[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 37 (Tuesday, February 25, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8419-8421]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-4631]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service


Birch Creek/Worm Creek Proposed Timber Sale; Cache National 
Forest (Administered by the Caribou National Forest), Franklin County, 
ID

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare Environmental Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY: The USDA, Forest Service will prepare an Environmental Impact 
Statement to document the analysis and disclose the environmental 
impacts of proposed actions to harvest timber, build roads, and 
regenerate new stands of trees in the Birch Creek/Worm Creek area of 
the Cache National Forest. The project is located in Franklin County, 
ID in the Birch Creek, Worm Creek and South Canyon drainages, 
administered by the Montpelier Ranger District of the Caribou National 
Forest. The need for the proposal is to treat stands of timber to 
enhance sustainable productivity as outlined in the Caribou National 
Forest Land and Resource Management Plan. Treatment would be designed 
to address

[[Page 8420]]

silvicultural condition of the affected timber stands.
    The Montpelier Ranger District of the Caribou National Forest 
proposes to harvest an estimated 3300 MBF (thousand board feet) of 
commercial timber in 28 timber stands on approximately 658 acres. One 
15-acre stand would be clearcut and planted. The remaining stands would 
be partially cut using either a sanitation/salvage cut or a shelterwood 
method. Thirteen stands would be logged by tractor and fifteen stands 
would be logged by helicopter. Approximately 5.5 miles of new road 
would be built, and 3.8 miles of road would be relocated to access the 
stands for logging. All new roads and 3.4 miles of relocated roads 
would be closed to vehicle travel after logging. The timber would be 
offered for sale in 1999. For a map of the proposed project area, 
please contact the Montpelier Ranger District, 431 Clay Street, 
Montpelier, ID 83254, (208) 847-0375.

DATE: Written comments concerning the scope of the analysis described 
in this Notice should be received on or before March 27, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Caribou National Forest, Montpelier 
Ranger District, 431 Clay Street, Montpelier, ID 83254.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Questions concerning the proposed action and EIS should be directed to 
T.W. Smith, Forester, Caribou National Forest, Montpelier Ranger 
District (Telephone: (208) 847-0375.)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This EIS will tier to the final EIS for the 
Caribou National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest 
Plan). The Caribou Forest Plan provides the overall guidance (Goals, 
Objectives, Standards, and Management Area direction) to achieve the 
Desired Future Condition for the area being analyzed and contains 
specific management area prescriptions for the entire Forest. The 
specific objective of this proposal is to contribute to the sustained 
yield of timber assigned the Caribou National Forest in the Forest's 
Land and Resource Management Plan.

    Possible alternatives to the proposal are to cut no timber or to 
cut only some of the stands at this time.
    Public scoping letters have been sent to individuals, and news 
articles regarding the project have appeared in local newspapers. 
Initial scoping comments indicated concerns about the project's 
environmental impacts on water quality, fish habitat, and roadless area 
characteristics. The Caribou National Forest determined impacts could 
be significant and will complete an Environmental Impact Statement to 
address these concerns. At this time, no public scoping meetings have 
been planned.

Issues/Concerns

    Tentative issues and concerns identified to date are:
    1. Birch Creek is a section 303(d) Water Quality Limited stream. 
Beneficial uses, which include beneficial uses for fisheries, must be 
protected and regulatory water quality standards met.
    2. Steep slopes limit tractor logging in some stands and helicopter 
logging is proposed in these instances. Cable systems may be considered 
as another means of logging steep slopes, because they are less 
expensive to operate and would make the sale available to more timber 
operators; however, they require more roads than helicopters.
    3. Stands in the Worm Creek drainage are accessible by 
approximately 3.4 miles of road that would require relocation. Road 
relocation would be expensive, raise logging costs, and make the area 
more accessible while the road was open.
    4. Regeneration would be difficult in many stands that have an 
understory of shrubs. Tractor logging reduces shrubs and exposes 
mineral soil allowing tree seedlings to germinate and grow. Helicopter 
logging does not disturb the ground, and therefore, tree regeneration 
would be difficult to establish in helicopter units.
    5. The Birch Creek Road is rocky, making maintenance difficult. 
Lack of maintenance causes ruts and increases erosion. The Birch Creek 
Road would be used to haul logs from the sale area. The proposal 
creates an opportunity to improve the road and reduce surface runoff 
into Birch Creek.
    6. Birch Creek is a tributary of Mink Creek. Mink Creek contains 
Bonneville Cutthroat Trout. The proposal could adversely affect fish 
habitat in both streams.
    7. Birch Creek Road is groomed for snowmobile use in the winter and 
provides access to winter play areas. Winter logging would require 
plowing the road. The narrow canyon would not allow snowmobiling off 
the plowed road. Snowmobile use on the plowed road would create a 
public safety hazard.
    8. The proposed project is located in the Station Creek Roadless 
Area, #04178. The environmental analysis will need to determine how the 
proposed action would affect existing roadless characteristics.
    9. The proposed project area contains wildlife habitat used by deer 
and elk. Harvest activities and road-building could make these animals 
more vulnerable to hunters.
    10. Permitted cattle grazing occurs in Birch Creek and Worm Creek. 
Tree regeneration, occurring as a result of this proposal, would 
require protection from damage by cattle.
    11. Douglas-fir and subalpine fir trees in the project area have 
been attacked and killed by bark beetles over the past ten years. Since 
the trees are of an age and density that invite continued attacks, 
mortality can be expected to continue. The project offers an 
opportunity to harvest recently killed trees for timber products.
    A Biological assessment of threatened, endangered and sensitive 
species will be completed as part of the environmental analysis.
    A Cultural Resource Survey of the area will be completed as part of 
the environmental analysis, and any cultural resources found would be 
protected.
    No permits or licenses are required to implement the proposed 
action.
    The tentative date for filing the Draft EIS is June 1997. The 
tentative date for filing the final EIS is September 1997. The comment 
period on the draft environmental impact statement will be open for 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 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 45-day comment period of the Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement 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

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the Final Environmental Impact Statement. Agency representatives and 
other interested people are invited to visit with Forest Service 
officials at any time during the EIS process.
    To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues 
and concerns on 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. 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.
    The USDA, Forest Service is the lead agency in preparing the 
Environmental Impact Statement for this proposal. The responsible 
official is Paul R. Nordwall, Supervisor, Caribou National Forest, 250 
South Fourth Avenue, Pocatello, ID 83254.

    Dated: February 12, 1997.
Paul R. Nordwall,
Forest Supervisor, Caribou National Forest.
[FR Doc. 97-4631 Filed 2-24-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M