[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 202 (Thursday, October 17, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54148-54151]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-26624]
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Notices
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents
appearing in this section.
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Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 202 / Thursday, October 17, 1996 /
Notices
[[Page 54148]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Revised Land and Resource Management Plan for the Croatan
National Forest
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.
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SUMMARY: Pursuant to 36 CFR 219.10(g), the Regional Forester for the
Southern Region gives notice of the Agency's intent to prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the revision of the Forest
Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan) for the Croatan
National Forest. According to 36 CFR 219.10(g), Forest Plans are
ordinarily revised on a 10-15 year cycle. Several amendments have been
made to the Forest Plan since it was approved in 1986.
The Agency invites written comments within the scope of the
analysis described below. In addition, the Agency gives notice that an
open and full environmental analysis and decision-making process will
occur on the proposals so that interested and affected people may
participate and contribute to the final decision.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis should be received
by January 17, 1997. The Agency expects to file the Draft Environmental
Impact Statement (DEIS) with the Environmental Protection Agency and
make them available for public comment in March of 1997. The Agency
expects to file the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) in
November of 1997.
ADDRESS: Submit written comments to the Forest Supervisor at the
following address: National Forests in North Carolina; P.O. Box 2750;
Asheville, NC 28802.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
National Forests in North Carolina; Planning Staff Officer--George H.
Cook--phone: (704) 257-4237.
RESPONSIBLE OFFICIAL: The Regional Forester for the Southern Region
located at 1720 Peachtree Road, NW, Atlanta, Georgia 30367, is the
Responsible Official.
Affected Counties
This Notice of Intent affects the following North Carolina
Counties:
Croatan National Forest: Carteret, Craven, and Jones.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1. The Purpose and Need for Action
Natural resource management decisions are made in two stages. First
stage decisions allocate land and resources to various uses or
conditions by establishing management prescriptions and where they
apply in the plan area. These first stage decisions become the Forest
Plan, which sets a framework for the next stage of decisions. Second
stage decisions approve site-specific projects that implement the
Forest Plan.
Forest Plans establish goals and objectives to achieve the desired
resource conditions for National Forests. These Forest Plans also
establish limits on actions (standards) that can be taken to meet
desired conditions. Planners often use management areas to delineate
where management prescriptions and their associated goals, objectives,
and standards apply in the plan area.
Forest Plans guide site-specific actions. Projects are designed to
change conditions from current to desired according to the management
prescriptions in the Forest Plan. These site-specific actions must be
consistent with Forest Plans.
Integrating multiple-resource conditions and uses is one important
outcome of Forest Plans. The decisions made in Forest Plans are
outlined in the planning regulations summarized below.
1. Establish forest-wide multiple-use goals and objectives (36 CFR
219.11(b)).
2. Establish forest-wide management requirements (36 CFR 219.13 to
219.27).
3. Establish multiple-use prescriptions and associated standards
and guidelines for each management area (36 CFR 219.11(c)).
4. Determine land suitable for the production of timber (16 U.S.C.
1604(k) and 36 CFR 219.14).
5. Establish the allowable sale quantity for timber within a time
frame specified in the Forest Plan (36 CFR 219.16).
6. Establish monitoring and evaluation requirements (36 CFR
219.11(d)).
7. Recommend roadless areas, which, if any, are proposed for
potential wilderness designation (36 CFR 219.17).
The Croatan National Forest is completing its first planning cycle,
which occurs at 10 to 15 year intervals. The current Forest Plan
includes management direction for the Croatan and the Uwharrie National
Forests. We propose to establish 2 separate Forest Plans, one for each
National Forest. This notice focuses on revising management direction
for the Croatan National Forest. The notice for revising the Uwharrie
National Forest Plan will be issued separately.
2. Preliminary Issues
The revised Forest Plan will focus on key issues that have surfaced
from reviews of the current Forest Plan. The 5-year review, as
specified in the planning regulations, was conducted in 1992. A review
of the ``analysis of the management situation'' was conducted in 1996.
Results of these reviews identifies conditions that have changed over
time. These changes have created new issues on the Croatan National
Forest.
Managers of the Croatan National Forest are faced with issues both
National and local in scope. The preliminary issues are framed as the
following topics and needs.
