[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 246 (Thursday, December 23, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 76904-76906]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-28098]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, Great Divide Ranger 
District; WI; Twentymile Restoration Project

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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

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SUMMARY: The USDA Forest Service, Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, 
Great Divide Ranger District intends to prepare an environmental impact 
statement (EIS) to disclose the environmental consequences of a 
vegetation and water resources restoration project. In the EIS the USDA 
Forest Service will address the potential environmental impacts 
associated with: restoring northern hardwood forests to an uneven-aged 
condition, improving the landscape pattern of northern hardwood 
forests, reducing the amount of aspen in cold-water stream corridors, 
reducing sediment and restoring riparian and stream habitat, improving 
upland forest type composition, balancing the age class distribution of 
aspen, and providing a safe, efficient, and effective transportation 
system; all while promoting healthy forests and providing forest 
commodities.
    The Twentymile Project Area is approximately 32,000 acres in size 
and is located in Bayfield County, approximately 25 miles northeast of 
Hayward, Wisconsin. The approximate legal description for the area is 
as follows: T44N R6W Sections 1-14 and 23-25; T44N R5W Sections 5-8, 
14-23, and 26-35; T43N R5W Sections 1-3, 11, and 12; and T43N R4W 
Sections 4-7. See the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for the purpose 
and need for the action.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis should be received 
within 30 days following publication of this notice to receive timely 
consideration in the preparation of the draft EIS. The draft 
environmental impact statement is expected May 2005 and the final 
environmental impact statement is expected September 2005.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Anne Archie, c/o Deb Sigmund, NEPA 
Coordinator; Great Divide Ranger District, P.O. Box 896, Hayward, WI 
54843. Send electronic comments to: [email protected]. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section 
for information on how to send electronic comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Deb Sigmund, NEPA Coordinator, Great 
Divide Ranger District, Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, USDA 
Forest Service; telephone: 715-634-4821. See address above under 
ADDRESSES. Copies of documents may be requested at the same address. 
Another means of obtaining information is to visit the Forest Web page 
at www.fs.fed.us/r9/cnnf/--click on ``Natural Resources'', then 
``Twentymile Restoration Project''.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Purpose and Need for Action

    The purpose of the Twentymile Restoration project is to implement 
land management activities that are consistent with direction in the 
Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forests Land and Resource Management Plan 
(Forest Plan, 2004) and to respond to specific needs and/or problems 
that were identified during opportunity area and transportation system 
analyses.
    The purpose and need for this proposal is to: (1). Restore northern 
hardwood forests to an uneven-aged condition (Plan, p. 1-3). These 
uneven-aged forests are to be characterized by a variety of tree ages 
and sizes, with older age classes well represented. Achieve large 
diameter trees (>25'' dbh), and old growth characteristics such as tip-
ups, snags, and coarse woody debris (Plan, p. 3-9). Emphasis for 
restoration is to provide a well-developed understory that provides 
feeding and nesting habitat for Neotropical birds, nutrient cycling, 
and tree seedling establishment (Plant FEIS, p. 3-61); (2.) Improve the 
landscape pattern of northern hardwood forests by maintaining or 
recreating large northern hardwood patch conditions and allowing early 
successional forest patches to succeed or treat them so as to encourage 
conversion to long-lived species (Plan, p. 3-8); (3.) Reduce the amount 
of aspen in cold-water stream corridors by not regenerating it and/or 
converting it to long-lived conifers or northern hardwoods (Plan p. 2-
17); (4.) Reduce sediment deposition and restore riparian and stream 
habitat. Maintain or restore streams to provide for the transport of 
water and sediments within the natural ranges for the watershed, which 
results in stable stream channels (Plan, p. 3-60). Relocate existing 
roads and trails out of riparian management zones and eliminate stream 
crossings when practicable (Plan pp. 1-3 and 2-2); (5.) Improve upland 
forest type composition. Terrestrial ecosystems should be in healthy, 
diverse, and productive conditions and support a diversity of plant and 
animal communities and tree species (Plan, p. 1-3); (6.) Balance the 
age class distribution of aspen in the areas it is desired to promote 
diversity for various wildlife species. A long-term sustainable level 
of all age classes is needed by wildlife species for dense cover and 
forage (Plan, p. 2-4 and 3-11); (7.) Promote healthy forests and 
provide forest commodities. Maintain and enhance the growth and vigor 
of trees within the project area, while providing a variety of wood 
products and species mixes for the different market niches through 
commercial timber harvests (Plan, p. 1-6); (8.) Provide a safe, 
efficient, and effective transportation system. A desirable 
transportation system provide safe access and meets the needs of 
communities and forest users; facilitates the implementation of the 
Forest Plan; allows for economical and efficient management within 
likely budget levels; meets current and future resource management 
objective; and has a minimal impact on natural resources. (Plan, pp. 1-
7 and 2-35-38; Twentymile Roads Analysis, p. 4).

