[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 25 (Tuesday, February 7, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7160-7163]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-2916]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Main Salmon River Postfire Project, Payette National Forest,
Idaho
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare environmental impact statement.
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SUMMARY: In the summer and fall of 1994, the Corral Fire covered nearly
116,000 acres of Payette National Forest north of McCall, Idaho. The
Forest Service intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for
portions of the wildfire area to assess and disclose the environmental
effects of a proposal. The purpose of the Proposed Action is to remove
fire-killed and imminently dead timber, recover its economic value and
meet socio-economic demands of local communities, reforest the area,
retain and enhance wildlife habitat, reduce soil erosion and decrease
sedimentation, and maintain fish habitat.
All actions include provisions for snags, dead and down woody
debris, [[Page 7161]] visual quality, cultural resources, TES species,
and wild and scenic river study corridors, and would comply with the
Bull Trout Conservation Agreement and the PACFISH guidelines for water
quality, and fisheries.
This project would be accomplished through a salvage sale of burned
timber on about 8,800 acres, using helicopter logging, skyline logging,
and tractor logging; approximately 3.5 miles of road construction in
the upper Elkhorn Creek area (followed by road closure); planting of
conifer seedlings; and reconstruction or repair of roads to improve
vehicle passage and improve watershed conditions. The salvage sale
proceeds would help finance the other activities.
The project lies 20 to 35 miles north of McCall, in the Elkhorn,
French, Fall, and Carey Creek drainages, tributary to the main Salmon
River. It lies partly within the French Creek/Patrick Butte Roadless
Area.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kimberly Brandel, New Meadows District
Ranger (208 634-0300); or Tracy Beck , Interdisciplinary Team Leader
(208 634-0780).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: From July to October 1994, wildfires covered
a total of about 290,000 acres of Payette National Forest. The Corral
Fire was ignited in early August by lightning strikes northwest of the
city of McCall, and eventually covered about 116,000 acres until
stopped by winter weather in mid-October. Within this perimeter, it
burned in a mosaic pattern of fire intensities including some unburned
areas.
In October, Payette National Forest convened three
interdisciplinary groups of Forest resource specialists to assess the
landscapes affected by the fires: one each of the Blackwell landscape,
the Corral landscape, and the Chicken landscape. Each landscape was
composed of two or more watersheds. The Corral landscape encompassed
over 203,000 acres in French Creek and Lake Creek watersheds and
portions of California Creek and Lower Main Salmon watersheds. The
Forest also convened a team to assess the broad-scale area, which
encompasses the three landscapes plus the Thunderbolt landscape to the
south.
In January 1995, each landscape team produced a landscape
assessment encompassing their analysis area. The teams used a
ecosystem-based approach to assess the fires' effects and to propose
target landscape conditions, based on the Forest Plan and the historic
range of variation. Each team identified management opportunities that
could be implemented this year and in the future to move their postfire
landscape toward the target landscape design. The Forest leadership
team selected a package of proposed actions for each landscape to bring
forward into the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analysis
process.
The Proposed Action for the main Salmon River described herein is
one product of the Corral landscape assessment: it proposes the high-
priority short term projects related to timber salvage and other
postfire resource opportunities consistent with the target landscape
design for the Corral landscape.
Burn intensities, as defined by degree of tree mortality, in the
Corral landscape varied from intensely burned to unburned. Within the
Corral landscape, which includes a portion of the Corral fire,
approximately 22,500 acres burned at high intensity (tree mortality
greater than 90%), 19,600 acres at moderate intensity (tree mortality
greater than 30% and less than 90%), and 25,300 acres at low intensity
(tree mortality less than 30%). The remainder of the landscape did not
burn.
An estimated 90,220 acres of the French Creek/Patrick Butte
Roadless Area lie within the Corral landscape.
