[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 61 (Thursday, March 29, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18997-18999]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-7527]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Rim Lakes Forest Restoration Project; Apache-Sitgreavese National
Forest, Black Mesa Ranger District, Coconino County, AZ
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Forest Service (FS) will prepare an environmental
impact statement (EIS) on a proposed action to conduct selective
cutting and prescribed burn in forest across approximately 33,010 acres
of National Forest System lands. The project intends to conserve and
restore the Rim Lakes Project Area to make--over time--the forest
ecosystem more sustainable and resilient to natural disturbances such
as drought and climatic variability, insects, disease, fire, and wind.
The purpose of the project is to restore forest health, move
forests toward an uneven-aged forest structure with all age classes
represented, and restore frequent, periodic surface fire as an
ecological process, as well as reduce the risk of a stand-replacing
fire. The project will also improve hydrologic function, improve
wildlife habitat--in particular for Northern goshawk and Mexican
spotted owl--and improve scenic quality, as well as move the project
area towards forest plan old growth management allocation goals.
In order to meet the purpose, this project includes a site-
specific, forest plan amendment to the Apache-Sitgreaves Land and
Resource Management Plan. This amendment clarifies guidelines to assure
the proposed action can meet its restoration objectives, and to assure
consistency with the forest plan. Information about the project can be
found at http://www.fs.usda.gov/projects/asnf/landmanagement/projects.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received
by April 30, 2012. The draft environmental impact statement is expected
to be available in July 2012 and the final environmental impact
statement is expected in October 2012, followed by a 30-day objection
period pursuant to 36 CFR part 218 subpart A.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Dee Hines, District Ranger, Black
Mesa Ranger District, P.O. Box 968, Overgaard, AZ 85933. Comments may
also be sent via email to [email protected], or via facsimile to (520) 535-5972.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sandy Hurlocker, project team leader.
Phone: (505) 660-8715.
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: This project is being authorized under the
Healthy Forest Restoration Act (HFRA) of 2003, following regulations at
36 CFR part 218. To date, analysis for this proposed action was
documented in an environmental assessment that underwent an objection
period in September 2011. After reviewing objections, the Apache-
Sitgreaves National Forest Supervisor elected to document the analsysis
in an environmental impact statement (EIS). The Forest Supervisor also
elected to include an amendment to the forest plan as part of the
proposed action in order to achieve project restoration objectives and
to assure consistency with the Apache-Sitgreaves Land and Resource
Management Plan (forest plan).
Purpose and Need for Action
The underlying purpose and need for the project has been determined
by comparing the desired conditions to the existing conditions within
the planning area. Desired conditions relevant to this project relate
to forest health and ecosystem function and resiliency, as defined in
the forest plan.
Currently, forested lands in the project area have departed from
the structures and processes that historically kept them in a healthy,
resilient condition. For example, 97 percent of the forested lands
reflect a high stand density that makes these forests susceptible to
insects and disease. Forests are also at risk of uncharacteristicly
high-severity wild fires, which can lead to loss of entire stands
during one fire event. About 67 precent of the project area has
potential for either active crown fire or passive crown fire because of
the amount of ladder fuels and the continuous and interlocking tree
crowns. As
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demostrated by recent large fires in the lands adjacent to the project
area (most recently the 2011 Wallow Fire), a crown fire would alter
ecosystem functions, destroy much of the existing wildlife habitat,
create sediment problems to the watersheds and decrease the desirablity
of the area for recreation.
Desired condtions call for uneven aged forests across the project
area that exhibit a variety of forest densities, spatial arrangements,
age/structure conditions, and interspaces between groups.
The need for change derived from the difference between the
existing condition and the desired condition, summarized as follows:
Move stand densities toward desired conditions that
promote forest health, large tree growth, and increased herbacious
understory species and composition.
Reduce the risk of a stand-replacing crown fire by
reducing stand densities, reducing canopy bulk density/continuity,
increasing crown heights, and creating more stand openness.
Move goshawk habitat types towards desired conditions, for
example, variable tree group sizes, age classes, and densities, as well
as variable sized interspaces between groups.
Move Mexican spotted owl habitat types towards the desired
condition of stand density and forest structure consistent with the
forest plan and Mexican spotted owl recovery plan.
Reduce the basal area on most of the forest to reduce bark
beetle hazard, and selectively reduce the level of dwarf mistletoe
infection.
Be consistent with the 1996 amendment forest plan
amendment with respect to old growth management.
Amend the Apache-Sitgreaves Land and Resource Management
Plan in order to achieve project restoration objectives and to assure
consistency with the Apache-Sitgreaves Land and Resource Management
Plan (forest plan).
