[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 154 (Friday, August 9, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51816-51818]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-20155]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Plumas National Forest; California; Stream Fire Restoration 
Project

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

[[Page 51817]]


ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY: The USDA, Forest Service, Plumas National Forest will prepare 
an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on a proposal to treat fuels on 
approximately 2,300 acres in the Stream Fire burned area. The Stream 
Fire burned 3,483 acres in July and August 2001, on the Plumas National 
Forest. The proposed action would implement long-term restoration of 
ecosystem function and reduce future fire severity. Reducing the risk 
of another stand replacing fire involves a combination of recurring 
fuel treatments to modify fire behavior and effective suppression. The 
proposed action would treat dead trees on approximately 2265 acres 
using the following methods: whole tree removal utilizing ground based, 
skyline, or helicopter logging methods, handpiling and burning of the 
piles, contour felling, and/or lopping/scattering of slash. Live and 
dead conifer trees less than 6 inches in diameter would be felled, 
handpiled and the piles burned on approximately 35 acres. Approximately 
7 acres of helicopter landings would be constructed. Approximately 4 
miles of temporary road would be constructed. Following completion of 
the project, the temporary roads would be closed and reforested. 
Approximately 1 mile of roads that were opened for fire suppression 
activities would be closed. Approximately 2300 acres would be 
reforested. The land allocations for the fire areas are Old Forest 
Emphasis, General Forest, and Threat Zone of the Urban Wildland 
Intermix.
    The proposed action is designed to meet the standards and 
guidelines for land management activities depicted in the Plumas 
National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (1988) as amended by 
the Record of Decision for the Herger-Feinstein Quincy Library Group 
Forest Recovery Act (1999), and as amended by the Record of Decision 
for the Sierra Nevada Forest Plan Amendment (2001).
    The proposed project is located in Plumas County, California, 
within the Mt. Hough Ranger District of the Plumas National Forest in 
all or portions of Sections 15, 16, 20, 21, 22, 25, 26, 27, 28, and 29 
of T27N, R12E., MDM.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Terri Simon-Jackson, Mt. Hough 
District Ranger, 29696 Highway 70, Quincy CA 95971.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rich Bednarski, Interdisciplinary Team 
Leader, telephone: (530) 283-7641.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Decision To Be Made

    The decision to be made is whether to: (1) Implement the proposed 
action; (2) meet the purpose and need for action through some other 
combination of activities; or (3) take no action at this time.

Responsible Official and Lead Agency

    The USDA Forest Service is the lead agency for this proposal. Mt. 
Hough District Ranger Terri Simon-Jackson is the responsible official.

Tentative or Preliminary Issues and Possible Alternatives

    In October 2001, the Mt. Hough District Ranger solicited public 
comment for the Stream Fire Salvage and Reforestation proposed action. 
Comments that were received from that process will be considered in 
this analysis. Controversy and uncertainty regarding post fire 
treatments have prompted the preparation of an Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS). Other alternatives may be developed based on 
significant issues identified during the scoping process for this EIS. 
All alternatives will need to respond to the specific condition of 
providing benefits equal to or better than the current condition. 
Alternatives being considered at this time include: (1) The Proposed 
Action and (2) No Action.
    Public participation is especially important at several points 
during the analysis. The Forest Service will be seeking information, 
comments, and assistance from Federal, State, and local agencies and 
other individuals or organizations that may be interested in or 
affected by the proposed action. To facilitate public participation, 
information about the proposed action is listed in the Plumas National 
Forest Quarterly Schedule of Proposed Actions; will be mailed to all 
who have expressed interest in the proposed action; and notification of 
the public scoping period will be published in the Feather River 
Bulletin, Quincy, CA.
    Comments received during the scoping process should be in writing 
and should be specific to the proposed action. The comments should 
describe as clearly and completely as possible any issues the commenter 
has with the proposal. The scoping process includes:
    (a) Identifying potential issues;
    (b) Identifying issues to be analyzed in depth;
    (c) Eliminating non-significant issues or those previously covered 
by a relevant environmental analysis;
    (d) Exploring additional alternatives;
    (e) Identifying potential environmental effects of the proposed 
action and alternatives.

Dates

    Comments concerning the scope of the analysis should be received in 
writing on or before September 6, 2002.

Identification of Permits or Licenses Required

    An Air Pollution Permit and a Smoke Management Plan are required by 
local agencies.

Estimated Dates for Filing

    The draft EIS is expected to be filed with the Environmental 
Protection Agency and available for public review in November 2002. The 
comment period on the draft EIS will be 45 days from the date the 
Environmental Protection Agency publishes the notice of availability of 
the draft EIS in the Federal Register. At that time, copies of the 
draft EIS will be distributed to interested and affected agencies, 
organizations, and members of the public for review and comment. It is 
very important that those interested in the management of the Plumas 
National Forest participate at that time.

The Reviewer's Obligation To Comment

    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 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 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

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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 Regulation of implementing the 
procedural provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act at 40 
CFR 1503.3 in addressing these points.

    Dated: August 5, 2002.
Robert G. MacWhorter,
Acting Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 02-20155 Filed 8-8-02; 8:45 am]
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