[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 209 (Friday, October 29, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66719-66721]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-27334]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Caribou-Targhee National Forest; Idaho and Wyoming; Revision of
the Notice of Intent To Prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact
Statement
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Revision of the Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare a
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for a Forest Plan Amendment
to the 1997 Revised Forest Plan for the Targhee National Forest,
located in Bonneville, Clark, Fremont, Lemhi, Madison and Teton
counties, ID, and Teton and Lincoln counties, WY. The previous Notices
of Intent were published in the Federal Register on May 30, 2007
(72(103):29948-29949, as ``Big Bend Ridge Vegetation Management Project
and Timber Sale Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement and
Proposed Targhee Revised Forest Plan Amendment'') and on May 21, 2008
(73(99):29480-29481, as ``Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement
for the Targhee Revised Forest Plan With Proposed Forest Plan
Amendment'').
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SUMMARY: The Caribou-Targhee National Forest (Forest) published two
notices of intent (May 2007 and May 2008) to prepare a supplemental
environmental impact statement (EIS) to amend the 1997 Revised Forest
Plan (1997 Plan) for the Targhee portion of the Forest (Targhee). The
Forest has revised the proposed amendment and will prepare an EIS
instead of a supplemental EIS to amend the 1997 Plan. The revised
proposed amendment: (1) Provides direction to maintain the
characteristics of old-growth forests where they exist and eliminate a
``quota'' for old-growth and late-seral forested vegetation by
principal watershed or ecological subsection; (2) replaces requirements
for maintaining ``biological potential'' with clear direction for snag
retention to provide habitat for cavity-nesting birds; and (3) provides
direction to maintain habitat in northern goshawk, boreal owl and great
gray owl territories affected by vegetation projects. The Forest
believes these new approaches to vegetation management would better
provide wildlife habitat. The Forest seeks comments on the revised
proposal in order to: (1) Clarify the issues, (2) decide how the
proposed amendment may need to be modified, and (3) determine whether
or not it is necessary to develop additional alternative(s) for
analysis in the draft EIS.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope of this analysis must be received
by November 29, 2010. The draft EIS is expected in January 2011. The
final EIS is expected in April 2011.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Megan Bogle, Forest Planner,
Caribou-Targhee National Forest, P.O. Box 777, Driggs, Idaho 83422.
Electronic comments can be sent to [email protected].
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Megan Bogle, Forest Planner, Caribou-
Targhee National Forest, P.O. Box 777, Driggs, Idaho 83422. Additional
information on the proposed Plan Amendment may be accessed by clicking
on the ``NEPA documents for projects'' link on the Forest Web site:
http://www.fs.fed.us/r4/caribou-targhee/projects/.
Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD)
may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 800-877-8339
between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose of and Need for the Action
The 1997 Plan includes direction that has proven difficult to
implement. Specifically, the 1997 Plan requires 20 percent of forested
vegetation be maintained in the old-growth and late-seral age classes
in each principal watershed. After much deliberation, the Forest
believes that 1997 Plan direction to maintain a certain amount of old-
growth and late-seral vegetation does not reflect the ecological
capability of the Targhee. Because of the stand characteristics of
lodgepole pine and aspen cover types, and the frequency of natural
change and disturbances in the ecosystem, some principal watersheds may
never meet the 20 percent guideline. Consequently, the Forest proposes
to amend the 1997 Plan to maintain old-growth forests where they
actually occur.
The concept of biological potential used in the 1997 Plan has also
proven problematic because of conflicting requirements at the watershed
scale and Management Prescription scale. Clear and practical direction
is necessary to ensure that adequate numbers of snags and/or green
trees having evidence of cavities, nesting activity, or decadence would
be retained where commercial timber harvest occurs.
[[Page 66720]]
Additionally, the elimination of redundant guidelines for the
management of forested vegetation could clarify the 1997 Plan
direction.
Proposed Action
The Forest is proposing to amend the 1997 Plan to create more
consistent and clear management direction for old-growth forests and
snag retention. The analysis for this amendment will describe habitat
relationships for selected wildlife species associated with forested
vegetation. These relationships would be described in the proposed
amendment and monitored through time to ensure that adequate habitat is
maintained for these species. The proposed amendment would include
changes to the associated monitoring items and update definitions in
the 1997 Plan glossary. The proposed amendment would apply only to the
Targhee portion of the Caribou-Targhee National Forest.
The proposed amendment would not authorize or approve any specific
actions or activities. Prior to implementing any site-specific
projects, the Forest would determine consistency with the 1997 Plan, as
amended, to ensure compliance with the National Environmental Policy
Act and other applicable laws and regulations. The following amendments
to the 1997 Plan are proposed:
Vegetation--Forestwide Direction for Old-Growth Forests
1. Delete the forest-wide guideline for old-growth and late-seral
forest stages listed as number 6 and found on pages III-12-13 of the
1997 Plan.
Exception: Retain standard number (6)(3): Use the definition of
old-growth characteristics by forest type found in Characteristics of
Old-Growth Forests in the Intermountain Region (Hamilton 1993).
2. Replace the guideline in Item 1 above with the following:
a. Prescribed fire and mechanical treatments in old-growth stands
shall not reduce old-growth characteristics below the minimum standards
described in Characteristics of Old-Growth Forests in the Intermountain
Region (Hamilton 1993) and further defined in the March 2, 2007
Regional Forester's letter of clarification (Guideline).''
Exceptions: This guideline does not apply to:
i. Highway and utility corridors where hazard tree removal is necessary
for public safety;
ii. Management Prescriptions:
4.1 (Developed Recreation Sites)
4.2 (Special Use Permit Recreation Sites)
4.3 (Dispersed Camping Management)
8.1 (Concentrated Developed Areas)
b. Prescribed fire and mechanical treatments within old-growth
stands shall be limited to treatments necessary to sustain old-growth
forest composition and structure and improve the likelihood that old-
growth forests are retained on the landscape. Examples of these tools
are thinning-from-below and under burning to reduce the risk of stand-
replacing fire (Guideline).