Simultaneous with this Notice of Intent, Payette National Forest is
also publishing two Notices of Intent for other postfire proposals. The
``Fall Creek Postfire Project'' EIS will cover part of the Blackwell
landscape, and the ``Lower South Fork Salmon River Postfire Project''
EIS will cover the Chicken landscape. The Forest Service will analyze
the two projects concurrently with this ``Main Salmon River Postfire
Project'' proposal.
Purpose and Need
The need is to move toward the desired future conditions, goals and
objectives as described in the Payette Forest Plan and the target
landscape design in the Corral Landscape Assessment. The Corral
Landscape Assessment was tiered to the Forest Plan and identifies a
strategy to implement the plan in an ecosystem management context. The
proposed action is derived from management opportunities in the
landscape assessment. The purpose of each element of the proposed
action is:
Salvage: To recover economic value of burned timber for counties
and timber-related industries and provide wood fiber for society. Past
experience with wildfire timber recovery in south-central Idaho
indicates that prompt harvest is needed to recover the economic value
of fire-killed trees. The trees in this project area, mostly Douglas-
fir, spruce/fir, and lodgepole pine, are expected to lose 30-60 percent
of their economic value by the end of 1996. Part of the salvage sale
proceeds will finance the regeneration, watershed improvement, and
recreation elements of the project.
Regeneration: To promptly return to production those lands within
the suited base that contribute to the allowable sale quantity.
Watershed projects: To improve watershed conditions to meet
beneficial uses (fish habitat and domestic water supply).
Recreation: To improve recreation user access and reduce safety
hazards caused by the fire.
Proposed Action
The Proposed Action has the following components:
1. Salvage harvest fire killed and imminently dead trees on
approximately 8,800 acres using helicopter, skyline, and tractor.
Construct helicopter landings along roads. Specifically, in Elkhorn
Creek drainage, harvest within 3,540 acres, construct approximately 3.5
miles of road (close the new road to the public during and after
salvage sale activities), and improve 12 miles of road. In French Creek
drainage, harvest within 3,510 acres and improve 7.5 miles of road. In
Fall and Carey Creek drainages, harvest within 1,750 acres and improve
25 miles of road. In the Lake Creek drainage, the Proposed Action
includes road improvements and other resource improvement projects, but
no salvage timber harvest. All road improvement work is detailed in
item 3. of the proposed action. The proposal would not salvage harvest
within the French Creek wild and scenic study corridor. It would not
salvage harvest within PACFISH Riparian Habitat Conservation Areas,
which include riparian corridors along perennial and intermittent
streams, wetlands, landslides, and landslide prone areas, where
riparian-dependent resources receive primary emphasis. Harvesting would
comply with the Draft Bull Trout Conservation Agreement. Site-specific
integrated prescriptions to provide for snag/down woody debris
retention, visual quality, cultural resource protection, and TES plant
and animals would be developed consistent with the Forest Plan,
landscape assessment and current policy/research.
2. Regenerate productive forest suited acres within the project
area by planting conifer seedlings or ensuring natural regeneration.
3. Reconstruct or repair roads to facilitate log haul, improve
vehicle [[Page 7162]] passage and/or improve watershed conditions, by
repairing surface on six road segments, improving 11 stream crossings,
and closing one road. Specifically, repair road surface, ditches, and/
or fix stream crossings on segments of: Road #1339, Road #318, Road
321, Road #246, Road #1333, Road #592, Road #1340, Road #308, Road
#1337, Road #1279, Road #565.
4. Remove hazard trees along recreation trails. There are
opportunities to improve and relocate segments of trails within sale
area boundaries along Forest Service trails # 115, 145, 149, 374, 500,
and 504.
Forest Plan Amendment
Amendment to the Forest Plan may be needed to:
1. Allow plantation stocking levels below Forest Plan standards and
guidelines to reflect natural stand conditions.
2. Allow postfire activities as described in the Main Salmon River
Postfire Project to proceed without an Order 2 soil survey. Soil
information of sufficient detail to address NEPA issues and required
effects disclosure will be provided.
