[Federal Register: August 7, 2009 (Volume 74, Number =
151)]
[Notices] =20
[Page 39611-39612]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr07au09-26] =20
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
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Lolo National Forest; MT; Cedar-Thom EIS
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.
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SUMMARY: The Forest Service will prepare an environmental impact=20
statement (EIS) on a proposal to implement restoration activities, fuel=20
reduction treatments, and recreation enhancements within the Cedar and=20
Thompson Creek drainages, Lolo National Forest, Superior Ranger=20
District, Mineral County, Montana.
This EIS will tier to the Lolo National Forest Plan Final EIS=20
(April 1986).
DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received=20
by no later than 30 days from date of publication of this notice in the=20
Federal Register. The draft environmental impact statement is expected=20
July 2010 and the final environmental impact statement is expected=20
March 2011.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to: Cedar-Thom Project Leader, USDA=20
Forest Service, P.O. Box 429, Plains, Montana 59859. Comments may also=20
be sent via e-mail to: comments-northe=
rn-lolo-superior@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.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Pat Partyka, Project Leader, (406)=20
826-4314.
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
[[Page 39612]]
Purpose and Need for Action
The Lolo National Forest Plan, 1986, provides overall guidance for=20
land management activities in the project area. The purposes of the=20
Cedar-Thom project are to: (1) Restore vegetative conditions that are=20
resistant to undesirable effects of fire, insects, disease, and=20
drought; (2) Reduce forest fuels in wildland urban interface (WUI) and=20
non-WUI areas and re-establish fire as a disturbance process on the=20
landscape; (3) Improve or maintain big game winter range; (4) Enhance=20
watershed health with improvements to fish habitat and stream function;=20
and (5) Enhance recreation opportunities and establish trail travel=20
management designations consistent with land management objectives.
Proposed Action
The Cedar-Thom project area of approximately 58,000 acres is=20
located southwest of Superior, Montana within TI5N, R27W; TI5N, R28W;=20
TI6N, R27W; TI6N, R28W; TI7N, R26W; T 1 7N, R27W, P.M.M. Within this=20
area, the Lolo National Forest proposes the following activities to=20
achieve the purpose and need for the project: (1) Timber harvest on=20
approximately 6758 acres; (2) non-commercial mechanical vegetation=20
treatments on about 2290 acres; (3) Prescribed burning on approximately=20
9550 acres; (4) temporary road construction (5 miles) and long-term=20
specified road construction (6 miles); (5) Road decommissioning (116=20
miles), road storage (9 miles), and gate closure (6 miles); (6) Culvert=20
replacements; (7) Restoration of selected stream segments; (8) Riparian=20
vegetation planting; (9) Removal of a 500-foot segment of historic=20
railroad grade that infringes on Cedar Creek; (10) Roadside weed=20
spraying; (11) Development of an 8-mile ATV trail using primarily=20
existing road prisms; (12) Construction of an equestrian trailhead for=20
the Thompson Creek trail (173); (13) Construction of a non-
motorized trail from Mink Peak to Lost Lake; and (14) Change the travel=20
management status on trails that are currently designated as both=20
motorized and non-motorized to non-motorized only.
If, after the completion of the environmental analysis and review=20
of public comments the Responsible Official decides to select an action=20
alternative, implementation could begin in 2012 and would continue for=20
several years.
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. The decision may include a site-specific amendment to=20
the Lolo National Forest Plan to allow approximately 215 acres of fuel=20
reduction treatments that would include the removal of commercial-sized=20
trees within Management Area 11, in which the Forest Plan limits tree=20
cutting to that required to eliminate safety hazards or permit trail=20
construction.
Scoping Process
This notice of intent initiates the scoping process, which guides=20
the development of the environmental impact statement. Information on=20
the proposed action will be posted on the Forest Web site at: http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=3DleavingFR.h=
tml&log=3Dlinklog&to=3Dhttp://www.fs.fed.us/rl/lolo/projects/=
.
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.
Dated: July 31, 2009.
Deborah L.R. Austin,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. E9-18934 Filed 8-6-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M