Wildlife--Direction for Snags/Cavity Nesting Habitat
1. Delete forest-wide guideline numbers 1, 2 and 3 for Snag/Cavity
Nesting Habitat listed on pages III-16-17.
2. Delete the Management Prescription guidelines related to snag
retention and biological potential for woodpeckers listed in the table
below:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Management Prescription Biological
Potential
(percent)
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2.6.1[a] Grizzly Bear Habitat (No 60
ASQ, no cross-country, no
sheep) (III-98).
2.8.3 Aquatic Influence Zone (III- 100
109).
3.2[b,c,d,g,i,j] Semi-primitive Motorized 60
(III-121).
5.1[c] Timber Management (III-136) 40
5.1.3[a-b] Timber Management (No clear- 40
cutting, urban interface)
(III-137).
5.1.4[a-d] Timber Management (Big Game 40
Security Emphasis) (III-
139).
5.2.1 Visual Quality Improvement 40
(III-143).
5.3.5 Grizzly Bear Habitat (NIC 60
for ASQ, no cross-county,
no sheep) (III-148).
5.4[a,b,c] Elk Summer Range (III-153). 60
------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Replace the guidelines listed in items 1 and 2 above with:
a. Commercial timber harvest will not reduce the number of snags
and/or green trees below the numbers in the table below. This will be
calculated as an average for the total treatment unit acres within a
project area to allow variability between treatment units and retain a
more natural, clumped distribution of snags and green trees
(Guideline).''
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Minimum average snags and/or green
trees per acre to retain
Vegetation category (SAF cover -----------------------------------
type\1\) >= 8'' >= 12''
dbh\2\ dbh Total
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aspen............................... 8.3 N/A 8.3
Cottonwood.......................... 3.2 4.9 8.1
Douglas-fir and..................... 3.7 5.5 9.2
Spruce-Fir..........................
Lodgepole pine...................... 8.7 N/A 8.7
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[[Page 66721]]
Exceptions: This guideline does not apply to:
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\1\ Eyre, F.H. editor 1980 Cover Types of the United States and
Canada Society of American Foresters, Washington D.C. pp 80-141.
\2\ dbh: diameter at breast height.
i. Designated personal-use firewood areas;
ii. Highway and utility corridors where hazard tree removal is
necessary for public safety;
iii. Management Prescriptions:
4.1 (Developed Recreation Sites)
4.2 (Special Use Permit Recreation Sites)
4.3 (Dispersed Camping Management)
8.1 (Concentrated Developed Areas)
b. Large diameter snags and/or green trees having evidence of
cavities, nesting activity, or decadence would be given priority for
retention (Guideline).
c. Public workforce and contractor safety will be considered and
provided for in selecting the arrangement of retained snags and trees
(Standard).
Wildlife--Forestwide Direction for Northern Goshawk, Boreal and Great
Gray Owl Habitat
1. Delete the forest-wide standards and guidelines for northern
goshawk habitat (entire table on III-21), guideline number 2 for boreal
owl habitat (III-22) and standard number 2 for great gray owl habitat
(III-22).
2. Replace the above standards and guidelines with the following
guideline:
a. Utilize site-specific data to predict whether a proposed project
may negatively impact Northern goshawks, boreal owls, and/or great gray
owls, and whether habitat occurs within the project area. If there is
habitat and the species may be negatively impacted by the project:
i. Survey for the presence of Northern goshawks, boreal owls and/or
great gray owls at least once prior to project implementation.
ii. Design projects to maintain adequate amounts of habitat in
known territories.
Big Hole Subsection and Caribou Subsection--Guidelines for Old-Growth
1. Delete the following guideline applicable in both subsections:
``Within one mile of the Palisades Reservoir and the South Fork of the
Snake River, emphasis will be given to managing old-growth Douglas-fir,
spruce and cottonwood habitats for wildlife species'' (III-61 and 62).
Monitoring
The proposed amendment would update the 1997 Plan monitoring
requirements related to the proposed above changes (Chapter V).
Glossary and Definitions
The proposed amendment would update 1997 Plan definitions related
to the above changes (Glossary).
Name and Address of the Responsible Official
Brent Larson, Forest Supervisor, 1405 Hollipark Drive, Idaho Falls,
ID 83445.
Nature of the Decision To Be Made (See FSH 1909.15, section 11.22)
The decision to be made is to approve the proposed amendment to the
1997 Plan; approve a modification of the proposed amendment; or not to
amend the 1997 Plan at this time.
Description of the Scoping Process
This corrected NOI continues the scoping process, which guides the
development of the EIS.
Applicable Planning Rule
On December 18, 2009 the Department reinstated the previous
planning rule, commonly known as the 2000 planning rule in the Federal
Register (Federal Register, Volume 74, No. 242, Friday, December 18,
2009, pages 67059 thru 67075). The transition provisions of the
reinstated rule (36 CFR 219.35 and appendices A and B) allow use of the
provisions of the National Forest System land and resource management
planning rule in effect prior to the effective date of the 2000 Rule
(November 9, 2000), commonly called the 1982 planning rule, to amend or
revise plans. The Caribou-Targhee National Forest has elected to use
the provisions of the 1982 planning rule including the requirement to
prepare an EIS, to complete its plan revision.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1600-1614; 36 CFR 219.35 (74 FR 67073-
67074).
Dated: October 22, 2010.
Brent Larson,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2010-27334 Filed 10-28-10; 8:45 am]
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