[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 239 (Wednesday, December 12, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73976-73978]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-29836]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests; Idaho; Crooked River 
Valley Rehabilitation Project

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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

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SUMMARY: The forest gives notice of its intent to prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement for the Crooked River Valley 
Rehabilitation Project. The Red River Ranger District of the Nez Perce-
Clearwater National Forests is undergoing planning efforts to restore 
the lower Crooked River valley near Elk City, Idaho. The Environmental 
Impact Statement will analyze the effects of the proposed action and 
alternatives. The Nez Perce-Clearwater Forests invites comments and 
suggestions on the issues to be addressed. The agency gives notice of 
the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analysis and decision 
making process on the proposal so interested and affected members of 
the public may participate and contribute to the final decision.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received 
by 45 days after the date of publication in the Federal Register. The 
draft environmental impact statement is expected October 2014 and the 
final

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environmental impact statement is expected September 2015.

ADDRESSES: Send written or electronic comments to Attn: Jennie Fischer, 
Interdisciplinary Team Leader; Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest; 
104 Airport Road, Grangeville, ID 83530. Send electronic comments via 
email to: [email protected], or via 
facsimile to 208-983-4099. Subject: Crooked River Valley Project.
    The Nez Perce National Forest has scheduled public meetings, to be 
held in two separate locations, to introduce this project and discuss 
the most effective ways the public can become involved. Meetings will 
take place in Elk City and Grangeville, Idaho in January, 2013. 
Additional information will be provided in the local newspaper prior to 
meeting times.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennie Fischer, Interdisciplinary Team 
Leader, 104 Airport Road, Grangeville, ID 83530; 208-983-4048. 
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. 
Detailed information about this project is also available by visiting 
our project Web site: http://www.fs.fed.usinepa/fs-usda-pop.php/?project=40648.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Project location is on the Red River Ranger 
District, Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests, Idaho County, Idaho; 
approximately 6 miles southwest of Elk City, Idaho. The project 
boundary extends from the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, fish weir 
near the mouth of Crooked River about 6 miles south to the confluence 
of Crooked River and Relief Creek. The project boundary also includes 
the Road 1803 from the junction with Road 222 road along Red River; and 
Road 522 to the junction with Road 223 along Crooked River.

Purpose and Need for Action

    During the 1930s through the 1950s the lower two miles of the 
Crooked River Valley were heavily impacted by dredge mining, leaving 
behind large tailing piles and deep ponds throughout the valley bottom. 
Gold and silver mining affected most of the valley bottom along the 
mainstem of Crooked River. Physical changes to the valley bottom have 
altered stream and riparian process, and have affected aquatic and 
terrestrial habitat conditions, resulting in degraded ecosystem 
conditions relative to historical conditions. There is a need to 
restore the Crooked River valley bottom and stream channel to provide 
habitat for Endangered Species Act-listed fish. This would be achieved 
by removing the majority of the tailing piles and re-constructing the 
river and its floodplain to create natural stream sinuosity and 
morphology; to restore floodplain and hydrologic process; to construct 
instream channel structures to provide spawning and rearing habitat for 
steelhead, spring/summer Chinook salmon, bull trout, and cutthroat 
trout; and to restore riparian areas.
    The county portion of the Crooked River Road runs approximately 12 
miles from state Highway 14 to the town of Orogrande, Idaho. The road 
is under the jurisdiction of Idaho County and is also designated as a 
National Forest System Road (NFSR)--Road 233. The road follows Crooked 
River for its entire length and is within the floodplain of Crooked 
River for approximately 3 miles through the ``narrows''. Through the 
narrows section the road constricts Crooked River, delivers sediment 
from the road surface, and often floods during spring runoff. Crooked 
River Road 233 prism is within the bankfull floodplain of Crooked River 
for much of its length and floods and fails during spring runoff. The 
road is narrow, providing only one way traffic with soft shoulders 
along the river. The proximity of the road to the river channel 
facilitates sediment delivery to the river and is difficult to maintain 
throughout the year. There is a need to improve the floodplain 
functions of Crooked River, reduce sediment delivery from the road, 
improve forest visitor safety, and provide easier maintenance of the 
road.

Proposed Action

    The proposed action is to rehabilitate the lower two miles of the 
Crooked River valley bottom with meanders and re-align 3 miles the 
Crooked River Road 233 through the narrow canyon on the Red River 
Ranger District of the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests. There are 
two components of the project: Crooked River Meanders and Crooked River 
Narrows Road.