Preliminary Issues
The Forest Service has identified six preliminary issues raised by
the Proposed Action:
1. Effects on water quality and quantity in the Salmon River,
Elkhorn Creek, French Creek, Fall Creek and Carey Creek, and their
beneficial use for native fish species and anadromous fish species
habitat.
2. Effects on big game, furbearers, neotropical birds, raptors, and
sensitive wildlife species habitat in and adjacent to the project
areas.
3. Effects on recreation trails and use in the project area.
4. Effects on wilderness characteristics within the roadless area.
The proposals lie partly within the French Creek/Patrick Butte Roadless
Area.
5. Effects on the ability of the project areas to provide long term
growth and yield of timber. Where the Corral Fire burned hot, it left
no live trees. Where fire burned at low or moderate intensities, it
left a mixture of dead, live, and damaged trees. Trees with crowns and
trunks scorched are at risk of dying from fire damage or insect
infestation. Grasses and shrubs can invade disturbed sites faster than
trees can naturally reforest.
6. The economic, socio-economic, and social effects of salvage
timber sales. This includes the economic efficiency of each salvage
sale as measured by present net value, the effects on jobs, income,
payments to counties, and effects on local social groups.
Possible Alternatives
The Forest Service has identified two alternatives to the Proposed
Action: a no action alternative, and an alternative that would not
construct road or salvage harvest in the roadless area. As the public
raises additional issues and provides more information, the Forest may
develop additional alternatives.
Decisions to be Made
The Payette National Forest Supervisor will decide:
Whether to allow salvage logging.
If so, where and how to harvest.
Whether to plant after harvest.
Whether to implement watershed improvement and recreation projects.
What management requirements and mitigation measures are required
as part of this project.
What monitoring requirements are appropriate to evaluate project
implementation. And,
What Forest Plan amendment(s) are required?
Public Involvement Meetings
The Forest will hold five public scoping meetings to introduce the
Proposed Actions for the three burned landscapes and to invite public
comment: Riggins--February 15, 4-9 pm, City Hall. McCall--February 16,
4-9 pm, McCall Smokejumper Base. Council--February 21, 4-9 pm, Council
Ranger District office. Boise--February 23, 4-9 pm, Red Lion
Downtowner. Grangeville--February 27, 1-3 pm, Nez Perce National Forest
Supervisor's office. In addition, Forest Service personnel will make
added public presentations on request.
Agency/Public Contacts
The Forest is mailing a summary of the Proposed Action preliminary
issues, and background information on the analysis to key individuals,
groups, and agencies for comment. The mailing list includes those on
the Payette postfire mailing list and those generally interested in
Payette National Forest NEPA projects.
Schedule
Draft Environmental Impact Statement, May 1995. Final EIS, August
1995. Implementation, September 1995.
Comments
Comments on the Proposed Action and analysis should be received in
writing on or before March 10, 1995. Send comments to: Forest
Supervisor, Payette National Forest, P.O. Box 1026, 106 W. Park Street,
McCall, ID 83638; telephone (208) 634-0700; FAX (202) 634-0281.
The comment period on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement will
be 45 days from the date the Environmental Protection Agency publishes
the notice of availability in the Federal Register.
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, 108 F.2d
1016, 1002 (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 important that those interested in this Proposed Action
participate by the close of the 45 day comment period so that
substantive comments and objections are made available to the Forest
Service at a time when it can meaningfully consider and respond to them
in the final environmental impact statement.
To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues
raised by the Proposed Action, comments on the Draft Environmental
Impact Statement should be as specific as possible. It is also helpful
if comments refer to specific pages or chapters of the draft statement.
Comments may also address the adequacy of the Draft Environmental
Impact Statement or the merits of the alternatives formulated and
discussed in the statement. 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.
Responsible Official
David F. Alexander, Forest Supervisor, Payette National Forest,
P.O. Box 1026, 106 West Park, McCall, ID 83638.
[[Page 7163]] Dated: January 31, 1995.
David F. Alexander,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 95-2916 Filed 2-6-95; 8:45 am]
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