[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 2 (Friday, January 3, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 349-350]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-1]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 68, No. 2 / Friday, January 3, 2003 / 
Notices  

[[Page 349]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


McNally Fire/Sherman Pass Restoration Project

AGENCY: USDA Forest Service.

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

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SUMMARY: The Department of agriculture, forest Service is preparing an 
environmental impact statement (EIS) to address the impacts of the 
McNally Fire. In July and August of 2002, the Sequoia National Forest 
experienced the largest wildfire in its history. The Sequoia National 
Forest proposes to begin long-term ecological restoration on portions 
the fire damaged areas on the Cannell Meadow Ranger District that are 
outside of inventoried roadless areas. The McNally Fire/Sherman Pass 
Restoration Project would implement restoration measures on those 
watersheds containing conifer habitats that are outside the roadless 
areas and that burned with a moderate to high severity leading to heavy 
tree mortality. The fire produced adverse effects to forest resources 
such as soils, riparian areas, and wildlife habitat. The fire also 
killed thousands of trees that if left untreated will contribute to 
high loading over time and re-create high risks for another 
catastrophic fire. The goal of the project is to move the burned areas 
toward the desired conditions described in the Sequoia National Forest 
Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan) as amended by the 
Sierra Nevada Forest Plan Amendment (SNFPA).

DATES: The public is asked to submit any issues (points of concern, 
debate, dispute, or disagreement) regarding potential effects of the 
proposed action by February 12, 2003. The draft EIS is expected to be 
available for public comment in August 2003 and the final EIS is 
expected to be published in November 2003.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to: McNally Fire/Sherman Pass 
Restoration Project USDA Forest Service, Sequoia National Forest, 900 
W. Grand Avenue, Porterville, CA 93257.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom Simonson, Ecosystem Manager, 
Sequoia National Forest, at the Address listed above. The phone number 
is (559) 784-1500.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Purpose and Need for Action

    In light of desired conditions specified in our Forest Plan and the 
existing conditions within the project area outlined above, there is an 
immediate need to:
    1. Re-establish burned conifer stands to provide important habitat 
for such old forest species as the spotted owl, fisher, marten, and 
goshawk within 250 years.
    2. Restore ground cover to soils left unprotected by the fire in 
order to minimize erosion in the short term, to protect from 
catastrophic fires and to replace organic material over the long term.
    3. Reduce existing fuels to 10-15 tons per acre in order to reduce 
the risk of another stand-replacing fire which would damage recovering 
habitats and riparian condition, thereby setting back the clock on 
development of old forest habitat and riparian restoration.

Proposed Action

    This project proposes to restore approximately 6,000 acres of 
conifer habitat and riparian areas with a combination of treatment 
methods. Within these 6,000 acres, approximately 1,600 acres are within 
Riparian Conservation Areas (RCA). All the areas proposed for treatment 
are to be managed as either RCAs or Old Forest Emphasis (OFE) areas 
following direction in the Forest Plan as amended.
    Treatments that would be applied in a specific area depend upon the 
specific restoration need, the slope of the terrain, the degree of 
confer mortality, and the land management allocation. Where possible, 
dead trees that have commercial value and that are not needed to meet 
resource objectives would be removed from the site through a commercial 
timber sale, as fuelwood, or as other products. This commercial 
component is important both to ensure viability of the operation and to 
generate funds to finance related restoration activities within the 
project area.
    Felling of dead trees across the contour of the slope is proposed 
to stabilize sediment. Reforestation with conifers is proposed to re-
establish habitats occupied by late seral species prior to the fire and 
in order to link together suitable remnant habitats and restore large 
expanses of old forest habitat. Large-diameter snags and logs will be 
retained in sufficient quantity to maintain legacy structures for both 
the late-seral species and their prey. Vegetation control by hand 
removal is proposed during the first five years after planting to help 
ensure survival of planted trees.
    Riparian Conservation Areas (RCA) would also be treated to restore 
riparian values by re-establishing vegetation, reducing excessive fuel 
loadings, stabilizing stream channels and sediment, and improving 
ground cover conditions. Contour felling of dead trees is proposed to 
stabilize sediment. Planting of native plants such as conifers, 
willows, and alders is proposed to re-establish the riparian corridor.

Responsible Official

    The responsible official is Forest Supervisor Arthur L. Gaffrey, 
Sequoia National Forest, 900 West Grand Ave., Porterville, California 
93257.

Comment Requested

    The comment period on the draft EIS will be 45 days from the date 
the Environmental Protection Agency publishes the notice of 
availability in the Federal Register.
    The Forest Service believes that, 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 a draft EIS must structure their participation in the 
environmental review of the proposal so that it is meaningful and 
alerts the 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 EIS stage, 
but that are not raised until after completion of the final EIS, may be 
waived or dismissed by the courts. City Angoon v. Hodel, 803 F.2d 1016, 
1022 (9th Cir. 1986) and

[[Page 350]]

Wisconsin Heritages, Inc. v. Harris, 490 F. Supp. 1334 (E.D. Wis. 
1980). Because of these court rulings, it is very important that 
persons 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 should be as specific as 
possible.

    Dated: December 23, 2002.
Arthur L. Gaffrey,
Forest Supervisor, Sequoia National Forest, USDA, Forest Service.
[FR Doc. 03-1 Filed 1-2-03; 8:45 am]
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