A. Biological Diversity. Biological diversity refers to the variety
of life, its forms, and the levels of organization. To manage for
biodiversity, means to maintain the stability and resilience of
ecosystems to respond and recover from natural and human induced
disturbances.
1. On the Croatan National Forest, recovery of the red-cockaded
woodpecker (RCW) depends on restoring the longleaf pine community
through natural fire regimes. Longleaf pine communities are less
susceptible to a variety of pests and pathogens and catastrophic
wildfire. We need to designate the RCW Habitat Management Areas, set
population objectives, and
[[Page 54149]]
locate and set management direction for RCW clusters and habitat
linkages.
2. Species diversity is enhanced by restoring natural community
composition, structure, and function, including wetlands. We need to
identify which natural communities should be targeted for restoration
and to what level should the restoration efforts be.
3. Black bear and its habitat are important components of the
ecosystem. We need to estimate the quantity and distribution of habitat
needed to maintain a stable population. Bear require hard mast foods,
habitat linkages and freedom from motorized disturbance.
4. Neotropical migratory birds require a minimum block or patch
size. At issue is which species are present, what patches currently
exist, and how many should there be distributed across the forest.
B. Recreation Opportunities. People are seeking nature-based
recreation opportunities, but demands for settings and activities range
from primitive to highly developed. Also, the desires of traditional
local users often differ from new recreationists drawn from a growing
local tourist industry and newcomers to the local community. The amount
and patterns of use for different activities are changing. The current
mix of recreation opportunities no longer responds to changing public
demands and expectations. The effects of recreation use on ecological
and cultural resources is also a concern.
We need to determine what mix of resource-compatible recreation
settings, activities, and facilities should be provided on the Croatan
National Forest, and what level of use is sustainable.
C. Special Land Allocations. Wilderness, Wild and Scenic Rivers,
and Research Natural Areas are allocations of lands to specific uses;
some require Congressional designation. These specially allocated lands
may not allow or may have reduced levels of timber and wildlife
management, and may have limited recreational access. The concern is
while many people may want to see more of these areas, others may
oppose allocating land to these uses and may even desire a reduction in
the quantities currently established. The following special land
allocations will be addressed in the Forest Plan revision.
1. We will assess the wilderness resource and determine whether or
not to recommend additional areas for Congressional designation. In
addition, natural fire and prescribed fire will be evaluated as a way
to restore natural processes to the wilderness.
2. White Oak River and Brices Creek will be assessed to determine
their suitability as Wild and Scenic Rivers. The issue is whether or
not to recommend these rivers for Wild and Scenic designation by
Congress.
D. Vegetation and Timber Management. Concerns about ecosystem
health, biological diversity, and rare species and communities drive a
change in existing forest types and extent. The re-establishment of
longleaf pine for RCW recovery may require different regeneration
methods compared to current practices. Sustaining healthy timber stands
provided RCW habitat and raw materials for local economies.
1. We will determine what lands on the Croatan will be suitable for
timber production based on criteria in 36 CFR 219.14.
2. Current vegetation cover types would change as a result the RCW
recovery. Longleaf pine would be emphasized on appropriate land types,
resulting in increased acres of longleaf on the Croatan National
Forest. The issue is how extensive should the longleaf restoration be,
what is the rate of restoration efforts, and what regeneration methods
should be used.
E. Fire Management. Fire is the primary disturbance factor on the
Croatan National Forest; it has a vital role in the management of the
ecosystem. Prescribed fire limits hazardous fuel buildup and maintains
communities that depend on fire. Prescribed fire can be scheduled to
meet land management objectives, including the reduction of wildfire
risk to urban interface areas.
1. We need to determine the areas of wildland urban interface
concerns and what role prescribed fire on National Forest lands has in
reducing wildfire risks to these areas of concern.
2. In the restoration of natural communities on the Croatan, fire
has the most far-reaching effect. We need to determine the amount and
timing of prescribed fire needed to accomplish vegetation management
goals.
3. Determinations need to be made as to whether or not natural
(lightning) fire should be allowed to burn, particularly in wilderness,
and, if so, under what conditions.
