[Federal Register: May 28, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 101)]
[Notices]
[Page 25483-25485]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr28my09-26]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest; Evanston-Mountain View
Ranger District; Utah; Blacks Fork Salvage Project
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
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SUMMARY: The Evanston-Mountain View Ranger District of the Uinta-
Wasatch-Cache National Forest proposes to treat about 3,000 acres of a
variety of vegetation types within the 39,800 acre Blacks Fork project
area, located in Summit County, Utah approximately 20 miles southeast
of Evanston, Wyoming. Proposed treatments include timber harvest,
prescribed fire, and mechanical thinning. This proposal is being
developed in direct response to the continuing mountain pine beetle
epidemic in the area and its potential long-term impacts on the Blacks
Fork area.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received
by June 24, 2009. The draft environmental impact statement is expected
November 2009 and the final environmental impact statement is expected
March 2010.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to: Blacks Fork Salvage Project, Attn:
Stephen Ryberg, P.O. Box 1880, Evanston, WY 82931. Comments can also be
hand delivered Monday through Friday 8 to 4:30 at the following
address: 1565 Highway 150 suite A located in Evanston, Wyoming. In
addition, comments can be submitted electronically to: comments-
intermtn-wasatch-cache-evanston-mtnview@fs.fed.us or submitted via
facsimile to 307-789-8639.
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
[[Page 25484]]
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: Stephen Ryberg, District Ranger or Amy
Barker, Environmental Coordinator at 307-789-3194.
Individuals who use telecommunication 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:
Purpose and Need for Action
The primary purpose of this project is to salvage dead lodgepole
pine. Associated with this site is the removal of mistletoe infested
trees within the treatment units which will prevent infection onto the
lodgepole pine that will regenerate in the salvaged openings. The need
for action now is due to the ongoing mountain pine beetle epidemic and
resulting mortality. Trees rapidly lose value as sawtimber once they
are dead and begin to dry and decay. Salvaging dead conifers will
provide commercial timber that contributes to a sustainable level of
goods and services within area communities. The Wasatch-Cache Revised
Forest Plan (2003) directs the use of timber harvest where allowed, to
contribute to the economy while achieving properly functioning
conditions of vegetation and watersheds.
A second purpose of this project is to provide wildlife habitat
improvements to aspen, willow, and lodgepole habitat components. There
is concern about the loss of aspen to conifer encroachment adjacent to
riparian areas, wetlands, and beaver ponds. Stimulating aspen
regeneration via salvage harvest and/or prescribed fire will improve
beaver habitat, riparian hardwood health, and wetland hydrologic
functions. There is a need to treat willow to increase vigor and age
class diversity to improve wildlife browse. Salvaged lodgepole pine
units will regenerate evenly to create large and dense lodgepole pine
stands for future goshawk habitat.
A third purpose of this project is to reduce overall fuel loadings
in treated stands. This reduction in fuel loading within treated stands
is expected to result in a more patchy mosaic of burn conditions
(compared to large expanses of heavy fuels across the landscape) for
future wildfires, producing a more resilient landscape. Defensible
space/fuel breaks created around or on the upwind side of the developed
sites at the Lyman Lake Youth Camp, access road, and campground will
alter local fire behavior and help alleviate concerns regarding
protection of structures and visitors in the event of a wildfire.
Salvaging lodgepole pine in the units adjacent to these developments
and treating the resulting slash will further modify large fire
behavior in this general vicinity.
Proposed Action
The proposed project includes treatment over approximately 3,000
acres of aspen, mixed aspen/lodgepole, and willow communities using
timber harvest, prescribed fire, and mechanical fuels treatments.
Timber salvage harvest would be used over approximately 1,880 acres
of the lodgepole pine and mixed lodgepole pine/aspen. Salvage of the
dead and removal of the beetle infested and/or dwarf mistletoe infected
trees would result in treatments with essentially all but the snags
removed. Snags would be left in clumps and islands to keep them wind
firm and intact. Regeneration of lodgepole pine and/or aspen can be
expected within the treatment units.
Approximately 560 acres (primarily aspen-conifer communities) of
the 1,880 salvage acres described previously would also be treated with
prescribed fire in a mosaic pattern following the timber harvest. This
will help stimulate aspen regeneration by causing at least 60%
mortality in the aspen overstory. Slash from the logging operations
would create a fuel bed sufficient to carry the fire.
Approximately 980 acres of the mixed aspen and conifer type would
be burned, in a mosaic pattern to stimulate aspen and mixed aspen/
lodgepole regeneration in patches. Approximately 40% to 80% of these
acres would be burned with sufficient intensity to create these
patches. A focus in this is to burn areas near old beaver ponds to
recreate favorable habitat conditions and restore hydrologic function
in these areas.
Approximately 90 acres of willow, along the river's edge would be
treated with fire to create openings and patches for young willows to
become established.
Approximately 50 acres near Lyman Lake campground and youth camp
will be treated by thinning, hand felling, and piling of ladder fuels
and dead wood to create defensible space/fuelbreaks. This is likely to
be mostly small, non-commercial material, but there may be some
commercial size trees treated as well (such as larger trees overhanging
buildings).
