[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 212 (Wednesday, November 3, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64019-64020]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-24508]



[[Page 64019]]

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Bitterroot National Forest, Ravailli County, MT, Middle East Fork 
Project

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act, 
notice is hereby given that the Forest Service, Bitterroot National 
Forest will prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement to disclose 
the environmental consequences of the proposed Middle East Fork (MEF) 
Project. The proposed project would treat vegetation on approximately 
6000 acres in the Middle East Fork of the Bitterroot River watershed to 
help reduce wildland fire threats and restore fire adapted ecosystems.
    The need for action in the Middle East Fork area became highlighted 
by the local community after the wildfires of 2000. This area was 
identified in the Bitterroot Community Wildfire Protection Plan as a 
high priority area to reduce wildland fire risk. This plan was 
developed through community collaborative efforts involving community 
leaders, organizations, and residents and is reviewed annually.
    The Forest Service completed a watershed analysis (EAWS) for the 
Middle East Fork landscape that included a recommendation to reduce the 
threat from wildfire in the wildland urban interface. Another 
recommendation was to restore desired and historical vegetation 
composition and structure using harvest, prescribed fire, and cultural 
activities.
    The Middle East Fork Project area occupies the middle third of the 
East Fork of the Bitterroot River drainage. On the north side of the 
East Fork Bitterroot River, it begins just east of Cameron Creek and 
extends to and includes Tepee Creek. On the south side it begins east 
of Tolan Creek and extends to Meadow Creek. The Bitterroot Community 
Wildfire Protection Plan identifies the wildland urban interface in 
this area as a high risk area and labeled the area a priority for 
treating hazardous fuels. The Middle East Fork wildland urban interface 
extends through the middle of the project area encompassing the 
community of approximately 700 residents along the East Fork Bitterroot 
River and the East Fork Road. The East Fork Road provides the only 
paved emergency access and escape route for the community.
    This is an authorized project under the Healthy Forest Restoration 
Act of 2003 (Pub. L. 108-148). This act contains a variety of 
provisions to expedite hazardous fuel reduction and forest restoration 
projects such as this on specific types of Federal land that are at 
risk from wildland fire or insect and disease epidemics.
    Project objectives follow those defined in the National Fire Plan, 
the Bitterroot Community Wildfire Protection Plan, and the Healthy 
Forest Restoration Act and include: Reduce wildland fire threat to the 
East Fork community, restore fire-adapted ecosystems in the Middle East 
Fork landscape, and restore stands affected by the Douglas-fir beetle 
epidemic by treating infested areas and lands at imminent risk of 
spread of the beetle epidemic to promote healthy ecosystem function, 
composition and structure.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis should be received 
by December 6, 2004. The draft of environmental impact statement is 
expected to be available for public review in February 2005 and the 
final environmental impact statement is expected to be available end of 
April 2005.

ADDRESSES: Submit written, oral, or e-mail comments by: (1) Mail--
Middle East Fork Project; Tracy Hollingshead, District Ranger; Sula 
Ranger Station; 7338 Hwy 93 S; Sula, Montana 59871 (2) phone--(406) 
821-3201; (3) [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Project Team Leader, Sula Ranger 
District, Bitterroot National Forest (see address above).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Purpose

    The purpose is to reduce the wildland fire risk to the Middle East 
Fork community to restore fire adapted ecosystems in the Middle East 
Fork watershed particularly focusing on the wildland urban interface as 
defined by the Bitterroot Community Wildfire Protection Plan.

Proposed Action

    The proposed action is designed with extensive mitigation to reduce 
potential impacts. To accomplish the project objectives the following 
actions would be taken:

--Commercial thinning of Douglas-fir and ponderosa pine stands and 
salvage of beetle-killed Douglas-fir with yarding of activity fuels 
followed by prescribed fire, jackpot burning, or burning of high piled 
slash. Approximately 1650 acres.
--Commercial thinning of Douglas-fir and ponderosa pine stands and 
salvage of beetle-killed Douglas-fir with yarding to remove activity 
fuels. Approximately 700 acres.
--Pre-commercial thinning of young stands followed by burning of hand 
piled slash or lop and scattering slash. Approximately 500 acres.
--Salvage and/or sanitation harvest of diseased and/or dead and dying 
Douglas-fir stands followed by burning of created slash piles. 
Approximately 240 acres.
--Regeneration harvest in stands of extensive Douglas-fir beetle 
mortality with yarding of activity fuels followed by prescribed fire, 
jackpot burning, or burning of hand piled slash. Approximately 1450 
acres.
--Regeneration harvest in stands of extensive Douglas-fir beetle 
mortality with yarding of activity fuels. Approximately 170 acres.
--Approximately 3 miles of temporary road would be constructed and then 
obliterated upon project completion.
--Road drainage improvements on approximately 14 miles of major forest 
roads prior to the project beginning. Other roads would be maintained 
or improved under terms of project contracts.
--Prescribed fire in grasslands and open forest stands. May include 
slashing prior to burning, and/or seeding and fertilization treatment 
on approximately 1500 acres of grassland/open forests.
--Regeneration planting in stands with heavy mortality.

    The Bitterroot National Forest also proposes to disclose the 
effects of a site-specific Forest Plan Amendment that is needed to 
modify or clarify several standards in the Bitterroot National Forest 
Plan. This would include adjusting the Forest-wide and management area 
snag and coarse woody debris standards to better reflect current 
research, the Forest-wide thermal cover standard as it relates to this 
area, and standards defining what practices are allowed within certain 
lands classified as unsuitable for timber production and within old 
growth habitat. The proposed amendments to the Forest Plan, if 
approved, would apply only to the Middle East Fork Project area.

Responsible Official

    The responsible official for the Middle East Fork Project is Dave 
T. Bull, Forest Supervisor, Bitterroot National Forest.

[[Page 64020]]

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The Responsible Official will determine whether or not to proceed 
with the proposed project activities.

Scoping Process

    Comments will be accepted during the 30-day scoping period as 
described in this notice of intent. To assist in commenting, a scoping 
letter providing more detailed information on the project proposal has 
been prepared and is available to interested parties. Contact Tracy 
Hollingshead, Sula District Ranger at the address listed in this notice 
of intent if you would like to receive a copy.

Comment Requested

    This notice of intent initiates the scoping process that 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, 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: October 28, 2004.
David T. Bull,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 04-24508 Filed 11-2-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M