[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 26 (Friday, February 7, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6401-6402]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-3104]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Lake Project; Manti-La Sal National Forest, Emery and Sanpete 
Counties, UT

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA;

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare Environmental Impact Statement.

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    Authority: The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as 
amended (42 U.S.C. 4321-4346); Council on Environmental quality 
Regulations, title 40, Code of Federal Regulations, parts 1500-1508 (40 
CFR parts 1500-1508); and U.S. Department of Agriculture NEPA 
Regulations, part 1b (7 CFR part 1b).

SUMMARY: Epidemic populations of spruce beetle are found on the Wasatch 
Plateau. Many susceptible spruce-fir stands have been infested, and it 
is anticipated that many more will soon be infested with spruce beetle 
populations. The beetle populations could collapse due to natural 
factors, but at this time the populations remain viable and continue to 
spread. Scattered 3-5 tree pockets of spruce beetle caused mortality 
are present in the Lake project analysis area and if the current level 
of beetle activity continues without check, it is probable that most of 
the spruce-fir component on the Wasatch Plateau would be lost. The 
beetles have already caused severe impacts on several thousand acres of 
spruce-fir stands adjacent to and south of the analysis area. As a 
consequence, most spruce trees over eight inches in diameter in the 
area to the south are dead or dying, and in some areas nearly all 
spruce are dead as a result of the beetle epidemic. The insects are 
continuing to move in a northward direction and it is anticipated they 
will continue to invade, infest, and kill most of the spruce trees 
eight inches and larger in diameter throughout this analysis area, as 
was the case in the adjacent spruce-fir stands to the south. The Forest 
Service will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to 
document the analysis and disclose the environmental impacts of 
proposed actions to salvage dead, insect infested and dying trees, 
commercially thin live high risk trees, manage natural and prescribed 
burning, and restock some stands of trees located in the Spring, and 
the north and south forks of Lake Canyon drainages within the project 
analysis area. The project area is located on public lands administered 
by the Ferron/Price Ranger District approximately 20 miles northwest of 
Huntington, Utah. It is bordered on the north by State highway 31 
located in Huntington Canyon, on the west by Skyline Drive, Forest 
Service Road 50150, on the east by the Millers Flat road, Forest 
Service Road 50014, and on the south at the ridge between South Fork 
Lake and Rolfson canyons.
    The need for the proposal is to:
    [sbull] Restore and maintain composition, structure, and diversity 
by providing for tree species and stand density levels that are lower 
in stocking and more diverse;
    [sbull] Facilitate rapid reestablishment of Engelmann spruce 
through replanting of spruce;
    [sbull] Enhance the aspen communities that are being lost due to 
conifer invasion/encroachment and lack of natural fire;
    [sbull] Contribute to a timber resource supply that helps meet 
National demand for forest products and recover some of the economic 
loss of the resource from the dead, dying, insect infested and high-
risk green trees;
    [sbull] Improve public safety by removing hazard trees from 
roadsides and from dispersed camping areas within the project area.
    Portions of the Rolfson-Staker Inventoried Roadless Area are 
located within the analysis area but are not included in the Proposed 
Action. The No Action is one alternative that will be considered. 
Additional alternatives will be formulated based on public issues, and 
response analysis.
    The proposed action involves harvesting/salvaging approximately 3.7 
MMBF (Million Board Feet) of dead, dying, insect infested and high-risk 
green trees from approximately 820 acres within an analysis area of 
about 5,600 acres. Harvest of trees would be by both aerial 
(helicopter) and ground based (tractor) methods. Helicopter logging 
would be used to access approximately 500 acres, and tractor logging 
would be used to access approximately 320 acres. Approximately 135 
acres are proposed for artificial reforestation (hand planting of 
seedlings) and 145 acres would be open to natural regeneration. 
Approximately 80 acres of aspen stands would be regenerated by removal 
of aspen and competing conifer species in clear-cut patches up to 10 
acres in size. Other aspen stands would be enhanced by removing conifer 
trees from within and adjacent to the stands. Approximately 145 acres 
will be broadcast burned. Road work anticipated includes approximately: 
2.1 miles of road reconstruction, 0.8 mile of new road construction and 
use of approximately 0.25 miles of temporary road. After the project is 
completed, approximately 2.8 miles of existing Forest Service Roads are 
proposed to remain open and be maintained. Approximately four temporary 
helicopter landing one acre in size and eleven temporary tractor 
landings of \1/4\ acre in size would be needed during the logging 
operation. The proposed action does not include road construction, 
reconstruction, or logging in the inventoried roadless area.

DATES: Written comments concerning the scope of the analysis described 
in this notice should be received within 30 days of the date of 
publication of this notice in the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Manti-La Sal National Forest, 599 
West Price River Drive, Price Utah 84501.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions concerning the proposed 
action and EIS should be addressed to Alan Lucas, Forester, Manti-La 
Sal National Forest, phone (435) 636-3328.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This project was previously proposed in the 
spring of 2001, with a Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental 
Impact Statement published on May 4, 2001 (Federal Register/Vol. 66, 
No. 87, pages 22513-22514). The original purpose of need, and proposed 
actions have been modified to respond to new information. This EIS will 
tier to the final EIS for the Manti-La Sal National Forest Land and 
Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan). The Manti-La Sal Forest Plan 
provides the overall guidance (Goals, Objectives, Standards, and 
Management Area Direction) to achieve the Desired Future Condition

[[Page 6402]]

for the area being analyzed, and contains specific management area 
prescriptions for the entire Forest.
    The Forest Service is seeking information and comments from 
Federal, State, and local agencies as well as individuals and 
organizations that may be interested in, or affected by the proposed 
action. The Forest Services invites written comments and suggestions on 
the issues related to the proposal and the area being analyzed. 
Information received will be used in preparation of the Draft EIS and 
Final EIS. For most effective use, comments should be submitted to the 
Forest Service within 30 days from the date of publication of this 
notice in the Federal Register.
    The Ferron/Price Ranger District of the Manti-La Sal National 
Forest in Emery and Sanpete Counties in the state of Utah would 
administer the proposed management activities for this analysis. Agency 
representatives and other interested people are invited to visit with 
Forest Service officials at any time during the EIS process. Two 
specific time periods are identified for the receipt of formal comments 
on the analysis. The two comment periods are: (1) During the scoping 
process, the next 30 days following publication of this notice in the 
Federal Register, and (2) during the formal review period of the Draft 
EIS.
    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 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 reviewers' position and intentions.
    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 waved or dismissed by the courts.
    City of Angoon v. Hodel, 803 F. 2d 1016, 1022 (9th Circuit, 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 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 provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act, 40 
CFR 1503.3 in addressing these points.
    The final release of the EIS is projected to be September 12, 2003. 
The Forest Supervisor for the Manti-La Sal National Forest is the 
responsible official for the EIS. After considering the comments, 
responses, and environmental consequences discussed in the Final 
Environmental Impact Statement, and applicable laws, regulations, and 
policies a decision by this official will be made regarding the 
proposal. The reasons for the decision will be documented in a Record 
of Decision. The Forest Supervisor's office of the Manti-La Sal 
National Forest is located at 599 West Price River Drive, Price, Utah 
84501, phone: 435-637-2817.

    Dated: January 13, 2003.
Elaine J. Zieroth,
Forest Supervisor, Manti-La Sal National Forest.
[FR Doc. 03-3104 Filed 2-6-03; 8:45 am]
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