basin Cattle and Horse, Wyoming Gulch
Cattle and Horse, Dry Fork Ridge Cattle and Horse, Lake Creek Cattle
and Horse, Lower Dry Fork Cattle and Horse, West Pass Cattle and Horse,
Rock Creek Cattle and Horse, Baby Wagon Sheep and Goat, Dry Tensleep
Cattle and Horse, Garnet Creek Sheep and Goat, Hazelton Sheep and Goat,
Leigh Creek Sheep and Goat, McLain Lake Sheep and Goat, Monument Cattle
and Horse, North Canyon Cattle and Horse, South Canyon Cattle and
Horse, Tensleep Canyon Cattle and Horse, Upper Meadows Sheep and Goat,
and Willow Sheep and Goat. The proposed fire and fuel management
actions all occur within the above allotment boundaries.
[[Page 15694]]
Purpose and Need for Action
The purpose of this project is to determine if livestock grazing
will continue to be authorized on the allotments, and if it is to
continue, how to best utilize adaptive management strategies to
maintain or achieve desired conditions and meet forest plan objectives.
Livestock grazing is currently occurring on most of the allotments
under existing allotment management plans (AMPs) and through direction
provided in the Annual Operating Instructions (AOI).
Proposed Action
The proposed action is to continue livestock grazing using adaptive
management strategies to meet or move toward meeting Forest Plan and
allotment-specific desired conditions. This may include changing
livestock management strategies as well as construction of additional
range improvements (fences and water developments). The proposed action
also includes the use of various fuel management methods within
portions of some allotments.
Possible Alternatives
Two additional alternatives have been identified to date: (1) No
action; remove livestock grazing from these allotments and no
additional fire and fuel management actions over what are already
approved, and (2) No change; continuance of current management
strategies.
Responsible Official
The District Rangers that administer the term grazing permis are
the responsible officials. They are: Clarke McClung, Tongue Ranger
District, Bighorn National Forest, 2013 Eastside 2nd Street, Sheridan,
Wyoming 82801, Dave Sisk, Medicine Wheel/Paintrock Ranger District, 604
East Main Street, Lovell, Wyoming 82431, and Mark Booth, Powder River
Ranger District, 1415 Fort Street, Buffalo, Wyoming 82834.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The Responsible Officials will consider the results of the analysis
and its finding and then document the final decision in one or more
Records of Decision (ROD). The decisions will determine whether or not
to authorize livestock grazing, adaptive management strategies, design
criteria, monitoring and fuel management activities on all, part, or
none of the allotments, and if so, what adaptive management design
criteria, adaptive options, and monitoring will be implemented so as to
meet or move toward meeting the desired conditions in the defined
timeframe.
Scoping Process
This notice of intent continues the scoping process, which guides
the development of the environmental impact statement. A scoping
document for this project is planned to be available March 2009.
It is important that reviewers provide their comments at such times
and in such manner that they are useful to the agency's preparation of
the environmental impact statement. Therefore, comments should be
provided prior to the close of the comment period and should clearly
articulate the reviewer's concerns and contentions. The submission of
timely and specific comments can affect a reviewer's ability to
participate in subsequent administrative appeal or judicial review.
Dated: March 27, 2009.
William T. Bass,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. E9-7558 Filed 4-6-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M