[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 11, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21722-21723]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-8585]


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

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Gore Creek Restoration Project; Intent To Prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests, Forest Service, USDA.
    Project: Gore Creek Restoration Project.

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

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

SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act, 
notice is hereby given that the Forest Service, Medicine Bow-Routt 
National Forests, will prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement 
to disclose the environmental consequences of the proposed Gore Creek 
Restoration Project (Gore Creek). The Gore Creek analysis area 
encompasses approximately 76,000 acres of National Forest System (NFS) 
land with 6,900 acres of interspersed private land.
    The Yampa Ranger District is proposing a variety of actions in the 
Gore Pass area to improve watershed health and reduce potential erosion 
issues. Timber harvesting that took place outside of previously 
analyzed timber sale boundaries has resulted in impacts that had not 
been previously analyzed. Before rehabilitation can be completed, a new 
analysis must be conducted to address the previous activities and the 
proposed rehabilitation activities.
    In order to complete previously analyzed vegetation management 
projects, an analysis of additional temporary roads needs to occur. 
Included in the analysis is the further consideration of the roads that 
would be necessary to complete both proposed, remaining timber 
management activities and the restoration activities. The analysis will 
be used to determine the best methods for minimizing watershed impacts 
from the current roads, proposed roads and road construction. Included 
in the analysis of the existing and proposed road construction will be 
the consideration of restoration of dispersed campsites within riparian 
areas within the project area, which may be impacting watershed health. 
Also included in the analysis will be the effects of disposing of 
merchantable timber and other vegetation resulting from emergency 
clearing work within the power line right-of-ways in the analysis area.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis should be received 
by 30

[[Page 21723]]

days from the publication of this Notice. The Draft Environmental 
Impact Statement is expected to be available for public review in 
January 2013, the Final Environmental Impact Statement is expected to 
be available in March 2013, and the Record of Decision is expected to 
be released in March 2013.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Jack Lewis, Yampa District Ranger, 
P.O. Box 7, Yampa, Colorado 80483 or email comments to [email protected]. All comments, including names 
and addresses of commenters, when provided, are placed in the record 
and will be available for public inspection and copying. The public may 
review the comments at the Yampa Ranger District, 300 Roselawn Ave., 
Yampa, Colorado 80483. Visitors are encouraged to call ahead to (970) 
638-4516 to facilitate entry into the building.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jamie Krezelok, Project Manager, Hahn 
Peaks/Bears Ears Ranger District, 925 Weiss Drive, Steamboat Springs, 
Colorado 80487, (970) 870-2256 or [email protected]. 
Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf (TTF) may 
call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 
between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, Monday through 
Friday.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Purpose and Need for Action

    The purpose of the Gore Creek project is to address the 
environmental impacts created during implementation of the Rock Creek 
decision and reduce current impacts associated with roads in the 
analysis area.
    The needs for the proposed action include:
     Analyzing the landings, slash piles, and skid trails that 
were inadvertently created during timber sale activities.
     Analyze effects of temporary roads needed to complete the 
Rock Creek sales.
     Analyze additional proposed actions associated with 
completing the Rock Creek sales.
     Analyze the clean-up activities for powerlines in the 
analysis area.
     Improve watershed health through relocation and/or 
decommissioning of roads and dispersed campsites that may be causing 
adverse impacts to stream networks within the project boundary.

Proposed Action

    The Yampa Ranger District of the Medicine Bow-Routt National 
Forests, proposes to authorize vegetation management and restoration 
activities on specified areas within the Gore Creek Restoration project 
area in order to meet or move toward desired conditions in a specified 
timeframe. Vegetation treatments may include; piling and stacking of 
timber that has already been cut, removing decks, and pile burning. 
Associated rehabilitation activities on landings, slash piles, skid 
trails, and temporary roads may include; ripping, seeding, slash, re-
contouring, scarification, and erosion control. Watershed improvement 
projects are proposed on National Forest System Roads (NFSR) 185, 241, 
242, 243, and 246 and may include; changing primary type of use on 
portions of existing roads, improving drainage on roads, re-routing 
portions of system roads, road decommissioning, new road construction, 
and dispersed campsite decommissioning along streams.

Responsible Official

    The Official responsible for this proposal is Jack H. Lewis, 
District Ranger, Yampa Ranger District, The responsible Official will 
consider the analysis and conclusions of the environmental effects and 
then document the final decision in a Record of Decision (ROD).

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The Gore Creek Restoration Environmental Impact Statement will 
document the site-specific management proposals, alternatives to the 
Proposed Action, and the analysis of the effects of the activities 
proposed in the alternatives. It will form the basis for the 
Responsible Official to determine: (1) Whether or not the Proposed 
Action and alternatives are responsive to the issues, consistent with 
Forest Plan direction and if not whether a Forest Plan amendment would 
be necessary, meet the purpose and need, and are consistent with other 
related laws and regulations directing National Forest Management 
activities; (2) whether or not the information in the analysis is 
sufficient to implement proposed activities; and (3) which actions, if 
any, to approve.

Comment Requested

    This notice of intent initiates the scoping process that guides the 
development of the environmental impact statement. Comments that are 
site-specific in nature are most helpful to resource professionals when 
trying to narrow and address the public's issues and concerns.
    All comments will be reviewed and considered to identify relevant 
issues. Issues that cannot be resolved through design features or minor 
changes to the Proposed Action may generate alternatives to the 
Proposed Action. This process is driven by comments received from the 
public, other agencies, and internal Forest Service concerns. To assist 
in commenting, a scoping letter providing more detail on the project 
proposal has been prepared and is available to interested parties at 
http://www.fs.usda.gov/projects/mbr/landmanagement/projects. Contact 
Jamie Krezelok, Project Coordinator, at the address listed in this 
notice of intent if you would like to receive a copy.

    Dated: April 4, 2012.
Melissa A. Dressen,
Yampa Acting District Ranger.
[FR Doc. 2012-8585 Filed 4-10-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P