[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 37 (Tuesday, February 25, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8419-8421]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-4631]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Birch Creek/Worm Creek Proposed Timber Sale; Cache National
Forest (Administered by the Caribou National Forest), Franklin County,
ID
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare Environmental Impact Statement.
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SUMMARY: The USDA, Forest Service will prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement to document the analysis and disclose the environmental
impacts of proposed actions to harvest timber, build roads, and
regenerate new stands of trees in the Birch Creek/Worm Creek area of
the Cache National Forest. The project is located in Franklin County,
ID in the Birch Creek, Worm Creek and South Canyon drainages,
administered by the Montpelier Ranger District of the Caribou National
Forest. The need for the proposal is to treat stands of timber to
enhance sustainable productivity as outlined in the Caribou National
Forest Land and Resource Management Plan. Treatment would be designed
to address
[[Page 8420]]
silvicultural condition of the affected timber stands.
The Montpelier Ranger District of the Caribou National Forest
proposes to harvest an estimated 3300 MBF (thousand board feet) of
commercial timber in 28 timber stands on approximately 658 acres. One
15-acre stand would be clearcut and planted. The remaining stands would
be partially cut using either a sanitation/salvage cut or a shelterwood
method. Thirteen stands would be logged by tractor and fifteen stands
would be logged by helicopter. Approximately 5.5 miles of new road
would be built, and 3.8 miles of road would be relocated to access the
stands for logging. All new roads and 3.4 miles of relocated roads
would be closed to vehicle travel after logging. The timber would be
offered for sale in 1999. For a map of the proposed project area,
please contact the Montpelier Ranger District, 431 Clay Street,
Montpelier, ID 83254, (208) 847-0375.
DATE: Written comments concerning the scope of the analysis described
in this Notice should be received on or before March 27, 1997.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Caribou National Forest, Montpelier
Ranger District, 431 Clay Street, Montpelier, ID 83254.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Questions concerning the proposed action and EIS should be directed to
T.W. Smith, Forester, Caribou National Forest, Montpelier Ranger
District (Telephone: (208) 847-0375.)
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This EIS will tier to the final EIS for the
Caribou National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest
Plan). The Caribou Forest Plan provides the overall guidance (Goals,
Objectives, Standards, and Management Area direction) to achieve the
Desired Future Condition for the area being analyzed and contains
specific management area prescriptions for the entire Forest. The
specific objective of this proposal is to contribute to the sustained
yield of timber assigned the Caribou National Forest in the Forest's
Land and Resource Management Plan.
Possible alternatives to the proposal are to cut no timber or to
cut only some of the stands at this time.
Public scoping letters have been sent to individuals, and news
articles regarding the project have appeared in local newspapers.
Initial scoping comments indicated concerns about the project's
environmental impacts on water quality, fish habitat, and roadless area
characteristics. The Caribou National Forest determined impacts could
be significant and will complete an Environmental Impact Statement to
address these concerns. At this time, no public scoping meetings have
been planned.
Issues/Concerns
Tentative issues and concerns identified to date are:
1. Birch Creek is a section 303(d) Water Quality Limited stream.
Beneficial uses, which include beneficial uses for fisheries, must be
protected and regulatory water quality standards met.
2. Steep slopes limit tractor logging in some stands and helicopter
logging is proposed in these instances. Cable systems may be considered
as another means of logging steep slopes, because they are less
expensive to operate and would make the sale available to more timber
operators; however, they require more roads than helicopters.
3. Stands in the Worm Creek drainage are accessible by
approximately 3.4 miles of road that would require relocation. Road
relocation would be expensive, raise logging costs, and make the area
more accessible while the road was open.
4. Regeneration would be difficult in many stands that have an
understory of shrubs. Tractor logging reduces shrubs and exposes
mineral soil allowing tree seedlings to germinate and grow. Helicopter
logging does not disturb the ground, and therefore, tree regeneration
would be difficult to establish in helicopter units.
5. The Birch Creek Road is rocky, making maintenance difficult.
Lack of maintenance causes ruts and increases erosion. The Birch Creek
Road would be used to haul logs from the sale area. The proposal
creates an opportunity to improve the road and reduce surface runoff
into Birch Creek.
6. Birch Creek is a tributary of Mink Creek. Mink Creek contains
Bonneville Cutthroat Trout. The proposal could adversely affect fish
habitat in both streams.
7. Birch Creek Road is groomed for snowmobile use in the winter and
provides access to winter play areas. Winter logging would require
plowing the road. The narrow canyon would not allow snowmobiling off
the plowed road. Snowmobile use on the plowed road would create a
public safety hazard.
8. The proposed project is located in the Station Creek Roadless
Area, #04178. The environmental analysis will need to determine how the
proposed action would affect existing roadless characteristics.
9. The proposed project area contains wildlife habitat used by deer
and elk. Harvest activities and road-building could make these animals
more vulnerable to hunters.
10. Permitted cattle grazing occurs in Birch Creek and Worm Creek.
Tree regeneration, occurring as a result of this proposal, would
require protection from damage by cattle.
11. Douglas-fir and subalpine fir trees in the project area have
been attacked and killed by bark beetles over the past ten years. Since
the trees are of an age and density that invite continued attacks,
mortality can be expected to continue. The project offers an
opportunity to harvest recently killed trees for timber products.
A Biological assessment of threatened, endangered and sensitive
species will be completed as part of the environmental analysis.
A Cultural Resource Survey of the area will be completed as part of
the environmental analysis, and any cultural resources found would be
protected.
No permits or licenses are required to implement the proposed
action.
The tentative date for filing the Draft EIS is June 1997. The
tentative date for filing the final EIS is September 1997. The comment
period on the draft environmental impact statement will be open for 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 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 of the Draft
Environmental Impact Statement 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
[[Page 8421]]
the Final Environmental Impact Statement. Agency representatives and
other interested people are invited to visit with Forest Service
officials at any time during the EIS process.
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. 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.
The USDA, Forest Service is the lead agency in preparing the
Environmental Impact Statement for this proposal. The responsible
official is Paul R. Nordwall, Supervisor, Caribou National Forest, 250
South Fourth Avenue, Pocatello, ID 83254.
Dated: February 12, 1997.
Paul R. Nordwall,
Forest Supervisor, Caribou National Forest.
[FR Doc. 97-4631 Filed 2-24-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M
