[Federal Register: March 9, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 45)]
[Notices] =20
[Page 10754-10755]
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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Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forests; Santa Rosa Ranger District;=20
Martin Basin Rangeland Management Project
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact=20
Statement.
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SUMMARY: The Santa Rosa Ranger District of the Humboldt-Toiyabe=20
National Forest will prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact=20
Statement (SEIS) on a proposal to authorize continued livestock grazing=20
on National Forest System (NFS) lands within the boundaries=20
administered by the Santa Rosa Ranger District. The Project Area is=20
located in Humboldt County, Nevada.
The preparation of this SEIS is needed because the Record of=20
Decision issued on October 30, 2009 for the Martin Basin Rangeland=20
Management Project was appealed. Following review, the decision to=20
authorize grazing on three of the allotments in the Project Area (the=20
Buffalo, Granite Creek, and Rebel Creek Allotments) was reversed due to=20
inadequate analysis on the effects of domestic livestock grazing to the=20
designated wilderness in these allotments. The supplemental analysis=20
will provide additional analysis and disclosure of environmental=20
effects to the designated wilderness in these allotments.
DATES: The Draft SEIS is expected to be released for public review and=20
comment in March of 2010 and the new Final SEIS is expected to be=20
released in July of 2010.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to: Vernon Keller, NEPA Coordinator,=20
Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, 1200 Franklin Way, Sparks, NV 89431.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information, mail=20
correspondence to or contact Vernon Keller, NEPA Coordinator, Humboldt-
Toiyabe National Forest, 1200 Franklin Way, Sparks, NV 89431. The=20
telephone number is: 775-355-5356. E-mail address is:=20
vkeller@fs.fed.us.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Initiation of the Martin Basin Rangeland Project began in 2002 with=20
the original Notice of Intent published in the Federal Register on=20
December 30, 2002 (Vol. 67, Number 250). The Draft EIS was released in=20
May of 2004 for a 135-day comment period. The Final EIS was released in=20
June of 2005 and a 45-day comment period was also provided at that=20
time. The Record of Decision for this project was issued on June 2,=20
2006, by then Forest Supervisor Robert L. Vaught.
The Record of Decision for the Martin Basin Rangeland Project was=20
appealed to the Intermountain Regional Forester. On September 6, 2006,=20
the Regional Forester issued a decision on the appeal and remanded the=20
decision back to the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest for additional=20
analysis.
A Notice of Intent to prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact=20
Statement was published in the Federal Register on February 26, 2007=20
(Vol. 72, Number 37). That NOI estimated that the Draft Supplemental=20
EIS would be released for review and comment on April 2007 and the=20
Final Supplemental EIS would be completed by July 2007.
A Corrected Notice of Intent was published in the Federal Register=20
on October 16, 2008 (Vol. 73, No. 201). That Corrected NOI provided=20
notice that a new EIS was being prepared, instead of a supplement to=20
the 2005 Final EIS. That notice also updated the estimated dates for=20
release of the new Draft and Final EISs, and provided additional=20
information on the Proposed Action and Possible Alternatives. The new=20
Draft EIS was released in January of 2009 for a 45-day comment period.=20
The Final EIS was released in November of 2009. The legal notice of the=20
Record of Decision for this project was published on November 23, 2009,=20
by Forest Supervisor Edward C. Monnig.
Two appeals were filed against the 2009 Record of Decision. On=20
February 22, 2010, the portion of the decision to implement the Martin=20
Basin Rangeland Project with the Santa Rosa Wilderness was reversed and=20
the Forest Supervisor was instructed to complete additional analysis of=20
the wilderness characteristics within the Santa Rosa Wilderness.
Purpose and Need for Action
As stated in Final EIS released in 2009, the purpose and need for=20
the proposed federal action is to contribute economic value to grazing=20
permittees in a way that sustains the health of the land and protects=20
essential ecosystem functions and values.
Proposed Action
As outlined in the Final EIS released in 2009, the Proposed Action=20
would authorize domestic livestock grazing on the eight allotments in=20
the Project Area. Under this alternative, proper use criteria=20
(utilization) would be based on the current ecological conditions=20
(functioning, functioning-at-risk or non-functioning) within each=20
allotment. The ecological condition of the allotments would continue to=20
be evaluated through a long-term monitoring process. If long-term=20
monitoring indicates the ecological condition of the allotment has=20
changed, then the set of proper use criteria associated with that=20
ecological condition would be applied to the allotment.
Possible Alternatives
In addition to the Proposed Action, two additional alternatives=20
have been identified for analysis in the SEIS:
1. Current Management Alternative: Continue current grazing=20
management.
2. No Grazing Alternative: Eliminate grazing in the Buffalo,=20
Granite Creek, and Rebel Creek Allotments immediately.
Responsible Official
The responsible official is: Jeanne Higgins, Forest Supervisor,=20
Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, 1200 Franklin Way, Sparks, NV 89431.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
Given the purpose and need, the deciding officer will decide=20
whether or not to continue grazing on the Buffalo, Granite Creek, and=20
Rebel Creek Allotments in the Martin Basin Rangeland Project area. If=20
the decision is to continue grazing, then under what terms and=20
conditions will livestock grazing be managed.
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Scoping Process
The scoping period for this EIS was formally initiated on December=20
30, 2002 when the original Notice of Intent for this project was=20
published in the Federal Register (Volume 67, Number 250). While no=20
additional scoping periods are planned prior to the release of the=20
Draft SEIS, those wishing to submit comments may do so at the address=20
listed above for Vernon Keller, NEPA Coordinator. The Forest Service=20
will use a mailing of information to notify interested parties of the=20
preparation of the SEIS. Public involvement will be ongoing throughout=20
the analysis process and at certain times public input will be=20
specifically requested.
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.
Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7 and 1508.22; Forest Service Handbook=20
1909.15, Section 21.
Dated: February 26, 2010.
Jeremiah C. Ingersoll,
Acting Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2010-4747 Filed 3-8-10; 8:45 am]
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