From: Subject: FR Doc 2010-17755 Date: Sat, 21 Aug 2010 09:44:57 -0700 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="utf-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/2010-17755.htm X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.5931 =EF=BB=BF FR Doc 2010-17755 
[Federal Register: July 21, 2010 (Volume 75, Number =
139)]
[Notices]              =20
[Page 42374]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
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Notices
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________

This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules =

or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings =

and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,=20
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and =
agency=20
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents=20
appearing in this section.

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

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Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, Washington, Pack and Saddle=20
Stock Outfitter-Guide Special Use Permits Issuance Environmental Impact=20
Statement

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Revised Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact=20
statement.

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SUMMARY: On June 22, 2005, the USDA, Forest Service, Okanogan-Wenatchee=20
National Forest, published a notice of intent to prepare an=20
environmental impact statement for Pack and Saddle Stock Outfitter-
Guide Special Use Permit Issuance in the Federal Register (FR, Vol. 70,=20
No. 119, 36112). The purpose of this revised notice of intent is to=20
update the Purpose and Need, change the number of service days=20
proposed, to describe a proposed forest plan amendment, and to revise=20
the planned release date.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer Zbyszewski, Project Team=20
Leader, Methow Valley Ranger District, Okanogan-Wenatchee National=20
Forest, Forest Service, (509) 996-4021 or Laurie Dowie, Special Use=20
Permit Administrator, Methow Valley Ranger District, Okanogan-Wenatchee=20
National Forest, (509) 996-4071.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Purpose and Need for Action

    A part of the original purpose and need in the notice of intent was=20
based on a Need Assessment completed in 1996. The Forest Service has=20
prepared a new Need Assessment titled ``Determination of Need and=20
Extent Necessary for Commercial Service (Outfitters and Guides) in the=20
Pasayten Wilderness and the Lake Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness'', July=20
2010 (Need Assessment) and confirmed that there is a need for pack and=20
saddle stock outfitter-guides in these wilderness areas. It evaluated=20
the service in terms of wilderness dependency and education of clients=20
about wilderness practices, in addition to the public need for the=20
service based on skill, equipment, knowledge, safety, and current=20
interest and demand.
    The Wilderness Act prohibits commercial services in wilderness=20
except to the extent necessary to provide for wilderness appropriate=20
activities. The Need Assessment established that the minimum number of=20
service days needed to meet this need for pack and saddle stock=20
commercial services in the Pasayten and Lake Chelan-Sawtooth wilderness=20
areas is 2,720.
    Currently both the Okanogan and Wenatchee Land and Resource=20
Management Plans (Forest Plans, 1989, 1990) have inconsistent=20
management direction regarding party sizes and maximum vegetation loss=20
sizes. The Okanogan Forest Plan currently does not allow vegetation=20
loss to exceed 400 square feet (MA15B-22B). The Wenatchee Forest Plan=20
allows vegetation loss of up to 1,000 square feet (Table IV-15, page=20
IV-77). Both Forest Plans allow party sizes of up to 12 people and 18=20
head of stock in these wildernesses. It is physically impracticable to=20
fit camps with 12 people and 18 head of stock inside areas of 400 to=20
1,000 square feet. Using computations included in the analysis file,=20
5,250 square feet was identified as an area in which 12 people and 18=20
head of stock could reasonably camp. Due to historical use, including=20
large party-sizes and livestock grazing, some existing camps exceed=20
5,250 square feet. Continued use and short growing seasons have=20
perpetuated some of these camps even though livestock grazing is no=20
longer occurring and party size is now limited. There is a need to make=20
camp sizes consistent with party sizes in the existing Forest Plans.
    These needs are added to the need published in the original Federal=20
Register notice of intent.

Proposed Action

    The USDA Forest Service, Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, is=20
changing the total number of service days (including both wilderness=20
and non-wilderness) that would be divided between the pack and saddle=20
stock outfitter-guides to 4,620 from what was published in the original=20
Federal Register notice of intent. These days are specifically divided=20
in separate sub-units, and include 2,720 service days in wilderness.
    The Forest is also proposing a non-significant amendment to the=20
Forest Plans that would make standards for outfitter-guide campsites=20
more compatible with party size limitations and provide for non-
degradation of wilderness conditions as required in the Okanogan Forest=20
Plan (MA15B-21D, page 4-91). For the Wenatchee Forest Plan the=20
amendment would improve the compatibility of outfitter-guide campsites=20
with some `limits of acceptable change' indicators (Table IV-15, page=20
IV-77). These amendments would only apply to pack and saddle stock=20
outfitter-guides in the Pasayten and Lake Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness=20
Areas. The following standard and guideline would be added to the=20
Okanogan and Wenatchee Forest Plans:
     Pack and saddle stock outfitter-guides shall not be=20
allowed to increase the existing amount of barren core (bare, mineral=20
soil) in established campsites. In campsites where the existing amount=20
of barren core exceeds 5,250 square feet, outfitter-guides shall not=20
use more than 5,250 square feet of the barren core. All pack and saddle=20
outfitter-guides shall use the same delineated, 5250 square foot area=20
for each camp and shall not use any area outside of the delineated=20
5,250 square foot area.
    This amendment would require outfitter-guides to jointly identify=20
the portion of the impacted area for consistent use. This would be=20
included in the Camp Management Plan for each campsite. Areas outside=20
of the designated area would not be used, allowing recovery to proceed.

DATES: Due to delays because of other work priorites and the need for=20
completion of the Need Assessment, the draft environmental impact=20
statement will now be available in August 2010, and the final will be=20
available in March 2011.

    Dated: July 14, 2010.
Stuart M. Woolley,
Acting Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2010-17755 Filed 7-20-10; 8:45 am]
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