[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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