[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 243 (Wednesday, December 17, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 76608-76609]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-29706]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Six Rivers National Forest, Mad River Ranger District, Ruth, 
California, Beaverslide Timber Sale and Fuel Treatment Project

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Forest Service is proposing the Beaverslide Timber Sale 
and Fuel Treatment Project to provide timber products to local 
economies and to reduce hazardous fuels in strategically located high-
risk areas around communities in the vicinity of Ruth, California. The 
Beaverslide planning area encompasses approximately 13,236 acres; 
11,757 acres are National Forest System (NFS) lands and 1,479 acres are 
in private ownership. The project would treat approximately 5,500 acres 
of NFS lands by harvesting timber through thinning on approximately 
2,800 acres, and reducing fuels on an additional 2,700 acres.
    The proposed project would take place within the Upper Mad River 
watershed on NFS lands administered by the Mad River Ranger District in 
Trinity County, California. The legal location includes portions of the 
following townships: Township 2 South, Range 7 East; Township 2 South, 
Range 8 East; and Township 3 South, Range 7 East; Township 3 South, 
Range 8 East, Humboldt Baseline and Meridian, and Township 26 North, 
Range 12 West; Township 27 North, Range 12 West, Mount Diablo Baseline 
and Meridian.

DATES: Scoping for this project is planned for December 2008. The draft 
environmental impact statement is expected by February 2009 and the 
final environmental impact statement is expected in June 2009.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to: Thomas Hudson; Mad River Ranger 
District; 741 State Highway 36; Bridgeville, CA 95526. Comments may 
also be sent via e-mail to [email protected], attention of the Beaverslide Project or via facsimile 
to (707) 574-6273.
    Comments received in response to this solicitation, including names 
and addresses of those who comment, will be part of the public record 
for this proposed action. Comments submitted anonymously will be 
accepted and considered; however, anonymous comments will not provide 
the respondent with standing to appeal the subsequent decision.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas Hudson; Mad River Ranger 
District; 741 State Highway 36; Bridgeville, CA 95526 or by telephone 
at (707)-574-6233.
    Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD) 
may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 
between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    The Beaverslide Timber Sale and Fuel Treatment Project is designed 
to contribute timber commodity outputs in support of the Six Rivers 
Forest National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (LRMP). One of 
the goals of the LRMP is to provide a stable supply of outputs and 
services that contribute to local, regional, and national social and 
economic needs. The Six Rivers National Forest seeks to provide a 
sustainable, predictable, long-term timber supply for local economies 
(LRMP p. II-2).
    The project area also occurs within the wildland-urban interface 
(WUI) for communities in the vicinity of Ruth, California. In 2005, the 
Trinity County Fire Safe Council completed a

[[Page 76609]]

Community Wildfire Protection Plan to address the fire risk surrounding 
these communities. There are several homes and businesses in the area 
that are within the WUI. Fuel hazards are moderate but fire risk 
relative to human safety and property is high due to the number of 
people in the area. The project is designed to reduce fire hazard and 
risk to the community.

Purpose and Need for Action

    Given Forest goals, and environmental conditions within the 
planning area, the Purpose and Need for the proposed action is to:
     Provide timber commodities that contribute towards the 
Forest's goal to provide a sustainable, predictable, long-term timber 
supply for local economies; and
     Reduce fuel loading in strategic locations to improve fire 
protection and human safety around communities in the vicinity of Ruth, 
California.
    Within the context of meeting the purpose and need, there would be 
opportunities for fuelwood or biomass utilization associated with 
proposed activities.

Proposed Action

    The proposed action is designed to meet the project's purpose and 
need while meeting the standards and guidelines of the LRMP. The 
Beaverslide Timber Sale and Fuel Treatment Project would treat 
vegetation to provide commodities and reduce hazardous fuel conditions.
    1. Approximately 20-30 million board feet (MMBF) of timber would be 
harvested from approximately 2,800 acres within 95 treatment units. 
Harvesting would be accomplished by utilizing ground-based, skyline, 
and helicopter logging systems.
    Actions connected with commercial timber harvest include:
     Treating harvest activity generated fuel;
     Constructing approximately 5.4 miles of new temporary 
road, and re-opening/re-utilizing approximately 2.9 miles of existing 
non-system roads;
     Constructing new landings and reutilization of existing 
landings;
     Hauling of commercial timber products on County Road 504 
and Forest Service System roads within the planning area;
     Felling and removal, where appropriate, of hazard trees 
along haul routes; and
     Decommissioning, maintaining, and reconstructing roads as 
needed.
    2. Fuel loading would be reduced on approximately 2,700 acres 
within 20 fuel treatment units and 7 strategic fuel treatment 
corridors.

Responsible Official

    The responsible official will be the Forest Supervisor for the Six 
Rivers National Forest.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The responsible official will consider the comments, response, 
disclosure of environmental consequences, and applicable laws, 
regulations, and policies in making the decision and stating the 
rationale in the Record of Decision.

Scoping Process

    This notice of intent initiates the scoping process, which guides 
the development of the environmental impact statement. Public scoping 
will include notices in the newspaper of record and mailings of the 
scoping package to interested and affected parties and posting of the 
project on the agency's project planning web page and notice in the 
agency's quarterly Schedule of Proposed Action. A preliminary scoping 
package was mailed to interested and affected parties in October 2008.
    It is important that reviewers provide their comments at such times 
and in such manner that they are useful to the agency's preparation of 
the environmental impact statement. Therefore, comments should be 
provided prior to the close of the comment period and should clearly 
articulate the reviewer's concerns and contentions. The submission of 
timely and specific comments can affect a reviewer's ability to 
participate in subsequent administrative appeal or judicial review.

    Dated: December 10, 2008.
Tyrone Kelley,
Forest Supervisor, Six Rivers National Forest.
 [FR Doc. E8-29706 Filed 12-16-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P