[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 233 (Tuesday, December 6, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72605-72606]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-23605]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 233 / Tuesday, December 6, 2005 / 
Notices  

[[Page 72605]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Helena National Forest, Broadwater County, MT, Cabin Gulch 
Vegetation Treatment Project

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS).

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SUMMARY: The Helena National Forest is going to prepare an 
environmental impact statement for vegetation management actions in the 
Cabin Gulch and North Fork of Deep Creek drainages. The purpose and 
need for action is to restore and maintain the health of these fire 
dependent ecosystems, including increasing the resistance and 
resilience of these areas to catastrophic disturbance from fire events 
and/or disease and insect outbreaks. In addition to the vegetation 
actions, some roadwork is proposed to reduce sedimentation sources to 
the West Fork of Cabin Gulch; one road is proposed for closure; and one 
new road is being proposed for construction.

DATES: Comments concerning the proposed action must be received by 
January 9, 2006. The draft EIS is expected to be available to the 
public in March of 2006 and the final EIS is expected to be available 
to the public in June of 2006.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments or for further information, mail 
correspondence to or call Sharon Scott--Team Leader, Helena Ranger 
District, 2001 Poplar Street, Helena, MT 59601 (Phone 406.449.5490), or 
Dave Carroll, NEPA Coordinator, 2880 Skyway Drive, Helena, MT 59601 
(Phone 406.449.5201).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Purpose and Need for Action

    Most of Montana has been under drought conditions for the past 7 
years. Insect and disease problems are impacting this area. The Helena 
National Forest has identified a need to improve the forest health of 
this area. Since fires have been suppressed and controlled in this 
area, the number of small trees in the dry forest types (lower 
elevation, south and west facing slopes) has greatly increased. This 
has created a need to reduce current and future fuel buildup throughout 
the area. Douglas-fir are being killed by the Douglas-fir bark beetle, 
and Lodgepole pine and whitebark pine are being killed by the mountain 
pine beetle. The whitebark pine is also being killed by white pine 
blister rust. Aspen stands and grassland/sagebrush areas are declining 
on the landscape. There is also an opportunity for a research study 
involving Douglas-fir and prescribed fire. The purpose and need for 
action is to restore and maintain the health of these fire dependent 
ecosystems, including increasing the resistance and resilience of these 
areas to catastrophic disturbance from fire events and/or disease and 
insect outbreaks. Also, the West Fork of Cabin Gulch road is directly 
contributing sediment to the creek, and needs corrective action.

Proposed Action

    The types of treatments being proposed are thinnings; patch cuts; 
reduction of encroaching species on the whitebark pine and aspen 
stands; reclamation of sagebrush and grassland meadows; prescribed 
fire; and road decommisioning and construction. The harvest of green 
trees and salvage of dead and dying trees are part of this proposal. 
These actions are consistent with the Forest Plan Management Area 
direction for the area. A project in conjunction with research 
scientists from the Rocky Mountain Research Station and entomologists 
from the Forest Health Protection office of the Regional Office is 
another important part of our proposal. The research project will 
evaluate the effects of silvicultural thinnings and prescribed fire and 
the resultant impact of the residual stand/trees susceptibility to 
Douglas-fir beetle activity.
    To accomplish these actions we envision the use of the following 
activities: Commercial timber harvest (removing wood as a forest 
product), slashing (cutting trees that aren't valuable as a product and 
leaving them on site), burning (burning encompasses underburning, and 
mixed severity burning), and using equipment to ``chew up'' small trees 
and juniper (the piece of equipment is called a masticator). The 
logging systems being considered include cable or skyline logging, 
tractor logging and helicopter logging. This proposal includes 9 miles 
of temporary road. Those roads would be fully recontoured following 
this project.
    Specifics of the Proposed Action Are: Thinning 2,100 acres; Patch 
cutting 325 acres; Douglas-fir thinning and prescribed fire research 
550 acres; Whitebark Pine Restoration 100 acres; Aspen Restoration 100 
acres; Grassland/Shrubland Reclaimation 375 acres.
    Underburning: This will be primarily on the acres listed in the 
above components of the proposed action.
    Mixed severity burn: 475 acres.
    We are also proposing to close the West Fork of Cabin Gulch road by 
recontouring the road (approximately 3 miles). We are proposing to 
build a permanent road, 0.6 miles in length, that would allow people to 
access the upper portion of the West Fork of Cabin Gulch from the North 
Fork of Deep Creek.
    Responsible Official: Kevin Riordan--Forest Supervisor, 2880 Skyway 
Drive, Helena, MT 59601.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The nature of the decision is: Whether or not to implement the 
proposed action or an alternative to the proposed action that addresses 
the purpose and need for action. The following components define the 
nature of the decision at this point: Which treatment areas have the 
greatest benefit in increasing the areas' resistance and resilience to 
catastrophic disurbances such as wildfire or insect and disease 
outbreaks; Which areas may be of interest from a research perspective 
relative to fire and Douglas-fir bark beetle activity; and Whether or 
not Forest Plan amendment(s) are required? At this point in time it 
appears there may need to be a site specific, Forest Plan amendment 
relative to big game hiding cover.

Scoping Process

     Scoping Package (mailing)--November 2005.
     Scoping Meeting--December 2005 in Townsend, MT.
     NOI--December 9, 2005.
     Post on Web site--December 2005.
     DEIS Public Meetings--April 2006.

[[Page 72606]]

     DEIS Comment Period--March-April, 2006.
     FEIS and ROD--June 2006.

Comment Requested

    This notice of intent initiates the scoping process which guides 
the development of the environmental impact statement. Comments are due 
by January 9, 2006.
    A draft environmental impact statement will be prepared for 
comment. The comment period on the draft EIS is expected to be from 
mid-March through April of 2006. This date will be established when 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 [enter correct time period] 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. 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: November 29, 2005.
Kevin Riordan,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 05-23605 Filed 12-5-05; 8:45 am]
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