[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 42 (Tuesday, March 4, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12148-12149]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-04705]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


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

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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 fuels and 
vegetation within the 38,145-acre Gap project area, which is east of 
Prineville, Oregon. The project area includes National Forest System 
lands in the Upper North Fork Crooked River and Horse Heaven Creek-
Crooked River Watersheds. The alternatives that will be analyzed 
include the proposed action, no action, and additional alternatives 
that 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.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received 
by April 3, 2014. The draft environmental impact statement is expected 
to be completed and available for public comment in November, 2014. The 
final environmental impact statement is expected to be completed in 
March, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Sandy 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: Marcy Anderson, Project Leader, at 
3160 NE Third Street, Prineville, Oregon 97754, or at (541) 416-6463, 
or by email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Purpose and Need for Action

    The general purpose of entering this project area is to contribute 
to the resiliency of the landscape and to promote vegetative conditions 
that are similar to what occurred historically. The project's planning 
team is considering management activities that would promote and 
sustain late and old structured stands, increase resistance of forested 
vegetation to insects, disease and stand-replacing wildfire, and 
improve the condition of riparian vegetation.
    Preliminary field work in the Gap project area indicated that 
vegetation conditions in the project area have departed from the 
historic condition in several ways:
     Changes in tree species compositions.
     A reduction in late and old structured forest.
     A reduction in open-canopy 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 the condition of riparian vegetation.
    The Purpose and Need was developed based upon direction from the 
Ochoco Forest Plan and opportunities identified during preliminary 
field visits.
    1. There is a need to strategically reduce forest vegetation 
density and fuel loadings towards a 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 increase or maintain large tree structure and 
to maintain the abundance of early-seral and fire tolerant species 
compositions, i.e. ponderosa pine, western larch and Douglas-fir.
    3. There is a need to improve riparian conditions and associated 
upland vegetation within Riparian Habitat Conservation Areas (RHCAs) 
and maintain and enhance hardwood communities.
    4. 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 precommercial 
thinning and/or prescribed burning (16,665 acres), precommercial 
thinning with prescribed burning (3,340 acres), meadow restoration (300 
acres), riparian restoration (9 sites), and aspen stand restoration (30 
sites). Implementation of the proposed action would require some 
connected actions; these include use of temporary roads on existing 
disturbance (23 miles), use of new temporary roads (8 miles), and road 
reconstruction (3 miles). The proposal also includes closure or 
decommissioning of 21 miles of roads in the project area.

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 decide whether and under what circumstances 
fuels and vegetation management will be implemented in the Gap Fuels 
and Vegetation 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 also risk 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

[[Page 12149]]

Forest Lands. When mechanized equipment is used in the Forest, soil can 
become displaced and compacted, which can impact productivity.
     Water Quality. 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

    This 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 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.

    Dated: February 25, 2014.
 Sandra J. Henning,
 District Ranger.
[FR Doc. 2014-04705 Filed 3-3-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P