The Blacks Fork project area has a fairly extensive road system in
place and most of the general treatment areas are accessible. However,
approximately 12.0 miles of temporary roads may be constructed to
access specific treatment units. Of the 12.0 miles, about 3.0 miles are
old logging roads (2 track) that are not considered system roads. While
these are considered new construction, analysis should recognize that
the prism is in place and construction thus will result in less soil
disturbance. Following treatments, all temporary roads would be
obliterated, the road prism returned to contour, and the surface
revegetated. Surface roughening and slash will be used on the
obliterated sections to reduce erosion potential while vegetation
becomes established.
Approximately 1.1 miles of FS Road 80064 that is currently
open to four wheel drive traffic would be improved to accommodate
salvage logging traffic. Approximately 1.2 miles of the Brush Creek
Road (8 1657) would be also used. Approximately 3.0 miles of
the Horse Creek Road (885 13) and 0.7 miles of Road
84090 would also be improved and used.
The Brush Creek portion of the analysis area contains mixed
National Forest System land and private land ownership. Access to this
area has been via an old decaying wood bridge which was overlaid with a
newer railcar bridge in 2001. The Brush Creek road was built by private
parties roughly 40 years ago to access their lands south of the West
Fork Blacks Fork, however, they constructed the bridge and portions of
their access road on National Forest System lands. While the area is
currently accessable using the railcar bridge, this type of bridge is
not an engineered structure and thus cannot be certified by Forest
Service engineers as safe for travel. Until it is replaced with a
permanent engineer rated bridge, proper easements cannot be executed
between the private landowner and the Forest Service to provide legal
access to the area. The current location of the bridge abutments
constrain water flow in the West Fork Blacks Fork channel resulting in
downstream erosion of the south bank. These abutments are rotting
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and the original wooden bridge stringers and deck are beginning to fall
into the stream channel. Constructing the bridge so the structure does
not impede water flow, particularily during periods of high water, will
be beneficial to the aquatic habitats. As part of the proposed action
the West Fork Blacks Fork bridge will be replaced to provide access to
salvage the lodgepole pine stands in Section 18, which are heavily
infested by mountain pine beetles. Over the long term, it would provide
access for the private property owner while allowing fire access, and
other types of administrative uses on the National Forest by the Forest
Service. This road has been gated for many years and this would
continue if the bridge were replaced. The road would be periodically
maintained to prevent erosion and deterioration of the road prism. The
execution of easements would establish legal access and also provide
for future maintenance.
There are five basic techniques that will be used to contain
prescribed fire in the treatment units. Fire will be used alone or in
conjunction with commercial timber harvest to achieve a mosaic of
burned and unburned patches within some of the units. Specific methods
of line control will be specified in the burn plan. Construction of
line will use the minimum necessary disturbance. The following
estimates of miles of each kind of fire line are approximate, but
represent the upper end (most line construction) for control lines. It
is likely that firing techniques will be utilized more and constructed
lines less than the estimates given.
At least 3.9 miles of unit perimeter will utilize terrain features
in conjunction with the firing patterns to selectively burn portions of
the units. Natural features such as rock outcrops, openings, and wet
riparian/stream corridors, will serve as anchors for utilizing firing
techniques. In particular, Blacks Fork will function as the west
fireline for most of the eastern burn unit. Created features such as
areas where timber has been harvested may also be appropriate for
control lines, depending on fuel conditions.
Up to about 0.3 miles of handline (averaging 24 to 36 inches wide
and cleared to mineral soil) will be built and rehabilitated. Where
vegetation is short and light, such as in sage and grass, fireline
constructed by hand will be used to anchor the burning. Line will be
appropriately rehabilitated (by mulching, seeding, and/or water
barring, as needed) following completion of the burning to prevent
erosion.
Approximately 1.0 miles of machine line could be used. Heavy
equipment will be used to construct fireline where fuels are larger
than feasible for handline, and natural features/firing techniques are
not adequate for control. Line will average 72 to 96 inches in width
and be cleared to mineral soil. Possible equipment includes (but is not
limited to) bulldozers, rubber tired skidders, trail cats, and tracked
excavators. Following burning, the lines will be rehabilitated (seeded
and water barred as needed, and where available woody debris may be
scattered along for microsite protection).
Approximately 0.9 miles of skid trails (including incidental
machine line) will be used as fire containment lines. In timber sale
units that have burning as secondary treatments skid trails for log
removal will be placed along the perimeter and used also for
containment of the fire. Skid trails are generally about 96 inches in
width and have mineral soil exposed throughout much of their surface.
As in the machine line, these will be rehabilitated following burning
to prevent erosion. In small portions where it is not feasible to skid
along the boundary then machine line will be built.
Approximately 4.1 miles of Forest System Road will be used for fire
containment. Where existing roads coincide with burn unit boundaries
these will be used as fire lines, such as along the eastern boundary of
the eastern burn unit.
Possible Alternatives
In addition to the Proposed Action, a no action alternative will be
considered. This alternative would simply continue current management
without the actions of this proposal. Other alternatives may be
developed in response to issues generated during the scoping process.
Responsible Official
Evanston-Mountain View District Ranger.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The decision to be made is whether or not to implement vegetation
treatments in the Blacks Fork project area, and if so, to what degree
and where.
Preliminary Issues
Preliminary issues are the effects of treatments on wildlife
habitat, and the effects of insect and disease outbreaks on current
forest health.
Scoping Process
This notice of intent initiates the scoping process, which guides
the development of the environmental impact statement.
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: May 19, 2009.
Stephen M. Ryberg,
District Ranger.
[FR Doc. E9-12124 Filed 5-27-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M