[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 23 (Friday, February 3, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6693-6695]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-2634]



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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Skyline Ridge EIS, Kootenai National Forest, Lincoln County, 
Montana

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; intent to prepare environmental impact statement.

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SUMMARY: The USDA, Forest Service, will prepare an environmental impact 
statement (EIS) to disclose the environmental effects associated with 
fire recovery activities in the areas of four 1994 wildfires, including 
Pulpit, Studebaker, Gunsight, and Seventeenmile fires. The project area 
is located in the Seventeenmile, O'Brien, and Lower Yaak Physiographic 
Areas of the Three Rivers Ranger District, Kootenai National Forest, 
Lincoln County, Montana. Part of the proposed project's activities lie 
within Inventoried Roadless Areas (IRA's).

    The Forest Service proposes to salvage timber, construct and 
reconstruct roads, reduce fuel concentrations, revegetate with trees, 
native shrubs, and grass, and obliterate roads. These activities 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 proposed action's activities are 
to harvest fire killed timber in a timely manner, manage the road 
systems, reduce future potential for catastrophic fire, sustain timber 
productivity, improve wildlife and riparian habitat, specifically for 
threatened, endangered, or sensitive (TES) species, and accelerate 
watershed recovery. An amendment to the Kootenai Forest Plan is also 
part of this proposal.
    Overall guidance of land management activities on the Kootenai 
National Forest, including timber harvest and road management, are 
regulated by the Kootenai National Forest Land and Resource Management 
Plan (Forest Plan) (September, 1987). In addition we considered more 
recent scientific thinking on the functioning of forest ecosystems 
(Ecosystems Management). Based on this analysis we developed a proposed 
action that does not meet Forest Plan standards. Specifically we 
proposed timber harvest in management Area 2, roadless recreation.

DATE: Written comments and suggestions should be received on or before 
March 6, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments and suggestions on the proposed 
management activities or a request to be placed on the project mailing 
list to Michael L. Balboni, District Ranger, Three Rivers Ranger 
District, Kootenai National Forest, 1437 North Hwy 2, Troy, Montana 
59935.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Steve Prieve, EIS Team Leader, Three Rivers Ranger District, Kootenai 
National Forest, Phone (406) 295-4693.

[[Page 6694]] SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The project area consists of 
approximately 6375 acres of National Forest land. The Seventeenmile 
fire was 1773 acres and is located within all or portions of T33N, 
R32W, Sections 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 10, 11 and T34N, R32W, Sections 33 and 
34. The Studebaker fire was 1896 acres and located within all or 
portions of T33N, R33W, Section 36; T33N, R32W, Sections 30, 31 and 32; 
and T32N, R33W, Sections 1, 2 and 3. The Pulpit fire was 2085 acres and 
is located within all or portions of T32N, R33W, Sections 9, 14, 15, 
16, 21, 22, 23 and 27. The Gunsight fire was 621 acres and is located 
within all or portions of T33N, R33W, Sections 21, 22, 27 and 28.

