94-4311. Proposed Carey Creek Timber Sales, Payette National Forest, Idaho County, ID  

  • [Federal Register Volume 59, Number 38 (Friday, February 25, 1994)]
    [Unknown Section]
    [Page 0]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 94-4311]
    
    
    [[Page Unknown]]
    
    [Federal Register: February 25, 1994]
    
    
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    DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
    Forest Service
    
     
    
    Proposed Carey Creek Timber Sales, Payette National Forest, Idaho 
    County, ID
    
    AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
    
    ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare environmental impact statement.
    
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    SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Forest Service, USDA will 
    prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Carey Creek 
    Timber Sales. The Forest Service proposes to treat approximately 1445 
    acres using a variety of silvicultural methods and prescribed burning. 
    Harvest prescriptions include: clearcut with reserve trees (245 acres), 
    commercial thinning (75 acres), salvage/sanitation (509 acres), 
    shelterwood (489 acres), and uneven aged (127 acres). The proposed 
    action includes site preparation and regeneration, emphasizing the use 
    of natural regeneration where possible. Approximately 13 miles of new 
    road construction are also proposed. Logging methods include tractor, 
    skyline, and helicopter systems.
        Other preliminary alternatives include No-action and an alternative 
    that seeks to achieve Forest Plan objectives to maximize timber growth 
    and yield.
        The proposed activities are located in the drainages of Carey and 
    Fall Creeks, which both flow into the Salmon River. The planning area 
    is approximately 30 miles north of McCall, Idaho.
        The EIS will tier to the final EIS for the Forest Plan, Payette 
    National Forest (May 1988).
        The Payette National Forest invites written comments and 
    suggestions on the scope of the analysis. These may include issues and 
    comments regarding the proposed project. The agency also gives notice 
    of the full environmental analysis and decision making process that 
    will occur on the proposal so that interested and affected people are 
    aware of how they may participate and contribute to the final decision.
    
    DATES: Comments concerning the scope of this proposal must be received 
    by April 2, 1994.
    
    ADDRESSES: Submit written comments and suggestions concerning the scope 
    of the analysis to David F. Alexander, Forest Supervisor, Payette 
    National Forest, P.O. Box 1026, McCall, Idaho 83638.
    
    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
    Direct questions about the proposed action and environmental impact 
    statement to Michael L. Balboni, Payette National Forest. Phone: (208) 
    634-0629.
    
    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The planning area includes approximately 
    21,000 acres within the Payette National Forest in Idaho County, Idaho. 
    The planning area is within the drainages of Carey and Fall Creeks. The 
    legal description of the planning area is: Sections 1-9, 17, 18, 20, 21 
    of Township 23 North, Range 4 East, Sections 3,9-36 of Township 24 
    North, Range 4 East, Sections 19,28-33 of Township 24 North, Range 5 
    East, Idaho County, Idaho.
        The proposed activities are within the former Carey Creek Roadless 
    Area. The area has 3,184 acres remaining as roadless. The planning area 
    has a very small portion that is contiguous with the Frank Church River 
    of No Return Wilderness. This area comprises less than 300 acres of the 
    planning area. The planning area is not within any areas recommended 
    for inclusion in the National Wilderness System by the Payette National 
    Forest Plan or by any past or present legislative wilderness proposal.
        The Proposed Action is the result of an ecosystem and landscape 
    analysis of the planning area completed by the Interdisciplinary Team 
    (IDT). The IDT used the landscape analysis and design process developed 
    by Diaz and Apostol (1992). This 8-step process used aerial 
    photographs, research literature, stand data, maps, and site visits.
        The process defined the natural range of variation for successional 
    stages in the planning area using the best information available. The 
    planning area was broken into four zones. The ponderosa pine zone, 
    mixed conifer zone, subalpine-spruce/fir zone, and subalpine-lodgepole 
    pine zone. Using stand data and research done in surrounding areas, the 
    existing condition and natural range of variation for four successional 
    stages in the planning area was determined. The IDT found that the zone 
    with the most deviation from the natural range is the subalpine-
    lodgepole pine zone. This zone has 79% mature/oldgrowth; the natural 
    range for this successional stage is 10-20%. The IDT used this and the 
    rest of the information gained from the landscape analysis to develop 
    the proposed action, concentrating on the areas where the ecosystem is 
    most outside the natural range.
        The IDT recognizes the role fire has played. The proposed 
    activities include some prescribed burning in the ponderosa pine zone 
    where natural fires were regular and of low intensity.
        The purpose of the proposed activity is to improve the existing 
    silvicultural conditions of the timber stands within the Carey Creek 
    planning area while improving the health of the ecosystem. The Proposed 
    Action would increase the long-term health and productivity of the 
    timber resources, provide some short-term wood products, improve the 
    over-all health of the ecosystem, and protect other resource values in 
    the planning area. Treatments would follow the goals and objectives in 
    the Payette National Forest Plan or amend the Plan where appropriate.
        The need for the proposed action is generated by the difference 
    between existing conditions of the ecosystem and timber stands and the 
    Desired Future Condition for the area described in the Payette Forest 
    Plan and the landscape analysis for the planning area.
        Failing to treat these areas will allow further deviation from the 
    natural range of conditions for this ecosystem and raise the risk of 
    severe impacts from insects, diseases, and wildfires. Failing to treat 
    this area will also result in the Payette National Forest not fully 
    implementing the Forest Plan Record of Decision, signed in May of 1988.
    
