[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 161 (Friday, August 20, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51626-51628]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-18926]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Cibola National Forest; New Mexico; Tajique Watershed Restoration 
Project

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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

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SUMMARY: The Department of Agriculture, Forest Service has initiated 
the process to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the 
Tajique Watershed Restoration Project on the Cibola National Forest, 
Mountainair Ranger District. The proposed action would restore 
vegetation conditions in a southwest pine ecosystem and reduce the fire 
hazard in the Manzano Mountains by treating approximately 17,000 acres 
within the watershed. The proposal includes forest thinning and 
prescribed burns to treat identified stands. The objective is to 
restore the landscape to historic conditions that are adopted to 
frequent fire return intervals as well as restore grass and shrub 
components in the understory and increase vegetation and wildlife 
diversity. A non-significant forest Plan amendment would be required in 
order to use new methodology for analyzing visual resources. Several 
small mountain communities would benefit from the proposed treatments 
that would create defensible space around homes and other Forest 
facilities. This proposal is being prepared to meet the intent of the 
Healthy Forest Restoration Act (2003).

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received 
by September 3, 2004. The draft environmental impact statement is 
expected to be published in October, 2004, and the final environmental 
impact statement is expected in December 2004.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Deborah Walker, NEPA Coordinator; 
Cibola National Forest; 2113 Osuna Road NE.; Albuquerque, NM 87113 or 
FAX to 505-346-3901. Copies of the proposed action, project location 
maps, or the Environmental Impact Statement, when available, may be 
obtained from the Cibola National Forest; 2113 Osuna Road, NE.; 
Albuquerque, NM 87113; or from the Mountainair Ranger District; 40 
Ranger Station Road (P.O. Box 69); Mountainair, NM 87036, or from the 
Forest website at http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/cibola/projects/index.shtml.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information, mail 
correspondence to Deborah Walker, NEPA Coordinator; Cibola National 
Forest; 2113 Osuna Road, NE.; Albuquerque, NM 87113 or phone 505-346-
3888.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Purpose and Need for Action

    The purpose of the Tajique watershed restoration project is to:
    1. Improve watershed health within this portion of the Tajique 
watershed.
    2. Improve forest health condition by allowing fire to resume its 
natural role in the ecosystem and restore forest conditions to those 
found prior to fire suppression.
    3. Reduce the fire hazard from high to low by reducing stand 
density and changing stand structure.
    4. Provide and maintain functional wildlife habitat.

Proposed Action

    On December 3, 2003, Congress passed the Healthy Forest Restoration 
Act (HFRA) as a means to reduce the threat of destructive wildfires. 
This project is proposed as a way in which to meet the intent of HFRA 
and reduce hazardous fuels within this watershed while also reducing 
the threat of wildfire to the communities of Taljique, Torreon, 
Sherwood Forest, and Forest Valley. The proposed action was developed 
in collaboration with many of the stakeholders who are imminently 
affected by activities within this watershed and who are also most at 
risk to loss should a catastrophic wildfire occur in the future.
    In addition to responding to the concern over wildfire, activities 
within the Tajique watershed would provide an opportunity for local 
economic development and encourage financial viability in rural 
communities that depend on National Forest System lands. The National 
Fire Plan (2001) and the 10-Year Comprehensive Strategy (2001) placed 
an emphasis on promoting markets for traditionally under-utilized wood 
products that could be derived from fuel reduction projects. Thus in 
order to meet the direction of the National Fire Plan, proposed 
activities would encourage the development of those markets in local 
communities and assist in providing economic stability over the next 
several years.
    The Cibola National Forest proposes to implement a restoration 
project in the Tajique watershed in order to restore forest structure 
within conifer stands, meadows, and riparian areas to conditions when 
fire was prevalent across the landscape. Proposed activities would also 
serve to increase diversity and density of herbaceous and shrub 
understory vegetation.

[[Page 51627]]

    The project area covers 17,500 acres, of which approximately 17,000 
acres would be treated to meet restoration goals through the use of 
mechanical thinning and prescribed burns. Vegetation treatments could 
include removal of excess trees across all size classes, from seedlings 
to large diameter trees. A combination of commercial harvest, 
stewardship contracts, service contracts, biomass removal (chipping), 
commercial fuelwood contracts, and personal use permits would be used 
to reduce tree density in order to return the watershed to its range of 
natural variability. Conifers greater than 9 inches diameter at breast 
height (DBH) may be removed as needed as part of the treatment. Smaller 
size trees would be removed for fuelwood or chipped for biomass. 
Prescribed burn treatments would include pile burns, jackpot burns, and 
broadcast burns to reduce activity generated and existing fuel loads. 
The existing road system would serve to provide access to the treatment 
units; however, road maintenance work and an estimate 28 miles of 
additional temporary roads would be constructed to provide access. 
Constructed temporary roads would be obliterated once project 
activities were completed.
    Specific resource protection measures as well as Forest standards 
and guidelines would also be included to meet restoration objectives. A 
monitoring plan would be developed as part of the treatment plan. The 
plan would include pre- and post-treatment implementation, 
effectiveness, and validation monitoring.

