[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 241 (Tuesday, December 15, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 81177-81178]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-27546]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Bitterroot National Forest; Montana; Gold Butterfly Project 
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a supplemental environmental impact 
statement.

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SUMMARY: The Bitterroot National Forest, Stevensville Ranger District, 
Montana, intends to prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact 
Statement (SEIS) for the Gold Butterfly Project. Since publication of 
the original EIS, it was determined that a project-specific forest plan 
amendment is necessary.

DATES: The Draft SEIS is expected February 2020 and the Final SEIS is 
expected May 2020.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Brown, Stevensville District 
Ranger, by telephone at (406) 777-7410, or by email at 
[email protected].

ADDRESSES: Additional information concerning this project may be 
obtained at https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=51486.
    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 and need for the SEIS is to analyze a project-specific 
Forest Plan Amendment related to management of old growth. The current 
Bitterroot Forest Plan is from 1987. New and better science is 
available concerning old growth ecosystems, specifically ``Old Growth 
Forest Types of the Northern Region'' or Green et. al as it is more 
commonly referred to in the Region. This science has already been 
adopted by the majority of the Forests within R1, including those who 
have revised or are currently revising their plans using the 2012 
Planning Rule.
    The purpose of the Gold Butterfly project is to:
     Improve landscape resilience to disturbances (such as 
insects, diseases, and fire) by modifying forest structure and 
composition, and fuels.
     Provide timber products and related jobs.
     Reduce chronic sediment sources in the Willow Creek 
watershed to improve water quality and bull trout habitat in the long-
term.
     Restore or improve key habitats such as meadows, aspen, 
and whitebark pine.

Proposed Action

    The project-specific amendment would change the definition of old 
growth to be consistent with Green et. al. The amendment would also set 
aside management area direction related to specific percentages of old 
growth required to be allocated in each management area. There is no 
scientific basis for the percentages, and they do not align with the 
principles outlined in Green et. al.
    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 about the amendment ``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, 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 
amendments: Sec.  219.9 Diversity of plant and animal communities.
    The proposed action includes commercial harvest, non-commercial 
thinning, and prescribed fire on 7,376 acres within the project area. 
Approximately 90 percent of treatment acres are within the insect and 
disease treatment area designated under the Healthy Forest Restoration 
Act Title VI. Commercial harvest includes regeneration treatments on 
2,081 acres and intermediate treatments on 3,540 acres. Approximately 
392 acres of intermediate harvest would occur in dry site old growth 
stands. In addition, there are 359 acres of regeneration harvest in old 
growth that would remove these acres from old growth status. Road 
decommissioning would occur on 22.3 miles of National Forest System 
Roads and 21.3 miles of roads would be stored for future management 
use. Approximately 6.4 miles of permanent road and 17.3 miles of 
temporary road would be constructed to implement silvicultural 
prescriptions and provide for wood removal. Best management practices 
would be implemented on 32.4 miles of haul road to reduce potential 
sediment runoff and improve water quality. The Burnt Fork and Willow 
Creek trailheads are proposed to be moved lower in the drainages to 
address watershed concerns, with the associated 2.4 miles of road being 
converted to the NFS trail system.

Responsible Official

    Bitterroot National Forest Supervisor.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The decision will authorize vegetation treatments and whether to 
amend the

[[Page 81178]]

Bitterroot Forest Plan site-specifically for the duration of the 
project.

Christine Dawe,
Acting Associate Deputy Chief, National Forest System.
[FR Doc. 2020-27546 Filed 12-14-20; 8:45 am]
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