[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 34 (Tuesday, February 21, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9658-9661]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-4084]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
China Basin Fire Recovery and Associated Activities Kootenai
National Forest, Lincoln County, Montana
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
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SUMMARY: The China Basin and Quartz 3 Wildfires burned over 7,400 acres
of Kootenai National Forest system lands in the late summer of 1994.
The Forest Service intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) to assess and disclose the environmental effects of opportunities
designed to recover economic value of burned timber, reduce future
fuels accumulations, improve bighorn sheep winter range, rehabilitate
existing sediment sources, improve hydrologic conditions in affected
watersheds, and protect long-term soil productivity. These objectives
would be accomplished through salvage harvest of fire-killed timber;
harvest of fire-killed and green timber in bighorn sheep winter range;
reforestation of harvested and severely burned areas; fuels reduction
in harvested areas; restoration of roads, revegatation of road cuts and
fill slopes, and drainage improvement on existing roads; and providing
for immediate and long-term recruitment of instream large woody
material within the China Basin decision area. The China Basin decision
area is located approximately 5 air miles northwest of Libby, Montana.
The proposal's actions to salvage fire-killed trees and reforest
burned areas, harvest green and fire-killed trees in bighorn sheep
habitat, restore roads, reduce fuels, and implement watershed recovery
projects 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 EIS will tier to the
Kootenai National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan and Final
EIS of September 1987, which provides overall guidance for achieving
the desired forest condition of the area.
DATES: Written comments and suggestions should be received within 30
days following publication of this notice.
ADDRESSES: The Responsible Official is Robert L. Schrenk, Forest
Supervisor, Kootenai National Forest. Written comments and suggestions
concerning the scope of the analysis should be sent to Lawrence A.
Froberg, District Ranger, Libby Ranger District, 12557 HWY 37, Libby,
Montana, 59923.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Michele Holman, Planning Forester, Libby Ranger Station. Phone: (406)
293-8861.
[[Page 9659]] SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: During the night of August 14-
15, 1994, a lightning storm started 207 fires on the Kootenai National
Forest in northwest Montana. Several fires ranging in size from less
than one acre to over 7,000 acres occurred on the Libby Ranger
District. The china Basin Fire Recovery EIS is being prepared in
response to conditions resulting from two fires which burned within the
boundary of the 12,000+ acre Libby Fire Complex. An interdisciplinary
landscape analysis team used an ecosystem based approach to assess the
fires affects and identify management opportunities that could be
implemented to move the postfire landscapes toward a desired ecological
condition.
The tree mortality levels which resulted from the China Basin and
Quartz 3 wildfires varied considerably. Within the fire perimeters,
approximately 1,518 acres average 90% tree mortality, approximately
2,315 acres average 70% tree mortality and approximately 3,643 acres
average 30% tree mortality. The China Basin fire burned within and
adjacent to a portion of the Kootenai River corridor currently under
study for designation as a Recreation River as provided for under the
Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. The China basin Fire also burned within and
adjacent to the Flagstaff Mountain Roadless Area (X-690).
The China Basin decision area contains approximately 10,300 acres
within the Kootenai National Forest in Lincoln County, Montana. A
portion of the proposed projects are located in the Quartz Creek
drainage, primarily within the Lamoka and West Fork Quartz
subdrainages. The remainder of the proposed projects are located within
Hunter Gulch, Dad Creek, Burrel Creek and China Creek, which flow
directly into the Kootenai River. The legal location of the decision
area is as follows: Sections 15, 16, 20, 21, 22, 27, 28, 29, 30
Township 32 North, Range 32 West; Section 36, Township 32 North, Range
33 West; Sections 1, 12, 13, Township 31 North, Range 33 West; Sections
2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 Township 31
North, Range 32 West; Principle Montana Meridian. The decision area
includes land owned by the Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks and
lands owned by private individuals.
