[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 37 (Thursday, February 25, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9310-9311]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-4647]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Rimrock Projects, Umatilla National Forest, Grant, Morrow, and 
Wheeler Counties, Oregon

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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

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SUMMARY: The Forest Service will prepare an environmental impact 
statement (EIS) on a proposal to implement ecosystem management 
projects designed to promote long-term resiliant, sustainable watershed 
conditions. Project guidance is provided by the Ecosystem Analysis of 
the Wall Watersheds (September 1995). The project area is located on 
the Heppner Ranger District and lies approximately 25 miles southwest 
of Heppner, Oregon, within the Wall Creek watershed (subwatersheds 24A-
G).
    Proposed project activities consist of in-channel fish structure 
maintenance, hydrologic stability projects (road obliteration/
decomissioning, road resurfacing/reconstruction), wildlife enhancement 
projects, aspen habitat enhancement, noxious weed treatments, range 
improvements, recreation opportunities, landscape prescribed fire, and 
restoration of forest stand structure/composition using a variety of 
silvicultural treatments including commercial timber harvest. The 
proposed action is designed to reduce risks to ecosystem 
sustainability, prevent further degradation of forest health, reduce 
risks of catastrophic wildfire, improve or maintain water quality and 
aquatic habitat, and provide economic return to local economies. The 
proposed projects will be in compliance with the 1990 Land and Resource 
Management Plan FEIS for the Umatilla National Forest, as amended, 
which provides overall direction for management of this area.

DATES: Written comments concerning the scope of the analysis should be 
received on or before March 31, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments and suggestions to the Responsible 
Official, Delanne Ferguson, District Ranger, Heppner Ranger District, 
P.O. Box 7, Heppner, Oregon 97836.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Charlene Bucha Gentry, Project Team 
Leader, Heppner Ranger District, Phone: (541) 676-9781.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The decision area contains approximately 
42,000 acres within the Umatilla National Forest in Grant, Morrow, and 
Wheeler Counties, Oregon. It is within the boundary of the Wall 
watershed which includes Lower, Middle, and Upper Big Wall; Porter; 
Lower and Upper Wilson; and Indian subwatersheds. The legal description 
of the decision area is as follows: R.25E. T.6S. sections 24-28 and 32-
36; R.25E. T.7S. sections 1-5, 9-15, 23-25, and 36; R.26E. T6S. 
sections 16, 19-23, and 26-35; R.26E. T.7S. sections 1-36; R.26E. T.8S. 
sections 1-6, 8-16, and 24; R.27E. T.7S. sections 13-36; R.27E. T.8S. 
sections 2-10 and 16-19; and R.28E. T.7S. sections 19, 30, and 31, W.M. 
surveyed. All proposed activities are outside the boundaries of any 
roadless or wilderness areas.
    Fish habitat projects include maintenance and restoration of in-
channel structures. Proposed hydrologic stability projects include 34 
miles of road obliteration or decommissioning, 37 miles of road 
resurfacing, 47 miles of road reconstruction, installation of a culvert 
to replace a low-water ford (Forest Road 23), and installation of three 
low-water fords designed for fish passage (concrete approaches with a 
suspended grate) on Forest Road 23 and 2300100 where they intersect 
with Big Wall Creek. Aspen habitat enhancement includes removal of 
encroaching conifers, construction of ungulate-proof fences, prescribed 
burning, and mechanical root stimulation. Range improvements consist of 
the construction of barbed wire fencing on three creeks to protect 
riparian areas. Bull Prairie Reservoir has silted in considerably in 
the 32 years since its construction. Excavation of three identified 
areas along the shoreline of the reservoir would remove cattails, 
deepen the lake shoreline, and enhance