F. Access. Public access to enter, use, or pass through the Croatan
National Forest has become increasingly controversial due to a growing
local population, changes in adjacent land use, and concerns about the
impacts to forest resources. These concerns include illegal trash
dumping, illegal and legal shooting from roads, protection for wildlife
that require freedom from motorized disturbance, protection of fragile
natural communities, opportunities for non-motorized recreation use,
and resource damage from legal and illegal off-highway vehicle use. The
issue here is to what extent should motorized access be available on
the National Forest.
G. Local Communities. As local communities grow, the pressure
increases to accommodate a variety of special uses on the Forest. These
special uses should blend with the multiple uses of the National
Forest. We need to determine what kinds and extents of special uses to
allow for supporting local municipal growth within the context of
multiple uses of the National Forest.
3. Proposed Actions and Preliminary Alternatives
In this section, we disclose some preliminary proposals to address
the issues. These proposals were developed from an analysis of the
current conditions.
A. Biological Diversity. Restoration of RCW populations and their
habitat will be emphasized. Ecologically unique aquatic ecosystems such
as large pocosin lakes which support acid tolerant fish and other
aquatic species, and swamp drainage streams and estuaries which are
important habitats for anadramous and catadramous fish species will be
protected.
1. Regional direction for recovery of the RCW is documented in the
Environmental Impact Statement for the Recovery of the Red Cockaded
Woodpecker (1995). Specific standards are disclosed for cluster,
recruitment, and replacement stands, as well as foraging habitat. A
tentative population objective is given in the EIS, but final
population objectives must be established through the Forest Plan.
Currently there are 60 active and 24 inactive clusters. We estimate the
maximum population could be 190 clusters. This would require the
designation of a habitat management area of 63,700 acres. Reasonable
alternatives for population objectives could range from about 130 to
190 clusters. Consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will
begin immediately to help set RCW population objectives.
2. Linked with RCW populations is the restoration of longleaf pine
communities. These communities occupy less than 4 percent of its
original presettlement range. Currently, the Forest contains about
12,000 acres of longleaf pine forests with the potential to restore up
to 33,000 acres. This would require converting about 11,000 acres of
loblolly and 10,000 acres of
[[Page 54150]]
pond pine to the longleaf community type.
Other rare communities include canebrakes, marshes, and wetlands.
Preliminary estimates for restoration are 660 acres of marsh and 34,000
acres for canebrakes. The Natural Heritage Program, through the State
of North Carolina, provides information about rare communities. They
have proposed adding 18 additional special interest areas for the
protection of rare communities. Criteria will be developed to evaluate
these areas. The ecological classification system is used to evaluate
restoration efforts. The landscape is mapped by ecological unit which
identifies the potential vegetative community type that could be
sustained at given sites. By comparing the current community type with
its potential, the amount of restoration is identified.
3. Black bear habitat will be derived mapping patches of suitable
habitat across the landscape. Open road density and available hard mast
are among the criteria to evaluate these patches. The North Carolina
Wildlife Commission will assist with the development of any additional
criteria. The Commission has also provided information about habitats
they may be suitable for bear, wild turkey, small game, waterfowl and
sensitive habitats.
4. Similar to black bear, suitable habitat for neotropical
migratory birds will be mapped as patches across the landscape.
Criteria are being developed to conduct this mapping effort. A
literature search is underway to determine the extent of past and
current populations of these birds on the Croatan National Forest.
5. A classification of aquatic ecosystem types across the Croatan
National Forest is currently underway, and will be completed in 1997.
The delineation of different aquatic ecological types, together with
data on the distribution and relative abundance of different species of
fish and other biota, will form the basis for identification of
regionally unique aquatic biological assemblages and their habitat
requirements. Maintenance of those aquatic biological communities will
be emphasized.
B. Recreation Opportunities. The Forest Service Recreation
Opportunity Spectrum (ROS) is the analytic approach to evaluating
recreation opportunities. It groups and describes compatible
recreational, environmental and social settings, activities and
experiences, and is the basis for identifying the capability of the
Forest to provide these opportunities in concert with other resource
needs and objectives. Currently, a high proportion of the Croatan is a
roaded-natural setting that supplies motorized recreation
opportunities. About 20 percent of the landbase meets semi-primitive
non-motorized conditions. The Forest now provides a full range of
nature-based recreation activities. Most activities take place on or
near water bodies. Sites and facilities that feature water are often
full or near capacity at peak times, suggesting the need for more of
these opportunities. Primary land-based activities now occurring
include hunting and off-highway vehicle riding. Demand for
opportunities for horse and mountain bike riding and nature viewing is
growing. Alternative setting distributions will be evaluated using
Recreation Opportunity Spectrum (ROS). The appropriate mix of
recreation activities, facilities, and level of use will be determined
by these setting alternatives.
