[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 49 (Friday, March 13, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13323-13324]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-05740]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Sierra National Forest; California; Exchequer Restoration Project

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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

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SUMMARY: The United States Forest Service (USFS), Sierra National 
Forest, proposes to approve the Notice of Intent (NOI) and Proposed 
Action (PA) with appropriate mitigation measures to reduce resource 
impacts. This NOI is to reduce hazardous fuels and restore ecological 
components within the Exchequer Management Unit Group (MUG), McKinley 
Grove (MUG), and a managed-fire area.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received 
by April 13, 2015. The draft environmental impact statement is expected 
October

[[Page 13324]]

2015 and the final environmental impact statement is expected February 
2016.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to 29688 Auberry Road, Prather, CA 
93651. Comments may also be sent via email to [email protected], or via facsimile to 559-855-5375.
    It is important that reviewers provide their comments at such times 
and in such a way that they are useful to the Agency's preparation of 
the EIS. 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jody Nickerson, 559-297-0706 extension 
4943 or [email protected].
    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.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The project is located in Fresno County, CA 
in T. 9 S., R. 25 E. Sections 32-34; T. 9 S., R. 26 E. Sections 31 and 
34-36; T. 10 S., R. 25 E. Sections 3-4; 9-10; 15-16, 22, 27-29 and 34; 
T. 10 S. R. 26 E. Sections 1-3; 10-16; 21-24; 25-29; 34-36; T. 10 S., 
R. 27 E. Sections 5-8; 18-20; T. 11 S., R. 26 E. Section 1; and T. 11 
S., R. 27 E. Section 6, MDBM. The project proposes to reduce hazardous 
fuels and restore ecological components, with a focus on the California 
spotted owl within the project area based on a landscape assessment 
conducted by the Landscape Planning Work Group (LPWG) of the Dinkey 
Collaborative. The landscape assessment was completed for the Dinkey 
Landscape Restoration Project (DLRP) area in which the Exchequer MUG 
was rated as the highest priority area to treat at this time.

Purpose and Need for Action

    The purpose of the project is to improve and maintain key 
California spotted owl habitat structures, reduce fire risk to 
communities and fire fighters, restore forest health to a more natural 
condition characteristic of frequent-fire forests and the Sierra 
National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (LRMP), and to meet 
the interests expressed by the Dinkey Collaborative. In the project 
area, there is a need to protect from wildfire and enhance nesting and 
foraging structures for California spotted owl and fisher; to restore a 
vigorous, diverse forest ecosystem resilient to the effects of 
wildfire, insect and disease, air pollution, and climate change; to 
protect adjacent landowners and private property from the effects of 
wildfire; to incorporate potential ecological benefits into the fire 
management decision making process; to improve watershed resilience and 
function and improve aquatic habitat for sensitive species; to restore 
and enhance meadow habitat and aspen communities; and to reduce the 
spread of noxious weeds and to protect sensitive botanical species.

Proposed Action

    The USFS, Sierra National Forest is proposing to apply restoration 
treatments to Exchequer MUG including vegetation treatments (mechanical 
commercial thinning, ladder fuels), plantation treatments 
(reforestation, site preparation, herbicide use), treatment of 
watershed improvement needs, meadow and aspen restoration, fuels 
reduction (strategic roads treatments, prescribed fire, mastication, 
dozer piling), and hazard tree removal. The project proposes to apply 
prescribed fire to the McKinley Grove MUG for beneficial ecological 
purposes. A project-specific land management plan is being proposed in 
the eastern portion of the project area to use managed wildfire outside 
of a designated wilderness boundary. Actions area designed to move 
current conditions of the project area closer to reference conditions. 
Design criteria would be incorporated into the project design and would 
incorporate all applicable LRMP (and amendments) Standards and 
Guidelines, Best Management Practices, and Conservation Measures and 
Terms and Conditions from appropriate Biological Opinions relating to 
the project.

Responsible Official

    Sierra National Forest Supervisor, Dean A. Gould

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The decision to be made is whether or not to approve the proposed 
action or any additional alternatives analyzed for the Exchequer 
Project area.

Preliminary Issues

    Preliminary issues include impacts to California spotted owl, 
Pacific fisher, Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog, and Yosemite toad and 
their habitats and impacts from hazardous fuels and risk of 
uncharacteristic wildfire.

Scoping Process

    This notice of intent initiates the scoping process, which guides 
the development of the environmental impact statement. Tribal 
consultation will be initiated simultaneously. Collaboration with the 
Dinkey Collaborative has been an ongoing process in the planning of the 
project.
    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.

    Dated: March 5, 2015.
Steven Ostoja,
Acting Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2015-05740 Filed 3-12-15; 8:45 am]
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