[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 32 (Thursday, February 18, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8055-8056]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-3936]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


South Fork Burnt River Range Planning on the Unity Ranger 
District, Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, Baker County, Oregon

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.

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SUMMARY: The USDA, Forest Service, will prepare an environmental impact 
statement (EIS) to update range management planning on five (5) 
livestock grazing allotments which will result in the development of 
new Allotment Management Plans (AMPs). The allotments are West Burnt 
River, North Fork Burnt River, Powell Gulch, South Burnt River and 
Bullrun. The allotments are located approximately 50 miles, by road, 
southwest of Baker City, Oregon. The allotments, combined, are called 
the South Fork Burnt River Range Planning Area. National Forest System 
lands within the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest will be considered in 
the proposal. Management actions are planned to be implemented 
beginning in the year 2000. The agency gives notice of the full 
environmental analysis and decision-making process that will occur on 
the proposal so that interested and affected people may become aware of 
how they may participate in the process and contribute to the final 
decision.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis should be received 
in writing by March 26, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments and suggestions concerning this 
proposal to Deborah G. Schmidt, District Ranger, Unity Ranger District, 
Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, P.O. Box 38, Unity, Oregon 97884.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Direct questions about the proposed 
action and EIS to Paul Bridges, Interdisciplinary Team Leader, Wallowa-
Whitman National Forest, Baker Ranger District, 3165 10th Street, Baker 
City, Oregon 97814, phone (541) 523-1950.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed action is to continue to permit 
livestock grazing on National Forest System lands. The proposed action 
is designed to continue the improving trends in vegetation, watershed 
conditions, and in ecological sustainability relative to livestock 
grazing within the five allotments of the South Fork Burnt River 
Watershed. The action is needed to develop new AMPs which incorporate 
results of recent scientific research, analysis and documentation at 
the sub-basin level.
    The Wallowa-Whitman Forest Plan as amended, recognized the 
continuing need for forage production from the Forest and recognized 
the five allotments of the South Fork Burnt River watershed as 
containing lands which are capable and suitable for grazing by domestic 
livestock. This action is needed to continue this historic use.
    The allotments are located within the Bullrun Creek, Job Creek, 
East Camp Creek, Lower West Camp Creek, Upper West Camp Creek, Middle 
Fork Burnt River, Pole-Sheep Creeks, South Fork Burnt River, Elk Creek, 
North Fork Burnt River, and the West Fork Burnt River subwatersheds on 
the Unity Ranger District. These subwatersheds are contained within the 
South Fork Burnt River, North Fork Burnt River and Camp Creek 
Watersheds.
    The Forest planning process allocated specific management direction 
across the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. Within the area encompassed 
by the five allotments, management areas (MA) include MA1 (timber 
production), MA3 (wildlife/timber), MA4 (wilderness), and MA6 
(backcountry).
    The five allotments encompass approximately 77,000 acres of 
National Forest System Lands, with Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and 
private land making up an additional 8,100 acres within the Powell 
Gulch, North Fork Burnt River, and South Burnt River allotments. 
Important riparian areas occur in three of the allotments: Bullrun, 
South Burnt River and West Burnt River. Other points of interest in the 
allotments are as follows: in the Bullrun allotment, a portion of the 
Monument Rock Wilderness occurs; in the South Burnt River allotment, a 
multi-campground fenced exclosure occurs along the river which provides 
a livestock free recreation area and helps to improve riparian 
conditions on that portion of river; within the West Burnt River 
allotment, there is a Bald Eagle Management Area and many fenced 
exclosures exist which contribute to improving trends for many portions 
of the river.
    The South Fork Burnt River Range Planning Area provides habitat for 
many wildlife species including management indicator species (MIS) and 
their

[[Page 8056]]

habitats. These MIS species include California wolverine, North 
American lynx, Rocky Mountain elk, marten, pileated woodpecker, 
goshawk, bald eagle and American peregrine falcon. Fish species within 
the planning area include native populations of inland redband/rainbow 
trout, brook trout; and other non-game species such as dace, redside 
shiner, and sucker.
    Preliminary issues include: (1) The effects of livestock grazing on 
riparian conditions (including water quality, water temperature and 
stream bank stability; (2) the ability to maintain ecological 
sustainability and continue watershed restoration with continued 
livestock grazing; (3) the effects of no grazing or reduced grazing on 
the local economy; (4) the reduction in soil productivity and in 
amounts of native bunchgrass forage due to the encroachment of juniper 
trees onto rangelands; and (5) the effects of livestock grazing on TES 
species.
    A detailed public involvement plan has been developed, and an 
interdisciplinary team has been selected to do the environmental 
analysis, prepare and accomplish scoping and public involvement 
activities.
    The proposed action is intended to provide the analysis needed to 
prepare new AMPs that meet all the Forest Plan amended requirements of 
Inland Native Strategies for Managing Fish-producing Watersheds in 
Eastern Oregon and Washington, Idaho, Western Montana and Portions of 
Nevada (INFISH) and are consistent with the scientific findings of the 
Interior Columbia Basin Ecosystem Management Program (ICBEMP). 
Consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, as required by 
the Endangered Species Act (ESA), will be completed on all proposed 
activities.
    Public involvement will be especially important at several points 
during the analysis, beginning with the scoping process. The Forest 
Service will be consulting with Indian Tribes and seeking information, 
comments, and assistance from Federal, State, local agencies, tribes, 
and other individuals or organizations who may be interested in or 
affected by the proposals. The scoping process includes:
    1. Identifying and clarifying issues.
    2. Identifying key issues to be analyzed in depth.
    3. Exploring alternatives based on themes which will be derived 
from issues recognized during scoping activities.
    4. Identifying potential environmental effects of the proposals and 
alternatives (i.e., direct, indirect, and cumulative effects and 
connected actions).
    5. Determining potential cooperating agencies and task assignments.
    6. Developing a list of interested people to keep apprised of 
opportunities to participate through meetings, personal contacts, or 
written comments.
    7. Developing a means of informing the public through the media 
and/or written material (e.g., newsletters, correspondence, etc.).
    Public comments are appreciated throughout the analysis process. 
The draft EIS is expected to be filed with the Environmental Protection 
Agency (EPA) and be available for public review by September 1999. 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 available March 2000.
    The Forest Service believes it is important to give reviewers 
notice of this early stage of public participation and of several court 
rulings related to public participation the environmental review 
process. First, reviewers of a draft EIS 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 have been raised 
at the draft stage may be waived or dismissed by the court if not 
raised until after completion of the final EIS. 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 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 assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues 
and concerns on the proposed action, comments on the draft EIS 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 EIS 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.)
    In the final EIS, the Forest Service is required to respond to 
substantive 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. The Responsible Official is Karyn L. 
Wood, Forest Supervisor for the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. The 
Responsible Official will document the decision and rationale for the 
decision in the Record of Decision. That decision will be subject to 
appeal under 36 CFR Part 215.

    Dated: February 9, 1999.
William R. Gast,
Deputy Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 99-3936 Filed 2-17-99; 8:45 am]
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