[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 154 (Thursday, August 10, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45765-45766]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-6838]


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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. 71, No. 154 / Thursday, August 10, 2006 / 
Notices  

[[Page 45765]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Plumas National Forest, California, Roadside Noxious Weed EIS

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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

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SUMMARY: The Plumas National Forest, in cooperation with Butte, Plumas 
and Sierra Counties, will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) to treat noxious weeds on National Forest system lands under an 
integrated weed management approach. Actions proposed through this 
project focus on eradication or control of invasive species along roads 
over the next 10 years. The potentially affected areas includes 706 
known sites that cover 310 acres and additional roadside sites (within 
100 feet of roads) within the next ten years not previously identified. 
Treatment acres for new infestations would not exceed a total of 2,000 
acres over the 10-year period. The range of acres treated under the 
proposed action over the ten-year period would be 310 to 2,310. Up to 
five different control tactics would be prescribed for each infested 
area depending on phenology of a particular species, proximity to water 
and other sensitive resources, and size of infestation. Of the 310 
acres of current infestations: 4 Acres are being proposed to be treated 
by mechanical/hand control tactics, 34.5 acres with herbicides, 191.5 
acres with a combination of mechanical and herbicide tactics, and 80 
acres with a combination of mechanical, biocontrol and herbicide 
tactics. A variety of noxious weeds would be treated, including but not 
limited to Canada Thistle, Medusa head, Yellow star thistle, Scotch 
broom, Hariy whitetop, Dyer's Woad, Perennial Pepperweed, French broom, 
Spanish broom, and Spotted Knapweed.

DATES: Although comments will be accepted throughout any phase of this 
project, comments concerning the scope of the analysis would be helpful 
if received within 30 days of the date of publication of this notice in 
the Federal Register. The draft EIS is expected on March 2007 and the 
final EIS is expected July 2007.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Forest Supervisor James M. 
Pe[ntilde]a, Plumas National Forest, P.O. Box 11500, Quincy, CA 95971. 
Fax: (530) 283-7746. Comments may be: (1) Mailed to responsible 
official; (2) hand delivered between the hours of 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. 
weekdays Pacific Time; (3) faxed; or (4) electronically mailed to: 
[email protected]. Comments submitted 
electronically must be in Rich Text Format (.rtf).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: George Garcia, Project Coordinator, 
Supervisor's Office, Plumas National Forest (see address above).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Purpose and Need for Action

    The purpose of this project is to implement an integrated weed 
management approach along roadsides within the Plumas National Forest 
to meet the following desired conditions: (1) Contain, control and 
eradicate known weed infestations along roadsides to less than 10% of 
the total existing infested acres over the next 10 years; (2) contain, 
control and eradicate new weed infestation along roadsides over the 
next 10 years in order to have no net increase in roadside infestations 
over existing conditions.
    The goal of this project is to eradicate or contain current 
roadside weed populations while still small. This integrated weed 
management approach would help the Plumas National Forest meet the 
following resource needs: (1) Protection of Threatened, Endangered, 
Sensitive and Management Indicator species habitats (plants and 
animals); (2) protection of cultural properties (i.e., native grasses); 
(3) reduction of hazardous fuels that are created by invasive species 
(i.e., Broom spp.); (4) maintaining native forage and habitat for 
plants, terrestrial wildlife and aquatic species.

Proposed Action

    The Plumas National Forest, in cooperation with Butte, Plumas and 
Sierra Counties, proposes to treat noxious weeds on National Forest 
system lands under an integrated weed management approach. Actions 
proposed through this project focus on eradication or control of 
invasive species along roads over the next 10 years. The potentially 
affected area includes 706 known sites that cover 310 acres and 
additional roadside sites (within 100 feet of roads) within the next 
ten years not previously identified. Treatment of new infestations or 
occurrences would be prioritized considering funding, state and county 
rankings and potential for ecological impact and rate of spread. 
Treatment acres for new infestations would not exceed a total of 2,000 
acres over the 10-year period. The range of acres treated under the 
proposed action over the ten-year period would be 310 to 2,310. Ongoing 
inventories would confirm locations of specific noxious weeds and 
effectiveness of past treatments. The intent of the Proposed Action is 
to treat the current infestations, 310 acres, before they proliferate 
and invade new acres. Up to five different control tactics would be 
prescribed for each infested area depending on phenology of a 
particular species, proximity to water and other sensitive resources, 
and size of infestation. Of the 310 acres of current infestations: 4 
acres are being proposed to be treated by mechanical/hand control 
tactics, 34.5 acres with herbicides, 191.5 acres with a combination of 
mechanical and herbicide tactics, and 80 acres with a combination of 
mechanical, biocontrol and herbicide tactics. A variety of noxious 
weeds would be treated, including but not limited to Canada Thistle, 
Medusa head, Yellow star thistle, Scotch broom, Hairy whitetop, Dyer's 
Woad, Perennial Pepperweed, French broom, Spanish broom, and Spotted 
Knapweed.

Lead and Cooperating Agencies

    The Plumas National Forest is the lead federal agency for this 
project. County Agriculture Departments in Butte, Plumas and Sierra 
counties will assist the Forest in implementation of this action once a 
decision has been made.

Responsible Official

    Plumas National Forest, Forest Supervisor James M. Pe[ntilde]a, is 
the

[[Page 45766]]

Responsible Official for this EIS. James M. Pe[ntilde]a, Forest 
Supervisor, P.O. Box 11500, Quincy, CA 95971.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The Forest Supervisor will decide, based on the environmental 
analysis disclosed in this EIS, whether to implement the Proposed 
Action, another action alternative, or to implement the No Action 
Alternative in accordance with forest plan goals and desired future 
conditions. Indicator measures that will be considered in developing 
and evaluating the Proposed Action and Alternative include: (1) 
Effectiveness in treating noxious weed infestations, (2) potential 
adverse effects to human health and the environment, and (3) monetary 
costs and financial efficiency.

Scoping Process

    The Plumas National Forest will be conducting public scoping on the 
proposed action. Public scoping will consist of a letter to the 
Forest's mailing list requesting public input and comments on the 
proposed action, and any relevant issues the public may have with 
regard to the integrated weed management approach outlined under the 
Roadside Noxious Weed proposal. No public meetings for this proposed 
action are currently scheduled.

Comment Requested

    This notice of intent initiates the scoping process which guides 
the development of the environmental impact statement. Comments 
submitted to be specific to the proposed action and the treatments 
proposed.

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 
the draft environmental impact statement 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: August 3, 2006.
Terri Simon-Jackson,
Acting Forest Supervisor, Plumas National Forest.
[FR Doc. 06-6838 Filed 8-9-06; 8:45 am]
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