Vegetation Treatments

Ponderosa Pine
    Treatments would reduce tree density while maintaining a variety of 
age and size classes that restore historic natural structure. 
Treatments would mimic predicted historic conditions, thus there would 
be a variety of tree densities across the landscape. High density 
stands would retain more trees per acre, fewer openings, and less 
patchiness while moderate or low density stands would have fewer trees, 
small openings, and more of an herbaceous component in the understory.
Mixed Conifer
    The proposed action would provide for a variety of conifer species 
in varying densities, size and age classes across the landscape, while 
maintaining a higher canopy cover in moderate to high density stands. 
Within MSO protected habitat, no trees greater than 9 inches DBH would 
be harvested. Within MSO restricted habitat, no trees greater than 24 
inches DBH would be harvested.
Pi[ntilde]on Pine/Juniper
    Activities within this vegetation type would create stands that 
resemble historic structures ranging from savannah-like conditions to 
higher density woodland. Stands would have variable spacing with a 
patchy character that promotes herbaceous vegetation growth and soil 
stability. In moderate and low density stands, treatments would retain 
naturally occurring clumps of trees (2 to 25 per clump) and a variety 
of size and age classes. High density stands would retain more trees 
per acre. Individual trees would be scattered across the landscape with 
irregular spacing between clumps.
Ponderosa Pine/Pi[ntilde]on Pine/Juniper Transition Zones
    The proposed action would reduce pi[ntilde]on pine/juniper 
encroachment and restore ponderosa pine where it historically was 
dominant or restore woodland conditions to pi[ntilde]on pine/juniper 
dominated stands.
Riparian Corridors and Meadows
    Activities would restore hydrologic functions by removing 
encroaching conifers, which would raise the water table, increase 
riparian vegetation, and improve channel stability. Aspen clones would 
be treated to improve aspen regeneration, growth and vigor.

Other Treatment Areas

Fuelbreaks
    Construct 1,100 acres of shaded fuelbreaks using mechanical or 
manual harvest methods to establish an initial level of fire protection 
surrounding adjacent communities and along ridgelines.
Northern Goshawk Dispersal Areas
    Move stands toward habitat conditions conducive to providing for 
dispersal post-fledging family areas in Jaral Canon, Canon del Apache, 
Canon del Tronco Negro, and Canon de la Gallina. Thin from below to 
create desired stand conditions, and retain large diameter trees and 
riparian vegetation. Manage stands outside of these areas according to 
standards and guidelines for Northern goshawk forage areas as provided 
in the Forest Plan.

Possible Alternatives

    A possible alternative to the proposed action at this time includes 
a no action alternative that would not treat the Tajique watershed to 
reduce fuel levels.

Responsible Official

    The responsible official is Liz Agpaoa, Forest Supervisor, Cibola 
National Forest Supervisor's Office, 2113 Osuna Road, NE., Albuquerque, 
NM 87113-1001.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The decision to be made is whether to implement the proposed action 
as described above, to vary the design of the proposed action to meet 
the purpose and need for action through some other combination of 
activities, or to take no action at this time.

Scoping Process

    The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) emphasizes an early and 
open process for determining the scope of issues to be addressed and 
for identifying significant issues related to the proposed action. As 
part of the scoping process, the lead agency shall invite the 
participation of affected Federal, State, and local agencies, any 
affected Indian tribe, and other interested persons (40 CFR 1501.7). In 
order to meet the intent of the CEQ regulations, and to meet the 
requirements under the Healthy Forest Restoration Act, the Cibola 
Forest will implement the following steps to ensure an early and open 
public involvement process:
    1. Develop the proposed action in collaboration with potentially 
interested and affected persons, agencies, organizations, and tribes 
prior to initiation of NEPA.
    2. Include the proposed action on the list of projects for annual 
tribal consultation. Address concerns identified during tribal 
consultation.
    3. Submit the proposed action to the public during scoping, and 
request comments or issues (points of dispute, debate, or disagreement) 
regarding the potential effects.
    4. Include the proposal on the Cibola Schedule of Proposed Actions 
quarterly report.
    5. Provide an opportunity for the public to comment during an open 
public meeting. Two meetings are planned for this process, one a public 
field trip to the project area and one a general meeting at a local 
community center. Both meetings would occur in August, 2004. Exact 
dates and locations are yet to be determined.
    6. Use comments received to determine significant issues and 
additional alternatives to address within the analysis.
    7. Consult with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the State 
Historical Preservation Office regarding potential affects to species 
or archaeological sites.

[[Page 51628]]

    8. Prepare and distribute a draft environmental impact statement 
for a 45-day public comment period.

Permits or Licenses Required

    The proposed action includes the use of prescribed fire to reduce 
fuel loads. A burn plan would be prepared prior to any ignition, and a 
burn permit would be obtained from the State of New Mexico authorizing 
the use of the airshed.

Comment Requested

    This notice is intent initiates the scoping process which guides 
the development of the environmental impact statement. Comments should 
focus on the nature of the action proposed and should be relevant to 
the decision under consideration. Comments received from the public 
will be evaluated for significant issues and used to assist in the 
development of additional alternatives.

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: August 12, 2004.
Liz Agpaoa,
Forest Supervisor, Cibola National Forest.
[FR Doc. 04-18926 Filed 8-19-04; 8:45 am]
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