[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 155 (Thursday, August 12, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48927-48928]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-19797]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Sierra National Forest, Bass Lake Ranger District, California, 
Fish Camp Project

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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

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SUMMARY: The Sierra National Forest, Bass Lake Ranger District is 
proposing to conduct a comprehensive series of treatments near a 
Wildland-Urban Interface area known as the community of Fish Camp. 
Strategically Placed Landscape Area Treatments (SPLATs) have been 
initially identified to provide a means to reduce the intensity and 
spread of wildland fires across the landscape and near communities. 
Additional treatments within these SPLATs have been identified where 
forest stands are densely stocked and thinning is needed. This thinning 
is needed to reduce inter-tree competition and improve tree vigor and 
increase stand resistance to drought conditions, insect and disease 
attack.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of this analysis should be 
received no later than 30 days after the publication of this notice in 
the Federal Register. The draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) 
is expected in November 2010 and the final environmental impact 
statement (FEIS) is expected in March 2011.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to U.S. Forest Service, Sierra 
National Forest, Bass Lake Ranger District, 57003 Road 225, North Fork, 
CA 93643, Attn: David Martin. Comments may also be sent via e-mail to 
[email protected] (use Rich Text format (.rtf) 
or Word format (.doc)) or via facsimile to (559) 877-3308.
    It is important that reviewers provide their comments at such times 
and in such a way that they are useful to the Agency's preparation of 
the EIS. Therefore, comments should be provided prior to the close of 
the comment period and should clearly articulate the reviewer's 
concerns and contentions.
    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. However comments submitted anonymously will 
be accepted and considered.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mark Lemon, Interdisciplinary Team 
Leader, at Sierra National Forest, Bass Lake Ranger District, 57003 
Road 225, North Fork, CA 93643. 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:
    Background Information: The Fish Camp Project (Madera and Mariposa 
Counties, California) lies within the Big Creek watershed, where during 
the period before significant Euro-American influence, natural fires 
occurred frequently and were of low intensity with return intervals 
ranging from five to 10 years. During the past century, management 
activities (including harvesting operations, fire exclusion/
suppression, etc.) and increased human habitation, have changed the 
composition of vegetation. Currently, vegetation within the Fish Camp 
Project has changed from one where frequent, low intensity fires 
occurred to one with increased susceptibility to moderate to high 
intensity wildland fire. Forest stand densities are above what can be 
sustained, with inter-tree competition increasing and tree vigor 
beginning to decline. Pockets of insect and disease attack are 
beginning to show in the stands as well as drought induced mortality.
    The Fish Camp Project was originally to be documented in an 
Environmental Assessment (EA). The Fish Camp Project lies within the 
elevational bands for the Southern Sierra Fisher Conservation Area and 
the American marten. Public concern and management review surrounding 
the significance of potential impacts to the Pacific fisher, a 
candidate threatened and endangered species, the California spotted 
owl, a sensitive species, and American marten during past projects, has 
led to the decision to document the environmental analysis with an 
environmental impact statement (EIS) for this project.

Purpose and Need for Action

    The Sierra National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (as 
amended in January 2004) has identified Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) 
areas as places where human habitation is mixed with areas of flammable 
wildland vegetation and has the highest priority for treatment. As 
directed in the Sierra Nevada Forest Plan Amendment (2004), national 
forests are to integrate fire and fuels management objectives with 
other resource management objectives and address the role of wildland 
fire in the ecosystem. The forest-wide standards and guidelines state 
that ``vegetation within treatment areas should be modified to meet 
desired surface, ladder and crown fuel conditions as well as stand 
densities necessary for healthy forest during drought conditions''. The 
community of Fish Camp (Mariposa County, California) lies in the 
western portion of the project area. On the northern portion of the 
project boundary is Yosemite National Park. Many of the homes in Fish 
Camp do not have sufficient clearance to protect them if a fast moving 
wildland fire were to move into the area.
    Vegetation in the Fish Camp Project area includes mixed conifer 
stands with some small areas of True Fir. Insect and drought induced 
mortality is beginning to appear in pockets within both natural stands 
and conifer plantations. Scattered throughout the project area are 
pockets of heavy dead and down material (branches, limbs and logs) 
resulting from natural accumulation and past management activities. In 
lower to mid-elevations of the project area and on the steeper slopes, 
brush (manzanita/ceanothus) is the main vegetation cover.
    Based on the current conditions described above the Fish Camp 
Project objectives are to: (1) Reduce fuel ladders and excessive ground 
fuels that pose a potential for the propagation and sustainability of a 
crown fire, (2) minimize the effects of wildland fire in

