[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 239 (Friday, December 12, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65437-65439]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-32512]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement to 
Allow Incidental Take of Species on Lands Administered by Plum Creek 
Timber Company, L.P., in the States of Idaho, Montana, and Washington

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior; National Marine Fisheries 
Service, NOAA, Commerce.

ACTION: Notce of intent.

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SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that the Fish and Wildlife 
Service and National Marine Fisheries Service (collectively, the 
``Services'') intend to gather information necessary to prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement and to conduct public scoping meetings. 
Plum Creek Timber Company, L.P. (Plum Creek) has informed the Services 
that it is preparing an application for a permit and approval of a 
Conservation Plan (Plan) covering bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) 
and possibly other native salmonids, including steelhead trout 
(Onchorynchus mykiss ssp.), pursuant to section 10(a) of the Endangered 
Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The proposed Plan would be 
designed to address the effects of Plum Creek activities that may have 
an impact on bull trout and possibly other aquatic species not 
currently listed under the Act. As a part of its application, Plum 
Creek may be seeking a permit that would authorize incidental take of 
steelhead trout, an aquatic species presently listed under the Act. 
Plum Creek would also be seeking future incidental take authority, 
subject to certain conditions, for other species adequately covered by 
the Plan should those species subsequently be listed under the Act 
during the term of the Plan. The Plan would be in the form of a 
Candidate Conservation Agreement or a Habitat Conservation Plan, 
depending upon whether it includes species currently listed under the 
Act.
    In compliance with their responsibilities under the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, and its implementing 
regulations (40 CFR 1500, et. seq.) the Services jointly announce their 
intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed 
action of approving the proposed Plan and issuing the permit. This 
notice is furnished to solicit suggestions and information from tribes, 
other agencies, and the public to determine the scope of issues and 
alternatives to be considered in preparation of the Environmental 
Impact Statement. The Services jointly announce their intent to hold 
scoping meetings, the date, time, and place of which are provided in 
this notice, below. This notice is provided pursuant to section 10(c) 
of the Endangered Species Act and the National Environmental Policy Act 
implementing regulations (40 CFR 1506.6.

DATES: Scoping will commence as of the date of publication of this 
notice in the Federal Register. Written comments on the scope of the 
proposed action, the approval of the Plan and issuance of the permit 
should be received on or before February 27, 1998. A total of six 
scoping meetings will be held in each of the three states, on January 
14, 15, 21, 22, 28, and 29, 1998. Each meeting will run from 3:30 p.m. 
until 7:30 p.m. The Services will use an open house format for the 
meetings, allowing interested members of the public to drop by at any 
point during the meeting to gather information and/or provide comments.

ADDRESSES: Meeting locations are scheduled as follows: January 14--
Venture Motor Inn, 443 Highway 2 West, Libby, Montana; January 15--
Outlaw Inn, 1701 U.S. 93 South, Kalispell, Montana; January 21--Shilo 
Inn, 702 West Appleway, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho; January 22--Holiday Inn 
Parkside, 200 South Pattee, Missoula, Montana; January 28, Doubletree 
Inn, 510 Kelso Drive, Kelso, Washington; and January 29, Cavanaugh's 
Gateway, 9 North 9th Street, Yakima, Washington, Written comments 
regarding the proposed action and the proposed Environmental Impact 
Statement should be addressed to Robert G. Ruesink, Supervisor, Snake 
River Basin Fish and Wildlife Office, 1387 South Vinnell Way, Room 368, 
Boise, Idaho 83709.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Ted Koch, at the address above, (208) 378-5293; Bill Vogel, Western 
Washington Fish and Wildlife Office, 510 Desmond Drive, Suite 102, 
Lacey, Washington, 98503-1273 (360) 753-4367; or Bob Ries, National 
Marine Fisheries Service, 1387 S. Vinnell Way, Room 377, Boise, Idaho, 
83709 (208) 378-5647.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Under section 9 of the Act and its implementing regulations, 
``taking'' of a threatened or endangered species, is prohibited. 
However, under certain circumstances the Services may issue permits to 
take these wildlife species if such taking is incidental to, and not 
the purpose of, otherwise lawful activities.

