[Federal Register: October 18, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 201)]
[Notices]
[Page 59069-59071]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr18oc07-27]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Six Rivers National Forest, California; Orleans Community Fuels
Reduction and Forest Health Project
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
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SUMMARY: The Six Rivers National Forest proposes to address hazardous
fuels and forest health concerns through the Orleans Community Fuels
Reduction and Forest Health (OCFR) Project, under the Healthy Forest
Restoration Act. The area affected by the proposal includes National
Forest System lands surrounding the community of Orleans, California,
which includes Tribal Trust Lands and portions of the Panamnik World
Renewal Ceremonial District. The objective of these treatments is to
provide strategic suppression locations across the landscape while
reducing contiguous fuel accumulations and chance of catastrophic
fires. Approximately 2,721 acres of forest would be treated by either
ground-based, skyline, or hand systems.
The planning area is located on National Forest System lands
administered by the Orleans Ranger District in Humboldt County,
California, specifically, within the upper tributaries of the Lower
Middle Klamath watersheds. The units are located in portions of: T. 10
N., R. 5 E., Sections 1, 12, 13; T. 10 N., R. 6 E., Sections 4-9, 16-
17; T. 11 N., R. 5 E., Sections 1, 12, 13, 24, 25, 36; and T. 11 N., R.
6 E., Sections 4-9, 16-21, and 28-33.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received
by November 19, 2007. The draft environmental impact statement is
expected February 2008 and the final environmental impact statement is
expected May 2008.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Bill Rice, at Orleans Ranger
District, P.O. Drawer 410, Orleans, CA 95556, or phone (530) 627-3291.
Comments may be submitted by e-mail in Word (.doc), rich text format
(.rtf), text (.txt), and hypertext markup language (.html) to
comments-pacificsouthwest-six-rivers-orleans@fs.fed.us. Comments may also be
hand delivered weekdays 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at the Orleans Ranger District
Office.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bill Rice, at Orleans Ranger District,
phone (530) 627-3291 (see address above). More information is available
at http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/sixrivers/projects/ea/ocfr/.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose and Need for Action
The purpose of this initiative is to provide strategic fire
suppression locations across the landscape while reducing contiguous
fuel accumulations and chance of catastrophic fire to the community of
Orleans and Tribal Trust Lands. This action is needed because decades
of fire suppression and loss of cultural burning in these fire-adapted
forests has significantly changed species composition, tree density,
stand structure, and surface and ladder fuels. This action responds to
the goals and objectives outlined in the Six Rivers Forest Plan, and
helps move the project area towards desired conditions described in
that plan (Six Rivers National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan
1995 (Forest Plan)). Specifically, there is a need: (1) To reduce
hazardous fuel conditions and impacts from wildfires to the community
of Orleans, Tribal Trust Lands, and the immediately surrounding forest;
and create conditions that produce less than four foot flame lengths
(FP, p. IV-116); (2) To enhance cultural values associated with the
Panamnik World Renewal Ceremonial District through forest
[[Page 59070]]
health and a reduction of fuels (FP, p. IV-114); (3) To reduce stand
densities (FP, p. IV-77); (4) To promote the development and
maintenance of diverse stand structures and species composition (FP, p.
IV-73) and; (5) To begin steps to restore fire-adapted ecosystem
functions, such that when fire returns to the ecosystem impacts are
minimized (FP, p. IV-116).
In addition, there is an opportunity to manage vegetation within
portions of the Riparian Reserves to accelerate the development of
late-successional forest characteristics in overstocked early mature
seral stands. The application of stocking level control in these stands
would accelerate the attainment of desired vegetation characteristics
in Riparian Reserves (LRMP IV-49). Attainment of desired vegetation
characteristic is part of the Aquatic Conservation Strategy goals of
maintaining and restoring the species and structural diversity of plant
communities within the Reserves (LRMP IV-108).
