[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 118 (Wednesday, June 19, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36743-36744]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-14636]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Natural Resources Conservation Service


Adoption of Final Environmental Assessment (UT-040-09-03) 
Prepared for the Upper Kanab Creek Watershed Vegetation Management 
Project

AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of Intent (NOI) to adopt final Environmental Assessment 
(EA).

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SUMMARY: The United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources 
Conservation Service (NRCS) announces its intent to adopt the Kanab 
Creek Watershed Vegetation Management Project EA, as prepared by the 
U.S. Department of Interior's Bureau of Land Management (BLM), under 
the provisions of the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) 
regulations (40 CFR 1506.3).

DATES: NRCS will accept comments received or postmarked concerning the 
adoption of this EA at the address below until July 19, 2013.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments concerning the adoption of the Kanab 
Creek Watershed Vegetation Management Project EA, request a copy of the 
EA, or submit comments on actions being taken by NRCS regarding this 
matter to: Mr. Gary McRae, Resource Conservationist, Natural Resources 
Conservation Service, 125 South State Street, Room 4010, Salt Lake 
City, Utah 84138.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Gary McRae, Resource 
Conservationist, Natural Resources Conservation Service, 125 South 
State Street, Room 4010, Salt Lake City, Utah 84138; email at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NRCS announces its intent to adopt the Kanab 
Creek Watershed Vegetation Management Project EA (UT-040-09-03) 
prepared by the U.S. Department of Interior's Bureau of Land Management 
(BLM), Color County District, under the provisions of the Council on 
Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations (40 CFR 1506.3). NRCS has 
reviewed this EA and determined that it adequately addresses the 
environmental impacts related to the proposed action for the private 
land vegetation treatment within the watershed.
    As described in the EA, the area project is 130,689 acres with up 
to 52,043 acres proposed for treatment. The NRCS is the lead agency 
dealing with the small private parcels totaling 31,401 acres within 
this proposed watershed. A portion of this private land, the acreage is 
dependent on private landowner's preference, will also participate in 
vegetation treatment. The proposed action is needed to: (1) Reduce 
hazardous fuels and risk to life and property from catastrophic 
wildland fire, (2) restore and improve

[[Page 36744]]

the sagebrush steppe ecosystem, (3) increase plant species diversity 
and improve watershed conditions and water quality, (4) improve the 
health of both woodland and sagebrush/grassland by increasing 
vegetation diversity as well as age class structure, (5) enhance 
important seasonal and year-round habitat for several species of 
wildlife including but not limited to sage grouse, mule deer, elk, and 
pronghorn antelope, and (6) decrease the amount of pinyon/juniper 
expansion into areas historically dominated by sagebrush and grass.

    Dated: June 4, 2013.
David C. Brown,
Utah State Conservationist .
[FR Doc. 2013-14636 Filed 6-18-13; 8:45 am]
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