[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 189 (Monday, October 2, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45802-45804]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-21007]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Kemmerer Ranger District; Bridger-Teton National Forest; Wyoming; 
Kemmerer Grazing and Rangeland Vegetation Management Project

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Revised Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact 
Statement.

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SUMMARY: The Bridger-Teton National Forest will prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to analyze the effects of 
continued authorization of grazing on 17 sheep allotments on the 
Kemmerer Ranger District in southwest Wyoming.

DATES: Although comments are accepted at any time, two designated 
comment periods concerning the scope of the analysis were established: 
June 26, 2017 through July 26, 2017 and November 17, 2008 through 
January 2, 2009. Comments will be accepted for an additional 30 days 
after October 2, 2017. The Draft EIS is expected in June 2018. 
Following its release, an opportunity to comment on the Draft EIS will 
be provided. The Final EIS is expected June 2019.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Kemmerer Ranger District, 308 U.S. 
Highway 189 North, Kemmerer, WY 83101. Comments may also be sent via 
email to [email protected], or via 
facsimile to 307-828-5135. Please put ``Comments on Kemmerer Grazing'' 
in the subject line.
    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.

[[Page 45803]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: R. Aaron Zobell, Rangeland Management 
Specialist, Kemmerer Ranger District, 307-828-5100, 
[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.
    Ongoing information related to the proposed project can be found on 
the the project Web page at: http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=26874.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Purpose and Need for Action

    A Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an EIS was published on 
November 17, 2008 (73 FR 67835) and April 9, 2010 (75 FR 10144). This 
NOI updates and supplements the previously published NOI to prepare an 
EIS and adds one additional allotment, Trespass Creek Allotment. The 
project area encompasses 181,227 acres of National Forest System lands 
within Lincoln County of western Wyoming. The 17 allotments included in 
the analysis are: Aspen Springs; Basin Creek; Buckskin Knoll; Devils 
Hole; Elk Creek; Green Knoll; Indian Creek; Lake Alice; Lake Mountain; 
Lower Salt Creek; Pole Creek; Porcupine Creek; Sams-Allen Creek; Smiths 
Fork; South Fontenelle; Spruce Creek; and Trespass Creek allotments. 
The analysis contained in the EIS will be used by the responsible 
official to decide whether or not, and if so, how to authorize 
livestock grazing and manage rangeland vegetation within the project 
area.
    The purpose of the Kemmerer Grazing and Rangeland Vegetation 
Management project is to authorize livestock grazing in a manner that 
will maintain desired conditions or improve resource conditions towards 
desired conditions. There is a need for continued livestock grazing on 
the Bridger-Teton National Forest to meet the direction provided by the 
Bridger Teton Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan) to 
contribute to the prosperity of communities (Goal 1.1) and provide 
forage for about 260,000 animal unit months of livestock grazing 
annually (Objective 1.1(h)). There is also a need to avoid unacceptable 
effects from livestock use as outlined in the Forest Plan (Goal 4.7) 
which directs that grazing use of the National Forest sustain or 
improve overall range, soils, water, wildlife, and recreation values or 
experiences. The difference between the existing condition and desired 
condition in terms of livestock grazing and resource conditions 
describes the need for federal action. Desired conditions are defined 
by the Forest Plan, Forest Service Manual, and applicable laws. This 
effort is undertaken to comply with the 1995 Rescissions Act (Pub. L. 
104-19).

