[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 230 (Tuesday, December 1, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75046-75048]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-30422]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests and Thunder Basin National 
Grassland, Brush Creek/Hayden Ranger District; Wyoming; North Savery 
Project

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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

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SUMMARY: In the North Savery Project, the Medicine Bow-Routt National 
Forests and Thunder Basin National Grassland, Brush Creek/Hayden Ranger 
District proposes approximately 6,500 acres of salvage logging, 
precommercial thinning, and hazard tree clearing on National Forest 
System lands in the northwest Sierra Madre mountain range. The District 
also proposes changes to the road system in the project area, including 
decommissioning 26 miles of roads that are causing direct impacts to 
watershed resources. The Governor of Wyoming has identified the project 
area as a priority landscape for treatment under the 2014 Farm Bill and 
amended Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003, which provide for 
expedited environmental analysis and treatments to address areas 
affected by insect and disease infestations. Accordingly, the 
environmental analysis associated with the North Savery Project will 
proceed according to Section 104 of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act 
and will be subject to subparts A and C of the U.S. Forest Service 
Project-Level Predecisional Administrative Review Process documented at 
36 CFR 218.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received 
by February 1, 2016. The draft environmental impact statement is 
expected in May 2016 and the final

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environmental impact statement is expected in September 2016.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Medicine Bow National Forest; Attn: 
Melanie Fullman; PO Box 249, Saratoga, WY 82331. Comments may also be 
sent via email to [email protected], or via facsimile to 307-326-5250. Comments may be 
hand delivered during business hours (8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 
p.m. to 4:30 p.m.) to 2171 Highway 130, Saratoga WY 82331.
    All comments, including names and addresses when provided, are 
placed in the record and are available for public inspection and 
copying. The public may inspect comments received at 2171 Highway 130, 
Saratoga WY. Visitors are encouraged to call ahead to 307-326-2500 to 
facilitate entry into the building.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Monique Nelson, Medicine Bow National 
Forest; 2468 Jackson St, Laramie WY 82070; phone (307)745-2310; or 
email: [email protected]. A scoping document, including maps, is 
available online at http://www.fs.fed.us/nepa/nepa_project_exp.php?project=47913.
    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:

Purpose and Need for Action

    The purpose of the North Savery Analysis is to (1) promote forest 
regeneration in stands affected by mountain pine beetle; (2) treat 
overstocked timber stands to improve growth and vigor; (3) reduce the 
development of large continuous high hazard fuel conditions in high 
timber production areas; (4) remove hazard trees from high priority 
areas affecting public safety; (5) provide merchantable timber products 
for sale from designated timber units; and (6) relocate, reconstruct, 
or restore to natural conditions portions of the existing road system 
that are in need of maintenance or are detrimentally contributing to 
watershed health.
    Over the past decade, a mountain pine beetle epidemic has killed 
pine trees across thousands of acres of forest land in southern 
Wyoming. In lodgepole pine forests, approximately 70% of the trees 
greater than 6'' in diameter are dead or dying from mountain pine 
beetle infestation. Timber stands in the North Savery Project analysis 
area are among the most productive growing sites on the Medicine Bow 
National Forest, and it is a priority to reforest and return these 
stands to timber production. There is a limited time in which to 
salvage these trees and recover a sawtimber product. The Governor of 
Wyoming has identified this project location as a priority area for 
treatment due to insect and disease infestation.

Proposed Action

Salvage Harvest

    The Forest Service has identified and will analyze approximately 
7,700 acres for salvage harvest. Approximately 2,200 of the analyzed 
acres will not be harvested in order to conserve watershed heath and 
wildlife habitat. Acres to be set aside from treatment will be 
determined based on the analyzed effects to water yields in each 
watershed and the presence of wildlife and other resources of interest. 
Overstory Removal and Clearcut treatments would be used in lodgepole 
pine stands to salvage dead and dying trees; some live trees will also 
be harvested.
    Overstory removal treatments are used in areas that have a 
significant understory component. The intent is to harvest overstory 
trees while maintaining understory trees that are too small to be 
merchantable. Clearcut prescriptions are used in stands that have 
beetle mortality greater than 70%, are highly mistletoe infested, have 
low levels of existing regeneration, or where the remaining green trees 
would be at high risk of windthrow. Species present and the presence, 
distribution, and health of the understory will dictate what options 
are available for salvage treatments on a stand-by-stand basis. 
Generally, lodgepole pine trees over 7.0 inches in diameter would be 
designated for removal. Trees of all species less than 7.0 inches in 
diameter would generally remain on site. Areas within units that have 
large, contiguous components of Engelmann spruce may be retained for 
wildlife. Subalpine fir, when found as a minor component in lodgepole 
pine stands, would not be retained unless included as wildlife habitat.

Precommercial Thinning

    Precommercial thinning is proposed on approximately 1,000 acres of 
densely regenerating lodgepole pine seedling/sapling stands. 
Precommercial thinning would improve growth and vigor, reduce stress 
from overcrowding and competition, and provide for a future stand that 
is less susceptible to bark beetles.

Hazard Tree Clearing

    Some areas identified for salvage harvest include hazard trees 
along roads, trails, and administrative sites.

Roads Proposals

    The Forest Service proposes to decommission (return to a natural 
state) approximately 26 miles of roads that are causing direct impacts 
to wetland and water resources, provide redundant access in areas of 
high road density, or are in greater sage-grouse core habitat. To 
ensure adequate access to the area, the Forest Service proposes to add 
approximately 6 miles of well-placed unauthorized routes to the 
National Forest road system, convert 1 mile of road to ORV trail, and 
build approximately 1 mile of ORV trail. Finally, the Forest Service 
proposes to construct 1 mile of road, reconstruct 2 miles of road, and 
reroute 1 mile of road. Approximately 20 miles of temporary roads may 
be needed to facilitate timber harvest.

Responsible Official

    Melanie B. Fullman, District Ranger; Medicine Bow Routt-National 
Forests and Thunder Basin National Grassland, Brush Creek/Hayden Ranger 
District.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The Responsible Official will decide whether to adopt and implement 
the proposed action, implement an alternative to or modification of the 
proposed action, or take no action with respect to the North Savery 
Project.

Preliminary Issues

    The following issues were identified while scoping a larger 
``Savery'' project in 2011. The Savery Project was scoped but was not 
analyzed or implemented. This North Savery Project is located with the 
former Savery Project analysis area but is smaller in extent and 
includes fewer proposals. Preliminary issues are: (1) effects of 
proposed timber salvage treatments on wildlife, wildlife habitat, and 
watershed funtion; (2) effects of road closures and road 
decommissioning on recreational access to the national forest.

Scoping Process

    This notice of intent initiates the scoping process, which guides 
the development of the environmental impact statement. There will a 
public meeting held at the Bureau of Land Management Rawlins Field 
Office located at 1300 North 3rd St., Rawlins WY 82301 on December 9, 
2015 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. A second public meeting will be held 
at the Platte Valley Community Center located at 210 W

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Elm Ave, Saratoga, WY 82331 on December 10, 2015 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
    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.

Melanie B. Fullman,
District Ranger.
[FR Doc. 2015-30422 Filed 11-30-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P