Proposed Action

    The following actions have been identified to address the above 
needs. (1) To address the need for restoration of northern hardwood 
forest, approximately, 7,897 acres of predominantly even-aged northern 
hardwood stands would be selectively harvested. Approximately 20 acres 
of these northern hardwood stands would also be under planted to white 
pine. Within approximately 576 acres of these stands, some of the trees 
marked for

[[Page 76905]]

removal would be felled and left in place, to move these stands closer 
to the desired quantity of coarse wood debris. (2) To address the need 
for improvement of the landscape pattern of northern hardwoods, 
approximately 249 acres of aspen within or adjacent to existing 
hardwood blocks would be treated with an improvement cut to begin 
conversion to northern hardwoods. (3) To address the need for reducing 
the amount of aspen within cold-water stream corridors, approximately 
64 acres of aspen would be converted to northern hardwoods by 
improvement cutting to no less than 85-95 square feet of basal area per 
acre. (4) To address the need for sediment reduction and riparian 
habitat restoration approximately 1 mile of road would be relocated out 
of stream floodplains; 1100 feet of Twentymile Creek would be restored 
to its original stream channel; 9 intermittent drainages to Twentymile 
Creek would be restored; and 230 feet of Twentymile Creek would be 
restored through removal of an old culvert, channel braids upstream, 
and a large scour pool downstream. (5) To meet the upland forest type 
composition objectives need, shelterwood harvests would be conducted on 
81 acres of paper birch stands; overstory removals conducted on 146 
acres of paper birch stands; pine thinnings conducted on about 364 
acres of red pine and 29 acres of white pine stands; clearcuts 
conducted on 31 acres of jack pine stands followed by planting to red 
pine; and 13 acres of upland openings would be maintained through 
mowing, burning, or hand-cutting. (6) The need for balancing the age 
class distribution of aspen would be met by clearcutting and 
regenerating approximately 413 acres of aspen. (7) The need for 
improving forest health and providing forest commodities would be met 
through numbers 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6 above. (8) The transportation system 
needs would be met by eliminating about 29 miles of roads that are in 
poor locations and not needed for long-term access to the national 
forest; reconstructing about 4 miles of road that are in poor 
condition; constructing about 13 miles of new road to provide long-term 
access to specific areas of the forest; constructing 1.5 miles of 
temporary roads that would be eliminated after use; relocating 2 unsafe 
intersections to safer locations; and closing approximately 20 miles of 
National Forest System road to vehicles and ATV's to protect resources, 
avoid recreation use conflicts, address local government concerns, or 
address safety issues.

Responsible Official

    Anne Archie, Forest Supervisor; Chequamegon-Nicolet National 
Forest, 1170 4th Avenue South, Park Falls, WI 54552.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The decision will be limited to answering the following three 
questions based on the environmental analysis:
    1. What actions would be used to address the purpose and need
    2. Where and when these actions would occur
    3. What mitigation measures and monitoring requirements would be 
required

Scoping Process

    The Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest proposes to scope for 
information by contacting persons and organizations on the District's 
mailing list, by publishing a notice in the local newspapers, and by 
posting flyers at key locations within and nearby the Twentymile 
project area. No scoping meetings are planned at this time. The present 
solicitation is for comments on this Notice of Intent and scoping 
materials available elsewhere, such as on the Forest Web page.

Preliminary Issues

    Preliminary or potential issues have been identified from previous 
internal and public comments.
    1. Timber Harvests may result in short-term impacts to soils, 
understory vegetation, wildlife, visuals, and recreational uses of the 
forest.
    2. Long-term reductions of aspen may occur as a result of 
conversions, affecting the species that relay on them for food and 
cover.
    3. Road decommissioning and closures may reduce the number of roads 
and miles of roads previously available for public and tribal access, 
for uses such as hunting, gathering, etc.
    4. Road Reconstruction and Construction may disturb and impact new 
corridors, while creating access and use where access was previously 
not available.
    5. Road Relocations may disturb and impact new corridors. 
Relocations may also improve watershed health and motorist safety.
    6. Watershed Improvement projects may result in short-term 
increases in turbidity and sedimentation.

Electronic Access and Filing Addresses

    Information is available electronically on the Forest Web page: 
http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/cnnf--click on ``Natural Resources'' and then 
``Twentymile Restoration Project''. Send electronic comments to: 
[email protected]. When 
submitting electronic comments, please reference the Twentymile 
Restoration Project on the subject line. In addition, include your name 
and mailing address.

Comments Requested

    This notice of intent initiates the scoping process which guides 
the development of the environmental impact statement. Comments in 
response to this solicitation for information should focus on (1.) The 
proposal as described in numbers 1-8 of the Proposed Action, (2.) 
possible alternatives for addressing issues associated with the 
proposal, and (3.) any possible impacts associated with the proposal 
based on an individual's civil rights (race, color, national origin, 
age, religion, gender, disability, political beliefs, sexual 
orientation, or marital or family status). We are especially interested 
in information that might identify a specific undesired result of 
implementing the proposed action. Comments received in response to this 
solicitation including names and addresses of those who comment will be 
considered part of the public record on this proposed action and will 
be available for public inspection. Comments submitted anonymously will 
be accepted and considered; however those who submit anonymous comments 
will not have standing to appeal the subsequent decisions under 36 CFR 
parts 215 or 217.
    Additionally, pursuant to 7 CFR 1.27(d), any persons may request 
the agency to withhold a submission from the public record by showing 
how the FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) permits such confidentially. 
Persons requesting such confidentiality should be aware that under FOIA 
confidentiality may be granted in only very limited circumstances, such 
as to protect trade secrets.
    The Forest Service will inform the requester of the agency's 
decision regarding the request for confidentiality and, should the 
request be denied, return the submission and notify the requester that 
the comments may be resubmitted with or without name and address within 
90 days.

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

[[Page 76906]]

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. NRCD, 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.

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

    Dated: December 10, 2004.
Anne F. Archie,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 04-28098 Filed 12-22-04; 8:45 am]
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