[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 2 (Friday, January 3, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 385-386]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-31457]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 2 / Friday, January 3, 2014 / 
Notices  

[[Page 385]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest; Idaho; Middle Fork 
Vegetation Management

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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

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SUMMARY: The Forest Service gives notice of its intent to prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement for the Middle Fork Vegetation 
Management Project. The Proposed action would use a combination of 
timber harvest, pre-commercial thinning, prescribed fire and 
reforestation to achieve the desired range of age classes, size 
classes, vegetative species distributions habitat complexity 
(diversity) and landscape pattern across the forested portions of the 
project area. Road decommissioning, and road improvements are also 
proposed to improve watershed health. The EIS 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 February 3, 2014. The draft environmental impact statement is 
expected in May 2014 and the final environmental impact statement is 
expected November 2014.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Mike Ward, Interdisciplinary Team 
Leader; 502 Lowry Street, Kooskia, Idaho 83539. Comments may also be 
sent via email to [email protected]

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mike Ward, Interdisciplinary Team 
Leader, (208) 926-6413

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The objective of the Middle Fork Project is 
to move the area towards a more diverse and resilient landscape 
structure by creating a range of age and size classes that more closely 
emulates a mixed-severity fire regime. Also, the desired species 
composition would be moved more towards the early-seral species 
(ponderosa pine, western larch, and white pine) by retaining these 
species in variable retention harvesting and by planting post-harvest, 
which would improve resilience to root diseases, bark beetles, fire and 
a changing climate over the long-term.
    Watershed improvement activities would reduce road related impacts 
to the watershed and important aquatic habitats while still providing a 
stable and cost efficient transportation system and dispersed 
recreation opportunities.

Vegetation Management

    Purpose: Trend vegetation species composition, structure, and 
distributions toward desired conditions described in the Forest Plan.
    Need: The project area has a high proportion of grand fir/Douglas 
fir cover types. These species tend to be more susceptible/vulnerable 
to insects and diseases and grand fir is unlikely to survive in 
wildfire. There is a need to trend the area towards a more diverse and 
resilient forest structure by creating a range of age classes, size 
classes, species diversity and disturbance patterns that more closely 
emulate natural mixed severity disturbance. Shifting tree species 
composition by retaining and planting early seral species (i.e. 
ponderosa pine, western larch and western white pine) in managed areas 
would help trend the area toward or maintain desired habitat conditions 
and would make these habitats more resistant and resilient to change 
agents such as insect, disease, and fire.

Goods and Service

    Purpose: To utilize timber outputs produced through forest 
management activities to support the economic structure of local 
communities.
    Need: The need to provide a sustained yield of resource outputs is 
directed in the Forest Plan. Much of the area consists of grand fir 
dominated stands that have insect and disease infestations that are 
contributing to increased tree mortality, or are at risk from stand 
replacing events. Stands proposed for treatment are currently losing 
volume and value due to insects and disease. Harvest of the timber 
would provide materials to local industries.

Fire Regime/Natural Disturbance Restoration and Fuel Reduction

    Purpose: Break up fuel continuity created by past wildfires which 
would reduce the potential for large scale crown fires. Reduce shade 
tolerant ladder fuels around existing legacy trees to retain those more 
fire resistant legacy trees on the landscape over the long term. These 
activities would emulate mixed severity fire.
    Need: Effective fire suppression in this area has created a 
vegetative shift to less fire resistant species, and an increase in 
ladder fuels that can contribute to the risk of high intensity and 
potentially resource damaging wildfire. Past harvest patterns do not 
emulate natural disturbance patterns nor do they emulate natural 
habitat structure. There is a need to increase patch sizes to shift age 
and size class distributions to increase high quality early seral 
wildlife habitats. Landscape burning and timber harvest that mimics 
natural fire would help increase forest resilience, help reduce risk of 
wildfires, and help create high quality habitats that would benefit 
birds, small mammals, and big game species. Fire dependent wildlife 
species would benefit from landscape burning.

Watershed Improvement

    Purpose: Reduce potential sediment inputs into the aquatic 
ecosystem.
    Need: Sediment input from gravel and native surface roads can flow 
into streams, negatively affecting fish habitat and water quality. 
Improvement of watershed function and stream conditions can be 
accomplished by reducing road densities and repairing existing roads 
and culverts to reduce sediment and improve drainage. Decompacting 
soils and adding organic material on old skid trails and landings can 
also help to improve watershed function.
    The Proposed Action would:
    Improve forest health, provide goods and services, reduce fuels and 
improve wildlife habitat by:

[[Page 386]]

     Conducting ``variable retention'' regeneration harvest and 
post-harvest burning activities on up to 2300 acres distributed across 
the focus areas to create early sucessional plant communities and 
improve wildlife habitat while re-establishing long-lived early seral 
tree species. Variable retention harvest would include areas of full 
retention (clumps), irregular edges, and retention of snags and legacy 
trees to provide structure and a future source of woody debris. 
Openings would likely exceed 40 acres. Creation of openings over 40 
acres requires 60 day public review and Regional Forest approval. This 
letter provides public notice that an environmental impact statement 
will be prepared and Regional Forester approval requested.
     Applying improvement harvest (thin from below) on 
approximately 875 acres to remove encroachment and ladder fuels from 
ponderosa pine dominated stands.
     Construct up to 18 miles of temporary roads to carry out 
the proposed action. Roads would be designed and located to minimize 
environmental effects and decommissioned after use.
     Harvest would be conducted by ground based (tractor/
skyline) and aerial (helicopter) logging systems. Logs would likely be 
landed in the Wild and Scenic River corridor at designated helicopter 
landings.
     Creating a shaded fuel break and defensible space for 
approximately 300 feet on NFS lands adjacent to private properties 
within the project area. This may include commercial and non-commercial 
thinning, pruning of ladder fuels and hand piling of slash.

Watershed Improvement

     2-3 miles of system roads no longer considered necessary 
for transportation needs would be decommissioned.
     Maintaining and improving of 7-10 miles of roads used to 
support the proposed actions. Maintenance or improvement may include 
culvert installation or replacement, ditch cleaning, and riprap 
placement for drainage improvement. It may also include gravel 
placement, road grading and dust abatement.
    Possible Alternatives the Forest Service will consider include a 
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.

Responsible Official and Lead Agency

    The USDA Forest Service is the lead agency for this proposal. The 
Nez Perce-Clearwater Forest Supervisor is the responsible official.
    The Decision To Be Made is whether to adopt the proposed action, in 
whole or inpart, or another alternative; and what mitigation measures 
and management requirements will be implemented.
    The Scoping Process for the EIS is being initiated with this 
notice. The scoping process will identify issues to be analyzed in 
detail and will lead to the developemnt of alternatives to the 
proposal. 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. Comments received in response to this notice, 
including the names and addresses of those who comment, will be a part 
of the project record and available for public review.
    Early Notice of Importance of Public Participation in Subsequent 
Environmental Review: A draft environmental impact statement will be 
prepared for comment. 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 Environmental Protection 
Agency publishes the notice of availability in the Federal Register. 
The Draft EIS is anticipated to be available for public review in May 
2013.

    Dated: December 20, 2013.
Rick Brazell,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2013-31457 Filed 1-2-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P