Crooked River Meanders

    There is a need to restore the valley bottom and stream channel to 
provide habitat for Endangered Species Act-listed fish. This would be 
achieved by removing the majority of the tailing piles and re-
constructing the river and its floodplain to create natural stream 
sinuosity and morphology; to restore floodplain and hydrologic process; 
to construct instream channel structures to provide spawning and 
rearing habitat for steelhead, spring/summer Chinook salmon, bull 
trout, and cutthroat trout; and to restore riparian areas.
    The proposed action would rehabilitate approximately two valley 
miles of Crooked River by reshaping mine tailing piles and reconstruct 
over two miles of stream channel.
     Provide instream habitat structures and quality spawning, 
rearing and migration habitat for steelhead, spring/summer Chinook 
salmon, bull trout, and cutthroat trout.
     Provide proper riparian and wetland functions and 
complexity throughout the project area.
     Maintain campsites in the project area.
     Preserve heritage resource areas as identified by the 
Forest Service Archeologist and the State Historic Preservation Office.

Crooked River Narrows Road

    The current Road 233 prism is within the bankfull floodplain of 
Crooked River for much of its length. There is a need to improve the 
floodplain functions of Crooked River, reduce sediment delivery from 
the road, improve forest visitor safety, and provide easier maintenance 
of the road.
    The proposed action would re-align 3 miles of road within the 
bottom of the valley to reduce failure potential, and sediment inputs 
into Crooked River. This would improve maintainability and safety of 
the road by providing turnouts, wider road base (approx. 16 feet), 
buffers between the road and the river, graveled road surface, and 
stable road base.
    Implementation of the Crooked River Valley Rehabilitation Project 
is proposed to take place in 2015-2020.
    Possible Alternatives the forest will consider and include the no-
action alternative, which will serve as a baseline for comparison of 
alternatives. The proposed action will be considered along with 
additional alternatives that will be developed to meet the purpose and 
need for action, and to address significant issues identified during 
scoping. The potential alternatives for the Crooked River Meanders are 
to restore approximately two miles of valley bottom and rehabilitate 
over two miles of Crooked River. The potential alternatives for the 
Crooked River Narrows Road are: (1) Reconstruct the existing roadway, 
through vertical and horizontal shifts, such that most of roadway is 
above the 100-year flood-flow elevation; (2) establish a new location 
and alignment of the Road 233 road between mile posts 2 and 6, such 
that the new road is entirely above the 100-year flood-flow elevation. 
The Forest may consider converting the

[[Page 73978]]

existing Road 233 to a trail or completely decommissioning the road; or 
(3) Use/improve an existing alternative road (Road 522 and 1803, from 
State Highway 14 at the mouth of Red River up to the intersection of 
Road 233 at the mouth of Relief Creek). The Forest may consider 
converting the existing Road 233 to a trail or completely 
decommissioning the road.

Lead and Cooperating Agencies

    The Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests of the USDA-Forest 
Service is the lead agency. Cooperating agencies include: the Nez Perce 
Tribe and Bonneville Power Agency.

Responsible Official

    Rick Brazell, Forest Supervisor, Nez Perce-Clearwater National 
Forests, 104 Airport Road, Grangeville, ID 83530 is the responsible 
official for this proposal.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The Nez Perce National Forest will decide whether or not to 
complete the Crooked River Meanders project and the extent of location 
of stream rehabilitation. The Forest will also decide whether or not to 
re-align the Crooked River Narrows Road and the extent and location of 
road reconstruction. The forest will decide what design and mitigation 
measures and monitoring would be included.
    Preliminary Issues identified include the effects to cultural 
resources, public access, and future road maintenance costs.

Permits or Licenses Required

    Permits that may be needed for this project are related to Clean 
Water Act (CWA) and the Endangered Species Act. If necessary, permits 
may include: CWA--Section 404 permits from the Corp or Engineers, 
Stream Alteration Act Permit from Idaho Department of Water Resources, 
CWA--Section 401 Certification from Idaho Department of Environmental 
Quality, Incidental Take Permits included as part of the Biological 
Opinions from NOAA Fisheries and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, or 
CWA--Section 402 NPDES permits from the Environmental Protection 
Agency.

Scoping Process

    This notice of intent initiates the scoping process, which guides 
the development of the environmental impact statement. The U.S. Forest 
Service uses the process required by the National Environmental Policy 
Act (NEPA). NEPA requires a systematic, interdisciplinary approach to 
ensure integrated application of the natural and social sciences and 
the environmental design arts in any planning and decision making that 
affects the human environment (42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(A)). Comments are 
accepted for 45 days after notification in the Federal Register.
    These comments help identify significant issues and/or eliminate 
non-significant issues from detailed study in the environmental impact 
statement. Comments are most useful if they are specific. 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. 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.
    The Forest Service is seeking information and comments from other 
Federal, State, and local agencies; Tribal Governments, and 
organizations and individuals who may be interested in or affected by 
the proposed action presented in this notice of intent. A draft 
envronmenal impact statement will be prepared for comment in the 
future. The second major opportunity for public input will be when the 
Draft EIS is published. The comment period for the Draft EIS will be 
45-days from the date the Envirnmental Protectoin Agency published the 
notice of availability in the Federal Register. The Draft EIS is 
anticipated to be available for public review in October 2014.

    Dated: November 30, 2012.
Rick Brazell,
Nez Perce-Clearwater Forests, Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2012-29836 Filed 12-11-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M