[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 96 (Thursday, May 18, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28850-28851]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-7556]


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 Notices
                                                 Federal Register
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
 or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 96 / Thursday, May 18, 2006 / 
Notices  

[[Page 28850]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Little Doe and Low Gulch Timber Sale Project EIS--Six Rivers 
National Forest

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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

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SUMMARY: The Forest Service will prepare an environmental impact 
statement on a proposal to harvest timber from the Little Doe and Low 
Gulch project area, which is located on National Forest System lands 
administered by the Six Rivers National Forest in Northern California. 
If approved, the project would harvest approximately 7.9 million board 
feet (MMBF) of timber from approximately 923 acres of conifer stands 
through intermediate and regeneration cutting methods. Logging systems 
employed would include ground-based skidding, skyline cable yarding, 
and helicopter logging. Post-harvest treatments within the proposed 
treatment units include fuel reduction, site preparation, and 
reforestation treatments. Connected actions associated with the project 
proposal include landing construction and reconstruction, temporary 
road construction with subsequent decommissioning, and road 
maintenance. There is a need to provide timber volume that would 
contribute to the economic base of the local communities. Within the 
context of meeting this need, an opportunity exists to maintain oaks as 
an important component within Douglas-fir/black oak conifer stands and 
oak woodlands within the project area.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis should be received 
on or before 30 days after publication of this notice in the Federal 
Register. The draft environmental impact statement is expected to be 
released in November 2006 and the final environmental impact statement 
is expected to be released in April 2007.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to William Metz, Acting Forest 
Supervisor, Six Rivers National Forest, 1330 Bayshore Way, Eureka, CA 
95501-3834. Electronic mail may be sent to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ruben Escatell, EIS Team Leader, (707) 
574-6233, Ext. 225.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Proposed Action

    The Forest Service proposes to harvest approximately 7.9 million 
board feet (MMBF) of timber from approximately 923 acres of conifer 
stands within the Little Doe and Low Gulch planning areas in the form 
of 87 harvest units. The planning areas are located on National Forest 
System lands administered by the Mad River Ranger District of the Six 
Rivers National Forest in Trinity County, California. The project area 
is located in all or portions of the following townships: T.26 N., R.11 
W.; T.26 N., R.12 W.; T.27 N., R11 W.; and T.27 N., R.12 W.; Mount 
Diablo Meridian. The project area occurs on lands allocated to 
Management Areas that support a programmed timber harvest under the Six 
Rivers Land and Resource Management Plan (LRMP).
    Silvicultural treatments prescribed on the proposed harvest units 
include 709 acres of intermediate harvest treatments (low thinning, 
thinning/sanitation cutting, and oak release) and 214 acres of 
regeneration cutting treatments (regeneration with green tree legacy 
and shelterwood cutting). Of the 923 acres proposed for commercial 
harvest, approximately 730 acres would be tractor logged, 14 acres 
would be tractor swung to skyline corridors, 82 acres would be skyline 
logged, and 97 acres would be helicopter logged. Twenty-five (25) new 
landings would be constructed, and 127 existing landings would be 
utilized. Fuel treatments prescribed would include one or a combination 
of the following treatments: hand or machine piling and subsequent 
burning of piles, yarding of tops out of the units and piling at 
existing landings for future disposal, yarding unutilized material out 
of harvest units, felling of unutilized material less than 8 inches in 
diameter, and underburning. Reforestation would take place after 
logging and fuels treatments are completed on 214 acres in harvest 
units proposed for regeneration cutting. Connected actions include 
approximately 1,213 feet (0.23 miles) of new temporary road 
construction and 3,443 feet (0.65 miles) of existing non-system roads 
used to access landings in harvest units. These roads would be 
decommissioned upon project completion. Road maintenance would occur as 
needed on Forest system roads used to haul commercial timber. These 
activities may include blading, scarification, spot rocking, brushing, 
ditch cleaning, culvert cleaning, dust abatement, water bars, minor 
slide and slump repair, and water source deferred maintenance.

Purpose and Need for Action

    There is a need for the Six Rivers National Forest to provide 
timber volume to contribute to the economic base of the local 
communities. Within the context of meeting this need, vegetation 
management within the project area also provides an opportunity to 
maintain oaks as a component within Douglas-fir/black oak conifer 
stands and oak woodlands. The project area encompasses vegetative 
communities where oaks are becoming over-topped, shaded out, and 
encroached upon by conifers. There is an opportunity to remove 
competing conifers from treatment units exhibiting these 
characteristics. This opportunity serves to maintain oaks and the 
specialized habitats they provide over the long term.

Responsible Official

    William Metz, Acting Forest Supervisor, Six Rivers National Forest, 
1330 Bayshore Way, Eureka, CA 95501-3834, is the Responsible Official 
for making any decisions relative to this proposal. He will document 
his decisions and rationale in a Record of Decision.

Decisions To Be Made

    The Forest Supervisor of the Six Rivers National Forest will decide 
on whether the proposed action will proceed as proposed, or as modified 
by an alternative. If it proceeds he will also decide on what project 
design features and monitoring requirements will be applied to the 
project.

[[Page 28851]]

Estimated Dates for Filing

    The draft EIS is expected to be filed with the Environmental 
Protection Agency (EPA) and to be available for public review by 
November 2006. At that time EPA will publish a Notice of Availability 
of the draft EIS in the Federal Register. The comment period on the 
draft EIS will be 45 days from the date the EPA publishes the Notice of 
Availability in the Federal Register. It is very important that those 
interested in the management of this area participate at that time.
    The final EIS is scheduled to be completed by April 2007. In the 
final EIS, the Forest Service is required to respond to comments and 
responses received during the comment period that pertain to the 
environmental consequences discussed in the draft EIS and applicable 
laws, regulations, and policies considered in making a decision 
regarding the proposal.

Comment Requested

    This notice of intent continues the scoping process which guides 
the development of the environmental impact statement. The Forest 
Service will be seeking information, comments and assistance from 
Federal, State and local agencies and other individuals or organization 
that may be interested in, or affected by, the proposed action. While 
public participation in this analysis is welcome at any time, comments 
received within 30 days of the publication of this notice will be 
especially useful in the preparation of the EIS.

Electronic Access and Filing Addresses

    Comments may be sent by electronic mail (e-mail) to [email protected]. Please reference the 
Little Doe and Low Gulch Timber Sale Project on the subject line. Also, 
include your name and mailing address with your comments so documents 
pertaining to this project may be mailed to you.

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: May 12, 2006.
William Metz,
Acting Forest Supervisor, Six Rivers National Forest.
[FR Doc. E6-7556 Filed 5-17-06; 8:45 am]
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