[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 10 (Tuesday, January 15, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2947-2950]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-00665]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Manti-La Sal National Forest, Utah; Maverick Point Forest Health 
Project

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare environmental impact statement.

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SUMMARY: The Forest Service will prepare an Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) to document the analysis and disclose the environmental 
impacts of the Maverick Point Forest Health Project. This project is 
designed to achieve goals of increasing aspen and ponderosa pine forest 
stand resilience and resistance to insects, disease, drought, and 
wildfire by altering stand density, species composition, and age class 
structure via use of timber harvesting and prescribed fire. Project 
activities also seek to maintain or improve the productivity and 
diversity of wildlife habitat and improve watershed health through 
restoring or protecting selected springs or active head cuts, closing 
unauthorized roads, and reclaiming abandoned uranium mine adits and 
waste rock. The project is also designed to provide for a sustainable 
and manageable system of roads and trails to meet public and 
administrative needs in the project area.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis described in this 
notice must be received by February 14, 2013. The draft environmental 
impact statement is expected October 2013 and the date planned for 
release of the final EIS is March 2014.

ADDRESSES: Questions or written comments concerning the proposed

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action or requests for copies of the proposal should be addressed to 
Michael Diem or Greg Montgomery at the following address: Moab/
Monticello Ranger District, Manti-La Sal National Forest, P.O. Box 820, 
Monticello, Utah 84535, phone: 435-587-2041. Comments can also be hand 
delivered Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the following 
physical address: 432 East Center St., Monticello, Utah. Comments may 
also be emailed to: [email protected] or submitted via facsimile to 435-587-2637.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: A detailed description of the purpose 
and need and proposed action can be obtained from the Moab/Monticello 
Ranger District, Manti-La Sal National Forest. An Internet site is also 
available that provides detailed information. This information can be 
accessed on the Manti-La Sal National Forest Internet site: http://www.fs.usda.gov/projects/mantilasal/landmanagement/projects.
    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: The Maverick Point Forest Health project 
area is an area with high resource and recreation values located about 
14 air miles from Blanding, Utah and 14 air miles from Monticello, 
Utah. The project area is located within the Upper Colorado River 
Basin. Huc6 watersheds included are primarily the Upper North 
Cottonwood and Allen Canyon watersheds, but minor portions of the 
Cottonwood Creek and Stevens Canyon watersheds are included.
    There is increasing evidence that ponderosa pine, aspen, and 
associated vegetation on the Manti-La Sal National Forest is being 
affected by climate change. Over the last 20 years drought conditions 
have increased; fire size, severity, and total acres burned have 
increased; and the health and vigor of aspen has declined as conifer 
encroachment increases, age, repeated drought, increasing temperatures, 
insects, and diseases affect many aspen clones. Ungulate grazing can 
also, and in areas, has had damaging effects on regenerating aspen.
    National policy directs us to consider whether climate change is 
contributing to the health of the forest and watersheds, and where 
applicable, implement adaptation strategies to reduce the vulnerability 
of landscapes to expected climate change effects. This includes 
building resistance to climate-related stressors (drought, wildfire, 
insects, and disease) and increasing ecosystem resilience by minimizing 
the severity of climate change impacts, reducing vulnerability, and/or 
increasing the adaptive capacity of elements of the ecosystem.
    The ponderosa pine vegetative community that dominates the upper 
mesa top and upper drainages of the project area was determined to be 
Condition Class 3 (FRCC-3). FRCC-3 is representative of conditions 
where the fire regimes have been significantly altered from their 
historical range. The risk of losing key ecosystem components is high. 
Fire frequencies have departed from historical frequencies by multiple 
return intervals. This results in dramatic changes to one or more of 
the following: fire size, intensity, severity, and landscape patterns. 
Vegetation attributes have been significantly altered from their 
historical range in the project area.