Although high quality stream fishing opportunities are available on
the Croatan National Forest, access is often limited and could be
improved by the construction of canoe and small boat access areas.
Additional bank fishing opportunities for local anglers could be
provided by planning trails that would access portions of exceptional
stream fisheries and by the construction of small lakes and ponds in
areas where water quality would facilitate intensive management for
high yields of sport fish.
C. Special Land Allocations. Amendment #2 of the current Forest
Plan determined White Oak River to be eligible for designation as a
National Wild and Scenic River with potential for recreation and scenic
classifications. Further study will determine if the river is suitable
for designation. Brices Creek will also be studied to determine its
eligibility for inclusion in the National Wild and Scenic River system.
If eligible, further analysis will determine its suitability for
designation. Whether or not either of these rivers are recommended for
Wild and Scenic River designation will depend on the suitability
analysis. The rivers will be evaluated in a manner consistent with the
USDI and USDA jointly issued Final Revised Guidelines for Eligibility,
Classification, and Management of River Areas Federal Register 34457,
September 7, 1982).
The first step in the evaluation of potential wilderness is to
inventory all roadless areas of the forest that satisfy the definition
of wilderness found in Section 2(c) of the 1964 Wilderness Act (FSH
1909.12, chapter 7, item 7.1). Roadless areas are places that have
regained or are regaining a natural, untrammeled appearance, where any
signs of prior human activity are disappearing or being muted by
natural forces. Criteria provides for roadless areas to include no more
than one-half mile of improved road for each 1,000 acres.
The Croatan National Forest contains 20,800 acres in 7 roadless
areas. Six of these areas adjoin the 4 existing congressionally
designated wildernesses on the forest. Whether or not to recommend
wilderness on the forest. Whether or not to recommend wilderness
designation for each of the roadless areas will depend on a suitability
analysis. Each wilderness area could be expanded as follows: Catfish
Lake South Wilderness--405 acres; Sheep Ridge Wilderness--5,806 acres;
Pond Pine Wilderness--3,010 acres; Pocosin Wilderness--286 acres. The
remaining 11,293 acres are in a single roadless area. Criteria for the
suitability analysis is from FSH 1909.12, Chapter 7.
D. Vegetation and Timber Management. If high population levels are
set for the recovery of RCW, the restoration of longleaf pine
communities would likely be accelerated which could increase timber
harvesting and outputs. About 1 million board feet are currently
harvested from the Croatan National Forest.
1. Approximately 90,000 acres are not suited for timber production
using criteria for Stage 1 in 36 CFR 219.14. That leaves about 50,000
acres as tentatively suited for timber production. The current Forest
Plan has about 27,000 acres suitable for timber production. In
alternatives, the range of land suitable for timber production could
vary from below the current 27,000 up to about to 50,000 acres.
2. If the RCW habitat management area includes most lands
tentatively suited for timber production, then standards for
regeneration methods are set by the RCW-EIS. Most regeneration will
occur using unevenaged or 2-aged methods. Even-aged, specifically
clearcutting, would only be used to convert loblolly or pond pine to
longleaf stands. Regeneration methods outside the RCW habitat
management area would key on the desired conditions for the management
area.
E. Fire Management. Almost all of the 160,000 acre Croatan National
Forest is suitable for fuel reduction burning. The only lands not
suitable for fuel reduction are drainages and bottomland hardwoods,
which are often used as fuel breaks.
1. Many developed areas around the Croatan are vulnerable to damage
by wildfire. Actions are necessary to reduce these fuel loads and thus
lessen
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the risk of catastrophic losses from wildfire. Fuel loadings have
increased due in part to the exclusion of both wildfire and prescribed
fire as values at risk have increased with land development. Fuel
loadings and arrangements on the Croatan have also been and will
continue to be, significantly influenced by hurricane activity along
the coast. The effects from these storms tend to be cumulative, and it
is highly probable that the prescribed fire program will have to
increase to address these additional fuels.