[[Page 65438]]

Regulations governing permits for taking of threatened or endangered 
species are found at 50 CFR 17.22, 50 CFR 17.32, 50 CFR 222.22, 50 CFR 
222.23, and 50 CFR 227.21. According to the Services' draft policy and 
proposed rule for Candidate Conservation Agreements, the Services may 
also issue permits, under certain circumstances, in connection with a 
Candidate Conservation Agreement (see 62 FR 32183-32188, June 12, 
1997).
    Plum Creek proposes to develop the Plan employing the technical 
assistance of the Services. Plum Creek has identified the goals of 
their Plan as:
    1. To the maximum extent practicable, minimize and mitigate the 
impacts of Plum Creek's activities on all species covered by the Plan.
    2. Provide habitat conditions that are necessary and advisable to 
conserve and enhance species populations, and allow for the long-term 
survival of species covered by the Plan.
    To the extent that unlisted species are covered by the Plan, Plum 
Creek's objective is to address the listing factors under its control 
such that the listing of such species would be unnecessary, assuming 
the measures in the Plan were implemented by similarly situated 
landowners through a species' range.
    3. Provide Plum Creek will predictability and flexibility to manage 
its timberlands economically. Plum Creek's objective is that the Plan 
would meet or exceed the standards set forth in the Services' ``No 
Surprises'' Policy proposed rule such that Plum Creek would be entitled 
to the assurances provided thereunder (see FR 29091, May 29, 1997).
    The terms of any permit that the Services may issue in connection 
with Plum Creek's Plan, will be governed by the Services' final policy 
and rules for Candidate Conservation Agreements, or the final ``No 
Surprises'' rule, depending upon which is applicable.

The Scope of the Agreement

    As currently envisioned, the Plan would involve a multi-year 
agreement covering approximately 1.7 million acres of Plum Creek 
ownership in the Pacific Northwest, including 1,462,000 acres in 
Montana, 132,000 acres in Idaho, and 85,000 acres in Washington. These 
acres include all Plum Creek ownership in Idaho and Montana, and those 
acres in Washington which are tributary to the Columbia River and not 
included in Plum Creek's approved Cascades Habitat Conservation Plan. 
In addition, the Plan might include 71,000 acres of Plum Creek 
ownership in the Puget Sound Basin that are presently not addressed in 
the company's Cascades Habitat Conservation Plan. Plum Creek is 
currently considering an agreement term of 30 years for the Plan. The 
Services specifically request comment on the term of the agreement.
    Plum Creek has indicated that the Plan will adopt a multi-species, 
aquatic-ecosystem approach spanning all watersheds in the planning area 
in order to protect bull trout specifically, as well as other aquatic 
species. Bull trout are currently proposed for listing under the Act.
    The intent of employing an aquatic-ecosystem approach would be to 
address biological concerns of fish species present in the area and 
remove threats to the species and/or their habitat. Other species 
besides bull trout which could be included in the plan include 
westslope cutthroat trout (Onchorynchus clarki lewisi), redband trout 
(Onchorynchus mykiss ssp.), and steelhead trout. Other aquatic species 
may also be included. Except for steelhead trout, which is listed as 
threatened under the Act, all of these species are currently unlisted. 
The Service specifically requests comment on the aquatic ecosystem 
approach to Plan development, and the possibility of inclusion of these 
and other species in the Plan and permit.
    A key assumption for species protection in the Plan may be that 
actions taken to address the biological needs of bull trout would be 
beneficial to other fish species in the area. For planning purposes, 
the Plan and environmental analysis may rely, in part, on a 
classification of watershed units based on bull trout biology. In 
addition, the conservation needs of other fish species to be included 
in the Plan would be fully and independently identified and analyzed, 
and any additional actions necessary for their conservation would be 
included in the Plan.
    The Plan may use a two-tier bull trout habitat classification 
system. Tier 1 watersheds would include Plum Creek lands within 
catchment areas (drainages) tributary to 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th order 
watercourses known or suspected to support spawning and juvenile 
rearing of bull trout. Tier 2 watersheds would include Plum Creek lands 
within catchment areas tributary to all other watercourses within the 
Columbia River basin, within the project area. Some of these areas are 
known or are suspected to provide migratory, foraging, and over-
wintering habitat for adult and sub-adult bull trout. Tier 2 watersheds 
may also provide the majority of available habitat (on Plum Creek 
lands), for other native salmonids such as westslope cutthroat trout, 
redband trout, and steelhead trout.
    Fish habitat management, mitigation and restoration activities in 
Tier 1 watersheds would focus on protection of habitat for spawning and 
rearing of bull trout and other fish species included in the plan. 
Conservation measures in Tier 2 watersheds would be designed to protect 
migration, foraging, and overwintering habitat for bull trout and other 
fish species, and possibly spawning and rearing habitat for other fish 
species. The Services will evaluate the conservation needs of bull 
trout and other fish species throughout their ranges to ensure that 
conservation measures in the Plan are adequate to allow for long-term 
survival of each species.
    As a component of this planning process, the Services seek to 
identify fish habitat conditions and land management actions on lands 
adjacent to those owned and managed by Plum Creek. In many cases, these 
lands may be managed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest 
Service. In such cases the Services will seek to work with the Forest 
Service under existing authorities to develop and implement management 
actions that are complementary to those developed for Plum Creek lands. 
This approach to habitat conservation planning will help ensure that 
adequate conservation of bull trout habitat, and habitat for other fish 
species, is achieved in the planning area.
    Plum Creek management activities that might impact fish species 
covered under the Plan include commercial forestry and associated 
activities (such as logging road construction, logging road 
maintenance, gravel quarrying primarily for the purposes of logging 
road construction, and silvicultural activities including tree 
planting, site preparation, pesticide application, fertilization, and 
prescribed burning). Other activities which could also be addressed 
include forest fire suppression, open range cattle grazing, 
miscellaneous forest and land product sales (such as gravel and 
landscape stones). Non-forestry related activities also addressed would 
include special forest use permits for commercial outfitting, special 
recreation permits (such as club activities on Plum Creek land), 
electronic facility sites, manufacturing of forest products, and other 
activities common to commercial forestry and the forest products 
business.

