[Federal Register: May 23, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 99)]
[Notices]
[Page 29609-29610]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr23my06-22]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Black Hills National Forest, Mystic Ranger District, South
Dakota, Mitchell Project
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS).
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SUMMARY: The Forest Service will prepare an environmental impact
statement on a proposal to use multiple vegetation treatments focused
on creating a landscape condition more adapted to fire and that reduces
potential for high severity wildfire near at-risk communities and in
the wildland-urban interface. The proposal is being planned for the
25,200 acre Mitchell Project Area that includes about 18,300 acres of
National Forest System land and about 6,900 acres of interspersed
private land. The project area generally extends from west of Hill
City, South Dakota to Keystone, South Dakota (just north of Mount
Rushmore National Memorial). This project will be conducted as an
authorized project under Section 102 of the Healthy Forests Restoration
Act of 2003 (HFRA). Actions proposed for the Mitchell Project Area
include the following:
Restoring natural fuel breaks by removing conifers from
hardwood stands such as aspen, bur oak, birch and by expanding and/or
creating meadows (est. 1,400 acres).
Reducing the amount of existing and created forest fuels
by use of various treatment methods (e.g., chipping, burning); creating
fuel breaks (est. 40 miles); and prescribed burning (est. 9,000 acres).
Thinning the ponderosa pine forest by using commercial
timber harvest to thin commercial size trees and other methods to thin
smaller trees of non-commercial size (est. 9,400 acres).
DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis would be most
useful if received by 30-days following the date of this notice. The
draft environmental impact statement is expected to be available for
public review by October 2006 and the final environmental impact
statement is expected to be completed by March 2007.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Robert J. Thompson, District
Ranger, Black Hills National Forest, Mystic Ranger District, Mitchell
Project Area, 803 Soo San Drive, Rapid City, South Dakota 57702.
Telephone Number: (605) 343-1567. E-mail:
comments-rocky-mountain-black-hills-mystic@fs.fed.us. with ``Mitchell'' as the subject.
Electronic comments must be readable in Word, Rich Text or pdf formats.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Phillip Grumstrup, Project
Coordinator, Black Hills National Forest, Mystic Ranger District, at
above address, phone (605) 343-1567.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The actions proposed are in direct response
to management direction provided by the Black Hills National Forest
Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan). The site specific
actions are designed, based on Forest Plan Standards and Guidelines, to
move existing resource conditions in the Mitchell Project Area toward
meeting Forest Plan Goals and Objectives. Located within the project
area are: The cities of Keystone and Hill City, U.S. Highway 16 and 385
corridors, U.S. Highway 16A, access to Keystone and the Mount Rushmore
National Memorial, and interspersed private lands surrounded by
National Forest System lands. Anticipated issues include: Protection of
local communities, private and public lands, infrastructure and access
from severe wildfire; associated fire and fuels hazard reduction needs
in the wildand-urban interface; support and opposition to forest
thinning using commercial timber harvest; impacts of vegetation
treatment and multiple forest uses on wildlife habitat. The range of
alternatives analyzed in the EIS is expected to be consistent with sec.
104 of the HFRA.
[[Page 29610]]
Purpose and Need for Action
The purpose of the Mitchell Project is to reduce risk to local
communities and resources from severe wildfire and restore resource
conditions to a healthy, resilient fire-adapted ecosystem across the
project area. There is a need to reduce potential for large-scale
severe wildfire and to facilitate effective wildfire suppression/
protection in this wildland-urban interface setting. This project is
focused on implementing management actions that move toward achieving:
Desired conditions and objectives embodied in Goal 10 of
the Forest Plan--Establish and maintain a mosaic of vegetative
conditions to reduce the occurrences of stand-replacing fire * * * and
to facilitate * * * firefighting capbility adjacent to at-risk
communities, sensitive resources, and non-federal land * * *.
Desired conditions and objectives embodied in Goal 7 of
the Forest Plan--Emphasize cooperation with individuals, organizations
and other agencies while coordinating planning and project
implementation.
