[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 117 (Friday, June 18, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32841-32842]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-15504]



[[Page 32841]]

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Pacific Northwest Region Douglas-Fir Tussock Moth Project, 
Colville, Okanogan, and Wenatchee National Forests in Washington; and 
Malheur, Fremont, Ochoco, Umatilla, Wallowa-Whitman, and Winema 
National Forests in 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 disclose the potential environmental effects of 
proposed activities in forested sands infested with Douglas-fir tussock 
moth. Activities include no-action and short-term treatments with a 
biological insecticide to maintain existing desired stand structure and 
tree condition.

DATES: Commetns concerning the scope of this analysis should be 
received no later than July 19, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments to National Resource Staff; Air 
Management, Forest Insects and Diseases Group; Pacific Northwest 
Regional Office, PO Box 3623, Portland, OR 97208-3623.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bill Funk, Team Leader, Douglas-fir 
Tussock Moth Project, Pacific Northwest Regional Office, PO Box 3623, 
Portland, OR 97208-3623 by calling (503) 808-2984.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Need for the Proposal

    The Douglas-fir tussock moth (DFTM) is a native insect, occurring 
in the Douglas-fir and true fir hosts throughout the west. Outbreaks of 
this insect are short and cyclic in nature, occurring approximately 
every 7 to 10 years. Sometimes outbreaks are widespread, and other 
times they are more localized. In Washington and Oregon, outbreaks of 
this insect occur east of the Cascades and most notably in northeastern 
Oregon, and north central and northeastern Washington. The last 
widespread outbreak, which caused significant damage, occurred in the 
early 1970s causing defoliation and tree mortality throughout about 
700,000 acres in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. More localized, less 
dramatic outbreaks occurred in the early 1980s and 1990s. By the time 
noticeable defoliation occurs, it is too late to implement a management 
strategy if needed. As a result, following the outbreak in the early 
1970s, a DFTM early warning trapping system was put in place throughout 
eastern Washington and Oregon. This trapping system is used to monitor 
changes in the populations and give an advance indication of a 
potential outbreak, thus allowing land managers to do analysis and 
implement possible actions, as necessary, prior to severe visible 
defoliation. Data from the 1997 and 1998 trapping program indicate that 
there has been a significant increase in populations, particularly in 
northeastern Oregon and northcentral and northeastern Washington. Based 
on this information, a fairly widespread DFTM outbreak is anticipated 
involving several Forests, as well as other land ownerships, in 2000 
and 2001; and this outbreak will be similar to the one experienced in 
1972-1974.
    Since the outbreak is anticipated to be widespread, we recognize 
that it is not realistic nor desirable to try to control or stop it. 
There is, however, opportunity to evaluate its impacts on specific 
areas where foliage protection and tree protection may be critical, and 
to evaluate effects of short-term management strategies.
    DFTM larvae emerge in the spring and begin feeding on new needles 
of Douglas-firs and true firs. As the larvae get older they begin to 
feed on older needles, and in high populations, whole trees will be 
defoliated in a single year. Complete defoliation often results in tree 
mortality. The female moth has vestigial wings, and therefore, does not 
fly and disperse her eggs throughout the forest canopy as other forest 
defoliators might do. AS a result, a DFTM outbreak has a patchy 
appearance, with pockets of heavy defoliation scattered throughout a 
larger area of light or moderate defoliation. The areas of heavy 
defoliation and mortality vary in size, but can often be 500-1000 
acres.
    This insect has a short-term outbreak cycle of four phases or 
years. This makes the timing of any short-term management options 
critical. During the first two phases, populations begin to increase. 
Widespread, significant defoliation occurs in the third phase when 
populations are very high. Significant defoliation also occurs during 
the fourth phase, but due to competition for available food and a 
natural virus, the population collapses naturally. For any short term 
treatment to be effective and provide foliage protection, it should be 
applied at, or before, the beginning of the third phase. The short-term 
cycle of the outbreak, and the immobility of the female make it 
possible to treat localized areas without concern about spread and re-
invasion from adjacent untreated areas.
    In addition to the impacts of defoliation and tree mortality, there 
is also the consideration of additional tree mortality from bark 
beetles attracted to trees weakened from defoliation. A current 
outbreak of Douglas-fir bark beetle in parts of the area under 
consideration makes this a particular concern.
    The hairs on the bodies of the larvae and the cocoon cases of this 
insect are irritating hairs that cause welts, rashes and reactions in 
many people when they are exposed to this insect. This reaction is 
called tussockosis. The level of reaction is dependent on individual 
sensitivity.
    The purpose of this EIS is to identify those areas where foliage 
and stand structure must be protected to maintain the integrity of 
existing conditions, such as critical habitat for threatened, 
endangered and sensitive species, and late and successional old-growth 
reserves; or to reduce impacts of the insect and defoliation on the 
human environment, such as campgrounds, administrative sites, or 
foreground aesthetics. It will evaluate the impacts of short-term 
management options, should treatment be necessary. There are two 
insecticides that are currently registered and will be considered in 
the analysis. Both are biological insecticides. One insecticide uses 
Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki, which is bacterium-based, and 
affects some of the lepidopteran (moth and butterfly) species. The 
second insecticide employs a nucleopolyhedrosis virus specific to DFTM, 
and which affects a few other closely related species, such as the 
rusty tussock moth.