    Issues
    
        The IDT has identified preliminary issues. These issues are briefly 
    described below:
        1. Effects of road building and timber harvest on water quality, 
    particularly in the Fall Creek drainage where past fires, timber 
    harvesting, and road construction have occurred at a high rate over the 
    past several years.
        2. Wildlife: Effects of road building, timber harvest, and access 
    management on some management indicator species and sensitive species 
    found in the areas such as goshawk, pileated and white-headed 
    woodpeckers. Also effects on wildlife corridors that currently exist in 
    the area.
        3. Ecosystem Health: Effects of the no-action alternative on the 
    health of the ecosystem and the risk of major wildfires and insect/
    disease outbreaks.
        4. Fisheries: Effects of road building and timber harvest on 
    threatened, endangered, and sensitive fish, such as the chinook salmon 
    and bull trout.
    
    Public Participation and Scoping
    
        The IDT is developing a citizen participation plan for the proposed 
    project.
        Public participation will be requested at several points during the 
    analysis. The IDT will be available to visit and discuss the proposed 
    project with individuals and organizations at their request.
        The Forest Service will be seeking information, comments, and 
    assistance from Federal, State, local agencies and other individuals or 
    organizations who may be interested in or affected by the proposed 
    project. This input will be used in the preparation of the Draft EIS.
        The Scoping process includes:
    
    --Identifying potential issues.
    --Identifying major issues to be analyzed in depth.
    --Identifying potential management alternatives addressing the issues 
    recognized during scoping activities.
    --Identifying potential environmental effects of this project (i.e. 
    direct, indirect, and cumulative effects and connected actions).
    
        The Responsible Official is David F. Alexander, Forest Supervisor, 
    Payette National Forest.
        The Draft Environmental Impact Statement is scheduled to be 
    completed and available for review in October of 1994 and the Final 
    Environmental Impact Statement is expected to be completed in August of 
    1995.
        The Responsible Official will document the decision, and reasons 
    for the decision, in the Record of Decision when the FEIS is completed. 
    That decision will be subject to Forest Service appeal regulations (36 
    CFR part 215).
        The comment period on the DEIS will be a minimum of 45 days from 
    the date the Environmental Protection Agency's notice of availability 
    appears in the Federal Register.
        The Forest Service believes, at this early stage, it is important 
    to give reviewers early 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 that proposal so that it 
    is meaningful and alerts an agency to the reviewers position and 
    contentions. Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519, 
    553 (1978). Also, environmental objections that could have been 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 Circuit, 1986) 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.
    
        Dated: February 18, 1994.
    David F. Alexander,
    Forest Supervisor, Payette National Forest.
    [FR Doc. 94-4311 Filed 2-24-94; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 3410-11-M
    
    
    

Document Information

Published:
02/25/1994
Department:
Forest Service
Entry Type:
Uncategorized Document
Action:
Notice of intent to prepare environmental impact statement.
Document Number:
94-4311
Dates:
Comments concerning the scope of this proposal must be received by April 2, 1994.
Pages:
0-0 (1 pages)
Docket Numbers:
Federal Register: February 25, 1994