[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 244 (Tuesday, December 21, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71406-71407]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-32953]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Pendola Fire Restoration Project, Tahoe National Forest, Yuba 
County, CA

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Tahoe 
National Forest, will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) 
for proposed timber salvage, wildlife habitat improvement, and non-
native and invasive plant control projects within the 2,600-acre 
National Forest System land portion of the Pendola Fire Restoration 
Project analysis area located just north of Bullards Bar Reservoir and 
west of the town of Camptonville, California, near the Pendola Ranch. 
The project area is located within all or portions of T18N, R07E; T18N; 
R08E; T19N, R07E; and T19N, R08E MDB&M.
    The agency invites comments and suggestions on the scope of the 
analysis. In addition, 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 are aware of how 
they may participate and contribute to the final decision.

DATES: Comments should be made in writing and postmarked by January 7, 
2000.

ADDRESSES: Written comments concerning the project should be directed 
to U.S.F.S., Tahoe National Forest, Downieville Ranger District, ATTN: 
Dennis Stevens, 15924 Highway 49, Camptonville, CA 95922.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeane Masquelier, District Ranger, or 
Dennis Stevens, Project Manager, Downieville Ranger District, 
Camptonville, CA 95922 at (530) 288-3231.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On October 16, 1999, the Pendola wildfire 
started just north of Bullards Bar Reservoir. Before being controlled, 
the fire consumed over 4,565 acres of land on the northeast side of the 
reservoir, with approximately 2,600 of these acres being National 
Forest System lands. These 2,600 acres of National Forest System lands 
are being analyzed for projects within the Pendola Fire Restoration 
analysis area. The analysis area incorporates land within the Upper 
Mill Creek, Lower Mill Creek, Bridger Creek, North Yuba Arm of Bullards 
Bar Reservoir, and the Willow Creek Arm of Bullards Bar Reservoir 
watersheds, all of which drain into the North Yuba River, on which 
Bullards Bar Reservoir is situated. Located west of Camptonville, 
California, and north of and immediately adjacent to the reservoir at 
around 2,000 to 2,500 feet in elevation, the area is dominated by mixed 
conifer and hardwood forest, of which over 70 percent burned with 
moderate to high intensity, leaving scattered live tress, small patches 
of live trees, and many

[[Page 71407]]

areas that completely burned. The remaining 30 percent burned with a 
lower intensity, leaving partially burned or lightly underburned areas. 
This loss of vegetation has resulted in large areas of exposed soils, 
large amounts or new fuels, and the loss of standing timber. The fire 
also affected other important resources, such as wildlife habitat, 
visual quality, historic and prehistoric sites, fisheries, sensitive 
plant and animal species, and water quality.
    In preparing the Environmental Impact Statement, the Forest Service 
will identify and analyze a range of alternatives that address the 
issues developed for this area. One of the alternatives will be no 
treatment. An ecological approach will be used to achieve multiple-use 
management of the Pendola Fire area. It also means that the needs of 
people and environmental values will be blended in such a way that this 
area's desired condition would represent a diverse healthy, productive, 
and sustainable ecosystem.
    Public participation will be important during the analysis, 
especially during the review of the draft Environmental Impact 
Statement. The Forest Service is seeking information, comments, and 
assistance from Federal, State, and local agencies and other 
individuals or organizations who may be interested in or affected by 
the proposed action. We have already initiated consultation with the 
United States Fish and Wildlife Service for the bald eagle and the 
California red-legged frog. This input will be used in preparation of 
the draft Environmental Impact Statement. The scoping process includes:
    1. Identifying potential issues.
    2. Identifying issues to be analyzed in depth.
    3 Eliminating insignificant issues or those which have been covered 
by a relevant previous environmental analysis.
    4. Exploring additional alternatives.
    5. Identifying potential environmental effects of the proposed 
action and alternatives (i.e., direct, indirect, and cumulative effects 
and connected actions).
    6. Determining potential cooperating agencies and task assignments.
    Comments from other Federal, State, and local agencies, 
organizations, and individuals who may be interested in, or affected 
by, the decision are encouraged to identify other significant issues. 
Public participation will be solicited through mailing letters to 
mining claim owners, private land owners, and special use permitees 
within the Downieville Ranger District boundaries; posting information 
in local towns; and mailing letters to local timber industries, 
politicians, school boards, county supervisors, and environmental 
groups. A public meeting is scheduled for January 6, 2000, at the 
Downieville District Ranger Station office, in Camptonville, CA, from 2 
pm until 5 pm.
    The draft EIS is expected to be filed with the Environmental 
Protection Agency and be available for public review in February, 2000. 
The comment period on the draft Environmental Impact Statement will be 
45 days from the date the Environmental Protection Agency publishes the 
notice of availability in the Federal Register.
    The Forest Service believes, at this early stage, it is very 
important to give reviewers notice 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 of 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 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 provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act at 
40 CFR 1503.3 in addressing these points.
    The final Environmental Impact Statement is expected to be 
available by April, 2000. The responsible official, the Forest 
Supervisor of the Tahoe National Forest, 631 Coyote St., Nevada City, 
CA 95959, will document the decision and reasons for the decision in 
the Record of Decision.

    Dated: December 13, 1999.
Steven T. Eubanks,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 99-32953 Filed 12-20-99; 8:45 am]
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