[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 27 (Thursday, February 10, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7077-7078]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-2606]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Shasta-Trinity National Forest; California; Browns Project

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Browns Project is being proposed by the Shasta-Trinity 
National Forest to improve fuel condition through commercial timber 
harvest and closing of some unneeded roads. The purpose for the project 
is to decrease fire hazards in an area adjacent to the community of 
Weaverville. The project area located within T34N, R10W, sections 27, 
34, and 36; T33N, R10W, section 1; T34N R9W, sections 16, 20-22, and 
27-34; T33N, R9W, section 6, M.D.M. approximately 2 miles north of the 
community of Weaverville, California

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received 
no later than 30 days after the publication of this notice in the 
Federal Register The draft environmental impact statement is expected 
in April, 2005, and the final environmental impact statement is 
expected in July, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Sam Frink, Planning Team Leader, c/
o USFS, P.O. Box 1190, Weaverville, CA 96093. For further information, 
mail correspondence to Sam Frink, Planning Team Leader, c/o USFS, PO 
Box 1190, Weaverville, CA 96093.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bill Branham, Planning Officer, phone 
530-623-1750.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Purpose and Need for Action

    Thinning will reduce overcrowded conditions in forest areas where 
too many trees currently exist. Reducing density will improve the 
health of these forest areas by making more water, nutrients and 
sunlight available for use by the remaining trees (conifers and 
hardwoods). This will improve the health of the forest and improve tree 
resistence to insects, pathogens and drought. Too many small trees in 
the understory can act as a fuel ladder and carry fire into the canopy 
layer of the forest resulting in the death of a large number of trees. 
Small trees act as a fuel ladder because their crowns are closer to the 
ground and allow flames to move into the canopy. Removing small trees 
raises the crown base height and reduces the likelihood of flames 
reaching the canopy layer.
    The removal of groups of trees and re-planting with tree seedlings 
is being proposed to increase the amount of younger forests to improve 
the diversity of age classes. The harvest and sale of wood products 
will provide wood products to society and offset the cost of treatment.

Proposed Action

    The project will include the following treatments:

--Timber harvest treatments will include thinning harvest on about 760 
acres, group selection harvest (2 acre groups of trees) and re-planting 
with tree seedlings on about 40 acres. The volume of timber harvested 
will amount to about 9.0 million board feet. Within the thinning 
harvest areas we intend to remove the poorer growing, smaller trees. 
The healthiest, better growing, generally larger trees will be 
retained. Thinning areas will have a crown closure of about 40% after 
the harvest is completed, except within riparian reserve areas, where 
crown closure will be about 60%. After the harvest treatments, 
accumulations of excess down wood and slash will be either underburned 
or piled and burned.
--The project includes about 5 miles of road construction and about 3 
miles of road reconstruction. About 4 miles of temporary roads 
constructed to

[[Page 7078]]

access the harvest areas will subsequently be closed.

    Implementation of the proposed project is planned during the 
calendar years 2005-1010, and may involve multiple timber sale and 
service contracts. No permits or special authorizations will be 
required.

Lead and Cooperating Agencies

    Lead Agency: USDA Forest Service.

Responsible Official

    J. Sharon Heywood, Forest Supervisor, Shasta-Trinity National 
Forest, 3644 Avtech Parkway, Redding, California 96002.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The Forest Supervisor will decide whether to implement the proposed 
action, take an alternative action that meets the purpose and need, or 
take no action.

Scoping

    Information on the proposed action will be noticed in the Record 
Searchlight and the Trinity Journal. The proposed action will be listed 
in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest's quarterly schedule of proposed 
actions (SOPA). This notice of intent initiates the scoping process, 
which guides the development of the environmental impact statement. 
Comments submitted during this scoping process should be in writing and 
specific to the proposed action. Comments should clearly describe any 
issues you have with the proposed action. Issues are points of debate, 
dispute, concern, or disagreement about the environmental effects of 
the proposal. Issues identified as significant to the proposed action 
will be used in the environmental analysis.
    The scoping process includes:
    (a) Identifying potential issues.
    (b) Identifying issues to be analyzed in depth.
    (c) Eliminating non-significant issues or those previously covered 
by a relevant previous environmental analysis.
    (d) Exploring additional alternatives.
    (e) Identifying potential environmental effects of the proposed 
action and alternatives.

Preliminary Issues and Alternatives

    Issues will be identified as a result of scoping. One alternative 
has been identified that builds fewer roads.
    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: February 3, 2005.
J. Sharon Heywood,
Forest Supervisor, Shasta-Trinity National Forest.
[FR Doc. 05-2606 Filed 2-9-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M