Proposed Action
In response to the purpose and need, the forest proposes the
following actions during the next 10 years or until objectives are met.
Selectively cut trees and broadcast burn after treatment
on approximately 23,615 acres: In ponderosa pine and pine-oak,
maintenance burns would occur. In dry mixed conifer, no re-entry
maintenance burns would occur as part of this proposal.
Broadcast burn without selectively cutting trees on
approximately 9,339 acres: In ponderosa pine and pine-oak, maintenance
burns would occur. In dry mixed conifer, no re-entry maintenance burns
would occur as part of this proposal.
Selectively cut trees with no follow up broadcast burn on
approximately 56 acres.
Open approximately 185 miles of existing closed roads to
be used for treatment activity. Close roads when treatments are
finished and rehabilitate as needed.
Construct 2.6 miles of temporary road for haul access and
obliterate after use (seven short segments approximately one-quarter to
one-third of a mile each).
Allocate approximately 6,900 acres of forest to be managed
for old-growth characteristics.
Amend the Apache-Sitgreaves Land and Resource Management
Plan pages 56 and 57, to add clarifying language to (1) describe
desired conditions for the project area managed for Northern goshawk,
(2) express relative amounts of forest cover, as well as the
distribution of that cover, including the interspaces between tree
groups, (3) define the relationship between the interspaces and natural
openings, such as meadows, and (4) clarify that canopy closure is
measured at the tree group scale within Vegetation Structural Stages
(VSS) 4, 5, and 6.
Possible Alternatives
In addition to the Proposed Action, an alternative was analyzed in
the environmental assessment that limited the selective cutting of
trees to less than 16 inches in diameter (at breast height). Otherwise
the alternative included the same mechanical equipment and prescribed
burning to accomplish the treatments using the methods described in the
proposed action. Because this alternative would result in even-aged
management, it would not meet forest plan direction for uneven-aged
management; therefore if selected it would require a forest plan
amendment to allow for even-age management (forest plan, page 54). This
alternative will be carried into the environmental impact statement.
Responsible Official
The responsible official is the Forest Supervisor, Apache-
Sitgreaves National Forest.
Nature of Decision To Make
Given the purpose and need of the project, the Forest Supervisor
will review the proposed action, other alternatives, and the
environmental consequences in order to make the following decisions:
(1) Whether to select the proposed action or an alternative; (2) the
location, design, and scheduling of the proposed thinning, burning, and
road maintenance; (3) mitigation measures and monitoring requirements;
and (4) the significance of the proposed forest plan amendments.
Preliminary Issues
During development of the environmental assessment, comments
received during scoping were examined for issues, or unresolved
conflicts directly or indirectly caused by implementing the proposed
action. Issues serve to highlight effects or unintended consequences
that may occur from the proposed action and alternatives. The Forest
Service identified the following issue:
Issue 1: Thinning and burning activities may cause unforeseen
mortality among larger-size classes of ``leave'' trees. Removal of
trees larger than 16 inches in diameter when combined with potential
mortality, may place post-treatment large tree densities below target
densities. This may negatively affect old growth quality and quantity
and wildlife habitat quality, quantity and populations. The indicators
used to evaluate this issue are: Total number of trees 16 inches and
greater (pre- and post-treatment), and pre- and post-treatment three-
level analysis of habitat structure for Mexican spotted owl, northern
goshawk, and old growth and vegetation structural stage (VSS) for
northern goshawk.
Scoping Process
This notice of intent initiates the scoping process, which guides
the development of the environmental impact statement. An open house is
scheduled for April 11, 2012, from 3 to 6 p.m., in the Frontier Room of
the Navajo County Public Health Building, 600 North 9th Place in Show
Low, Arizona. Because this project has undergone considerable public
review during development of the environmental assessment, the
responsible official is especially interested in comments regarding the
new element of the proposed action: the site-specific forest plan
amendment.
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 proposed Rim Lakes Forest Restoration Project is subject to the
HFRA pre-decisional objection process
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pursuant to 36 CFR part 218 Subpart A and is not subject to notice,
comment and appeal procedures under 36 CFR part 215. The 36 CFR 218
pre-decisional objection process requires a 30-day notice and objection
period for the final environmental impact statement before a decision
can be made by the responsible official. Only those who commented
during scoping and during the comment period for the draft
environmental impact statement may file objections (36 CFR 218.7).
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 agency with the ability to provide the respondent with subsequent
environmental documents.
Dated: March 23, 2012.
Christine Dawe,
Acting Deputy Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2012-7527 Filed 3-28-12; 8:45 am]
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