[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 25 (Tuesday, February 7, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7163-7165]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-2917]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Lower South Fork Salmon River Postfire Project, Payette National
Forest, Idaho
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare environmental impact statement.
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SUMMARY: In the summer and fall of 1994, the Chicken Fire covered
103,000 acres of Payette National Forest northeast of McCall, Idaho.
The Forest Service intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
for a portion of the wildfire area to assess and disclose the
environmental effects of a proposal. The purpose of the Proposed Action
is to remove fire-killed and imminently dead timber, recover its
economic value and meet socio-economic demands of local communities,
reforest the area, retain and enhance wildlife habitat, reduce soil
erosion and decrease sedimentation, improve fish habitat, and provide
recreation access.
All actions include provisions for snags, dead and down woody
debris, visual quality, cultural resources, TES species, and wild and
scenic river study corridors, and would comply with the Bull Trout
Conservation Agreement and PACFISH guidelines for water quality and
fisheries.
This project would be accomplished through a salvage sale of burned
timber on about 4,850 acres, using helicopter logging (no road
construction); planting of conifer seedlings; repairing and improving
drainage conditions on seven existing roads; converting a road to a
trail; and constructing nest platforms for great gray owls. The salvage
sale proceeds would help finance the other activities.
The project lies 25-40 miles northeast of McCall, in the lower
South Fork Salmon River watershed, in the Smith Creek, Pony Creek, and
Elk Creek drainages. It lies partly within the Secesh and Cottontail
Point/Pilot Peak Roadless Areas.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Fred Dauber, Krassel District Ranger (208 634-0600); or Dan Anderson,
Interdisciplinary Team Leader (208 634-0631).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: From July to October 1994, wildfires covered
a total of about 290,000 acres of Payette National Forest. The Chicken
Fire was ignited in mid-August by several lightning strikes east of the
town of Warren near the South Fork Salmon River, and eventually covered
about 103,000 acres until stopped by winter weather in mid-October.
Within this perimeter, it burned in a mosaic pattern of fire
intensities including some unburned areas.
In October, Payette National Forest convened three
interdisciplinary groups of Forest resources specialists to assess the
landscapes affected by the fires: one each for the Blackwell landscape,
the Corral landscape, and the Chicken landscape. Each landscape was
composed of two or more watersheds. The Chicken landscape encompassed
nearly 180,000 acres in the Lower South Fork and Elk Creek watersheds.
The Forest also convened a team to assess the broad-scale area, which
encompasses the three landscapes plus the Thunderbolt landscape to the
south.
In January 1995, each landscape team produced a landscape
assessment encompassing their fire area. The teams used an ecosystem-
based approach to assess the fires' effects and to propose target
landscape conditions, based on the Forest Plan and the historic range
of variation. Each team identified management opportunities that could
be implemented this year and in the future to move their respective
postfire landscape toward the target landscape design. The Forest
leadership team selected a package of proposed actions for each
landscape to bring forward into the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) analysis process.
The Proposed Action for the Lower South Fork Salmon River described
herein is one product of the Chicken landscape assessment: it proposes
the high-priority short term projects related to timber salvage and
other postfire resources opportunities consistent with the target
landscape design for the Chicken Landscape.
Burn intensities, as defined by degree of tree mortality, in the
Chicken landscape varied from intensely burned to unburned. Within the
Chicken landscape, which includes a portion of the Chicken Fire,
approximately 36,900 acres burned at high intensity (tree mortality
greater than 90%), 23,700 acres at moderate intensity (tree mortality
greater than 30% and less than 90%), and 28,200 acres at low intensity
(tree mortality less than 30%). The remainder of the landscape did not
burn.
An estimated 83,300 acres of the Secesh Roadless Area and 30,900
acres of the Cottontail Point/Pilot Peak Roadless Area lie within the
Chicken landscape, of which about 34,500 acres and 21,000 acres were
burned, respectively.
The primary management emphasis in the South Fork Salmon River
drainage is restoration of harvestable, robust, self-sustaining
populations of naturally reproducing salmon and trout. The South Fork
Salmon River was the single largest producer of summer chinook salmon
in the Columbia River Basin by the 1950's. Since then this run has
continued to decline significantly, partially due to habitat
degradation caused by management-induced sediment. The Snake River
spring/summer and fall chinook salmon are now listed as endangered
species. The South Fork's steelhead, bull trout, and westslope
cutthroat trout are listed by the Forest Service as sensitive. Some
spawning areas and major winter habitats for both endangered and
sensitive fishes are influenced by the project area. Numerous road-
related sediment sources continue to deliver sediment to the South Fork
and tributaries, adversely affecting fish habitat.
