[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 155 (Tuesday, August 11, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48500-48501]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-17430]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Pacific Northwest Region; Oregon; Land Management Plan Amendment; 
Forest Management Direction for Large Diameter Trees in Eastern Oregon

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice to initiate a land management plan amendment and notice 
of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Pacific Northwest Region of the Forest Service has 
prepared a Preliminary Environmental Assessment (EA) for Forest 
Management Direction for Large Diameter Trees in Eastern Oregon. The 
proposal would amend the land management plans for the Deschutes, 
Fremont-Winema, Malheur, Ochoco, Umatilla, and Wallowa-Whitman National 
Forests in Oregon. This notice also provides information on how to 
comment on the Preliminary EA.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received 
by September 10, 2020. The final EA is expected September 2020.

ADDRESSES: Individuals and entities are encouraged to submit comments 
via webform at https://cara.ecosystem-management.org/Public/CommentInput?project=58050. Comments may also be sent via email to 
[email protected]. Hardcopy letters must be submitted to the 
following address: Shane Jeffries, Forest Supervisor, Ochoco National 
Forest, 3160 NE Third Street, Prineville, OR 97754. For those 
submitting hand-delivered comments, please call 541-416-6500 to make 
arrangements.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Emily Platt, Team Leader, at 
[email protected] or at 541-416-6500. Individuals who use 
telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal 
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 between 8:00 a.m. 
and 8:00 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    In 1995, the Forest Service adopted the Eastside Screens, which 
amended land management plans for national forests outside of the range 
of the northern spotted owl in Oregon and Washington. The Eastside 
Screens

[[Page 48501]]

include a limit on the harvest of trees equal to or greater than 21-
inches diameter at breast-height (dbh) where late and old structural 
stage forests are below the historic range of variability.
    Since the issuance of the Eastside Screens, forest conditions have 
changed, new science has emerged, and land management priorities have 
shifted to emphasize forest restoration and the mitigation of wildfire 
impacts. By adapting the 21-inch standard to reflect learning over the 
past 25 years, the Agency would streamline restoration of forests in 
eastern Oregon in order to create landscapes that withstand and recover 
more quickly from drought, wildfire, and other disturbances.

Purpose and Need for Action

    The purpose of this proposal is to analyze a science-based, 
contemporary alternative to the 21-inch standard in the Eastside 
Screens. Adapting the standard to incorporate science and 25 years of 
learning would enable managers to more effectively restore forestlands 
in eastern Oregon.

Proposed Action

    The Forest Service is proposing to replace the 21'' standard with a 
guideline that emphasizes recruitment of old trees and large trees. An 
adaptive management component is also assessed in this analysis.

Responsible Official

    The Responsible Official for this amendment is Ochoco Forest 
Supervisor, Shane Jeffries.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    Given the purpose and need of the project, the Responsible Official 
will review alternatives, public comments, and consider the 
environmental consequences to decide whether to prepare a finding of no 
significant impact or prepare an environmental impact statement. If a 
finding of no significant impact is appropriate, the Responsible 
Official will decide whether to select the proposed action, another 
alternative, or a combination of alternatives.

Substantive Requirements

    When proposing a Forest Plan amendment, the 2012 Planning Rule (36 
CFR 219), as amended, requires the responsible official to identify the 
substantive requirements of the rule that are likely to be directly 
related to the amendment (36 CFR 219.13(b)(5)). The substantive 
requirements that are likely to be directly related to the proposed 
amendments are: (1) 36 CFR 219.8(a)(1)(iv) System drivers, including 
dominant ecological processes, disturbance regimes, and stressors, such 
as natural succession, wildland fire, invasive species, and climate 
change; and the ability of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems on the 
plan area to adapt to change; (2) 36 CFR 219.8(a)(1)(v) Wildland fire 
and opportunities to restore fire adapted ecosystems; and (3) 
219.9(b)(1) The responsible official shall determine whether or not the 
plan components provide the ecological conditions necessary to: 
Contribute to the recovery of federally listed threatened and 
endangered species, conserve proposed and candidate species, and 
maintain a viable population of each species of conservation concern 
within the plan area.

Comment and Objection Information

    The Preliminary EA and other related documents are available for 
comment on the project website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=58050. Additional information regarding this proposal can 
found at https://go.usa.gov/xvV4X. As provided for at 36 CFR 219.16, 
the responsible official has combined the notifications for initiating 
the plan amendment and inviting comments on the proposed plan amendment 
and alternatives.
    This EA is subject to Forest Service regulation 36 CFR 219, Subpart 
B, known as the administrative review, or objection, process. Only 
individuals or entities who submit specific written comments during the 
designated comment period will be eligible to participate in the 
objection process. Specific written comments should be within the scope 
of the proposed action, have a direct relationship to the proposed 
action, and include supporting reasons for the Responsible Official to 
consider. Comments submitted anonymously will be accepted and 
considered but will not meet the requirements to be eligible for 
administrative review. Comments received in response to this 
solicitation, including names (and addresses, if included) of those who 
comment, will be part of the public record for this proposed action.

Allen Rowley,
Associate Deputy Chief, National Forest System.
[FR Doc. 2020-17430 Filed 8-10-20; 8:45 am]
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