Purpose and Need for Action

    The purposes of the project are:
    (1) Increase resistance of ponderosa pine forest vegetation in the 
Maverick Point landscape and associated watersheds to climate related 
stressors (drought, wildfire, insects, and disease) and promote the 
growth and development of larger diameter trees and stands by:
     Encouraging a mosaic of vegetative conditions (species, 
age, and density);
     Restoration of fire occurrence to historic intervals, 
intensity, and severity; and
     Promoting improved health of forest stands.
    (2) Increase the resistance and resilience of aspen vegetation in 
the Maverick Point landscape and watersheds to climate related 
stressors (drought, temperature change, vegetative competition, 
insects, and disease) and ungulate grazing pressure.
    (3) Maintain or improve the productivity and diversity of wildlife 
habitat (Abert's squirrel, flammulated owl, turkey, northern goshawk, 
deer, and elk) in the project area.
    (4) Maintain or improve watershed health by:
     Promoting a mosaic of vegetation ages, structures, and 
species (both herbaceous and woody) to buffer against large-scale fire, 
insect epidemics, and other disturbances;
     Moving the landscape towards historic fire regimes, 
thereby reducing the risk of stand-replacing fires that could damage 
soils and associated watershed conditions;
     Providing restoration and appropriate protection of 
selected springs and active head cuts in drainages;
     Closure of unauthorized roads currently in use in the 
project area that are not maintained and may contribute to watershed 
degradation; and
     Reclamation of abandoned uranium mine adits and waste rock 
that may be contributing contaminants downstream.
    (5) Establish a ponderosa pine seed production area (SPA) for 
future collection of seed for reforestation on this and adjacent 
Forests within suitable seed transfer areas.
    (6) Reduce the risk of stand-replacing fire and its negative 
consequences on soil, water, and vegetation resources and associated 
risk to life (fire fighters, recreationists, and permittees) within the 
area through reduction of fuels and fire hazard, restoration of 
Condition Class 1, and through clearing of Forest roads to provide 
safer ingress and egress for fire fighters and authorized public uses.
    (7) Provide for a sustainable, manageable road and trail system to 
meet public and administrative needs within the project area.

Proposed Action

    The Manti-La Sal National Forest proposes to:
    (1) Implement thinning and selective harvest treatments of large (8 
inches DBH [diameter at breast height] and larger) trees within stands 
totaling about 1,260 acres. About 660 acres would be thinned and about 
600 acres would receive thinning and group selection regeneration 
treatments. About 5% of thin/group selection stands would be treated by 
clearcut or clearcut with reserve trees in openings less than two acres 
in size.
    (2) Implement TSI (timber stand improvement) thinning treatments of 
small (less than 8 inches DBH) trees and deciduous shrubs (Gambel oak, 
manzanita, serviceberry, etc.) within stands totaling about 4,400 
acres.
    (3) Prescribed fire--Forested (ponderosa pine) stands and adjacent 
pinyon-juniper, manzanita, and Gambel oak stands would be prescribe 
burned with 40-80% effective burn, low intensity and severity surface 
fire on about 6,000 acres. About 400 acres of pinyon pine, juniper, and 
sagebrush burned at low to moderate intensity and severity to create a 
mosaic of habitat conditions for wildlife is included in the 6,000 acre 
prescribed burn area. In addition to initial fuel treatments, about 10 
years following initial treatments, one maintenance ponderosa pine 
underburn is included in this proposed action on the 5600 acres 
prescribed burn

