[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

[[Page 18998]]

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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