[[Page 9311]]

fishing opportunities. Landscape prescribed fire across the analysis 
area would reduce the potential for future catastrophic wildfires, 
enhance wildlife habitat, maintain forest health, and reduce fuel 
loadings. A variety of silvicultural methods would treat approximately 
5,500 acres within the area. This would result in an estimated 33,000 
ccf (17.5 million board feet) of wood products produced for local 
economies. Proposed silvicultural treatments are as follows:
    Precommercial Thinning: Saplings (generally up to 6 inch dbh) would 
be thinned to a tree per acre variable spacing to promote growth, 
restore and maintain a more sustainable species composition, and to 
promote visual quality along Hwy 207. This treatment is proposed on 
about 380 acres.
    Commercial Thinning: Stand densities would be reduced to a residual 
square foot of basal area per acre based on recommended stocking levels 
appropriate for the plant association to restore a more ecologically 
sustainable structure and species composition. All stands would remain 
fully stocked upon completion of harvest activities. This treatment is 
proposed on approximately 5,100 acres.
    Proposed commercial thinning units would be harvested using 
tractor, harvester/forwarder, and helicopter logging systems. Access 
for harvest would require reconstruction of about 47 miles of existing 
roads and construction of approximately 12 miles of temporary roads. 
The temporary roads would be closed and obliterated upon completion of 
harvest activities. Activities that would occur concurrently or in 
association with timber harvest include subsoiling of landings and 
temporary roads to mitigate soil compaction, waterbarring, seeding of 
skid trails and landings for noxious weed control, and burning of some 
slash.
    Public participation will be especially important at several points 
during the analysis, beginning with the scoping process (40 CFR 
1501.7). Scoping will include listing of this EIS in the Spring 1999 
issue of the Umatilla National Forest's Schedule of Proposed 
Activities; letters to agencies, organizations, and individuals who 
have already indicated their interest in such activities; and news 
releases in the East Oregonian and other local newspapers. No public 
meetings have been planned at this time; they will be scheduled later 
as needed. This notice is to encourage members of the public, 
interested organizations, federal, state and county agencies, and local 
tribal governments to take part in planning this project. They are 
encouraged to visit with Forest Service officials at any time during 
the analysis and prior to the decision. Any information received will 
be used in preparation of the Draft EIS. The scoping process includes:
    1. Identifying potential issues
    2. Identifying major issues to be analyzed in depth
    3. Considering alternatives based on themes which will be derived 
from issues recognized during scoping activities
    4. Identifying potential environmental effects of project and 
alternatives (i.e. direct, indirect, and cumulative effects and 
connected actions).
    Preiliminary issues include: effects of proposed activities on 
water quality and the anadromous and resident fisheries resource; 
effects of the proposed activities on Threatened, Endangered and 
Sensitive (TES) species and what opportunities exist to improve 
habitat; and the ability of proposed activities to restore historic 
vegetation composition, structure, and pattern.
    A full range of alternatives will be considered, including a ``no-
action'' alternative in which none of the activities proposed above 
would be implemented. Based on the purpose and need, as well as issues 
gathered through scoping, the action alternatives will vary (1) the 
number, type and location of projects, (2) the silvicultural and post-
harvest treatments prescribed, (3) the amount and location of harvest 
and thinning, (4) the type and amount of excavation to occur in Bull 
Prairie Reservoir, and (5) the type and amount of repairs to occur on 
Forest Road 23.
    Appropriate Federal, state, and local permits or licenses will be 
obtained for activities associated with the project, including Oregon 
Division of State Lands Fill and Removal Permit.
    The Draft EIS is expected to be filed with the Environmental 
Protection Agency (EPA) and to be available to the public for review by 
July 1999. At that time, the EPA will publish a Notice of Availability 
of the Draft EIS in the Federal Register. 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. It is important that those 
interested in the management of the Umatilla National Forest 
participate at that time.
    The Final EIS is scheduled to be completed by October 1999. In the 
Final EIS, the Forest Service will respond to 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 Forest Service believes it is important to give reviewers 
notice at this early stage 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 that 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 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 the final environmental impact statement.
    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 statement. 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 provision of the National Environmental Policy Act at 40 
CFR 1503.3 in addressing these points).
    The Forest Service is the lead agency. Delanne Ferguson, District 
Ranger, is the Responsible Official. As the Responsible Official, she 
will decide which, if any, of the proposed projects will be 
implemented. She will document the decision and reasons for the 
decision in the Record of Decision. That decision will be subject to 
Forest Service Appeal Regulations (36 CFR part 215).

    Dated: February 8, 1999.
Delanne Ferguson,
District Ranger.
[FR Doc. 99-4647 Filed 2-24-99; 8:45 am]
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