[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 96 (Friday, May 17, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22432-22434]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-10266]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest; Washington; Forest Plan
Amendment for Planning and Management of Domestic Sheep and Goat
Grazing Within the Range of Bighorn Sheep
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.
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SUMMARY: The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest
Service, Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest (OWNF), proposes to amend
the Land and Resource Management Plans (Forest Plans) for the OWNF to
provide forest plan direction for managing domestic sheep and goat
grazing within the range of bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) to better
provide for forest-wide bighorn sheep viability in the context of range
management. This notice advises the public that the OWNF is gathering
information necessary to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) to evaluate the effects of changing or adding plan components.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received
by July 1, 2019. The Draft EIS is expected in January 2020 and the
Final EIS is expected July 2020.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to: Okanogan-Wenatchee National
Forest, Domestic Sheep Grazing EIS, 215 Melody Lane, Wenatchee,
Washington 98801. Comments may also be sent via facsimile to 509-664-
9280 or submitted in person during regular business hours between 8:00
a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Pacific Time, Monday through Friday, at the address
listed above. Comments may also be submitted online at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=53257.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Darren Goodding, Forest Environmental
Coordinator, Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest via email at
[email protected] or via phone at (509) 664-9232, between 8:00
a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Pacific Time, Monday through Friday.
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
Bighorn sheep are designated by the USDA Forest Service Region 6 as
a sensitive species. The sensitive species designation indicates there
is concern for the long-term viability and/or conservation status of
bighorn sheep on National Forest System (NFS) lands in the region
(Forest Service Manual 2670.5). Forest Service Manual (FSM) sections
2670.32 and 2672.1 provide Agency direction to avoid or minimize
impacts to designated sensitive species.
Although native to the Cascade foothills, bighorn sheep currently
occupy only a fraction of their historic range. Bighorn sheep were
extirpated in the state of Washington by 1935. Subsequent
reintroduction of bighorn sheep has resulted in multiple herds within
the state, including several that occur within the OWNF and which
overlap with current domestic sheep and goat grazing allotments.
Scientific research supports a relationship between disease in
bighorn sheep and contact with domestic sheep or goats when these
species are in close proximity (Lawrence et al. 2010; Besser et al.
2014). Although there is limited knowledge of transmission dynamics
(Garde et al. 2005), there is a long documented history across Canada
and the United States of large-scale, rapid, all-age die-offs resulting
in partial to complete removal of bighorn sheep herds, many of which
are attributed to domestic animal contact (Shackleton 1999; Monello et
al. 2001; Schommer and Woolever 2001; Rudolph et al. 2003).
Report language in the 2016 Consolidated Appropriations Act
provided the following direction: ``Bighorn Sheep Conservation--In
order to ensure the Nation does not lose its domestic sheep industry or
Bighorn sheep conservation legacy, the Forest Service and the Bureau of
Land Management (BLM) shall implement a variety of solutions, including
the following directives: The agencies are directed to complete risk of
contact analyses using appropriate data sources, such as from the
Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, and to share the
findings with the public; the Forest Service is expected to engage the
Agricultural Research Service (ARS) to ensure the best scientific
understanding of where disease transmission occurs and the degree of
that risk and to assist the Forest Service with identifying all
allotments that are suitable for sheep grazing; the Forest Service and
Bureau
[[Page 22433]]
of Land Management are also directed to identify and implement actions
to resolve issues on allotments with a high risk of disease
transmission, including, if agreeable to the directly affected
stakeholders, the relocation of domestic sheep to allotments with a low
risk, pending any site-specific environmental analysis. The 2012
planning regulations adopt a complementary ecosystem and species-
specific approach to maintaining the diversity of plant and animal
communities and the persistence of native species in the plan area.''
The 2019 Department of Interior appropriations bill reaffirmed this
2016 direction, stating, ``Bighorn Sheep.--The Committees direct the
Forest Service to continue the quantitative, science-based analyses of
the risk of disease transmission between domestic and bighorn sheep
required in the fiscal year 2016 explanatory statement.''
Analysis conducted using the Bighorn Sheep Risk of Contact Tool
(v2), developed by O'Brien et al. (2014) and the Forest Service/BLM
Bighorn Sheep Working Group (2015), has shown that there is a potential
for bighorn sheep to enter grazing allotments where domestic sheep and
goat grazing currently exists or could occur under current management
frameworks. Disease-related mortality has been identified as a factor
that may adversely impact the population viability of bighorn sheep on
the OWNF. Providing spatial and/or temporal separation of domestic
sheep and goats from bighorn sheep is a management option used to
reduce the risk of contact to an acceptable level. It is within the
ability of the OWNF to establish new Forest Plan direction that would
guide management to minimize the risk of contact among bighorn sheep
and domestic sheep and goat grazing allotments.
Proposed Action
The OWNF proposes to amend the Forest Plan for the Okanogan
National Forest and the Forest Plan for the Wenatchee National Forest
to provide species-specific Forest Plan direction for managing domestic
sheep and goat grazing within the range of bighorn sheep (Ovis
canadensis) to better provide for Forest-wide bighorn sheep viability
in the context of range management. While the OWNF is managed as one
administrative unit, Forest Plans were completed separately for the
Wenatchee National Forest and the Okanogan National Forest prior to the
units being administratively combined, and these original plans were
written prior to the Regional Forester identifying bighorn sheep as a
sensitive species. The proposed plan amendment would apply to each of
the plans as a forest-wide amendment and would add plan components to
the Forest Plans as needed to support management of domestic sheep and
goat grazing while mitigating high risk of contact with bighorn sheep
(Ovis canadensis). High risk is currently defined by the Bighorn Sheep
Risk of Contact Tool (v.2) but plan direction would allow for updated
versions of this model. This analysis would consider other potential
factors for making a determination of high risk at both the Forest wide
and local levels. Factors may include local topography, spatial or
temporal separation, or other herd characteristics or range management
actions.
