[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 229 (Friday, November 28, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70844-70845]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-28069]
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Notices
Federal Register
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This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents
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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 229 / Friday, November 28, 2014 /
Notices
[[Page 70844]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Umatilla National Forest, Pomeroy Ranger District; Washington;
Sunrise Vegetation and Fuels Management Project
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
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SUMMARY: Umatilla National Forest, Pomeroy Ranger District will be
preparing an Environmental Impact Statement to analyze vegetation
management and fuels treatment actions within the Asotin watershed in
Garfield and Asotin Counties, Washington. The purpose of the project is
to move species composition, structural characteristics, density, and
fuel loading of the project area closer to ranges of desired conditions
described in the Umatilla Land and Resource Management Plan.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received
by December 29, 2014. The draft environmental impact statement is
expected November 2015 and final environmental impact statement is
expected March 2016.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Monte Fujishin, Pomeroy District
Ranger, 71 West Main, Pomeroy, WA 99347. Comments may also be sent via
email to [email protected], or via
facsimile to (509) 843-4621.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brad Cooper, Environmental
Coordinator; Pomeroy Ranger District, 71 West Main, Pomeroy, WA 99347;
email: [email protected]; phone: (509) 843-4626.
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.
As they are developed, additional information and maps will be
posted to the ``Projects'' page on the Forest Web site: http://www.fs.usda.gov/projects/umatilla/landmanagement/projects.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Sunrise project planning area has been
substantially affected by processes of forest growth and succession in
combination with forest management practices, resulting in the fuels
and forest vegetation now present. Recent analysis suggests that
patterns of forest structures, species cover types, density classes,
and fuel loadings within the planning area are likely inconsistent with
desired conditions (or ranges of conditions) described in the Umatilla
National Forest Land and Resources Management Plan (Forest Plan),
Eastside Screens amendment, and other related technical guidance.
Purpose and Need for Action
The need for action in Sunrise project planning area arises from
the differences between existing and desired forest conditions, and the
purpose of the project is to move species composition, structural
characteristics, density, and fuel loading of the project area closer
to ranges of desired conditions described in the Umatilla Forest Plan,
plan amendments, and related guidance. The purpose and need for this
project is responsive to and consistent with the following Forest Plan
goals (FP pages 4-1 to 4-3):
To provide land and resource management that achieves a
more healthy and productive forest and assists in supplying lands,
resources, uses, and values which meet local, regional, and national
social and economic needs.
To provide for production and sustained yield of wood
fiber and insofar as possible meet projected production levels
consistent with various resource objectives, standards and guidelines,
and cost efficiency.
To protect forest and range resources and values from
unacceptable losses due to destructive forest pests through the
practice of integrated pest management.
Proposed Action
In response to the purpose and need identified above, Umatilla
National Forest, Pomeroy Ranger District proposes vegetation and fuels
management treatments to improve the health and vigor of upland forest
stands, and to reduce susceptibility to future wildland fires of
uncharacteristic intensity by reducing hazardous and ladder fuels in
Sunrise project planning area. Fuels treatments would be used to reduce
existing uncharacteristic fuel loads of dead and live natural fuels,
reduce fuels generated from harvest activities, prepare sites for
regeneration, and maintain desired fuel conditions. One of the
objectives of these fuel treatments is to break-up fuel continuity on
the landscape, so that if a wildfire did occur, it could be safely and
effectively contained.
Vegetation and fuels treatments are anticipated to take place
beginning in calendar year 2016 and could continue over a period of
approximately five to ten years. Following are brief descriptions of
activities proposed for implementation, along with associated
activities that would occur concurrently.
Timber harvest and other tree-cutting activities--The project would
include mechanical tree-cutting activities across approximately 8,200
acres. Free thinning would be the primary silvicultural activity in
some areas (approximately 6,200 acres). In other areas where thinning
treatments alone would not meet landscape vegetation and fuels-related
objectives, regeneration harvests and tree planting would occur (up to
approximately 2,000 acres). Treatments will be designed to promote
under-represented, early-seral tree species such as ponderosa pine and
western larch. Harvest methods would include a combination of
conventional ground based logging systems, and skyline systems.
Activity units could include the removal of sawlogs, small diameter
trees (generally less than 7.0 inches diameter at breast height (DBH))
and/or excess down wood for use as woody biomass products. Tree-cutting
objectives and activities would vary depending on existing forest
vegetation and fuels conditions. Although wood fiber utilization is
expected in some areas, the focus of each treatment will be based on
the desired conditions of each activity area and designed to move
vegetative conditions towards those desired conditions.
Fuels treatments (activity related and natural)--The proposed
action will include ongoing maintenance of
[[Page 70845]]
desirable vegetation characteristics in previously treated areas and,
when necessary, reduction of surface and ladder fuels, stand density,
and canopy biomass to emulate fire intensities, and associated fire
severities, associated with a particular Fire Regime. Prescribed fire
entry will be utilized to rehabilitate decadent grass and shrub to
improve wildlife forage in big game winter range and bighorn sheep
habitat, dispose of activity fuels created by harvest, and as site
preparation for planting. Treatment objectives would be achieved
through a combination of the following activities such as whole-tree
yarding, prescribed burning in harvest units (approximately 2,300
acres), grapple piling of activity fuels (approximately 600 acres).
Landscape prescribed fire--Landscape prescribed fire would occur
across approximately 11,500 acres within the Sunrise project area. This
treatment would reintroduce fire to a fire-dependent ecosystem to
lessen the impact of a future uncharacteristic wildfire and improve
forage quality for big game (Management area direction for C3, C3A, C4,
and C8). In the majority of the project area, fire intensities would be
kept low by keeping fire out of the overstory and burning mainly
surface fuels. Consistent with the mixed-severity fire regimes which
have long characterized some parts of the project area, individual tree
and group torching would likely occur in areas where there is
sufficient ladder fuels and in timber stands with high occurrences of
mistletoe. Upon completion the landscape could be described as a mosaic
of unburned, lightly burned, moderately burned, and intensely burned
patches.
Road management--To accomplish implementation of proposed
activities approximately 39 miles of open system roads, about 42 miles
of closed system roads, and 46 miles of seasonally open roads would be
used as haul routes. Closed system roads used for project activities
would not be opened to the public. All system roads would remain the
same after project implementation; open roads would remain opened,
closed roads would continue to be closed, and seasonally open roads
would continue with that designation. Approximately 11 miles of
temporary road would be constructed of which 9 miles would be
constructed over previous road templates. All temporary roads would be
decommissioned after project activity use. No new specified road
construction is proposed.
Danger tree removal--Danger trees would be felled and removed along
all previously described haul routes used for timber sale activity. If
considered economically feasible they would be sold as part of a timber
sale. Danger trees within Riparian Habitat Conservation Areas (RHCAs)
would not be removed; they would be cut and left to provide additional
coarse woody debris.
Responsible Official
Monte Fujishin, District Ranger of Pomeroy Ranger District will be
the responsible official for making the decision and providing
direction for the analysis.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The responsible official will decide whether or not to implement
the proposed action or an alternative to the proposed action, including
the no action, and what monitoring will be appropriate.
Scoping Process
This notice of intent initiates the scoping process, which guides
the development of the environmental impact statement. A scoping letter
will be sent to interested and/or affected members of the public, non-
profit organizations, and other agencies.
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; however, anonymous comments will not provide
the Agency with the ability to provide the respondent with subsequent
environmental documents.
Dated: November 19, 2014.
Monte Fujishin,
Pomeroy District Ranger.
[FR Doc. 2014-28069 Filed 11-26-14; 8:45 am]
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