B. Proposed Action

    The Pacific Northwest Region will be preparing an EIS to evaluate 
short-term suppression of a potential DFTM outbreak using a biological 
insecticide, to protect specific areas and habitats, such as riparian 
habitats of isolated bull trout populations, high value recreation 
sites and administrative sites. The intent is only to look at short-
term strategies. Long-term strategies are addressed in longer term 
management plans.

C. Proposed Scoping

    Public participation is an important part of the analysis. The 
scoping period associated with this Notice of Intent will be thirty 
(30) days in length, beginning the day after publication of this 
notice. In addition to this scoping, the public may visit Forest 
Service officials at any time during the analysis and prior to the 
decision.

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    The Forest Service is seeking information, comments, and assistance 
from Federal, State and local agencies, tribes, and other individuals 
or organizations who may be interested in or affected by the proposed 
action. Comments submitted during the scoping process should be in 
writing. They should be specific to the action being proposed and 
should describe as clearly and completely as possible any issues the 
commentor has with the proposal. This input will be used in preparation 
of the draft EIS.

D. Preliminary Issues Identified to Date

    Preliminary issues that have been identified are:
     The impacts of the DFTM outbreak and subsequent 
defoliation and tree mortality, and the proposed treatment options, on 
habitats for threatened, endangered or sensitive species.
     The impacts of defoliation on remaining stands of limited 
late and old growth structure in many of the Forests.
     The impacts of the DFTM on the human environment such as 
recreation areas, and residential and administrative sites, along with 
the issues of tussockosis, aesthetics and water quality.
     The response and concerns of the proposed insecticide 
treatments which will be considered, and the impacts and risk of these 
treatments to humans and the environment.
     The significant concern over the impact of numerous forest 
health related problems that have already been occurring, especially in 
the Blue Mountain forests, such as the past western spruce budworm 
outbreak, and an ongoing Douglas-fir bark beetle outbreak, and high 
amounts of existing fuels, and loss of timber.

E. Alternatives Considered

    The No Action alternative will serve as a baseline for comparison 
of alternatives. This alternative will be no change from current 
management of the Forests and will be fully developed and analyzed. The 
proposed action, as described above will be consider and other 
alternatives developed around the proposed action to address issues 
identified in the scoping and public involvement process.

F. Estimated Dates for Draft and Final EIS

    The draft EIS is expected to be filed with the Environmental 
Protection Agency (EPA) and to be available for public comment by 
October 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 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. First, reviewers of 
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 objectives 
that could be raised at the draft EIS stage but that are not raised 
until after the completion of the final EIS may be waived or dismissed 
by the courts. City of Angoon v. Hodel, 803 F.2d 1016, 1022 (9th Cir. 
1986) and Wisconsin Heritage, Inc. v. Harris, 490 F. Supp. 1334 (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 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 the 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. Reviewer 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.
    Comments received in response to this solicitation, including names 
and addresses 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 may not have 
standing to appeal the subsequent decision under 36 CFR Part 215. 
Additionally, pursuant to 7 CFR 1.27(d), any person may request the 
agency to withhold a submission from the public record by showing how 
the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) permits such confidentiality. 
Persons requesting such confidentiality should be aware that, under the 
FOIA, confidentiality may be granted in only very limited 
circumstances, such as protect trade secrets. The Forest Service will 
inform the requester of the agency's decision regarding the request for 
confidentiality, and where the request is denied, the agency will 
return the submission and notify the requester that the comments may be 
resubmitted with or without name and address within a specified number 
of days.
    Comments on the draft EIS will be analyzed, considered, and 
responded to by the Forest Service in preparing the final EIS. The 
final EIS is scheduled to be completed in February 2000. The Regional 
Forester is the responsible official and as such will consider 
comments, responses, environmental consequences discussed in the final 
EIS, and applicable laws, regulations, and policies in making a 
decision regarding this proposed action. The responsible official will 
document the decision and reasons for the Pacific Northwest Region 
Douglas-fir Tussock Moth Project in the Record of Decision. That will 
be subject Forest Service Appeal Regulations (36 CFR Part 215).

    Dated: June 11, 1999.
Nancy Graybeal,
Acting Regional Forester, Pacific Northwest Region.
[FR Doc. 99-15504 Filed 6-17-99; 8:45 am]
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