Current mitigation measures that are being used to reduce risk of
contact between domestic sheep and bighorn sheep include: Requiring
experienced sheepherders on allotments located near bighorn sheep
habitat; conducting full counts of domestic sheep when trailing and
regularly during general grazing; trucking in water if needed to reduce
straying; and reporting of stray or missing domestic sheep and any wild
sheep and domestic sheep interactions.
When proposing a Forest Plan amendment, the 2012 Planning Rule (36
CFR 219), as amended, requires the responsible official to provide in
the initial notice ``which substantive requirements of Sec. Sec. 219.
8 through 219.11 are likely to be directly related to the amendment
(Sec. 219.13(b)(5)) . . .'' Whether a rule provision is likely to be
directly related to an amendment is determined by the purpose for and
the effects of the amendment, and informed by the best available
scientific information, scoping, effects analysis, monitoring data or
other rationale. Based on the proposed amendment and requirement of the
planning rule, the following substantive requirements of the 36 CFR 219
planning regulations would likely be directly related to the proposed
amendment: 219.8(a)(1)(ii) Contributions of the plan area to ecological
conditions within the broader landscape influenced by the plan area;
219.8(b)(1) Social, cultural, and economic conditions relevant to the
area influenced by the plan; 219.9(a)(2)(i) Key characteristics
associated with terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem types; and
219.10(a)(7) Reasonably foreseeable risks to ecological, social, and
economic sustainability.
Existing allotment management plans and the associated
environmental analyses would be revised subsequent to the proposed
Forest Plan amendments being adopted in order to evaluate site-specific
conditions relative to risk of contact and ability to mitigate risk.
Possible Alternatives
A no-action alternative, which represents no change and serves as
the baseline for the comparison among the action alternatives, will be
analyzed in addition to the proposed action. Comments we receive in
response to this Notice of Intent may identify additional alternatives.
Lead and Cooperating Agencies
The USDA Forest Service, OWNF is the lead agency for the proposed
action and compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA). The OWNF has identified two agencies with special expertise
with respect to the proposed action that would serve as cooperating
agencies.
The USDA ARS has special expertise in animal diseases that would
inform the Forest's management decisions. The ARS would help provide
the best available scientific information on the transmission of
pathogens between domestic sheep and/or goats and bighorn sheep, the
risk that transmission would result in disease in bighorn sheep and
their herds, and potential strategies to address transmission.
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has special
expertise in the management of wildlife, including bighorn sheep within
the State of Washington. The WDFW is asked to provide information
regarding the current status of the bighorn sheep populations that may
be affected by the proposed action and has been invited to participate
in development of this environmental analysis by providing information
and expertise in regard to the State's wildlife management program as a
cooperating agency.
Responsible Official
Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest Supervisor.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The Responsible Official will decide whether to approve the
proposed amendment of the OWNF Forest Plans to establish new plan
components for domestic sheep and goat grazing on NFS lands within the
range of the bighorn sheep.
Scoping Process
This Notice of Intent initiates the scoping process, which guides
the development of the EIS. The OWNF will invite the public to
participate in a series of informational, virtual open houses. These
meetings will be posted on the Forest's website at https://
www.fs.usda.gov/main/okawen/
[[Page 22434]]
landmanagement/planning and will be advertised in local newspaper of
record.
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 EIS. Therefore, comments should be provided prior to the close of
the comment period and should clearly articulate the reviewer's
concerns and/or 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 respondent with eligiblity to participate in subsequent
administrative review or judicial review. The proposed project is an
activity that includes a programmatic plan amendment and is subject to
36 CFR 219 subparts A and B. The publication date of the NOI in the
Federal Register is the exclusive means for calculating the scoping
period. Those wishing to comment should not rely upon dates or
timeframe information provided by any other source. If the scoping
period ends on a Saturday, Sunday, or Federal holiday, scoping comments
will be accepted until the end of the next Federal working day.
Only individuals or entities (as defined by 36 CFR 219.53) who
submit substantive formal comments (as defined by 36 CFR 219.62) about
this plan amendment will be eligible to file an objection. Other
requirements to be eligible to submit an objection are defined by 36
CFR 219.54(c) and include name, postal address, name of the plan
amendment, signature or other verification of identity upon request,
and the identity of the individual or entity who authored the comments.
Individual members of an entity must submit their own individual
comments in order to have eligibility to object as an individual. A
timely submission will be determined as outlined in 36 CFR
219.16(a)(2). It is the responsibility of the sender to ensure timely
receipt of any comments submitted. Names and contact information
submitted with comments will become part of the public record and may
be released under the Freedom of Information Act.
Substantive formal comments are those that are within the scope of
the proposal, are specific to the proposal, have a direct relationship
to the proposal, and include supporting reasons for the responsible
official to consider (36 CFR 219.62).
Dated: March 28, 2019.
Allen Rowley,
Acting Associate Deputy Chief, National Forest System.
[FR Doc. 2019-10266 Filed 5-16-19; 8:45 am]
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