[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 66 (Friday, April 5, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20613-20614]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-07938]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Ochoco National Forest, Paulina Ranger District; Oregon; Wolf 
Creek Vegetation and Fuels Management Project EIS

AGENCY: Forest Service.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY: The Ochoco National Forest is preparing an environmental 
impact statement (EIS) to analyze the effects of managing vegetation 
and fuels within the 24,506 acre Wolf project area, which is 
approximately 50 miles east of Prineville, Oregon. The project area 
includes National Forest system lands within the Lower Beavercreek 
watershed. The alternatives that will be analyzed include the proposed 
action, no action, and additional alternatives that will respond to 
issues generated through the scoping process. The Ochoco National 
Forest will give notice of the full environmental analysis and decision 
making process so interested and affected people may participate and 
contribute to the final decision.

[[Page 20614]]


DATES: Scoping comments must be received by May 20, 2013. The draft 
environmental impact statement is expected to be completed and 
available for public comment in October, 2013. The final environmental 
impact statement is expected to be completed in March, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Sandra Henning, District Ranger, 
Paulina Ranger District, Ochoco National Forest, 3160 NE Third Street, 
Prineville, Oregon 97754. Alternately, electronic comments may be sent 
to [email protected]. Electronic comments must 
be submitted as part of the actual email message, or as an attachment 
in plain text (.txt), Microsoft Word (.doc), rich text format (.rtf), 
or portable document format (.pdf).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeffrey Marszal, Project Leader at 
3160 NE Third Street, Prineville, Oregon 97754, or at (541) 416-6500, 
or by email at [email protected]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Purpose and Need for Action

    The existing condition of the Wolf planning area was evaluated in 
2012 and documented in the Wolf Creek Watershed Analysis. The watershed 
analysis determined that conditions in the planning area have departed 
from the historic conditions in several ways.
     Tree species compositions are outside the historic range 
of variability.
     A reduction in Late and Old Structured forest (LOS); 
especially single-strata LOS.
     A reduction in open-canopy stands accompanied by an 
increase in stand densities and multi-storied stands.
     An increased risk of large-scale loss of forest to 
wildfire.
     An increased risk of insect infestation and/or disease 
that can impact forested stands.
     A decline in riparian/aquatic conditions and hardwood 
communities.
    Based upon direction from the Ochoco Forest Plan and 
recommendations identified in the Wolf Creek WA, the Paulina Ranger 
District has determined that within the Wolf project area:
    1. There is a need to manage vegetation towards to the historic 
range of variability to provide a range of forest conditions and 
habitats that would support historic disturbance processes, native 
wildlife, and plant species.
    2. There is a need to reduce forest vegetation density and fuel 
loadings to reduce the risk that disturbance events such as insect, 
disease and wildfire will lead to a loss of desired forest conditions.
    3. There is a need to increase or maintain large tree structure; 
especially single-strata LOS and maintain and increase the abundance of 
early-seral and fire tolerant species.
    4. There is a need to improve riparian conditions and associated 
upland vegetation within Riparian Habitat Conservation Area (RHCAs) and 
maintain and enhance hardwood communities.
    5. There is a need to contribute to the local and regional 
economies by providing timber and other wood fiber products now and in 
the future.

Proposed Action

    The proposed action includes a variety of management strategies and 
activities, including commercial thinning with follow-up noncommercial 
thinning and/or slashes treatment (4,927 acres), noncommercial 
treatment with slash treatment (907 acres), juniper cutting with slash 
treatment (481 acres), underburning (4,910 acres) and hardwood 
enhancement (78 acres). Implementation of the proposed action would 
require some connected actions; these include use of temporary roads on 
existing disturbance (18 miles), use of new temporary roads (2 miles), 
stream restoration (1 location), material source expansion (1 location, 
3 acres), and headcut repair (3 locations). Implementation of the 
proposed action would require the following mitigation to reduce or 
eliminate unwanted effects; these include road closure (2 miles) and 
road decommission (2.7 miles).

Responsible Official

    The responsible official will be Kate Klein, Forest Supervisor, 
Ochoco National Forest, 3160 NE Third Street, Prineville, Oregon 97754.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    Given the purpose and need, the deciding official will review the 
proposed action, the other alternatives, and the environmental 
consequences in order to determine whether and under what circumstances 
vegetation and fuels management will be implemented in the Wolf Creek 
project area.

Preliminary Issues

    The project's interdisciplinary team has developed a list of 
preliminary issues that will be used during the analysis of effects. 
Other issues may arise as a result of public comment and further 
analysis. Preliminary issues include:
     Invasive Plant Species (Noxious Weeds). Several 
populations of noxious weeds are known to exist within the project 
area. There is a risk that management activities may exacerbate the 
weed situation by spreading existing populations or introducing new 
ones.
     Peck's Mariposa Lily. Management activities can improve 
habitat for this sensitive species, but there is also risk of impacting 
individual plants and/or habitat where it occurs in the project area.
     Soil Productivity. Maintenance of soil productivity is an 
important objective for management of National Forest Lands. When 
mechanized equipment is used in the Forest, soil can become displaced 
and compacted, which can impact productivity.
     Water Quality. The main streams in the project area, Wolf, 
North Wolf and East Wolf Creeks, are listed on Oregon DEQ's 303(d) list 
due to high summer temperatures. Management activities can result in 
reduced shade on streams, as well as contribute sediment into the 
streams, which impacts water quality and decreases habitat quality for 
fish and other riparian fauna.
     Wildlife Habitat. Activities intended to improve forest 
health and resiliency may reduce habitat effectiveness for some 
wildlife species, including forest raptors and big game.

Scoping Process

    The notice of intent initiates the scoping process, which guides 
the development of the environmental impact statement. 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 comments 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.

     Dated: April 1, 2013.
Sandra Henning,
District Ranger.
[FR Doc. 2013-07938 Filed 4-4-13; 8:45 am]
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