Proposed Action

    The proposed action is to authorize livestock grazing on 17 
allotments within the project area (Aspen Springs; Basin Creek; 
Buckskin Knoll; Devils Hole; Elk Creek; Green Knoll; Indian Creek; Lake 
Alice; Lake Mountain; Lower Salt Creek; Pole Creek; Porcupine Creek; 
Sams-Allen Creek; Smiths Fork; South Fontenelle; Spruce Creek; and 
Trespass Creek allotments) with updated domestic sheep grazing and 
rangeland vegetation management direction. Desired conditions are 
identified. Grazing practices addressing frequency of grazing and rest 
from grazing would be guided by the amount and diversity of vegetation 
given the capability of soils, as well as indicators of soil quality 
such as amount of ground cover, sign of active erosion and healing of 
headcuts. Other best management practices addressing the timing, 
duration, and in specific settings the intensity, of use are 
identified. Adaptive management is part of the proposed action. 
Identified are: Criteria to guide management, pre-determined optional 
courses of action used to make adaptive changes in management over 
time, and the focused monitoring which provides the basis for adjusting 
management to attain desired resource conditions. Allotment management 
plans would become part of a term grazing permit and contain the 
livestock grazing and rangeland vegetation management direction 
identified by the responsible official's decision.

Possible Alternatives

    To date the Bridger-Teton National Forest has identified two 
alternatives to the proposed action: Alternative A--No Domestic 
Livestock Grazing, and Alternative B--Continuation of Current Livestock 
Management. Alternative A would discontinue sheep grazing on the 17 
allotments over the next five years with the exception of sheep 
trailing to other allotments on the Bridger-Teton National Forest and 
the Caribou National Forest. This alternative will demonstrate the 
effects of eliminating livestock grazing on the environment and more 
clearly illustrate the potential effects of implementing any grazing 
and rangeland vegetation management alternative. Alternative B would 
continue current grazing management practices including annual 
adjustments in authorized livestock numbers and season of use, as 
needed.

Responsible Official

    Kemmerer District Ranger Adrienne Holcomb

Nature of the Decision To Be Made

    Whether domestic sheep grazing should be allowed to continue on 
all, part, or none of the 17 allotments within the project area; and if 
so, under what management strategy.

Preliminary Issues

    Preliminary issues associated with the proposed action include:
    (1) The amount and diversity of vegetation in some locations is 
less than the current capability of soils;
    (2) Sediment delivery to drainages supporting fisheries, and 
retention of precipitation on uplands, as evidenced by headcutting/
gullies and sign of active erosion; and
    (3) Wildlife values within some aspen stands are minimized by a 
lack of diverse aspen age classes; in some locations the diversity of 
herbaceous and shrub species in the understory is also diminished.

Permits or Licenses Required

    If a decision is made to authorize regularly scheduled livestock 
grazing, such grazing must be authorized under a term grazing permit.

Scoping Process

    Pursuant to 36 CFR 218.7(a)(2), this proposed project implements 
the land management plan and is subject to Sec.  218 subparts A and B. 
Those who submit specific written comments regarding the proposed 
project during this scoping period or other designated opportunity for 
public comment in accordance with Sec.  218.5(a) are eligible to 
object. Issues raised in objections must be based on previously 
submitted timely, specific written comments regarding the proposed 
project unless based on new information arising after the designated 
comment opportunities.
    Specific written comments as defined by Sec.  218.2 should be 
within the scope of the proposed action, have a direct relationship to 
the proposed action, and must include supporting reasons for the 
responsible official to consider. It is the responsibility of all 
individuals and organizations to ensure that their comments are 
received in a timely manner.
    Comments received, including names and addresses of those who 
comment, will be considered part of the public record on these proposed 
actions and will be available for public inspection.

[[Page 45804]]

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 nor provide the respondent with standing to object the 
subsequent draft decision. Only those who respond to the request for 
comments or request to be placed on the mailing list will be added to 
the mailing list for this project.
    An objection period will follow the regulation found in Sec.  
218.7. For objection eligibility (Sec.  218.5), only those who have 
submitted timely, specific written comments during any designated 
opportunity for public comment may file an objection.
    Issues to be raised in objections must be based on previously 
submitted specific written comments regarding the proposed project and 
attributed to the objector, unless the issue is based on new 
information that arose after a designated opportunity to comment (Sec.  
218.8(c)).

    Dated: September 12, 2017.
Jeanne M. Higgins,
Acting Associate Deputy Chief, National Forest System.
[FR Doc. 2017-21007 Filed 9-29-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3411-15-P