[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 196 (Friday, October 9, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54434-54435]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-27116]


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 Notices
                                                 Federal Register
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
 or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 196 / Friday, October 9, 1998 / 
Notices  

[[Page 54434]]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Clearwater National Forest, Idaho County, Idaho; JJ Vegetation 
Restoration

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY: The JJ Vegetation Restoration Planning Area is located west of 
the Powell Ranger Station, Lochsa Ranger District, Clearwater National 
Forest, Idaho County, Idaho. Proposed activities are located in the 
Lochsa River drainage. The purpose of the project are: (1) To design 
and implement vegetation treatments using ecosystem management 
principles within the forest stands that are at high risk of change in 
the next decade, (2) to restore forest health in timber stands being 
affected by Douglas-fir bark beetles and root rot disease, and (3) to 
restore and maintain aquatic ecosystem structure and function to 
provide historic habitat conditions for aquatic species.
    The Lochsa Ranger District (Powell Ranger Station) will begin 
public scoping on the JJ Vegetation Restoration project with the 
publication of this Notice. This area was identified in the Lost 
Postman Watershed Analysis as a high priority for treatment to improve 
the tree species composition and structure. Fire suppression over the 
last fifty years has permitted shade tolerant grand fir and Douglas-fir 
trees to grow into the forest under the overstory ponderous pine and 
large fire resistant Douglas-fir trees. This has created an 
overstocked, two-story forest that is susceptible to root rot and 
Douglas-fir back beetle. The tree mortality and subsequent fuel 
buildup, including ladder fuels, has created a forest condition at high 
risk for catastophic change. Silvicultural action at this time can 
restore the healthy productivity and natural ecologic condition of this 
forest.
    Therefore, the Powell Ranger Station of the Lochsa Ranger District 
is proposing to prepare the JJ Vegetation Restoration Analysis to 
evaluate the environmental effects of using timber harvest and 
prescribed fire to reduce tree density and restore a more natural tree 
species composition and structure. Timber harvest and prescribed fire 
is proposed on approximately 700 acres. Helicopter logging units using 
a combination of improvement cuts and shelter-wood regeneration methods 
are planned. This would yield about 7 mmbf of timber for commercial 
sale. No new roads would be constructed. Existing helicopter landing 
sites along Highway 12 would be used. The JJ's Analysis will also 
consider a reasonable range of alternatives to the proposed action.
    This project will be designed to reduce the density of forest 
vegetation on this overstocked, south facing hillside as outlined in 
the Lost Postman Watershed Analysis. The subsequent reduction in 
biomass and fuels will reduce the risk of a lethal, stand replacement 
wildfire. The proposal will also be designed to reduce the effects of 
Douglas-fir bark beetles and root rot disease on tree mortality. This 
will have the added benefit of maintaining the scenic quality of the 
forest as viewed from the Lochsa River (a Wild and Scenic River) and 
Highway 12. Enhancement of wildlife habitat for species such as the 
flammulated owl, black-backed woodpecker, fisher and elk is also a 
benefit of the proposed action.
    This project level EIS will tier to the Clearwater National Forest 
Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan) and Final EIS 
(September 1987), which provides overall guidance of all land 
management activities on the Clearwater National Forest.
    Analysis will be conducted in compliance with the Clearwater Forest 
Plan lawsuit Stipulation of Dismissal agreement between the Forest 
Service and the Sierra Club, et al (signed September 13, 1993).

