[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 65 (Tuesday, April 5, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-8037]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: April 5, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service

 

Beaver-Woods Vegetation Management Project; Bitterroot National 
Forest, Ravalli County, MT

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 disclose the environmental effects of prescribed 
fire, timber harvest, reforestation, and road construction in the 
southern tributary drainages of the West Fork of the Bitterroot River. 
A proposal to determine the effects on and response of three sensitive 
plant species to prescribed fire is also proposed and will be analyzed. 
The area is located approximately 50 miles southwest of Hamilton, 
Montana, Bitterroot National Forest, West Fork Ranger District, Ravalli 
County, Montana.
    The proposal's actions to use prescribed fire, harvest timber, 
construct roads, perform reforestation, and monitor the effects of fire 
on listed sensitive plant species are being considered together because 
they represent either connected or cumulative actions as defined by the 
Council on Environmental Quality (40 CFR 1508.25). The purposes of the 
project are (1) to maintain or restore ecosystem diversity, function, 
and health, (2) to provide raw materials for timber products for the 
citizens of the United States, and (3) to monitor the effects of fire 
on plants that are currently listed as ``sensitive'' by the Regional 
Forester. This project-level EIS will tier to the Bitterroot National 
Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan) and Final EIS 
(September, 1987), which provides overall guidance of all land 
management activities on the Bitterroot National Forest.

DATES: Written comments and suggestions should be received May 20, 
1994.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments and suggestions on the proposed 
management activities or a request to be placed on the project mailing 
list to Nora Rasure, District Ranger, West Fork Ranger District, 
Bitterroot National Forest, Darby, Montana, 59829.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Stuart Lovejoy, Interdisciplinary Team Leader, Sula Ranger District, 
Bitterroot National Forest, Phone (406) 821-3201.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Prescribed burning and timber harvest are 
proposed on approximately 3600 acres and 1600 acres, respectively. 
Timber harvest is proposed on lands which have been designated as 
suitable for timber management by the Bitterroot Forest Plan, with some 
isolated exceptions designed to maintain ponderosa pine on some sites. 
This aspect of the proposed action would require a site specific 
amendment to the Forest Plan to change the standard for harvest on 
unsuitable lands. The timber harvest operations and general 
administration of National Forest lands would require construction of 
approximately three miles of new road and less than one mile of 
temporary road. The study to determine effects caused by fire on three 
species of sensitive plants will delineate plant populations to be 
exposed to prescribed fire and delineate plant populations of the same 
species which would be protected from fire and which would act as 
controls.
    An analysis of the Beaver Woods area shows a marked change in how 
the forest vegetation currently looks and functions compared to the 
past. Natural patterns and stand structures have changed, largely due 
to effective fire suppression. Forested areas once diverse in age 
classes and species are trending toward larger, denser, and more 
uniform blocks of climax species. The primary purpose of prescribed 
fire and timber harvest in the Beaver Woods area is to respond to the 
need to maintain or restore ecosystem diversity, function, and health. 
Another purpose of timber harvest is to provide raw materials to the 
timber industry and help satisfy the American public's need for timber 
products. The purpose of road construction is to facilitate access to 
some of the timber stands to be harvested. The purpose of treating some 
sensitive plant populations with prescribed fire is to learn more about 
these species. They are believed to have developed adaptations to 
periodic fire.
    The project area encompasses approximately 37,000 acres of National 
Forest land located in T3S, R23W, Sec. 15, 20-29, and 33-36; T3S, R22W, 
Sec. 3, 9-11, 14-17, and 19-36, T4S, R23W, Sec. 1-3, 11 and 12, and 
T4S, R22W, Sec. 1-12, 14-22, 28, and 29, P.M. MT. Proposed activities 
are scattered throughout the project area.
    The decision to be made in what, if anything, should be done in the 
Beaver Woods area to:
    (a) Maintain and restore a level of vegetation diversity in the 
project area that more closely approximates the historic condition,
    (b) Amend the Forest Plan on a site specific basis to allow 
improvement cutting on the unsuitable lands, thereby reducing tree 
density and providing for the establishment of ponderosa pine,
    (c) Develop and manage the road system to facilitate removal of 
timber and manage Forest lands, and (d) learn more about how some 
plants respond to fire.
    The Bitterroot Forest Plan provides guidance for management 
activities within the potentially affected area through its goals, 
objectives, standards and guidelines, and management area direction. 
The area of proposed timber harvest would occur within Management Areas 
1, 2, and 3A. Timber harvest would occur primarily on suitable timber 
land, with some isolated exceptions which are proposed in order to help 
provide for the establishment of ponderosa pine. Prescribed burning is 
proposed on lands within Forest Plan Management Areas 1, 2, 3a, 3b and 
5. Road construction would occur in Management Area 1. A brief 
description of the applicable management direction follows:

Management Area 1--These are areas where timber management, livestock 
and big game forage production, and roaded dispersed recreation 
activities are emphasized.
Management Area 2--These are areas where elk winter range habitat is 
emphasized, timber management is allowed, and roaded dispersed 
recreation opportunities are provided.
Management Area 3a--These are areas where visual quality is emphasized, 
timber management is allowed, and roaded dispersed recreation 
opportunities are provided.
Management Area 3b--These are areas where riparian habitats, water 
quality, and water-related recreation are emphasized.
Management Area 5--These are areas where semi-primitive recreation and 
elk security are emphasized.