Simultaneous with this Notice of Intent, Payette National Forest is
also publishing two Notices of Intent for other postfire proposals. The
``Fall Creek Postfire Project'' EIS will cover part of the Blackwell
landscape, and the ``Main Salmon River Postfire Project'' EIS will
cover the Corral landscape. The Forest Service will analyze the two
projects concurrently with this ``Lower South Fork Salmon River
Postfire Project'' proposal.
Purpose and Need
The need is to adapt to the changed conditions in the South Fork
Salmon River drainage and move toward the desired future conditions,
goals and objectives as described in the Payette Forest Plan and the
target landscape design in the Chicken Landscape Assessment. The
Chicken Landscape Assessment was tiered to the Forest Plan and
identifies a strategy to implement the plan in an ecosystem management
context. The proposed action is derived from management opportunities
in the landscape assessment. The purpose of each element of the
proposed action is:
Salvage: To recover economic value of burned timber for counties
and timber-related industries and provide wood fiber for society. Past
experience with wildfire timber recovery in south-central Idaho
indicates that prompt harvest is needed to recover the economic value
of fire-killed trees. The trees in this project area, mostly ponderosa
pine, Douglas-fir, grand fir, and lodgepole pine, are expected to lose
[[Page 7164]] 30-40% of their economic value by the end of 1996. Part
of the salvage sale proceeds will finance the regeneration, watershed
improvement, recreation and wildlife habitat elements of the project.
Regeneration: To promptly return to production those lands within
the suited base that contribute to the allowable sale quantity.
Watershed Projects: To improve watershed conditions to meet
beneficial uses (fish habitat and domestic water supply).
Recreation: To improve recreation user access.
Wildlife: To enhance habitat components for sensitive species.
Proposed Action
The Proposed Action has the following components:
1. Salvage harvest fire-killed and imminently-dead trees on
approximately 4,850 acres. Harvest by helicopter only. Construct seven
helicopter landings. Reconstruct about 5.5 miles of road in four
segments to facilitate log haul; no road construction is proposed.
Specifically, on road #337, reconstruct \1/4\ mile of road by
increasing the radius on 1 switchback; road #340, reconstruct 2\1/4\
miles of road by increasing the radius on two switchbacks and
realigning multiple tight radius turns; road #355, reconstruct 1\1/2\
miles of road by increasing the radius on one switchback, and improve
the running surface where degraded by large rocks; road #359,
reconstruct 1\1/5\ miles of road by improving stream crossings,
improving several tight radius turns, and improving the running surface
by better drainage. The proposal would not harvest within the South
Fork Salmon River wild and scenic study corridor. It would not harvest
within PACFISH Riparian Habitat Conservation Areas, which include
riparian corridors, wetlands, landslides, and landslide-prone areas,
where riparian-dependent resources receive primary emphasis. The
proposal would not harvest on land having a combination of high erosion
hazard and high sediment delivery to streams. Harvesting would comply
with the Draft Bull Trout Conservation Agreement. Site specific
integrated prescriptions to provide for snags/large woody debris
retention, visual quality, cultural resource protection, and TES plant
and animal needs would be developed consistent with the Forest Plan,
landscape assessment and current policy/research.
2. Regenerate productive forest suited acres within the project
area by planting conifer seedlings or ensuring natural regeneration.
3. Repair and improve drainage conditions on seven existing roads.
Specifically, apply gravel, line inslope ditches, improve cross-
drainage, stabilize cuts and fills, improve stream crossings, and/or
stabilize gullies on segments of the: Hays Station Road (#337), Warren-
Profile Gap Road (#340), China Glen Road (#357), Smith Knob Road
(#355), Warren Wagon Road (Forest Highway 21), and Pony Meadows Road
(#359).
4. Convert the Bear Lake Road (#1211) to a non-motorized trail.
5. Establish a trailhead at the end of Hays Station Road (#337).
6. Construct nest platforms for great gray owls in the Pony Meadows
area.
7. Close to all vehicle traffic a non-system road from Warren
Summit going west to just above Pony Meadows.
Methodologies, rationale, and findings associated with the Chicken
landscape assessment and site specific environmental analysis are to be
reviewed by a proposed Federal interagency science panel with panel
members selected from Forest Service research and system branches, and
other Federal agencies. Recommendations made by this panel could be
used by line officers in directing the environmental analysis,
formulating alternatives, disclosing environmental consequences,
developing a monitoring plan, and making the final decision. This may
include the option of not moving ahead with any or part of the proposed
action or action alternatives if conclusive information shows that the
action would be damaging to anadromous fish.
