[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 69 (Thursday, April 10, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17596-17598]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-8755]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Klamath National Forest, California, Horse Heli Project

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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

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SUMMARY: The Forest Service will prepare an environmental impact 
statement on a proposal to treat vegetation using a variety of 
silvicultural methods on approximately 1,680 acres of National Forest 
System lands in the Horse Creek watershed near the towns of Horse Creek 
and Klamath River, in Siskiyou County, California. Approximately 1.9 
miles of classified

[[Page 17597]]

and 1.6 miles of unclassified roads are proposed for decommissioning. 
Approximately 1.8 miles of unclassified roads would be added to the 
transportation system. Activities would likely take place within five 
years of the decision. An amendment to the Klamath National Forest Land 
and Resource Management Plan to modify an existing standard and 
guideline is also part of the proposal.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis should be received 
within 14 days of the publication of this notice in the Federal 
Register. The draft environmental impact statement is expected by May 
2003, and the final environmental impact statement is expected by 
September 2003.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Ray Haupt, District Ranger, Scott 
River Ranger District, 11263 N. Highway 3, Fort Jones, CA 96032.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bill Bailey, Timber Management 
Officer, at the above address or call (530) 468-5351.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Purpose and Need for Action

    The purpose of this proposed action is to protect the long-term 
hydrologic and aquatic health within the Horse Creek watershed and four 
7th field subwatersheds (Horse/Middle, Buckhorn, Kohl, and Doggett 
Creeks). The Horse/Middle, Buckhorn, and Doggett Creek subwatersheds 
are considered impaired, as described in the Horse Creek Ecosystem 
Analysis (also known as a Watershed Analysis, November 2002). During 
the Horse Creek Ecosystem Analysis process, existing conditions were 
compared to the desired conditions in the Klamath National Forest Land 
and Resource Management Plan, and a need to reduce both stocking and 
fuel levels was identified. This would also reduce the risk of 
catastrophic fire and promote forest stand health and longevity. The 
need was further documented with a fuels inventory completed in the 
summer of 2002 that showed abnormally high fuel levels of 33 tons per 
acre in the project area.
    The higher elevations of the project area are comprised of stands 
of Shasta red fir. These stands are heavily infested with dwarf 
mistletoe and Cytospora (a common and damaging canker in true fir) due 
to years of fire suppression, drought, and stress from overcrowded 
stands. Mortality and disease are highly evident. There are many 
visible dead trees, standing and on the ground, as well as infected 
trees with dead needles in large portions of the crowns. The lower 
elevations of the project area are comprised of mixed conifer timber 
stands. These stands vary in average tree size and stocking levels. 
Although they are not heavily infested with disease, they are at 
abnormal risk to wildfire. Fire risk modeling using existing fuel 
levels indicates that stands within the project area would burn with 
severe intensity in the event of a wildfire.

Proposed Action

    The Scott River District of the Klamath National Forest proposes to 
treat vegetation on approximately 1,680 acres in the Horse Creek 
watershed using the following silvicultural prescriptions (acreages are 
approximate): 699 acres of thinning, 344 acres of group selection, 553 
acres of sanitation/salvage, 72 acres of green tree retention, and 12 
acres of overstory removal. Tractor, cable, and helicopter logging 
methods would be used, with helicopter as the predominant method.
    Project-generated fuels would be treated through a combination of 
mastication (reducing vegetative matter to small pieces using 
machinery) and hand piling/burning. Mastication would occur on areas 
that are less than 45% slope gradient. Hand piling would occur on 
steeper slopes and any areas with machine entry exclusions.
    All Shasta red fir, white fir, and hemlock stumps would be hand 
treated with the fungicide Sporax[reg] to reduce the spread of fungus 
Heterobasidion annosum (Fomes annosus).
    Openings created from group selection and green tree retention 
prescriptions would be planted and baiting for pocket gophers. Baiting 
application method would consist of probing and/or spooning method of 
below-ground application of strychnine.
    There would be no new system road construction. Approximately 1.9 
miles on seven classified road segments are proposed for 
decommissioning in this project design. Approximately 1.6 miles of 
eight unclassified roads and road segments are proposed for 
decommissioning. Approximately 1.8 miles of two existing unclassified 
roads are proposed for adding to the transportation system.
    The areas proposed for treatment are within the General Forest, 
Retention, Partial Retention, Special Interest Area (Condrey Mountain 
Blueschist), and Riparian Reserve land allocations in the Klamath 
National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan. The legal 
description for the proposal is Township 47 North, Range 9 West, 
Sections 19, 20, and 30; Township 47 North, Range 10 West, Sections 11-
15, 22, 24, and 26; Mount Diablo Meridian. All activities would likely 
be completed within five years of the decision being made.
    Forestwide Standard and Guideline 11-4 of the Klamath National 
Forest Land and Resource Management Plan would be modified to state: 
``Perpetuate the sustainable, aesthetically valued landscape character 
when implementing Forest programs and activities. Achieve Forest Visual 
Quality Objectives (VQOs) to help conserve that character's existing 
and potential valued attributes. If the character is seriously 
threatened due to current ecosystem conditions, individual corrective 
alterations may be permitted, even if inconsistent with the Forest VQO. 
When undertaking such corrective actions, the following provisions 
apply:
    (a) Alterations must remain consistent with the Forest VQO in the 
cumulative sense, thereby meeting the VQO within the affected area's 
immediate viewshed and/or its linear viewing corridor;
    (b) Public scenery interests of the affected area must be fully 
considered; and
    (c) Alterations in excess of the Forest VQO would persist no longer 
than 10 years after project completion.''

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The Forest Service must decide whether it will implement this 
project, including a project-specific amendment to the Klamath National 
Forest Land and Resource Management Plan; implement an alternative that 
meets the purpose and need; or not implement any project at this time.

Responsible Official

    Margaret Boland, Forest Supervisor, USDA Forest Service, 1312 
Fairlane Road, Yreka, California 96097 is the Responsible Official.

Scoping Process

    In October 2001, this project was included in the Klamath National 
Forest's Fall 2001 Schedule of Proposed Actions, which was posted on 
the Klamath National Forest's internet website and mailed to interested 
parties. In January 2003, a scoping letter was sent to potentially 
affected individuals and anyone who expressed interest in the proposal. 
This Notice of Intent invites additional public comment on this 
proposal and initiates the preparation of the environmental impact 
statement. Due to the extensive scoping effects already conducted, no 
scoping meeting is planned. The public is encouraged to take part in 
the planning process and to visit with Forest Service officials at any 
time during the analysis and prior to the decision.

[[Page 17598]]

    While public participation in this analysis is welcome at any time, 
comments received within 14 days of the publication of this notice will 
be especially useful in the preparation of the draft environmental 
impact statement. The scoping process will include identifying 
potential issues, significant issues to be analyzed in depth, 
alternatives to the proposed action, and potential environmental 
effects of the proposal and alternatives.

Comment Requested

    This notice of intent initiates the scoping process, which guides 
the development of the environmental impact statement.

Early Notice of Importance of Public Participation in Subsequent 
Environmental Review

    A draft environmental impact statement will be prepared for 
comment. 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 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 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 at 
40 CFR 1503.3 in addressing these points.
    Comments received, including the names and addresses of those who 
comment, will be considered part of the public record on this proposal 
and will be available for public inspection.

(Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7 and 1508.22; Forest Service Handbook 
1909.15, Section 21).

    Dated: April 4, 2002.
Margaret J. Boland,
Forest Supervisor, Klamath National Forest.
[FR Doc. 03-8755 Filed 4-9-03; 8:45 am]
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