Proposed Conservation Measures

    For the proposed Plan, Plum Creek would develop specific 
conservation

[[Page 65439]]

measures to be implemented under the umbrella of the company's 
``environmental principles.'' The measures would be developed under the 
following general categories:
    1. Riparian Management Areas. Conservation measures would be 
developed to regulate activities in riparian areas. Such measures would 
address habitat needs by providing adequate wood for habitat 
complexity, adequate canopy cover for temperature management, and 
adequate filtration for the prevention of sediment delivery to streams.
    2. Forest Road Management. Sediment from forest roads is recognized 
as having the potential to significantly impact fish habitat. 
Conservation measures would be developed to minimize the delivery of 
sediment from forest roads to streams.
    3. Grazing. Livestock grazing (primarily cattle) occurs on over 40% 
of Plum Creek ownership in the planning area. Intensive grazing on many 
of these acres has occurred annually for decades, and for over a 
century in some locations. Conservation measures would be developed to 
manage riparian impacts resulting from grazing.
    4. Land-Use Planning. Plum Creek owns property in the planning area 
that may ultimately have long-term uses other than forestry. Plum Creek 
also buys and sells land in the planning area. Land Use Planning 
measures would be developed to mitigate the impacts of future 
development or land ownership adjustments.
    5. Legacy Management and Other Restoration Opportunities. On Plum 
Creek ownership, the legacy impacts of a variety of past management 
activities may have a greater bearing on fish habitat health than 
current practices under well-informed land-management policies and 
regulations. Restoration and legacy-management projects designed to 
remove threats to fish habitat may be identified as a part of this 
Plan.
    6. Administration and Implementation. Plum Creek would initiate a 
program to monitor significant elements of the Plan and develop a 
program to inform and educate contractors and employees on standards 
and practices to be implemented.

Monitoring and Adaptive Management

    As currently envisioned, the Plan would incorporate active adaptive 
management features, including watershed analysis. Research and 
monitoring would help determine the effectiveness of the Plan, validate 
models used to develop the Plan, and provide the basic information used 
to implement ``mid-course corrections'' if necessary.

    Dated: December 8, 1997.
Thomas Dwyer,
Acting Regional Director, Region 1, Portland, Oregon.
[FR Doc. 97-32512 Filed 12-11-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-M