[[Page 48928]]

high risk (probability of ignition occurring), high hazard 
(availability of fuels to sustain a fire) wildland urban intermix area, 
(3) increase the vigor and health of mixed conifer stands and 
plantations, and (4) prevent and control the spread of noxious weeds.

Proposed Action

    The proposed action includes vegetation treatment areas designed to 
create SPLATs to reduce the intensity and spread of wildland fire 
across the landscape and near communities and reduce inter tree 
competition to improve tree vigor and increase stand resistance to 
drought induced mortality, insect and disease attack. To accomplish the 
goals listed above, the Bass Lake Ranger District is proposing a 5700 
acre project area with approximately 2,130 acres in vegetation 
treatment. The proposed action includes silvicultural and fuel 
reduction treatments used to accelerate the development of old forest 
characteristics and improve the resiliency of conifer stands and 
plantations to natural disturbances. In summary these treatments would 
include:
     Commercial thinning from below and mechanically treating 
approximately 45-50 year old pine plantations and 85-110 year old pine 
and mixed conifer forests to remove fuel ladders and reduce competition 
between remaining trees to maintain or improve forest resiliency and 
vigor.
     Mechanical treatment of brush/shrub patches and failed 
plantations to reduce wildland fire effects and to tie treatment areas 
together.
     Re-establish conifers in areas lacking appropriate 
stocking.
     Hand-pull noxious weeds, prior to project implementation, 
in order to minimize the likelihood of spread into recently treated 
forests (invasive weeds tend to spread opportunistically into freshly 
disturbed areas).
    Estimated acre accomplishment of the gross vegetation treatment:
     Commercial thinning of approximately 1,250 acres of pine 
plantations (550+/-acres), pine and mixed conifer stands (700+/-acres).
     Masticating brush fields and pre-commercially thinning 
non-commercial size reproduction areas on approximately 215 acres;
     Treating slash concentrations on 1,450 acres by a 
combination of tractor and/or hand piling and burning. Of these 1,450 
acres 1,000 may be available for under story burning.
     Prescribe burning approximately 200 acres.

Possible Alternatives

    To comply with the National Environmental Policy Act, the Forest 
Service will evaluate additional alternatives to the proposed action 
developed based on public comments. A no action alternative to provide 
a baseline for comparison to the action alternatives will be included 
within the EIS. Each alternative will be explored and evaluated, or 
rationale will be given for eliminating an alternative from detailed 
study.

Responsible Official

    The Responsible Official is Scott G. Armentrout, Forest Supervisor, 
Sierra National Forest, 1600 Tollhouse Road, Clovis, CA 93612.

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

    This notice of intent initiates the scoping process, which guides 
the development of the environmental impact statement. The project is 
included in the Sierra National Forest's quarterly schedule of proposed 
actions (SOPA). Information on the proposed action will also he posted 
on the Sierra National Forests Web site, http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/sierra/projects, and will also be advertised in both the Fresno Bee and 
the Oakhurst Sierra Star. This notice of intent initiates the scoping 
process, which guides the development of the environmental impact 
statement. Comments submitted during this scoping period should 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. 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.

    Dated: August 4, 2010.
Scott G. Armentout,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2010-19797 Filed 8-11-10; 8:45 am]
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