    Timber salvage harvest of dead and dying timber is proposed on 2556 
acres of forested land within the four fires using a variety of logging 
systems. Approximately 20 MMBF is proposed for harvest. This includes 
750 acres within the 1773-acres Seventeenmile fire, 429 acres within 
the 621-acre Gunsight fire, 588 acres within the 2085-acre Pulpit fire 
and 789 acres within the 1896-acre Studebaker fire. Fuel reduction 
accomplished in conjunction with the timber harvest includes grapple 
piling and prescribed burning. Watershed restoration activities are 
proposed within and in the vicinity adjacent to the fires. This 
includes road obliteration (approximately 15 miles) which consists of 
scarification, seeding, and pulling culverts from roads, recontouring, 
and riparian planting and debris placement in stream channels 
(approximately 10 miles). Replanting is proposed on approximately 4412 
acres of land--including both conifer seedlings for reforestation and 
native shrubs and herbaceous plants for wildlife habitat. The timber 
harvest operations would require construction of approximately 2 miles 
of temporary road and reconstruction of approximately 22 miles of 
existing roads. This action would require temporarily opening 
approximately 31 miles of roads currently restricted from vehicle 
traffic.
    Approximately 1131 acres proposed for harvest lie within one of two 
Inventoried Roadless Areas: Roderick IRK (#684)--710 acres in the 
Seventeenmile fire, and Saddle IRA (#168)--421 acres in the Gunsight 
fire. No road construction would occur within these areas.
    The areas proposed for salvaging fire damaged timber occur in a 
wide range of Management Areas (MA's) as defined in the Kootenai Forest 
Plan.
    Below is a brief description of the affected Management Areas for 
the proposed action, along with the number of acres proposed for 
harvest within each MA:
    Management Area 2--These areas are characterized by a natural-
appearing environment offering roadless recreation opportunities and 
are within an unsuitable timber base 680 acres proposed for salvage 
harvest.
    Management Area 2-OG--These MA 2 areas consist of scattered parcels 
of existing old growth or mature timber stands which contain component 
of old growth and are within an unsuitable timber base. 83 acres.
    Management Area 33--These are areas with a natural-appearing 
environment and a minimal number of adjacent or internal roads offering 
roaded recreation opportunities and are within an unsuitable timber 
base. They occur mostly in upper elevations from 4,500' and up. 49 
acres.
    Management Area 10--These are areas that are used by various 
species of big game for winter range, usually between December 1 and 
April 30 and are within an unsuitable timber base. 15 acres.
    Management Area 12--These areas are generally located at or above 
elevations of 4000' and contain inclusions of moist or wet habitat 
types. Most species of big game use this management area during the 
period from late spring through late fall. This management area is 
characterized by suitable timber producing sites and moderate to 
rolling topography. 891 acres.
    Management Area 13--These areas consist of scattered parcels of 
existing old growth or mature timber stands which contain components of 
old growth and are within an unsuitable timber base. 628 acres.
    Management Area 14--These areas are identified Interagency Grizzly 
situations 1 and 2 in conjunction with suitable timber land. 105 acres.
    Management Area 18--This management area occurs on areas of slopes 
in excess of 40% where timber productivity is moderate to high. It is 
distinguished by the difficulty in establishing coniferous regeneration 
and is within an unsuitable timber base. 105 acres.
    For those management areas classified an unsuitable for timber 
production, an amendment to the Forest Plan would be required to 
implement the ecosystem management based proposal or any alternative 
which would harvest timber in unsuitable timber MA's. These would 
include MA's 2, 2-OG, 3, and 13.
    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. Another alternative will be 
analyzed which meets Forest Plan direction. Additional alternatives 
will examine varying levels and locations for the proposed activities 
to achieve the purpose and need, as well as respond to the issues and 
concerns identified by the public.
    The interdisciplinary team (IDT) has identified tentative or 
preliminary issues briefly described as follows:
    (1) The effects of the proposed action and alternatives on the 
characteristics of the IRA's and unsuitable management areas.
    (2) The effects of the proposed action and alternatives on water 
quality and fisheries.
    (3) The effects of the proposed action and alternatives on 
ecosystem health and the risk of catastrophic wildfires and insert or 
disease outbreaks.
    (4) The effects of the proposed action and alternatives on 
threatened, endangered, or sensitive (TES) species, such as the grizzly 
bear and bull trout.
    (5) The effects of the proposed action and alternatives on timber 
supply.
    The EIS will analyze the direct, indirect, and cumulative 
environmental effects of the proposed action and each alternative, 
including no action. These include past, present, and projected 
activities on both private and National Forest lands along with 
proposed mitigation measures and their effectiveness.
    The decision to be made is how much, if any, fire damaged timber 
should be salvaged in these fire areas, within the context of ecosystem 
management and Forest Plan direction.
    Public participation is an important part of the analysis, 
commencing with the initial scoping process (40 CFR 1501.7), which will 
occur February 3, 1995 to March 6, 1995. 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. A public meeting will 
be scheduled in Troy, Montana on February 28, 1995, and at the Upper 
Ford Work Center on March 1, 1995.
    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 
[[Page 6695]] relevant previous environmental analysis, such as the 
Kootenai Forest Plan.
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.

    The Draft EIS is expected to be filed with the Environmental 
Protection Agency (EPA) and available for public review in April of 
1995. 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 analysis 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 by 
September, 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, Inc. 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 30-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 have the final authority for issuing a decision regarding this 
proposal. I have delegated the responsibility of preparing the EIS to 
Three Rivers District Ranger, Michael Balboni. My address is Kootenai 
National Forest, Supervisor's Office, 506 Hwy 2 West, Libby, MT 59923.

    Dated: January 27, 1995.
Robert L. Schrenk,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 95-2634 Filed 2-2-95; 8:45 am]
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