2. Three year burning rotations are preferred to maintain open,
park-like forest conditions, particularly in longleaf pine/RCW habitat.
This equates to approximately 50,000 acres per year. The current
prescribed fire program has a target of about 20,000 acres per year.
3. Prescribed natural fire, (i.e., fire resulting from a natural
ignition such as lightning that is subsequently designated and managed
as a prescribed fire under specific weather and fuel parameters), may
be considered to achieve well-defined management objectives. In order
to consider the use of prescribed natural fire on the Croatan National
Forest, the items listed in Forest Service Manual 5142.21 will need to
be addressed in the Forest Plan. Wildfire may be allowed to burn if
conditions are suitable. Criteria for these conditions will be
developed. We will also consider prescribed natural (lightning) fires
in wilderness areas in order to restore the natural processes in these
areas.
F. Access. To address this issue, our approach will be to map open
roads on the Croatan National Forest and identify areas where illegal
dumping, shooting, or other resource damage or user conflicts occur
resulting from motorized use. There are about 200 miles of Forest
Service roads and many miles of state roads; nearly all are open for
motorized access. In addition, many off-highway vehicle routes have
been created which have not yet been inventoried. Alternatives will
range from maintaining high levels of access to reduced levels of
motorized access.
G. Local Communities. The human population is expected to grow by
12 percent in Craven, Carteret, and Jones counties. Municipalities are
demanding space to use for facilitating development. One strategy is to
identify lands for exchange with local governments. Other criteria will
be developed based on the desired conditions of management areas in
planning alternatives.
4. The Role of Scoping in Revising the Croatan National Forest Land and
Resource Management Plans
Scoping for public comments about preliminary issues and proposed
actions begins with the publication of this NOI. Public comments will
be used to refine the issues, the proposed actions, and to develop a
range of alternatives.
The Forest Service is seeking information, comments, and assistance
from Federal, State, and local agencies, and other individuals or
organizations who may be interested in or affected by the proposed
action. This input will be utilized in the preparation of the DEIS.
Public participation will be solicited by notifying in person and/or by
mail, known interested and affected publics. News releases will be used
to give the public general notice.
Public participation will be sought throughout the Forest Plan
revision process and will be especially important at several points
along the way. The first opportunity to comment will be during this
scoping process (40 CFR 1501.7). Scoping includes: (1) identifying
additional potential issues (other than those previously described),
(2) from these, identifying significant issues or those which have been
covered by prior environmental review, (3) exploring additional
alternatives, and (4) identifying potential environmental effects of
the proposed action and alternatives (i.e., direct, indirect, and
cumulative effects).
As part of the first step in scoping, a series of public meetings
are scheduled to explain the public role in the planning process and
provide an opportunity for public input. Formats, times, and places
will vary. Specific information about these meetings will be released
at a later date.
5. Release and Review of the EIS
The DEIS is expected to be filed with the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) and to be available for public comment by March 1997. At
that time, the EPA will publish a notice of availability of the DEIS in
the Federal Register. The comment period on each DEIS will be 3 months
from the date the EPA publishes the notice of availability in the
Federal Register.
The Forest Services 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
the DEIS 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 DEIS stage but that are not raised until after
completion of the FEIS 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 3
month 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 FEIS.
To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues
and concerns on the proposed actions, comments on the DEIS should be as
specific as possible. It is also helpful when comments refer to
specific pages or chapters of the draft statement. Comments may also
address the adequacy of the DEIS or the merits of the alternatives
formulated and discussed in the statements. 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.
After the comment period on the DEIS ends, comments will be
analyzed, considered, and responded to by the Forest Service in
preparing the FEIS. The FEIS is scheduled to be completed in November
1997. The Responsible Official will consider the comments, responses,
environmental consequences discussed in each FEIS, and applicable laws,
regulations, and policies in making a decision regarding these
revisions. The Responsible Official will document the decision and
reasons for the decision in a Record of Decision for the Forest Plan.
The decision will be subject to appeal in accordance with 36 CFR 217.
The Responsible Official for the Forest Plan is the Regional
Forester, Southern Region, 1720 Peachtree Road, NW, Atlanta, Georgia
30367.
Dated: October 10, 1996.
Robert D. Bowers,
Acting Regional Forester.
[FR Doc. 96-26624 Filed 10-16-96; 8:45 am]
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