[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 160 (Friday, August 17, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49775-49776]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-20209]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, Wisdom and Wise River 
Ranger Districts; Montana; North and West Big Hole Allotment Management 
Plans

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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

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SUMMARY: The nature of the North and West Big Hole Allotment Management 
Plans (NWBH AMP's) project is the updating of eleven domestic livestock 
grazing management plans.
    The scope of the project is limited to the specific eleven domestic 
livestock allotments on the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest 
Service administered lands and those under agreement with the Bureau of 
Land Management (BLM) and Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks (FWP). This 
project is not a general management plan for the area, nor is it a 
programmatic environmental analysis for domestic livestock grazing on 
the entire forest.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received 
by September 17, 2012. The draft environmental impact statement is 
expected March of 2013 and the final environmental impact statement is 
expected September of 2013.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Attention Laura Hudnell, 
Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, 420 Barrett St., Dillon, MT 59725 
and weekdays 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for hand delivery. Comments may 
also be sent via email to [email protected] in one of the following formats: Word (.doc or 
.docx), rich text format (.rtf), text (.txt), and/or hypertext markup 
language (.html), or via facsimile to Attention Laura Hudnell, NWBH 
AMP's, 406-683-3886. For all forms of comment, make sure to include 
your name, physical address, phone number, and a subject title of NWBH 
AMP's.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Russell Riebe, Wisdom/Wise River 
District Ranger at (406) 689-3243 or via email at [email protected].
    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: 

Purpose and Need for Action

    This action is being undertaken to update the grazing management 
and infrastructure on eleven domestic livestock grazing allotments 
(Seymour, Fishtrap, Mudd Creek, Pintlar Creek, Mussigbrod, Ruby Creek, 
Dry Creek, Twin Lakes, Monument, Pioneer, and Saginaw) to comply with 
the applicable 2009 Beaverhead-Deerlodge Land and Resource Management 
Plan (Forest Plan) direction.
    This action is needed because there is new direction in the Forest 
Plan for livestock grazing, site specific suitability, and site 
specific Allowable Use Levels (AUL's).

Proposed Action

    The authorizing official proposes to:

--Re-issue domestic livestock grazing permits for the eleven allotments 
for a period of ten years.
--Reduce the authorized number of Head Months (HM's) from 8,365 to 
5,666 on National Forest Service lands. This would be a thirty-two 
percent reduction in the authorized HM's on National Forest lands 
within the project area. Seven of the allotments would see a decrease 
and four allotments would remain at the current permitted levels.
--Increase livestock numbers on three allotments, decrease the numbers 
on two allotments, and keep the same numbers on six allotments.
--Reduce the Season of Use (SOU) on five allotments and keep the same 
SOU on six allotments.
--Change the grazing system on seven allotments and keep four the same.
--Apply the site specific AUL's to all eleven allotments.
--Add new infrastructure on five allotments. Within these five 
allotments structural improvements would include the addition of one 
mile of fencing, a quarter mile of piping, development of two springs, 
addition of two water tanks, one new exclosure, three hardened 
crossings, and the conversion of three temporary exclosures to 
permanent exclosures.
--Implement compliance and long term rangeland monitoring on all eleven 
allotments.

Possible Alternatives

    1--No Action Alternative. Under this alternative domestic livestock 
grazing permits on National Forest Service (NFS) lands on the eleven 
allotments would be discontinued with a minimum of two years notice (36 
CFR 222.4(a)(1)) to permittees. No new term grazing permits for 
domestic livestock grazing would be issued.
    2--Current Grazing Management Alternative. Under this alternative 
new term domestic livestock grazing permits would be issued with the 
current

[[Page 49776]]

management. Domestic livestock grazing would continue based on the 
Interim Livestock Grazing Standards (Forest Plan Ch. 3, pg. 26), the 
Forest Service (FS) Annual Operating Instructions (AOI), the 2012 
Agreement for Coordination Management of Rangeland (ACMR) with the 
Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and the 2011 Cooperative Livestock 
Grazing Management Agreement (CLGMA) with Montana Fish, Wildlife, and 
Parks (FWP). There would be no changes or additions in grazing 
management or infrastructure.

Lead and Cooperating Agencies

    The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service, 
Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest will be the lead agency. The BLM 
field offices in Dillon and Butte, Montana, and FWP office in Butte 
will be cooperating agencies.

Responsible Official

    The Wisdom/Wise River District Ranger will be the responsible 
official.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The decision to be made is whether to implement the proposed 
action, another alternative, or a combination of the alternatives.

Permits or Licenses Required

    Grazing permits for domestic livestock grazing would be issued for 
ten years for each of the eleven allotments.

Scoping Process

    This notice of intent initiates the scoping process, which guides 
the development of the environmental impact statement. A scoping letter 
and maps will be mailed to interested publics, Tribes, and federal, 
state, and local governments.
    It is important that reviewers provide their comments at such times 
and in such a 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.
    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 responder with subsequent 
environmental documentation.

    Dated: August 10, 2012.
Russell B. Riebe,
Wisdom/Wise River District Ranger.
[FR Doc. 2012-20209 Filed 8-16-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P