Proposed Action
The action proposed by the Forest Service to meet the purpose and
need is to reduce fuel accumulations on approximately 2,721 acres of
forest by chipping and/or mastication, understory burning, hand piling,
jack-pot/pile burning, or removal off site. In forest stands that need
thinning to reduce fuels, end-line, ground-based, hand, and/or skyline/
cable-logging systems would be used. Potential fire impacts would be
reduced in fuel reduction zones along key ridges and other key
locations adjacent and within the Orleans Community. Implementation of
the proposed action activities would occur over the next five to ten
years as funding allows and grants are obtained. Implementation funds
would come from a variety of sources such as grants, appropriated
funds, and community partnerships.
Proposed vegetation treatments would reduce the density of
understory, low- to mid-canopy-level trees, and codominates, while
promoting the development of large trees. Some canopy-level thinning
would occur to promote the growth of mast-producing hardwoods and
diverse forest structures. Canopy thinning by selective whole tree
removal would occur in a few select places to provide clear visibility
from viewpoints associated with spiritual activities.
Some selective thinning within portions of Riparian Reserves would
be accomplished through a combination of skyline yarding, tractor
yarding, and hand thinning. In the case of tractor thinning, yarding of
trees would be accomplished through end-lining of selected trees
without heavy equipment entering Riparian Reserves. No stream crossings
would occur. No other road activities would occur in Riparian Reserves.
In previously unmanaged natural stands growing on moderate or better
quality sites a minimum of 60 percent average canopy closure would be
maintained after initial thinning and fuels treatments. Sawlogs that
are removed during treatments (an estimate of 7 to 10 mmbf of initial
volume) would also be sold as a by-product of forest health treatments.
No commercial harvest would occur in old-growth stands.
In a few areas, accessible only by foot, surface and understory
ladder fuels on federal lands adjacent to private property would be cut
and treated by hand, within a 300-foot buffer. No commercial harvesting
or road construction would occur in these areas. To implement this
project and plan for future resource management needs, approximately
2.1 miles would be constructed and added to the forest road system. Of
these, 1.2 miles would be roads constructed on undisturbed ground and
0.9 miles would be constructed on an existing alignment. Approximately
4.6 miles of temporary roads would be constructed for this project. Of
these, three miles would be constructed on undisturbed ground and 1.6
miles would be on existing alignment. An existing temporary road,
located in the Riparian Reserves, would be decommissioned. All
temporary roads created for the project are located outside of Riparian
Reserves and would be decommissioned after use. A project specific
Roads Analysis has also been completed for this project.
Log landings would be used for skyline and tractor logging, and for
decking and disposal of forest residues. Approximately, 19 new disposal
sites and 54 new landings and/or disposal sites would be created.
Approximately 94 existing landings may require minor earthwork to
expand dimensions and minor clearing and/or blading. Landings would
vary in size from \1/4\ to \1/2\ acre in size. In addition, hazard
trees along the haul routes would be felled and removed during
implementation of the project. Hazard trees felled within Riparian
Reserves would remain on-site. Water would be collected from existing
sources.
Responsible Official
Tyrone Kelley, Forest Supervisor, Six Rivers National Forest, 1330
Bayshore Way, Eureka, CA 95501.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
Whether to proceed under the proposed action or action as modified
will be decided by the responsible official.
Scoping Process
The OCFR Project original proposed action was released for public
scoping February 13, 2007. Based on public feedback during scoping and
seven public field trips, the Forest Service has a new proposed action
and is repeating the scoping and comment period.
Permits or Licenses Required
Road encroachment permit(s) may be needed from Humboldt County
Roads Department for new road intersections and potential logging on
County roads--Ishi Pishi, Bark Shanty, and Red Cap.
Comment Requested
This notice of intent initiates the scoping process and comment
period which guides the development of the environmental impact
statement.
Early Notice of Importance of Public Participation in Subsequent
Environmental Review: A draft environmental impact statement will be
prepared for comment. The comment period on the draft environmental
impact statement will be 45 days from the date the Environmental
Protection Agency publishes the notice of availability in the Federal
Register.
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.
[[Page 59071]]
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.
Comments received, including the names and addresses of those who
comment, will be considered part of the public record on this proposal
and will be available for public inspection.
(Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7 and 1508.22; Forest Service Handbook
1909.15, Section 21)
Dated: October 12, 2007.
Tyrone Kelley,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. E7-20547 Filed 10-17-07; 8:45 am]
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