[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 30 (Tuesday, February 16, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7743-7744]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-03047]



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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Mt. Hood National Forest; Oregon; Cooper Spur--Government Camp 
Land Exchange

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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

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SUMMARY: The Mt. Hood National Forest will prepare an environmental 
impact statement to document and disclose the projected effects of a 
congressionally directed and conditioned land exchange. This land 
exchange includes the conveyance of approximately 110 acres of National 
Forest System lands adjacent to Government Camp in Clackamas County, 
Oregon, in exchange for the acquisition of approximately 765 acres of 
land owned by Mt. Hood Meadows Oreg., LLC, in Hood River County, 
Oregon.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received 
by March 17, 2016. The draft environmental impact statement is expected 
November 2016 and the final environmental impact statement is expected 
January 2018.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to the Mt. Hood National Forest, 16400 
Champion Way, Sandy, OR 97055. Comments may also be sent via email to 
[email protected], or via facsimile to (503) 
668-1423.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michelle Lombardo, Forest 
Environmental Coordinator, Mt. Hood National Forest, at (503) 668-1796 
or by email at [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:

Purpose and Need for Action

    The purpose of the congressionally directed and conditioned land 
exchange between the Mt. Hood National Forest and the Mt. Hood Meadows 
Oregon, LLC, is to comply with and carry out the Omnibus Public Land 
Management Act of March 30, 2009 (123 Stat. 991, Pub. L. 111-11), which 
provides direction for this land exchange.

Proposed Action

    The proposed action includes the conveyance of two parcels of 
National Forest System lands, totaling approximately 110 acres, in 
exchange for the acquisition of approximately 765 acres of land owned 
by Mt. Hood Meadows. The Federal land proposed for conveyance is 
located to the north of the Government Camp Loop Road in Government 
Camp, Oregon, in T3S, R8E, sections 13 & 24, and T3S, R8.5E, section 14 
in Clackamas County. The land owned by Mt. Hood Meadows that is 
proposed for acquisition is located about one-half mile to the west of 
Highway 35 in the vicinity of the Cooper Spur Ski Area in T2S, R10E, 
sections 6 & 7, T1S, R10E, Sections 30 & 31, and T1S, R9E, Section 36 
in Hood River County.
    The Omnibus Act (Section 1206(a)(2)(G)) prescribes as a condition 
to the land exchange that the Forest Service reserve wetland and trail 
easements on the Federal parcels to be exchanged. More specifically, 
the Omnibus Act requires the U.S. to reserve a conservation easement on 
the Federal land to protect existing wetland, as identified by the 
Oregon Department of State Lands, that allows equivalent wetland 
mitigation measures to compensate for minor wetland encroachments 
necessary for the orderly development of that land following the 
exchange. The Omnibus Act also requires the U.S. to reserve a trail 
easement on the Federal land that allows non-motorized use by the 
public of existing trails; roads, utilities, and infrastructure 
facilities to cross the trails; and improvement or relocation of the 
trails to accommodate development of the Federal land. The Omnibus Act 
also provides that, on completion of the land exchange, additional 
lands would be considered part of the Mt. Hood Wilderness and that the 
Crystal Springs Watershed Special Resource Management Unit would be 
created.
    The environmental impact statement to be prepared will also 
consider a proposed amendment to the the Mt. Hood National Forest Land 
and Resources Management Plan (1990), as amended by the Northwest 
Forest Plan (1994), that will be necessary to assign land use 
allocations to the acquired lands, change the land use allocations for 
the new Tilly Jane Wilderness Addition and the Crystal Springs 
Watershed Special Resource Management Unit, and add standards and 
guidelines for the Crystal Springs Watershed Special Resource 
Management Unit upon its creation.

Possible Alternatives

    A bill, referred to as the ``Mount Hood Cooper Spur Land Exchange 
Clarification Act,'' has been introduced in the U.S. Congress that 
would amend the Omnibus Act to modify certain conditions of the land 
exchange as described in the proposed action. The proposed 
modifications set forth in the bill will be analyzed in the 
environmental impact statement as appropriate, depending upon future 
congressional developments regarding its status.

Responsible Official

    The Responsible Official for this project is the Mt. Hood Forest 
Supervisor.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The Responsible Official will decide whether to adopt and implement 
the proposed action, an alternative to the proposed action, or take no 
action. It should be noted that, in this context, this decision is 
necessarily informed and constrained by the Omnibus Act, which provides 
direction for the proposed action, and therefore, if the Responsible 
Official finds the congressionally-mandated conditions are satisfied, 
the Forest Service will execute the land exchange.

Preliminary Issues

    A preliminary analysis of potential effects revealed the following 
preliminary issues:
    (1) Camp Creek and an intermittent tributary of Camp Creek run 
through the Federal parcels. Neither reach of the stream is fish-
bearing. Camp Creek is not 303(d)-listed under the Clean Water Act, but 
it does have water quality issues associated with Government Camp (such 
as sewage and runoff from the roads). Depending on the type and quality 
of development that might occur on the parcels after the exchange, the 
water quality could further decrease. However, the impacts of 
development should be lessened by the congressionally-mandated 
conservation easement on the wetland, through which the streams flow. 
Detailed information is not available regarding fisheries or water 
quality on the non-Federal parcel.
    (2) Surveys for wetlands and floodplains on both parcels have been 
completed. Wetlands are present on the Federal parcels, and narrow, 
stream-associated wetlands exist on the non-Federal parcel. It appears 
that the Forest Service will be conveying more wetlands than would be 
acquired. In the Omnibus Act (Section 1206(a)(G)(i)), however, Congress 
mandated that a conservation easement be placed upon the wetlands at 
Government Camp. The Act directs that the easement protect the wetland 
and allow for equivalent wetland mitigation measures necessary for the 
orderly development of the

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conveyed land. The acquisition of the wetlands at Cooper Spur and the 
easement on the wetlands at Government Camp may therefore result in no 
net loss of wetlands.
    (3) A cultural and heritage resource survey was conducted on the 
Federal parcel. The survey revealed the potential for an adverse effect 
to a site of archaeological/cultural interest. Mitigation measures will 
be developed with Tribal and State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) 
consultation.
    (4) Trails 755, 755A, and 755B cross the Federal parcels. A trail 
easement has been congressionally mandated so that non-motorized users 
would continue to be able to use the trails to get to Federal land, so 
that roads, utilities, and infrastructure facilities could be built 
across the trails, and to allow for improvement or relocation of the 
trails so that development of the conveyed parcels could occur. While 
the trails (or relocated trails) would still exist, the recreation 
experience could be negatively impacted by new development (such as 
buildings and parking lots) or the presence of new infrastructure.

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, however.

    Dated: February 9, 2016.
Lisa A. Northrop,
Mt. Hood Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2016-03047 Filed 2-12-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-11-P