[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 78 (Tuesday, April 24, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20319-20321]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-2018]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Shasta-Trinity National Forest, California Mudflow Vegetation 
Management Project

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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

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SUMMARY: Shasta-Trinity National Forest proposes to harvest timber and 
remove accumulations of down wood (fuels) on approximately 2900 acres 
of National Forest System lands. Trees on about 80% of the area would 
be thinned by removing a portion of the trees from overcrowded forest 
stands. Trees removed would be those infected with disease or insects 
and those generally smaller in size than trees that will be retained. 
Most of the trees on approximately 15% of the area are infected by root 
disease and insects and would be removed. Young tree seedlings would be 
planted in the openings created in these areas. Encroaching conifers 
will be removed from the remaining 5% of the area to restore and 
maintain wet meadow characteristics in a condition that existed in the 
past. The majority of project area is within township T40N, R2W, MDM 
with minor inclusions in T39N, R2W and T40N, R3W, MDM. The project is 
located immediately north and east of the town of McCloud, California. 
The Forest Land and Resource Management Plan has allocated portions of 
the project area to Late-Successional Reserves and Special Area 
Management (Research Natural Area) with the remainder designated as 
Matrix lands. About five percent of the area is zoned as Riparian 
Reserve (wetlands and areas adjacent to streams).

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis should be received 
no later than 30 days after the publication of this notice in the 
Federal Register. The draft environmental impact statement is expected 
in June 2007 and the final environmental impact statement is expected 
in September 2007.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to District Ranger Michael Hupp, 
Shasta-McCloud Management Unit, 204 W. Alma Street, Mt. Shasta, 
California 96067.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dusty Miller, McCloud Ranger Station, 
P.O. Box 1620, McCloud, California 96057, telephone (530) 964-3771 or 
via e-mail at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Purpose and Need for Action

    A century of fire exclusion in the project area has resulted in 
overcrowded forest conditions and the loss of wet meadow habitat. 
Overcrowded conditions in forested areas have reduced tree vigor, 
reduced the proportion of hardwoods in forested areas and promoted the 
spread of root diseases. In the absence of fire, an understory of 
shrubs and small trees has developed which can act as a fuel ladder and 
carry fire into the forest canopy resulting in the loss of forest 
habitat. The lack of fire has resulted in accumulations of ground fuels 
which also increases the likelihood of flames reaching the canopy 
layer. The purpose of this project is to meet Forest Plan objectives by 
restoring forest ecosystem health within the project area through a 
variety of management activities.
    There is a need to reduce tree density in areas where overcrowded 
forest conditions currently exist. Thinning will improve the health of 
these forest areas by making more water, nutrients and sunlight 
available for use by the remaining trees with a subsequent improvement 
in the ability of trees to withstand insects, pathogens and drought. 
Removing small trees from the understory will remove ladder fuels that 
may otherwise carry fire from the ground into the forest canopy if 
wildfire occurs. This is important because it will leave the treated 
stands in a more sustainable, healthy condition. There is a need to 
break the current cycle of re-infection in areas heavily infected by 
root diseases. The removal of groups of diseased trees will remove the 
source of infection from affected areas. Re-planting with conifer 
species suited to the specific root disease problems identified at each 
site will reestablish live trees. This is important because it will 
reduce future tree mortality and slow or stop the spread of root 
diseases in the project area.
    There is a need to reduce accumulations of ground fuels to levels 
where flames are not likely to reach the canopy layer in case of 
wildfire. Machine piling and burning will reduce fuel loads in 
treatment areas while still meeting other resource needs. This is 
important because it will reduce the probability of stand replacing 
wildfires. There is a need to restore the historic size, continuity, 
and function of wet meadow ecosystems in the project area. Encroaching 
conifers will be removed from areas that were historically meadows and 
where trees may not be sustainable due to mortality resulting from 
fluctuating water tables. The removal of competing conifers will 
promote the development of naturally occurring hardwoods and meadow 
vegetation. Restoration activities will return meadows to conditions 
that will allow the reintroduction of fire to maintain natural 
ecosystem function. This is important because meadows provide 
significant water storage and biodiversity.
    There is a need to provide for the long-term sustainability of 
hardwoods in the landscape. In dense mixed conifer/hardwood forests, 
the abundance and vigor of hardwoods is declining as overtopping 
conifers block necessary sunlight. Treatments in such areas will 
emphasize the removal of some competing conifers to provide growing 
space and sunlight for overtopped hardwoods. In dense mature oak stands 
with little reproduction, oak trees will be thinned to promote growth 
and encourage stump sprouting. In areas where the surrounding conifer 
forest has encroached and replaced historic aspen stands, most conifer 
trees will be removed to allow residual aspen trees to reclaim the 
site. This is important because hardwoods provide valuable wildlife 
habitat and stand diversity and are important in Native American 
traditions.