Proposed Action
The primary purposes of the project are to recover valuable timber
products from trees burned by wildfires that occurred in 1994; restore
watershed conditions within the Quartz Creek and China Creek drainages;
and to improve bighorn sheep winter habitat. The Forest Service
proposes to harvest approximately 14-19 million board feet of timber by
salvaging fire-killed timber and imminently dead trees on approximately
1,955 acres of forest land outside riparian protection areas and to
improve bighorn sheep habitat by harvesting approximately 4-5 million
feet of fire-killed and green trees from approximately 1,141 acres in
an area known locally as the Sheep Range. Only trees that were killed,
or are expected to die as a result of the fires, would be harvested in
the areas not designed to improve bighorn sheep winter range. The
proposal includes prescribed burning of about 600 acres to improve
bighorn sheep winter range and about 727 acres to reduce fuel loads in
harvested areas. An estimated 1,500 acres of units proposed for harvest
would be planted with conifer seedlings to help meet desired conditions
for species diversity. An additional 650 acres of existing conifer
plantation which burned would be replanted with conifer seedlings. All
temporary roads constructed for this project, as well as an estimated
17.5 miles of existing system and non-system road are proposed for
restoration to reduce sediment and water yields, and improve grizzly
bear and elk habitat security. Stabilization of two slumps and riparian
planting of damaged stream banks are included under the proposal. In
addition, projects to improve watershed recovery, repair damaged hiking
trails, and damaged wildlife structures (guzzler) would be accomplished
if adequate funds are available.
Approximately 468 acres of existing old growth burned in the China
Basin Fire. These stands no longer provide habitat for old growth
dependent species and will be recommended for a change in management to
big game summer range. These burned areas of pre-fire old growth have
been proposed for salvage. Approximately 764 acres have been
recommended for designation as old growth to replace the stands which
burned.
The decision area includes a portion of the Flagstaff Mountain
Roadless Area (X-690). Most of the proposed units intended to improve
bighorn sheep winter range are located within this roadless area. The
activities would include harvest and prescribed burning. There is no
proposed road construction within the roadless area. No proposed
activities are located in areas considered for inclusion to the
National Wilderness System as recommended by the Kootenai National
Forest Plan or present legislative wilderness proposals.
Due to the high level of tree mortality in proposed harvest units,
most harvested areas would resemble clearcut, seedtree, or shelterwood
silvicultural methods. Only those live trees which must be cut to
facilitate logging fire-killed trees would be harvested, except in the
units intended to improve bighorn sheep habitat where live trees would
be designated for removal to enhance forage conditions. In addition to
most live trees, clumps of snags and downed woody debris would remain
on site for cavity habitat and for watershed purposes. Timber harvest
is designed to have the minimal amount of ground disturbance. Proposed
harvest would be completed by tractor, skyline, cable winching from
existing roads and helicopter logging systems.
The Kootenai National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan
provides overall management objectives in individual delineated
management areas (MA's). The decision area contains nine MA's: 2, 10,
12, 13, 15, 18, and 19. Briefly described, MA 2 is managed to protect
and enhance roadless recreation use and provide wildlife values. MA 10
is managed to maintain or enhance habitat effectiveness for winter use
by big-game animals and protect scenic quality in areas visible from
major travel routes. MA 12 is managed to maintain or enhance the summer
range habitat effectiveness for big-game species and produce a
programmed yield of timber. MA 13 is managed to provide the special
habitat necessary for old growth dependent wildlife. MA 15 is managed
primarily for timber production while providing for other resource
values. MA 18 are areas which have regeneration difficulties and are
managed by maintaining the vegetation in a healthy condition and
maintaining populations of existing wildlife. MA 19 is managed to
protect soil stability and water quality by maintaining the vegetation
in a healthy condition and minimizing surface disturbance. Timber
salvage and fuels reduction is proposed in MA 12 and MA 15. Harvest
units and prescribed burns to improve bighorn sheep habitat are
proposed within MA 10.
Preliminary Issues
Several preliminary issues of concern have been identified by the
Forest Service. These issues are briefly described below:
Water Quality--Streams in the decision area have been
impacted by past management and large wildfires. How would the proposed
action affect water yield, sediment production, stream stability, and
recovery from past impacts? [[Page 9660]]
Timber Supply--An estimated 24 million board feet of
timber was killed in the China Basin and Quartz 3 fires. Much of this
fire-killed timber will quickly lose its commercial value due to rapid
deterioration. To what extent does the proposed action recover the
commercial value of fire-killed timber to help meet local and national
needs?
Activity in Roadless Areas--What effect would the proposal
have on the roadless character of the Flagstaff Mountain Roadless Area?
Grizzly Bear--The decision area lies within the recovery
area for the Cabinet/Yaak grizzly bear ecosystem. How would the
proposal maintain and enhance grizzly bear habitat, and contribute to
recovery efforts?