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area (excludes the wildlife habitat burn area).
    (4) Treatment (of 60 to 90 acres) in areas 0.2-15 acres in size to 
promote regeneration and retention of aspen implementing 
recommendations provided in Guidelines for Aspen Restoration on the 
National Forests in Utah (2011).
    (5) Mechanized fuel reduction treatments (mastication or crushing) 
would occur on about 2,040 acres to reduce hazard fuels, provide 
conditions more suitable for prescribed and natural fire, and improve 
wildlife habitat. About 340 acres will be treated with a rollerchopper 
to diversify the age and structure of the sagebrush community, and 
about 1700 acres will be masticated to remove encroaching pinyon pine, 
juniper, manzanita, and Gambel oak to create openings for wildlife, 
reduce encroachment in sagebrush openings, reduce fire hazard through 
reduction of ladder fuels in forest and woodland areas, and create 
spacing between crowns of small trees and mountain shrub groups.
    (6) About 10 miles of Forest System Road would receive mechanized 
treatments to create shaded fuel breaks (100 feet each side of the 
roads) and provide safer ingress egress for the public and 
firefighters.
    (7) Authorize the following road and trail system for 
implementation of this project and future management of the area:
     Level 2 (open) road--31.5 miles
     Level 1 (administrative, closed to public motorized)--6.8 
miles (about 3.2 miles dual designated as Motorized Trail)
     Temporary Road (used for project implementation, closed 
following project)--4.6 miles; this includes use and closure of 2.5 
miles of unauthorized routes currently being used by the public.
     Road closed/obliterated--13.5 miles
     Non-motorized trail--0.1 miles
     Single track motorized (motorcycle) trail--6.3 miles
     ATV (motorized < 50'' width)--8.8 miles (about 2.4 miles 
dual designated as Level 1 road)
     Motorized Trail open to all vehicles--0.8 miles (dual 
designated as Level 1 road)
     Trail closed/obliterated--4.7 miles
     Total Motorized Trail--15.9 miles.
    (8) Implement treatments and protection measures to protect/restore 
one headcut (erosion area) by Starvation Point (head of east fork of 
Vega Creek) and Sand Spring. Road and trail crossings of cuts/drainages 
will be hardened or culverts installed as determined necessary.
    (9) Reclaim abandoned uranium mine adits and stabilize waste rock 
that may be contributing contaminants downstream.
     Adits that pose a threat to public safety will be closed 
by construction of a solid plug of rock and/or cement, or if utilized 
by bats, by installation of a lockable bat grate. Adits that are short 
in depth, have stable walls, have little to no water, and pose little 
threat to public safety will be left in their current condition (three 
adits).
     Adits(s) discharging water will have a small drain 
installed at the bottom of the wall to prevent water from accumulating 
behind the wall and creating a potentially hazardous condition.
     Soil and water samples are being taken to determine if 
uranium or other toxic heavy metals are being transported downstream 
from the mine adits and waste rock. If testing of soil and water 
determines that heavy metals and/or radionuclides are being transported 
downstream and it is expected these will degrade the stream water, a 
water filtration system will be designed and built according to Forest 
specifications.
     All access and exploration roads, with exception of Forest 
Service (FS) road 5067, will be decommissioned. The first 1,500 feet of 
FS road 5067 will remain as a Forest system road to provide Forest 
access to the public. Roads reopened temporarily to provide access for 
closure of adits or other associated rehabilitation work, following 
activities, would be ripped, have appropriate drainage installed, be 
seeded to minimize erosion, and be blocked to motorized access.

Possible Alternatives

    Scoping comments will be used by the Forest Service to develop a 
range of alternatives in response to significant issues that are 
identified. A no-action alternative will be analyzed during the 
alternative process. No other tentative or preliminary alternatives 
have been identified at this time.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The responsible official will decide where or not to implement the 
proposed action as described or to implement an alternative course of 
action, as expressed in alternatives to the proposed action.
    This EIS will tier to the final EIS for the Manti-La Sal National 
Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan). The Manti-La 
Sal Forest Plan provides the overall guidance (Goals, Objectives, 
Standards, and Management Area Direction) to achieve the Desired Future 
Condition for the area being analyzed, and contains specific management 
area prescriptions for the entire Forest.

Responsible Official

    The Responsible Official is the Acting Forest Supervisor, Allen 
Rowley.

Preliminary Issues

    Tentative or preliminary issues that have been identified include: 
Unroaded character; and Management Indicator or Sensitive species.

Scoping Process

    This notice of intent initiates the scoping process, which guides 
the development of the environmental impact statement.
    The Forest Service is seeking information and comments from 
Federal, State, and local agencies as well as individuals and 
organizations that may be interested in, or affected by the proposed 
action. The Forest Service invites written comments and suggestions on 
the issues related to the proposal and the area being analyzed. 
Information received will be used in preparation of the Draft EIS and 
Final EIS. For most effective use, comments should be submitted to the 
Forest Service within 30 days from the date of publication of this 
Notice in the Federal Register. Comments should include your name, 
address, telephone number, organization represented (if any), title of 
the proposal, and specific facts and supporting reasons for us to 
consider in the analysis. Names and comments received are public 
information and will be released to those who request them. This will 
include names, addresses, and any other personal information provided 
with the comments. 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.
    The proposed management activities would be administered by the 
Moab/Monticello Ranger District, Manti-La Sal National Forest, San Juan 
County, Utah.
    The Acting Forest Supervisor for the Manti-La Sal National Forest, 
who is the responsible official for the EIS, will then make a decision 
regarding this proposal, after considering the comments, responses, and 
environmental consequences discussed in the Final Environmental Impact 
Statement, and applicable laws, regulations, and policies. The reasons 
for the decision will be documented in a Record of Decision. The Forest 
Supervisor's office of the Manti-La Sal National Forest is located at 
599 West Price River Drive,

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Price, Utah 84501, phone: 435-637-2817.

    Dated: January 9, 2013.
Allen Rowley,
Acting Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2013-00665 Filed 1-14-13; 8:45 am]
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