Proposed Action

    The project will include the following treatments:
    1. Thinning treatments on approximately 2100 acres.
    In all thinning treatments, trees will be thinned to a spacing that 
is

[[Page 20320]]

appropriate for the species, age, and site. The smallest trees will 
generally be removed from the stand leaving the healthiest dominant 
trees.
    a. On approximately 350 acres of 25-45 year old ponderosa pine 
plantations, trees will be thinned to a spacing of approximately 20-30 
feet by generally removing the smallest trees.
    b. On approximately 1100 acres of 75-95 year old mixed conifer 
forest, trees will be thinned to a spacing that is appropriate for the 
species, age, and site. The smallest trees will generally be removed 
from the stand leaving the healthiest dominant trees.
    c. On approximately 250 acres of 75-95 year old mixed conifer and 
ponderosa pine forest, dense stands of trees will be thinned but groups 
of trees will also be harvested on 20% of the area to create 1.5 to 3.5 
acre openings. These openings will be concentrated in areas of heavy 
mortality and will be replanted with a mix of species determined to be 
appropriate for the site. The remaining 80% of the area will be thinned 
as described in ``b'' above to promote the health and growth of the 
trees. Group selection is applied as an uneven-aged silvicultural 
treatment intended to regenerate forest stands gradually over time and 
to develop stand structure and age diversity.
    d. On approximately 400 acres of 75-95 year old mixed conifer 
forest with pockets of root disease, trees will be thinned as described 
in ``b'' above. In addition, all dead, dying, and diseased trees in 
pockets infected with root disease will be removed unless they are 
needed to meet other resource needs. Resulting openings will be 
replanted with species resistant to the specific root disease found at 
the site.
    2. Shaded fuelbreak on approximately 120 acres.
    A 100-meter wide shaded fuelbreak will be established along the 
eastern perimeter of the Shasta Mudflow Research Natural Area (RNA). 
The crowns of overstory trees will be spaced to reduce the risk of 
wildfire entering or leaving the RNA. Understory trees and brush will 
be removed or spaced to eliminate fuel ladders which can carry ground 
fire into the forest canopy.
    3. Sanitation treatments on approximately 350 acres.
    On approximately 350 acres, understocked ponderosa pine forests 
that are heavily infected with root disease will be sanitized. All 
infected trees will be removed from the site to break the cycle of re-
infection. Resulting understocked areas will be replanted with an 
appropriate mix of conifer species suited to the specific root disease 
problems identified at each site. There are insufficient large healthy 
trees on approximately 200 acres to meet standards and guidelines for 
Reserve Trees; therefore, a site specific forest plan amendment will be 
required. Excess ground fuels will be piled and burned.
    4. Regeneration treatments on approximately 100 acres.
    On approximately 100 acres, understocked ponderosa pine forests 
resulting from continuing mortality due to root disease will be 
regenerated with reserve trees retained on 15% of the area. Reserve 
trees will be selected with an emphasis on retaining the largest and 
oldest trees and those species resistant to the specific root diseases 
identified at each site. Existing healthy natural reproduction will be 
retained wherever possible. All other trees will be removed. 
Accumulations of dead and down trees and ground fuels will be piled and 
burned. These areas will be replanted with a mix of species determined 
to be appropriate for the site.
    5. Meadow and wetland restoration on approximately 200 acres.
    On approximately 200 acres, vegetation will be treated to restore 
and maintain wet meadow ecosystems in a size and condition observed in 
the earliest available aerial photography and using existing plant 
communities as a indicator of areas suitable for meadow restoration. 
Encroaching smaller conifers, generally less than 80 years old, will be 
removed to enhance hardwoods and riparian vegetation and to restore 
natural functioning of the meadow ecosystem. Scattered large overstory 
trees will be retained. Fuels will be modified to allow the future use 
of prescribed fire to maintain meadows in their naturally occurring 
condition.
    6. Hardwood thinning on approximately 50 acres.
    On approximately 50 acres of black oak stands, overcrowded oak 
clumps will be thinned to promote growth and prevent future decline of 
the hardwood habitat type in the area. Suppressed and understory oak 
stems will be removed where trees are obviously overcrowded. Some 
competing conifers will be removed to promote development of black oak.
    On all proposed treatments, excess trees will be removed as 
commercial wood products wherever possible. Small-diameter trees will 
be removed as wood chips while larger trees will be removed as sawlogs. 
Whole tree removal will be used wherever possible to minimize the 
accumulation of additional ground fuels. Heavy concentrations of down 
wood will be reduced by tractor piling and burning. All fresh conifer 
stumps greater than 14 inches in diameter will be treated with borax to 
prevent the spread of annosus root disease.
    The project may include the construction of short lengths of 
temporary road and the closure or decommissioning of other roads.
    Anticipated timber harvest outputs from this project are 
approximately 20-25 thousand CCF (10-15 MMBF) of sawlog products plus 
approximately 1,500 tons of wood chips.