Fisheries--Some streams contain fisheries habitat and
resident fish populations, including torrent sculpin (a Region 1
sensitive species), bull trout (currently being considered for listing
as a threatened or endangered species), and westslope cutthroat trout
(likely hybridized). How would the proposed action affect fisheries
habitat and populations?
Bighorn Sheep Habitat--The proposal contains approximately
1141 acres of ``special cuts'' intended to improve bighorn sheep
habitat. To what extent does the proposed action improve forage for
wintering bighorn sheep?
Visual Quality along Kootenai River--The units proposed to
improve bighorn sheep habitat are located along the Kootenai River
Corridor and can be viewed in places from HWY 2. To what extent will
the viewshed be altered from along HWY 2?
Forest Plan Amendment
The Kootenai National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan has
specific management direction for the China Basin decision area. The
China Basin proposed action is designed to maintain or improve resource
conditions and move towards achieving desired ecological conditions,
and is consistent with the goals and objectives of the Forest Plan.
Prior to making a NEPA decision, a thorough examination of all
standards and guidelines of the Forest Plan would be completed and, if
necessary, plan exceptions or amendments would be addressed in the EIS.
Decisions To Be Made
The Kootenai National Forest Supervisor will decide the following:
Should dead and imminently dead trees within fire areas be
harvested and if so how and where,
What amount, type, and distribution of watershed restoration
projects, including road restoration, would be implemented,
What burned areas need to be replanted,
Should dead and green trees be harvested to improve bighorn sheep
habitat and it so, how and where, and
If Forest Plan exception or amendments are necessary to proceed
with the Proposed Action within the decision area.
Public Involvement and Scoping
Some public participation efforts have already been initiated under
the Sheep Range Environmental Assessment, prior to the fires. The
design of the proposed units to improve bighorn sheep habitat have been
altered in response to the Sheep Range project public involvement.
Consultation with appropriate State and Federal agencies has been
initiated. Preliminary effects analysis indicated that the wildfires
may significantly affect the quality of the human environment, and fire
recovery activities have the potential to both intensify and reduce
effects. These potential effects prompted the decision to prepare an
EIS for the China Basin Fire Recovery Project.
This environmental analysis and decisionmaking process will enable
additional interested and affected people to participate and contribute
to the final decision. Public participation will be requested at
several points during the analysis. The Forest Service will be seeking
information, comments, and assistance from Federal, State, local
agencies, and other individuals or organizations who may be interested
in or affected by the proposed projects. This input will be used in
preparation of the draft and final EIS. The scoping process will
include:
Identifying potential issues.
Identifying major issues to be analyzed in depth.
Exploring additional alternatives which will be derived
from issues recognized during scoping activities.
Identifying potential environmental effects of this
project and alternatives (i.e. direct, indirect, and cumulative effects
and connected actions).
The analysis will consider a range of alternatives, including the
proposed action, no action, and other reasonable action alternatives.
Estimated Dates for Filing
The draft China Basin Fire Recovery EIS is expected to be filed
with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and to be available for
public review by May, 1995. At that time 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 publishes
the Notice of Availability in the Federal Register.
The final EIS is scheduled to be completed in August, 1995. In the
final EIS, the Forest Service is required to respond to comments and
responses received during the comment period that pertain to the
environmental consequences discussed in the draft EIS and applicable
laws, regulations, and policies considered in making a decision
regarding the proposal.
Reviewer's Obligations
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 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 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 EIS.
To be most helpful, comments on the draft EIS should be as specific
as possible and may address the adequacy of the statement or the merit
of the alternatives discussed. 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
Robert L. Schrenk, Forest Supervisor, Kootenai National Forest, 506
US Highway 2 West, Libby, MT 59923 is the Responsible Official. I have
delegated the responsibility to prepare the China Basin Fire Recovery
Environmental Impact Statement to Lawrence A. Froberg, District Ranger,
Libby Ranger District. As the Responsible Official I [[Page 9661]] will
decide which, if any, of the proposed projects will be implemented. I
will document the decision and reasons for the decision in the Record
of Decision. That decision will be subject to Forest Service Appeal
Regulations.
Dated: February 10, 1995.
Robert L. Schrenk,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 95-4084 Filed 2-17-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M