[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 37 (Monday, February 25, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9985-9987]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 08-800]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Shasta-Trinity National Forest, California; Algoma Vegetation and 
Road Management Project

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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

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SUMMARY: The Shasta-Trinity National Forest proposes to thin stands and 
remove accumulations of down wood (fuels) on approximately 5,300 acres 
of National Forest System lands. Trees in the project area would be 
thinned by removing a portion of the trees from overcrowded forest 
stands. Trees to be removed will generally be smaller in size than 
trees that will be retained. In some stands, trees to be removed would 
be those infected with disease or insects. Young tree seedings would be 
planted in any openings created in these areas. A roads analysis will 
be prepared to identify management opportunities (road closures and 
improvements) for the road system within the proposed project area. The 
project area is in T40N, R1W & R1E, MDM and T39N, R1W & R1E MDM, about 
10 miles east of the town of McCloud, California. The project area is 
zoned by the Forest Land and Resource Management Plan as Late-
Successional Reserve. About 15 percent of the area is zoned as Riparian 
Reserve (wetlands, areas adjacent to streams and unstable areas).

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 May 2008 and the final environmental impact statement is expected in 
September 2008.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to District Ranger Michael Hupp, 
Shasta-McCloud Management Unit, 204 W. Alma St., Mt. Shasta, California 
96067. Electronic comments can be sent via e-mail to: comments-pacificsouthwest-shasta-trinity-mtshasta-mccloud@fs.fed.us.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ricardo Velarde, McCloud Ranger 
Station, P.O. Box 1620, McCloud, California 96057, telephone (530) 964-
3770 or via e-mail at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Purpose and Need for Action

    The purpose of the proposed action is to protect and enhance 
conditions of late-successional forest ecosystems, which serve as 
habitat for late-successional and old-growth related species, including 
the northern spotted owl.
    Fire exclusion over the last 100 years has led to dense forest 
conditions and excessive ground fuels. The overcrowded conditions have 
had a negative impact on tree vigor and forest health. Increased 
competition for available resources, such as water, nutrients and 
sunlight has made trees

[[Page 9986]]

more susceptible to drought, disease and insect infestation. A dense 
understory of trees coupled with an accumulation of ground fuels 
increases the chances of a wildfire reaching the forest canopy and 
spreading. These conditions limit and delay the development of early-
successional and mid-successional stands towards late-successional 
forest conditions and place existing late-successional forest habitat 
at risk.
    There is a need to reduce tree density in older tree plantations 
and natural forest stands where overcrowded conditions exist. Thinning 
will reduce competition and make additional resources available to 
remaining trees, resulting in improved tree vigor and greater 
resistance to drought, disease and insects. Furthermore, the use of 
variable thinning treatments to promote structural and age variability 
within stands will accelerate their development towards late-
successional forest conditions and, consequently, enhance habitat in 
the project area.
    There is a need to break the current cycle of re-infection in areas 
heavily infected by black stain root disease. Sanitizing (removing) 
dead and dying trees will remove the source of infection from affected 
areas. Replanting with a mix of species will enhance diversity and aid 
in breaking the disease cycle within the project area protecting both 
developing and existing late-successional forest habitat.
    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. Fuel treatments will reduce fuel loads and reduce the chances 
of a wildfire destroying late-successional forest habitat in the 
project area.

Proposed Action

    The proposed action is to thin on approximately 5,300 acres. In all 
thinning treatments, trees will be thinned to a density that is 
appropriate for the species, age and site. The smaller trees will 
generally be removed from the stand leaving the healthier dominant and 
co-dominant trees at an appropriate stocking level.
    (a) On approximately 1,050 acres of 25-40 year old ponderosa pine 
plantations, trees will be thinned to a variable spacing, generally by 
removing the smaller trees.
    (b) On approximately 2,900 acres of 50-85 year old mixed conifer 
and ponderosa pine stands, trees will be thinned from below to a 
density that is appropriate for the species, age and site. The smaller 
trees will generally be removed from the stand leaving the healthier 
dominant and co-dominant trees at an appropriate stocking level. 
Interspersed among some of the treated areas will be unthinned patches 
of trees and areas of black oak release, intended to provide structural 
diversity and variability on the landscape. Up to 15% of the resultant 
area would be left in unthinned patches.
    (c) On approximately 1,050 acres of 75 year old ponderosa pine and 
mixed conifer stands with areas of heavy mortality from root disease, 
trees will be thinned as described in ``b'' above. In addition, there 
will be sanitation treatments in those stands that are heavily infected 
with root disease, in which dead, dying and 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 species 
to increase diversity.
    (d) On approximately 300 acres of 50-75 year old ponderosa pine and 
mixed conifer stands, trees will be thinned using an uneven-aged, 
single-tree-selection method. The objective is to create stands 
composed of trees in a wide range of diameter classes to promote 
greater structural and age variability.
    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 saw 
logs. All fresh conifer stumps greater than 14 inches will be treated 
with borax to prevent the spread of annosus root disease. Whole tree 
removal will be used wherever possible to minimize the accumulation of 
additional ground fuels. Excess ground fuels will be treated by 
mastication, removal and utilization, or piling and burning. After 
harvest prescribed fire may be used in units that are deemed suitable. 
Treatment will be deferred on approximately 4,100 acres within the 
project area. These areas are experiencing northern spotted owl 
nesting/roosting activity or currently have suitable nesting stand 
structure and composition characteristics.
    Hardwoods, particularly black oaks, will be enhanced in select 
areas. Encroaching conifers will be thinned away from hardwoods that 
are healthy, well established and likely to benefit from treatment.
    Riparian Reserves will be treated in limited areas to improve, 
maintain or protect late-successional forest habitat conditions. 
Project related actions within Riparian Reserves will meet the 
objectives of the Aquatic Conservation Strategy in the Shasta-Trinity 
National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan.
    To meet management objectives, this project may include the 
construction of approximately 2 miles of temporary short length roads, 
the reconstruction of approximately 21 miles of road and the closure or 
decommissioning of approximately 25 miles of road. Decisions involving 
roads will be based on a roads analysis for the project area. An inter-
disciplinary team will evaluate current road conditions and weigh the 
risks and benefits of any changes to the existing road system.

Lead and Cooperating Agencies

    Lead Agency: USDA, Forest Service.

Responsible Official

    J. Sharon Heywood, Forest Supervisor, Shasta-Trinity National 
Forest.

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.

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 includes:
    (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 
actions and alternatives.
    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

[[Page 9987]]

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 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 Hereitages, 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. Timely submittal of comments 
and objections to the Forest Service ensures they can be meaningfully 
considered and responded to 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.
    In addressing these points, 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.
    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: February 14, 2008.
J. Sharon Heywood,
Forest Supervisor, Shasta-Trinity National Forest.
[FR Doc. 08-800 Filed 2-22-08; 8:45 am]
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