    The Forest Service will consider a range of alternatives. One of 
these will be the ``no action'' alternative, in which none of the 
proposed activities would be implemented. Additional alternatives will 
examine varying levels and locations for the proposed activities to 
achieve the proposal's purposes, as well as to respond to the issues 
and other resource values.
    The EIS will analyze the direct, indirect, and cumulative 
environmental effects of the alternatives. Past, present, and scheduled 
activities on both private and National Forest lands will be 
considered. The EIS will disclose the analysis of site-specific 
mitigation measures and their effectiveness.
    Public participation is an important part of the analysis, 
commencing with the initial scoping process (40 CFR 1501.7), which will 
occur during March and April, 1994. In addition, the public is 
encouraged to visit with Forest Service officials at any time during 
the analysis and prior to the decision. The Forest Service will be 
seeking information, comments, and assistance from Federal, State, and 
local agencies and other individuals or organizations who may be 
interested in or affected by the proposed action. No additional public 
meetings are scheduled at this time.
    Comments from the public and other agencies will be used in 
preparation of the Draft EIS. The scoping process will be used to:

1. Identify potential issues.
2. Identify major issues to be analyzed in depth.
3. Eliminate minor issues or those which have been covered by a 
relevant previous environmental analysis, such at the Bitterroot Forest 
Plan EIS.
4. Identify alternatives to the proposed action.
5. Identify potential environmental effects of the proposed action and 
alternatives (i.e., direct, indirect, and cumulative effects).
6. Determine potential cooperating agencies and task assignments.

    Some public comments have already been received in conjunction with 
an analysis and associated public involvement to determine existing and 
desired conditions for the Beaver Woods area. The following preliminary 
issues have been identified:

1. How would the proposed timber harvest change the undeveloped 
character of ``defacto'' roadless lands adjacent to the Allen Mountain 
Roadless Area (No. 01946)?
2. How would the proposed activities affect Forest Service Region 1 
listed sensitive species known to inhabit the area, such as bull trout?
3. How would the proposed activities affect the movement through the 
area and potential for habitation by species that no longer inhabit the 
area, such as grizzly bears?
4. Can the vegetation diversity and ecological purposes of the project 
be met without any further timber harvesting or road building?
5. To what degree would the proposed activities contribute to the 
spread of noxious weeds in the area?

    Other issues commonly associated with prescribed fire, timber 
harvesting, and road construction include: effects on cultural 
resources, water quality, soils, old growth, and scenery values. This 
list may be verified, expanded, or modified based on public scoping for 
this proposal.
    The Draft EIS is expected to be filed with the Environmental 
Protection Agency (EPA) and available for public review in August of 
1994. At that time, the EPA will publish a Notice of Availability of 
the Draft EIS in the Federal Register. The comment period on the Draft 
EIS will be 45 days from the date the EPA's notice of availability 
appears in the Federal Register. It is very important that those 
interested in management of the Beaver Woods area participate at that 
time. To be most helpful, comments on the Draft EIS should be as site-
specific as possible. The Final EIS is scheduled to be completed in 
February, 1995.
    The Forest Service believes, at this early stage, it is important 
to give reviewers notice of several court rulings related to public 
participation in the environmental review process. First, reviewers of 
draft environmental impact statements must structure their 
participation in the environmental review of the proposal so that it is 
meaningful and alerts an agency to the reviewer's position and 
contentions. Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp.v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519, 
553 (1978). Also, environmental objections that could be raised at the 
draft environmental impact statement stage but that are not raised 
until after completion of the final environmental impact statement may 
be waived or dismissed by the courts. City of Angoon v. Hodel, 803 F.2d 
1016, 1022 (9th Cir. 1986) and Wisconsin Heritages v. Harris, 490 F. 
Supp. 1334, 1338 (E.D. Wis. 1980). Because of these court rulings, it 
is very important that those interested in this proposed action 
participate by the close of the 45-day scoping comment period so that 
substantive comments and objections are made available to the Forest 
Service at a time when it can meaningfully consider them and respond to 
them in developing issues and alternatives.
    To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues 
on the proposed action, comments should be as specific as possible. 
Reviewers may wish to refer to the Council on Environmental Quality 
Regulations for implementing the procedural provisions of the National 
Environmental Policy Act at 40 CFR 1503.3 in addressing these points.
    I am the responsible official for this environmental impact 
statement. My address is Bitterroot National Forest, 1801 N. 1st., 
Hamilton, MT 59840.


    Dated: March 21, 1994.
Stephen K. Kelly,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 94-8037 Filed 4-4-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M