[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 99 (Tuesday, May 23, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29609-29610]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-4759]


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

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Black Hills National Forest, Mystic Ranger District, South 
Dakota, Mitchell Project

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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

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

SUMMARY: The Forest Service will prepare an environmental impact 
statement on a proposal to use multiple vegetation treatments focused 
on creating a landscape condition more adapted to fire and that reduces 
potential for high severity wildfire near at-risk communities and in 
the wildland-urban interface. The proposal is being planned for the 
25,200 acre Mitchell Project Area that includes about 18,300 acres of 
National Forest System land and about 6,900 acres of interspersed 
private land. The project area generally extends from west of Hill 
City, South Dakota to Keystone, South Dakota (just north of Mount 
Rushmore National Memorial). This project will be conducted as an 
authorized project under Section 102 of the Healthy Forests Restoration 
Act of 2003 (HFRA). Actions proposed for the Mitchell Project Area 
include the following:
     Restoring natural fuel breaks by removing conifers from 
hardwood stands such as aspen, bur oak, birch and by expanding and/or 
creating meadows (est. 1,400 acres).
     Reducing the amount of existing and created forest fuels 
by use of various treatment methods (e.g., chipping, burning); creating 
fuel breaks (est. 40 miles); and prescribed burning (est. 9,000 acres).
     Thinning the ponderosa pine forest by using commercial 
timber harvest to thin commercial size trees and other methods to thin 
smaller trees of non-commercial size (est. 9,400 acres).

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis would be most 
useful if received by 30-days following the date of this notice. The 
draft environmental impact statement is expected to be available for 
public review by October 2006 and the final environmental impact 
statement is expected to be completed by March 2007.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Robert J. Thompson, District 
Ranger, Black Hills National Forest, Mystic Ranger District, Mitchell 
Project Area, 803 Soo San Drive, Rapid City, South Dakota 57702. 
Telephone Number: (605) 343-1567. E-mail: [email protected]. with ``Mitchell'' as the subject. 
Electronic comments must be readable in Word, Rich Text or pdf formats.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Phillip Grumstrup, Project 
Coordinator, Black Hills National Forest, Mystic Ranger District, at 
above address, phone (605) 343-1567.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The actions proposed are in direct response 
to management direction provided by the Black Hills National Forest 
Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan). The site specific 
actions are designed, based on Forest Plan Standards and Guidelines, to 
move existing resource conditions in the Mitchell Project Area toward 
meeting Forest Plan Goals and Objectives. Located within the project 
area are: The cities of Keystone and Hill City, U.S. Highway 16 and 385 
corridors, U.S. Highway 16A, access to Keystone and the Mount Rushmore 
National Memorial, and interspersed private lands surrounded by 
National Forest System lands. Anticipated issues include: Protection of 
local communities, private and public lands, infrastructure and access 
from severe wildfire; associated fire and fuels hazard reduction needs 
in the wildand-urban interface; support and opposition to forest 
thinning using commercial timber harvest; impacts of vegetation 
treatment and multiple forest uses on wildlife habitat. The range of 
alternatives analyzed in the EIS is expected to be consistent with sec. 
104 of the HFRA.

[[Page 29610]]

Purpose and Need for Action

    The purpose of the Mitchell Project is to reduce risk to local 
communities and resources from severe wildfire and restore resource 
conditions to a healthy, resilient fire-adapted ecosystem across the 
project area. There is a need to reduce potential for large-scale 
severe wildfire and to facilitate effective wildfire suppression/
protection in this wildland-urban interface setting. This project is 
focused on implementing management actions that move toward achieving:
     Desired conditions and objectives embodied in Goal 10 of 
the Forest Plan--Establish and maintain a mosaic of vegetative 
conditions to reduce the occurrences of stand-replacing fire * * * and 
to facilitate * * * firefighting capbility adjacent to at-risk 
communities, sensitive resources, and non-federal land * * *.
     Desired conditions and objectives embodied in Goal 7 of 
the Forest Plan--Emphasize cooperation with individuals, organizations 
and other agencies while coordinating planning and project 
implementation.
     Goals and Objectives applicable to Forest Plan Management 
Area (MA) 4.1--Limited Motorized Use and Forest Product Emphasis; MA 
5.1--Resource Production Emphasis; and MA 5.4--Big Game Winter Range 
Emphasis.
     Goals of the Healthy Forest Restoration Act (HFRA) of 2003 
(HR 1904) and other National level initiatives and policy that 
emphasize reducing the probability and occurrence of severe wildfire in 
fire adapted ecosystems especially near at-risk communities and the 
wildland-urban interface.

Proposed Action

    Proposed actions include the following:
     Restore natural fuel breaks to help reduce the potential 
for large-scale, intense wildfire spread. Treatment includes removing 
conifers from hardwood stands such as aspen, bur oak, birch and by 
expanding and/or creating meadows (est. 1,400 acres).
     Reduce the amount of existing forest fuels and fuels 
created by vegetation treatment activities. Treatment includes lopping, 
chipping, crushing, piling and burning; creating up to 40 miles of 
fuels breaks along roads and private property boundaries; and 
prescribed burning of up to 9,000 acres to reduce fuel levels.
     Thinning the ponderosa pine forest on about 9,400 acres to 
reduce potential for spreading crown fires by reducing the density of 
pine, providing fuel breaks, lessening insect and disease risk and 
improving forest health and vigor. This will be accomplished by using 
commerical timber harvest to thin commerical size trees and other 
methods to thin smaller trees of non-commercial size.

Responsible Official

    Craige Bobzien, Forest Supervisor, Black Hills National Forest, 
25041 N. Highway 16, Custer, SD 57730.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The decision to be made is whether or not to implement the proposed 
action or possible alternative at this time.

Scoping Process

    Comments and input regarding the proposal will be received via 
direct mailing from the public, other groups and agencies during the 
initial public comment period in May and June 2006. Comments submitted 
based on this NOI will be most useful if received within 30 days from 
the date of this notice. Response to the draft EIS will be sought from 
the interested public beginning in October 2006.

Comment Requested

    This notice of intent provides information that the agency will 
prepare an environmental impact statement in response to public comment 
and feedback during the May and June 2006 scoping period. Comments 
received will assist the planning team to identify key issues and 
opportunities used to refine the proposal or possible alternative and 
mitigation measures. Comments on the DEIS will be requested during the 
45 day comment period following the Notice of Availability, expected to 
be published in the Federal Register in November 2006 (See discussion 
below).

Early Notice of Importance of Public Participation in Subsequent 
Environmental Review

    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.

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

    Dated: May 17, 2006.
Brad Exton,
Deputy Forest Supervisor, Black Hills National Forest.
[FR Doc. 06-4759 Filed 5-22-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M