[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 73 (Tuesday, April 15, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20242-20243]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-7838]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
 or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 73 / Tuesday, April 15, 2008 / 
Notices  

[[Page 20242]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Ochoco National Forest, Paulina Ranger District; Oregon; Upper 
Beaver Creek Vegetation Management Project

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impactstatement.

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SUMMARY: The USDA Forest Service is proposing to conduct timber 
harvest, noncommercial thinning, and fuels reduction activities in the 
Upper Beaver Creek Watershed. The project area covers approximately 
37,000 acres.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received 
by May 16, 2008. The draft environmental impact statement is expected 
by September 2008 and the final environmental impact statement is 
expected in March 2009.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Mike Lawrence, District Ranger, 
Paulina Ranger District, Ochoco National Forest, 7803 Beaver Creek 
Road, Paulina, Oregon 97751. Alternately, electronic comments can be 
sent to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Janis Bouma, Project Leader, at the 
address listed above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Purpose and Need for Action

    The purpose and need for this proposal is to (1) Move vegetation 
seral/structural stages toward their historic range of variability and 
to increase large woody debris recruitment and hardwood plant 
composition within Riparian Habitat Conservation Areas (RHCAs); (2) 
Move Fire Regimes toward their historic range of variability by 
maintaining low intensity fire conditions and decreasing high intensity 
fire conditions across the project area; and (3) Provide wood products 
to contribute to the health of the local and regional economies, and 
provide opportunities for employment and income.

Proposed Action

    The Paulina Ranger District is proposing to manage vegetation 
through commercial timber harvest, noncommercial thinning, and fuel 
reduction activities. The proposed action includes approximately 2,923 
acres of commercial harvest and 8,337 acres of noncommercial thinning. 
Fuel reduction activities include approximately 11,259 acres of 
prescribed fire to reduce fuels from management activities in this 
project and past projects, 5,243 acres of fire to maintain low 
intensity fuel levels, and 1,341 acres of fire to reduce ladder and 
surface fuels in untreated vegetation areas. Approximately 2,500 acres 
of grapple piling would be completed. Construction of a shaded fuel 
break approximately 600 feet along each side of the Summit Trail 
(approximately 450 acres) is proposed in order to protect the historic 
value of the Summit Trail and to provide for future firefighter safety. 
Commercial harvest includes tractor, skyline, and helicopter logging 
systems. Areas identified as tractor logging are areas where heavy 
equipment, such as logging tractors/skidders, will be used to remove a 
commercial product. Approximately two miles of temporary roads would be 
constructed. No new roads would be constructed and roads that are 
reopened would be closed after harvest activities are complete.

Possible Alternatives

    At this time, the Forest Service is considering at least three 
alternatives. The no action alternative is the baseline for comparison 
and will analyze the effects of natural processes along with ongoing 
activities such as road maintenance and recreation use. Ongoing 
activities, such as road maintenance, noxious weeds treatments, and 
recreational use, would continue. Access for public and administrative 
purposes would continue on the existing transportation system. 
Alternative 2, the proposed action, will analyze the effects of timber 
harvest, noncommercial thinning, and prescribed fire activities. A 
third alternative being considered at this time is similar to 
Alternative 2; however, it would analyze treatment of the maximum 
number of acres to meet the purpose and need while meeting Forest Plan 
standards and guidelines. The action alternatives will examine 
combinations and degrees of activities to meet the purpose of and need 
for action and concerns stated during the public scoping process.

Responsible Official

    The responsible official for this project is Jeff Walter, Forest 
Supervisor, Ochoco National Forest, 3160 NE., Third Street, Prineville, 
Oregon 97754.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The Forest Supervisor will decide whether to conduct timber 
harvest, noncommercial thinning, and prescribe fire treatments within 
the Upper Beaver Creek project area. The decision will be based on the 
information disclosed in the EIS, and the goals, objectives, and 
desired future conditions as stated in the Forest Plan as amended. The 
responsible official will consider significant issues, public comments, 
environmental consequences, and compliance with applicable laws, 
regulations, and policies in making his decision. The responsible 
official will also determine whether to amend the Forest Plan to allow: 
(1) Prescribed fire treatments in old growth areas and (2) moving 
designated old growth areas to areas more suited as old growth habitat. 
The rationale for the decision will be stated in the Record of Decision 
for the project.

Scoping Process

    The Paulina Ranger District intends to scope for information by 
mailing letters to adjacent landowners, persons, and organizations 
interested or potentially affected by the proposed action. Meetings may 
be conducted with interested individuals and groups to further explain 
and clarify the proposal and project area resources and receive 
comments. This project will be included in the Ochoco National Forest 
Quarterly Schedule of Proposed Actions for the duration of the 
environmental analysis.

Preliminary Issues

    The Paulina Ranger District has identified five preliminary issues 
related to the proposed action. They are: (1) Removal of trees would 
cause changes to connectivity corridors; (2)

[[Page 20243]]

Proposed activities could cause changes to goshawk nest stands; (3) 
Proposed activities in Riparian Habitat Conservation Areas could 
increase sediment and cause a decline in water quality. Commercial 
harvest and noncommercial thinning could also cause a reduction in 
shade on streams and cause an increase in stream temperatures; (4) 
Equipment use during harvest activities and connected actions could 
change soil productivity; and (5) Prescribed fire treatments would 
cause changes to ground nesting habitat for migratory and sensitive 
land birds.

Comment Requested

    This notice of intent is part of the scoping process that will 
guide the development of the environmental impact statement. The 
primary purpose of scoping is to gather public comments, issues, and 
concerns regarding the proposed action. Comments, issues, and concerns 
may be used to formulate alternatives. Comments are most helpful if 
they are as specific as possible and relate to the proposed action. 
Comments should include the name, address, and, if possible, telephone 
number of the commenter. Electronic comments must be submitted as part 
of the actual e-mail message, or as an attachment in plain text (.txt), 
Microsoft Word (.doc), rich text format (.rtf), or portable document 
format (.pdf). Comments received in response to this solicitation, 
including the names and addresses of those who comment, will be 
considered part of the public record and will be available for public 
inspection.

Early Notice of Importance of Public Participation in Subsequent 
Environmental Review

    A draft environmental impact statement will be prepared and made 
available 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 
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 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.

    Dated: April 8, 2008.
Jeff Walter,
Forest Supervisor, Ochoco National Forest.
[FR Doc. E8-7838 Filed 4-14-08; 8:45 am]
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