Goals and Objectives applicable to Forest Plan Management
Area (MA) 4.1--Limited Motorized Use and Forest Product Emphasis; MA
5.1--Resource Production Emphasis; and MA 5.4--Big Game Winter Range
Emphasis.
Goals of the Healthy Forest Restoration Act (HFRA) of 2003
(HR 1904) and other National level initiatives and policy that
emphasize reducing the probability and occurrence of severe wildfire in
fire adapted ecosystems especially near at-risk communities and the
wildland-urban interface.
Proposed Action
Proposed actions include the following:
Restore natural fuel breaks to help reduce the potential
for large-scale, intense wildfire spread. Treatment includes removing
conifers from hardwood stands such as aspen, bur oak, birch and by
expanding and/or creating meadows (est. 1,400 acres).
Reduce the amount of existing forest fuels and fuels
created by vegetation treatment activities. Treatment includes lopping,
chipping, crushing, piling and burning; creating up to 40 miles of
fuels breaks along roads and private property boundaries; and
prescribed burning of up to 9,000 acres to reduce fuel levels.
Thinning the ponderosa pine forest on about 9,400 acres to
reduce potential for spreading crown fires by reducing the density of
pine, providing fuel breaks, lessening insect and disease risk and
improving forest health and vigor. This will be accomplished by using
commerical timber harvest to thin commerical size trees and other
methods to thin smaller trees of non-commercial size.
Responsible Official
Craige Bobzien, Forest Supervisor, Black Hills National Forest,
25041 N. Highway 16, Custer, SD 57730.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The decision to be made is whether or not to implement the proposed
action or possible alternative at this time.
Scoping Process
Comments and input regarding the proposal will be received via
direct mailing from the public, other groups and agencies during the
initial public comment period in May and June 2006. Comments submitted
based on this NOI will be most useful if received within 30 days from
the date of this notice. Response to the draft EIS will be sought from
the interested public beginning in October 2006.
Comment Requested
This notice of intent provides information that the agency will
prepare an environmental impact statement in response to public comment
and feedback during the May and June 2006 scoping period. Comments
received will assist the planning team to identify key issues and
opportunities used to refine the proposal or possible alternative and
mitigation measures. Comments on the DEIS will be requested during the
45 day comment period following the Notice of Availability, expected to
be published in the Federal Register in November 2006 (See discussion
below).
Early Notice of Importance of Public Participation in Subsequent
Environmental Review
The Forest Service believes, at this early stage, it is important
to give reviewers notice of several court rulings related to public
participation in the environmental review process. First, reviewers of
draft environmental impact statements must structure their
participation in the environmental review of the proposal so that it is
meaningful and alerts an agency to the reviewer's position and
contentions. Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519,
553 (1978). Also environmental objections that could be raised at the
draft environmental impact statement stage but that are not raised
until after completion of the final environmental impact statement may
be waived or dismissed by the courts. City of Angoon v. Hodel, 803 F.2d
1016, 1022 (9th Cir. 1986) and Wisconsin Heritages, Inc. v. Harris, 490
F.Supp. 1334, 1338 (E.D. Wis. 1980). Because of these court rulings, it
is very important that those interested in this proposed action
participate by the close of the 45-day comment period so that
substantive comments and objections are made available to the Forest
Service at a time when it can meaningfully consider them and respond to
them in the final environmental impact statement.
To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues
and concerns on the proposed action, comments on the draft
environmental impact statement should be as specific as possible. It is
also helpful if comments refer to specific pages or chapters of the
draft statement.
Comments may also address the adequacy of the draft environmental
impact statement or the merits of the alternatives formulated and
discussed in the statement. Reviewers may wish to refer to the Council
on Environmental Quality Regulations for implementing the procedural
provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act at 40 CFR 1503.3 in
addressing these points.
(Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7 and 1508.22; Forest Service handbook
1909.15, Section 21)
Dated: May 17, 2006.
Brad Exton,
Deputy Forest Supervisor, Black Hills National Forest.
[FR Doc. 06-4759 Filed 5-22-06; 8:45 am]
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