[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 241 (Friday, December 15, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75476-75477]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-9686]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Spruce Creek Project, Boise National Forest, Idaho

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of Intent To Prepare Environmental Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY: The Cascade Ranger District of the Boise National Forest will 
prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) for a resource 
management project in the Gold Fork River drainage. The entire project 
is located in the watersheds that drain into the Gold Fork River, which 
in turn drains into Cascade Reservoir. The 9,997 acre project area is 
located 10 miles northeast of Cascade, Idaho, and about 120 miles north 
of Boise, Idaho.
    The agency invites written comments and suggestions on the scope of 
the analysis. The agency also hereby gives notice of the environmental 
analysis and decisionmaking process that will occur on the proposal so 
interested and affected people are aware of how they may participate 
and contribute to the final decision. At this time no public meetings 
to discuss the project are planned.
    Proposed Action: Eight objectives have been identified for the 
project: (1) Retain the existing size class of stands currently 
identified as large tree and manipulate the structure of small and 
medium tree size class stands to accelerate their movement towards the 
large tree size class, thereby retaining and potentially contributing 
to habitat for some terrestrial wildlife species associated with large 
tree size class; (2) Reduce the densities of stands currently 
identified as large tree size class in order to maintain or restore 
canopy closures within desired conditions, and to potentially 
contribute to habitat for those terrestrial wildlife species associated 
with large tree size class stands with low to moderate canopy closures; 
(3) Consistent with the particular habitat type, discriminate against 
shade tolerant species such as grand fir and subalpine fir and 
encourage retention and recruitment of seral species; (4) Relative to 
Douglas-fir beetle, mountain pine beetle, western pine beetle, western 
spruce budworm, and/or dwarf mistletoe, manipulate the structures, 
densities, and compositions of stands in order to maintain a low or 
moderate susceptibility level, or to decrease susceptibility to a low 
or moderate level; (5) Maintain or restore aspen and immature whitebark 
pine by eliminating competition with other conifer species; (6) Improve 
long term stand growth to or near levels indicative of sustainable 
forests; (7) Provide wood products to support local and regional 
economies; and; (8) Stabilize the cutslope failure on the 498 
road.
    The Proposed Action would implement silvicultural activities, 
including thinning of sub-merchantable trees, aspen enhancement, and 
whitebark pine enhancement, on 2,702 acres. An estimated 9.0 MMbf would 
be removed using tractor, off-road jammer, skyline, and helicopter 
yarding systems. The Proposed Action would employ a variety of 
silvicultural prescriptions including clearcut with reserve trees, 
commercial thin, improvement cut, irregular shelterwood, individual 
tree selection, sanitation, thinning of sub-merchantable trees, aspen 
enhancement, and whitebark pine enhancement.
    Road maintenance activities would occur on an estimated 0.4 miles 
of existing road under this alternative. Specifically, one under-sized 
culvert along the 402 road would be replaced with a culvert 
sufficient in size to accommodate a 100-year flow event; a series of 
drive-through dips would be installed on the 402F1 road to 
prevent erosion; a culvert would be installed on the 402F road 
to facilitate silvicultural activities, and; an existing slump on the 
cutslope along the 498 road would be stabilized.
    Roughly 1.1 miles of temporary road would be constructed to 
facilitate harvest activities and six helicopter landings constructed. 
Post-implementation management of the existing transportation system 
within the project area would not change under this alternative. All 
existing road restrictions would be reinstated upon completion of 
harvest activities.
    Preliminary Issues: Preliminary concerns with the Proposed Action 
include potential impacts on water quality and terrestrial wildlife 
species.
    Possible Alternatives to the Proposed Action: One alternative to 
the Proposed Action that has been discussed thus far is a no action 
alternative. Other alternatives will likely be developed as issues are 
identified and information received.
    Decisions to be Made: The Boise National Forest Supervisor will 
decide the following: (1) Should vegetation be managed within the 
project area at this time, and if so, which stands should be treated 
and what silvicultural systems applied? (2) Should temporary roads be 
built at this time, and if so, how many miles should be built and where 
should they occur within the project area? (3) Should aspen and 
immature whitebark pine be enhanced by eliminating competing conifer 
species, and if so, where within the project area? (4) Should 
identified road maintenance activities occur on portions of roads 
402, 402F1, 402F, and 498 at this 
time? (5) What design features, mitigation measures, and/or monitoring 
should be applied to the project?

DATES: Comments concerning the proposed project and analysis are 
encouraged and should be postmarked or received within 30 days 
following publication of this announcement in the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to the Cascade Ranger District, 
ATTN: Keith Dimmett, P.O. Box 696, Cascade, ID 83611 or sent 
electronically to [email protected]. Electronic 
comments must be submitted in plain text or another format compatible 
with Microsoft Word. Comments may also be delivered to the above 
address during regular business hours of 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday-
Friday. Comments can also be submitted by phone at 208-382-7400 or FAX 
to 208-382-7480. Comments received in response to this request will be 
available for public inspection and will be released in their

[[Page 75477]]

entirety if requested pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Further information can be obtained 
from Keith Dimmett at the address mentioned above or by calling 208-
382-7400.
    Schedule: Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS), April 2007. 
Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS), June 2007.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: An estimated 3,000 acres of the Needles 
Inventoried Roadless Area (IRA) lie within the Spruce Creek Project 
Area. With the exception of a portion of the whitebark pine enhancement 
treatments, none of the activities associated with the Proposed Action 
would occur within any IRA.
    The entire project area drains into the Gold Fork River and, 
although there are no 303(d)/305(b) listed streams within the project 
area, that segment of the Gold Fork River immediately downstream of the 
project area is identified as a water quality limited waterbody. The 
pollutant of concern is phosphorus. A TMDL is currently in place and 
addresses the entire length of the Gold Fork River.
    The entire project area lies within Management Area 18 (Cascade 
Reservoir), discussed on pages III-302 through III-315 in the Forest 
Plan. Several Management Prescription Categories (MPCs) apply within 
this management area. However, only MPC 4.1c and 5.2 occur within the 
project area. With the exception of a portion of the whitebark pine 
enhancement treatments, the Proposed Action includes management 
activities within MPC 5.2 only.
    The comment period on the DEIS 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 DEIS 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 DEIS stage but are not raised until after 
completion of the FEIS may be waived or dismissed by the courts. City 
of Angoon v. Hodel, 803 F. 2d 1016, 1002 (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 DEIS 
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 FEIS.
    To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues 
and concerns on the proposed action, comments on the DEIS should be as 
specific as possible. It is also helpful if comments refer to specific 
pages or chapters of the draft 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.
    Responsible Official: Frank V. Guzman, Deputy Forest Supervisor, 
Boise National Forest, 1249 South Vinnell Way, Suite 200, Boise, ID 
83709.

    Dated: December 1, 2006.
Frank V. Guzman,
Deputy Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 06-9686 Filed 12-14-06; 8:45 am]
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