Lead and Cooperating Agencies

    Lead Agency: USDA, Forest Service.

Responsible Official

    J. Sharon Heywood, Forest Supervisor, Shasta-Trinity National 
Forest, 3644 Avtech Parkway, Redding, CA 96002.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The Forest Supervisor will decide whether to implement the proposed 
action, take an alternative action that meets the purpose and need, or 
take no action.
    A non-significant Forest Plan amendment regarding the green-tree 
retention standard and guideline will be part of this decision to 
address deteriorating forest conditions in large areas of dead and 
dying trees resulting from root disease.

Scoping Process

    The project is included in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest's 
quarterly schedule of proposed actions (SOPA). Information on the 
proposed action will also be posted on the Forest Web site, http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/shastatrinity/projects, and advertised in both the 
Redding Record Searchlight and the Mount Shasta Herald. This notice of 
intent initiates the scoping process, which guides the development of 
the environmental impact statement. Comments submitted during this 
scoping process should be in writing and should be specific to the 
proposed action. The comments should describe as clearly and completely 
as possible any issues the commenter has with the proposal. The scoping 
process include:
    (a) Identifying potential issues.
    (b) Identifying issues to be analyzed in depth.
    (c) Eliminating non-significant issues or those previously covered 
by a relevant previous environmental analysis.
    (d) Exploring additional alternatives.
    (e) Identifying potential environmental effects of the proposed 
action and alternatives.

[[Page 20321]]

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 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 
dismissed by the courts. (City of Angoon v. Hodel, 803 F.2d 1016, 1022 
(9th Cir. 1986) and Wisconsin Heritage, 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 thus ensuring 
substantive comments and objections are 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: April 4, 2007.
J. Sharon Heywood,
Forest Supervisor, Shasta-Trinity National Forest.
[FR Doc. 07-2018 Filed 4-23-07; 8:45 am]
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