Forest Plan Amendment
The Payette National Forest Plan has specific management direction
for the South Fork Salmon River management areas. The Proposed Action
is designed to improve watershed conditions and fish habitat, and is
consistent with the objectives and goals of the Forest Plan. However,
amendment to standards and guidelines in the Plan may be needed to:
1. Allow postfire activities including salvage logging of fire-
killed and imminently dead trees as proposed in the Lower South Fork
Salmon River Postfire Project where the cumulative effect of all
proposed projects results in a net improvement in potential sediment
delivery to the South Fork Salmon River.
2. Allow postfire activities as described in the Lower South Fork
Salmon River Postfire Project to proceed without an Order 2 soil
survey. Soil information of sufficient detail to address NEPA issues
and required effects disclosure will be provided.
3. Allow plantation stocking levels below Forest Plan standards and
guidelines to reflect natural stand conditions.
4. Allow helicopter logging one-way flying distances beyond the
Forest Plan standard and guideline of 1.5 miles but within 2.5 miles of
existing roads.
5. In Management Area 16, allow postfire salvage logging by
helicopter as proposed in the Lower South Fork Salmon River Postfire
Project.
Preliminary Issues
The Forest Service has identified seven preliminary issues raised
by the Proposed Action:
1. Effects on water quality in the South Fork Salmon River and its
tributaries and their beneficial use for spring/summer chinook salmon,
bull trout, and other fish species habitat. The lower South Fork is a
Stream Segment of Concern and a Water Quality Limited Segment (State of
Idaho, Division of Environmental Quality).
2. Impacts of not implementing the Forest Plan recovery strategy
for the South Fork Salmon River before implementing new timber entry.
3. Effects on sensitive wildlife species including white-headed
woodpecker and goshawk.
4. Effects on wilderness characteristics within the Secesh and
Cottontail Point/Pilot Peak Roadless Areas.
5. Effects on human use and access due to closing roads to reduce
sediment.
6. Effects on the ability of the project areas to provide long term
growth and yield of timber. Where the Chicken Fire burned hot, it left
no live trees. Where fire burned at low or moderate intensities, it
left a mixture of dead, live, and damaged trees. Trees with crowns and
trunks scorched are at risk of dying from fire damage or insect
infestation. Grasses and shrubs can invade disturbed sites faster than
trees can naturally reforest.
7. The economic efficiency of proposed projects, and effects on
socio-economic and social systems around the Payette National Forest.
Possible Alternatives
The Forest Service has identified three alternatives to the
Proposed Action: a no action alternative, an alternative that would not
salvage harvest in the roadless areas, and an alternative that salvage
harvests by helicopter additional acres on more sensitive soil types.
As the public raises additional issues and provides more information,
the Forest may develop additional alternatives. [[Page 7165]]
Decisions To Be Made
The Payette National Forest Supervisor will decide:
Whether to allow salvage logging.
If so, where and how to harvest.
Whether to plant after harvest.
Whether to implement the sediment reducing, recreation, and
wildlife improvement projects.
What management requirements and mitigation measures are required
as part of the project.
What monitoring requirements are appropriate to evaluate project
implementation. And,
What Forest Plan amendment(s) are required.
Public Involvement Meetings
The Forest will hold five public scoping meetings to introduce the
Proposed Actions for the three burned landscapes and to invite public
comment: Riggins--February 15, 4-9 pm, City Hall. McCall--February 16,
4-9 pm, McCall Smokejumper Base. Council--February 21, 4-9 pm, Council
Ranger District office. Boise--February 23, 4-9 pm, Red Lion
Downtowner. Grangeville--February 26, 1-3 pm, Nez Perce National Forest
Supervisor's office. In addition, Forest Service personnel will make
added public presentations on request.
Agency/Public Contacts
The Forest is mailing a summary of the Proposed Action, preliminary
issues, and background information on the analysis to key individuals,
groups, and agencies for comment. The mailing list includes those on
the Payette postfire mailing list and those generally interested in
Payette National Forest NEPA projects.
Schedule
Draft Environmental Impact Statement, May 1995. Final EIS, August
1995. Implementation, September 1995.
Comments
Comments on the Proposed Action and analysis should be received in
writing on or before March 10, 1995. Send comments to: Forest
Supervisor, Payette National Forest, P.O. Box 1026, 106 W. Park Street,
McCall, ID 83638; telephone (208) 634-0700; FAX (208) 634-0281.
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, 1002 (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 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 and respond to them
in the final environmental impact statement.
To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues
raised by 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.
Responsible Official
David F. Alexander, Forest Supervisor, Payette National Forest,
P.O. Box 1026, 106 West Park, McCall, ID 83638.
Dated: January 31, 1995.
David F. Alexander,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 95-2917 Filed 2-6-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M
