[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 65 (Friday, April 3, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19019-19020]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-06949]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[19XL.LLIDB03000.DF0000.LFHFFR650000.241A.4500136018]


Notice of Availability for the Tri-State Fuel Breaks Project 
Final Environmental Impact Statement, Idaho and Oregon

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969, as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 
1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Boise District 
Office, Boise, Idaho, and the BLM Vale District Office, Vale, Oregon, 
have prepared the Tri-state Fuel Breaks Project Final Environmental 
Impact Statement (DOI-BLM-ID-B000-2015-0001-EIS) (Final EIS) and, by 
this notice, are announcing its availability.

DATES: The BLM will not issue a final decision on the proposal for a 
minimum of 30 days following the date the Environmental Protection 
Agency publishes its Notice of Availability in the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons may also review the Final EIS and 
accompanying background documents on the project website: https://go.usa.gov/xPruu. If you are unable to access the documents online and 
would like a paper copy, please contact the Project Lead identified 
below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lance Okeson, Project Lead, telephone: 
208-384-3300; 3948 South Development Ave., Boise, ID 83705; email: 
[email protected]. Contact Mr. Okeson to have your name added to 
our mailing list. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the 
deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339 
to contact Mr. Okeson during normal business hours. FRS is available 24 
hours a day, 7 days a week, to leave a message or a question. You will 
receive a reply during normal business hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Southwestern Idaho, southeastern Oregon, and 
northern Nevada (the Tri-state area) comprise one of the largest intact 
strongholds of sagebrush-steppe habitat in the Northern Great Basin. 
This area supports big game and sagebrush-dependent species and 
provides for a variety of multiple-use activities. Assessments have 
identified the project area as a landscape particularly threatened by 
wildfire and the subsequent spread of invasive annual grasses. For 
example, the 2010 Rapid Eco-regional Assessment of the Northern Basin 
and Range and Snake River Plain identified the tri-state area as being 
at high risk for large-scale wildfires. Wildfires in this remote area 
can grow quickly and affect hundreds of thousands of acres of 
sagebrush-steppe habitat and working landscapes within a matter of 
days. The 2012 Long Draw Fire (558,198 acres), the 2014 Buzzard Complex 
Fire (395,747 acres), the 2015 Soda Fire (285,360 acres), the 2018 
Martin Fire (435,569 acres), and the 2018 Sugar Loaf Fire (233,462 
acres)--all of which were in or near the project area--each impacted 
over a hundred thousand acres within 24 hours.
    The sagebrush-steppe landscape within this area represents one of 
the most impacted ecosystems in the United States. The Secretary of the 
Interior's 2017 Wildland Fire Directive and Secretarial Order 3372 call 
for active management of public lands to reduce the risk of 
catastrophic wildfire to America's forests and rangelands. Management 
of wildfire has been identified as one of the key issues for 
maintaining sage-grouse populations in sagebrush-dominated landscapes.

Purpose and Need

    The purpose of the action is to provide a network of fuel breaks to 
enable wildland fire suppression resources in the tri-state area to 
more safely, rapidly, and effectively protect natural and cultural 
resources from wildfires. The strategy proposes to create and maintain 
fuel breaks along established roads through mechanical, biological, 
chemical, and prescribed fire treatments. Fuel breaks reduce fuel 
accumulations and disrupt fuel continuity in order to modify fire 
behavior and provide safe anchor points for firefighters. Fuel breaks 
allow firefighters to more rapidly contain and control wildland fires 
and increase suppression efficacy by enabling firefighters to engage 
wildfires over a larger area. This network would improve firefighters' 
opportunities for protecting one of the few remaining large areas of 
intact sagebrush-steppe habitat from the threat of wildland fire.

Alternatives

    Under the No Action Alternative (Alternative 1), a fuel break 
network would not be created. Fuels adjacent to roadways would not be 
treated to reduce fuel accumulations and disrupt fuel continuity. Fire 
suppression personnel would continue to use existing paved and other 
improved BLM and county roads and natural topographic features to 
attempt holding and controlling wildfire.
    Under all action alternatives, fuel breaks would only be 
implemented alongside existing roads. Fuel breaks would extend up to, 
but no farther than, 200 feet from both sides of roadways. 
Environmental constraints such as adjacent vegetation, terrain, soil 
type, and resource concerns would dictate width and treatment type in a 
given area. No fuel breaks would be constructed in designated 
wilderness. Fuel breaks could be established along the non-wilderness 
side of boundary roads adjacent to designated wilderness and along 
boundary roads surrounding wilderness study areas (WSAs).
    The methods for fuel break creation and maintenance analyzed in the 
Final EIS include mowing, hand cutting, seeding (including seedbed 
preparation techniques), herbicide treatment, prescribed fire (e.g., 
pile burning), and targeted grazing. These methods may be implemented 
in combination or as stand-alone treatments as necessary to meet the 
treatment objectives. Depending on available funding, implementation 
could occur over 15 years.
    Alternative 2 contains the highest number and density of fuel 
breaks of all action alternatives. The BLM would implement and maintain 
a fuel break network along approximately 1,539 miles of existing roads: 
731 miles in Idaho and 808 miles in Oregon.
    Alternative 3 was developed to protect natural resources from large 
wildfires while minimizing impacts to cultural resources. Alternative 3 
emphasizes avoidance of cultural resources and limiting impacts to 
special management areas (e.g., wilderness and WSAs). The fuel break 
network would span 1,063 miles of existing roads: 505 miles in Idaho 
and 558 miles in Oregon.
    Alternative 4 emphasizes protection to wildlife and their habitat 
while providing a network of fuel breaks that meets the purpose and 
need. The fuel break network would span 910 miles of existing roads: 
450 miles in Idaho and 460 miles in Oregon.
    The Final EIS introduces Alternative 5, the preferred alternative, 
which blends elements of Alternatives 2, 3, and 4 to provide a 
strategic fuel break network that limits adverse impacts to wildlife 
and cultural resources. This alternative reflects adjustments to fuel 
break routes previously analyzed in the Draft EIS under Alternatives 2, 
3, and 4 based on the analysis of impacts and public comments received. 
The fuel break network for this alternative would

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span 987 miles of existing roads: 435 miles in Idaho and 552 miles in 
Oregon.
    Comments on the Draft EIS received from the public and internal BLM 
review were considered and incorporated as appropriate into the Final 
EIS. Public comments resulted in the development of Alternative 5, 
which is within the range of alternatives analyzed in the Draft EIS.

(Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10, and 43 CFR 1610.2)

Aimee D. K. Betts,
Acting Boise District Manager, Idaho.
Donald N. Gonzalez,
Vale District Manager, Oregon/Washington.
[FR Doc. 2020-06949 Filed 4-2-20; 8:45 am]
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