DATES: Comments in response to this Notice of Intent should be received 
in writing on or before November 23, 1998 to receive timely 
consideration in the preparation of the Draft EIS. The Draft EIS is 
planned to be filed with the Environmental Protection Agency in March 
1999. The Final EIS and Record of Decision are expected to be issued in 
December 1999.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments and suggestions on the proposed action 
or requests for a map of the proposed action or to be placed on the 
project mailing list to Dennis Elliott, Deputy District Ranger, Powell 
Ranger Station, Clearwater National Forest, Lolo, Montana 59847.
    Responsible Official: James L. Caswell, Forest Supervisor, 
Clearwater National Forest, will be the Responsible Official for this 
project.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Dennis Elliott, Deputy District Ranger, Powell Ranger Station, 
Clearwater National Forest, (208) 942-3113.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In 1997, the Lost Postman Watershed 
Assessment was completed. This assessment recommended a variety of 
management actions designed to restore forest health. Because of the 
wide range of actions and their dispersed locations, it was elected not 
to propose and analyze all of the recommendations in one single 
project. Instead, a logical array of smaller individual projects which 
are not connected actions have been proposed. The JJ Vegetation 
Restoration proposal is one of the recommended actions.
    Preliminary issues include the following:
     How will the proposed action and alternatives maintain or 
enhance the long-term sustain-ability of these ecosystems through 
vegetation management? How will they address vegetation structure and 
composition, insects and diseases, maintenance of wildlife habitat and 
production of wood products?
     How will the proposed action and alternatives protect the 
quantity and quality of water and aquatic habitat?
     How will the proposed action and alternatives provide high 
quality recreation opportunities, especially maintaining the use and 
enjoyment of the Lolo Trail and Lochsa Wild and Scenic River Corridors? 
How will the views from the Lolo Trail and the Lochsa River corridors 
be protected?
     How will the proposed action and alternatives be designed 
to produce goods and services yet minimize impacts to other resources? 
Will the

[[Page 54435]]

actions pay for themselves without resulting in a deficit timber sale?
    These issues will be refined and developed in detail as scooping 
proceeds. Comments on the issues and suggestions for additional issues 
are welcome in response to this Notice of Intent.
    Public scoping and involvement will begin with the publication of 
this notice. A scoping letter that describes the proposed action and 
preliminary issues will be mailed to members of the Powell NEPA mailing 
list. The interdisciplinary team will be working to develop a range of 
alternatives to the proposed action and to assess the environmental 
effects of the alternatives. One of the alternatives will be the ``No 
Action'' alternative. Other alternatives will examine varying levels 
and locations for the proposed activities to achieve the proposal's 
purposes, as well as to respond to the environmental issues and other 
resource values. Comments concerning the range of alternatives or 
possible environmental effects would be useful to the team in 
completing their analysis.
    The Clearwater National Forest Land Management Plan provides the 
land management direction for the JJ's Planning Area. Forest Plan 
Management Areas in the JJ's analysis include the following:
    E1-Timber producing land managed for healthy forests and optimum 
tree growth.
    A7-Recreation River Corridor managed for dispersed recreation, 
water quality and visual resources.
    C4-Big game winter range managed for browse and timber production.
    It is anticipated that the environmental analysis and preparation 
of the draft and final environmental impact statements will take about 
one year. The draft environmental impact statement can be expected in 
March 1999 and a final environmental impact statement can be expected 
in December 1999.
    A 45 day comment period will be provided for the public to make 
comments on the draft environmental impact statement. This comment 
period will be in addition to scoping and will begin when the 
Environmental Protection Agency's Notice of Availability of the Draft 
EIS appears in the Federal Register. A Record of Decision will be 
prepared and filed with the final environmental impact statement. A 
forty-five day appeal period will be applicable.
    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. To be most helpful, 
comments on the draft environmental statement should be as specific as 
possible and may address the adequacy of the statement or the merits of 
the alternatives discussed (see Council on Environmental Quality 
Regulations for implementing the procedural provisions of the National 
Environmental Policy Act at 40 CFR 1503.3).
    In addition, Federal court decisions have established that 
reviewers of draft environmental impact statements must structure their 
participation in the environmental review of the proposal so that is 
meaningful and alerts an agency to the reviewers' position and 
contentions. Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. v. NRDC 435 US 519, 553 
(1978). Environmental objections that could have been raised at the 
draft stage may be waived if not raised until after completion of the 
final environmental impact statement. City of Angoon v. Harris, 490 F. 
Supp. 1334, 1338 (E.D. Wis. 1980). The reason for this is to ensure 
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 the final.
    Comment received in response to this solicitation, including names 
and address of those who comment, will be considered part of the public 
record on this proposed action and will be available for public 
inspection. Comments submitted anonymously will be accepted and 
considered; however, those who submit anonymous comments will not have 
standing to appeal the subsequent decision under 36 CFR Part 215 or 
217.
    I am the responsible official for this environmental impact 
statement. My address is Clearwater National Forest, 12730 Highway 12, 
Orofino, ID 83544.

    Dated: September 29, 1998
Douglas E. Gochnour,
Acting Forest Supervisor, Clearwater National Forest.
[FR Doc. 98-27116 Filed 10-8-98; 8:45 am]
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