[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 43 (Friday, March 5, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10717-10718]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-5456]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Availability of an Environmental Assessment on the Proposed
Issuance of an Incidental Take Permit for Boise Cascade Timber Company,
Clatsop County, Oregon
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, DOI.
ACTION: Notice of availability, Request for comments, and reopening of
comment period.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that the Fish and Wildlife
Service (Service) has prepared a draft Environmental Assessment on the
proposed issuance of an incidental take permit to the Boise Cascade
Corporation (Boise Cascade) pursuant to section 10(a)(1)(B) of the
Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The proposed permit
would authorize the incidental take, resulting from habitat
modification, of the northern spotted owl (Strix occidentalis caurina),
which is listed under the Act as a threatened species. The Service
announced the receipt of Boise Cascade's incidental take permit
application and the availability of the Boise Cascade Walker Creek Unit
Habitat Conservation Plan (Plan) and draft Implementation Agreement,
which accompany the incidental take permit application, for public
comment on December 23, 1998 (63 FR 71148). Because the draft
Environmental Assessment provides additional information on the effects
of the proposed permit issuance, the Service will accept additional
comments on the permit application, Plan, and draft Implementation
Agreement during the comment period for the draft Environmental
Assessment.
DATES: Written comments on the draft Environmental Assessment, permit
application, Plan, and draft Implementation Agreement should be
received on or before April 5, 1999.
ADDRESSES: Individuals wishing copies of the draft Environmental
Assessment, permit application, full text of the Plan, or the draft
Implementation Agreement should immediately contact the office and
personnel listed below. These documents also will be available for
public inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours at the
address below. Comments regarding the draft Environmental Assessment,
permit application, draft Implementation Agreement or the Plan should
be addressed to State Supervisor, Fish and Wildlife Service, Oregon
State Office, 2600 S.E. 98th Avenue, Suite 100, Portland, Oregon 97266.
Please refer to permit number TE005227-0 when submitting comments.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Rich Szlemp, Fish and Wildlife
Service, Oregon State Office, telephone (503) 231-6179.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Boise Cascade is proposing to harvest
approximately 50 acres of mature and old growth forest from a 65-acre
parcel of land. The surrounding ownership consists of Oregon Department
of Forestry land and lands owned by the Agency Creek Management
Company. The Boise Cascade property contains two nest trees that were
occupied by a pair of northern spotted owls between 1990 and 1996.
Other listed species may also be affected by the proposed Plan. Coho
salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) are found in Walker Creek in the Plan
area. No surveys have been conducted for marbled murrelets
(Brachyramphus marmoratus) or bald eagles (Haliaeeus leucocephalus),
but the Plan area does contain potentially suitable nesting platforms
for marbled murrelets and contains suitable bald eagle habitat. The
Plan area contains some of the best northern spotted owl nesting
habitat in the northern portion of the Oregon Coast Range. Most of the
surrounding land has been logged or contains younger stands of timber
that do not provide as high quality of owl nesting habitat as the Plan
area.
Alternatives Analyzed in the Draft Environmental Assessment
Alternative 1. No Action
Under this alternative the Service would not issue a permit or the
applicant would decide to not harvest the unit. For this analysis, it
is assumed that this alternative would maintain the existing old growth
forest within the unit.
Alternative 2. The Incidental Take Permit Application and Plan
Submitted by Boise Cascade
This alternative would provide for the maximum timber harvest
allowable under the Oregon Forest Practices Act. Boise Cascade would
harvest about 50 acres of a 70-acre spotted owl core area originally
designated by the Oregon Department of Forestry. Boise Cascade removed
6 acres of forest associated with the construction of a logging road in
1989. The remaining 14 acres of the core is on adjacent state forest
lands or private lands. Logging of the unit was prohibited by the State
of Oregon until 1997 because the unit was within the core area of an
active spotted owl site. Due to the lack of use of this site as an
activity center for spotted owls in 1997, the Oregon Department of
Forestry formally considered this site abandoned. However, the 50 acres
are all considered suitable spotted owl habitat and include two trees
that were known to be used by spotted owls as nest trees. A pair of
spotted owls were active in the vicinity of this core area between 1990
and 1996, and were known to have nested in 1990, 1992 and
[[Page 10718]]
1994. A juvenile spotted owl has been detected in various locations in
the general vicinity of the unit over the past year.
Boise Cascade proposes to: conduct harvest activities outside of
the spotted owl nesting season (March 1-September 15); use existing
roads that may need to be graded or otherwise refurbished for hauling
use; use a tractor to remove logs in areas of flat terrain; use a
cable/skyline to yard trees on the majority of the area which contains
slopes of greater than 30 percent; and, replant harvested areas with
Douglas-fir, sitka spruce, western red cedar, and/or western hemlock
within 12 months of harvest. As required by the Oregon Forest Practices
Act, Boise Cascade would leave, on average per acre harvested, at
least:
Two snags or two green trees at least 30 feet in height
and 11 inches diameter at breast height (dbh) or larger, at least 50
percent of which are conifers; and
Two downed logs or downed trees, at least 50 percent of
which are conifers, that each comprise at least 10 cubic-feet gross
volume and are no less than 6 feet long. One downed conifer or suitable
hardwood log of at least 20 cubic feet gross volume and no less than 6
feet long may count as 2 logs.
In addition, Boise Cascade has stated in its written operations
harvesting plan (97-11514) dated October 22, 1997, and submitted to the
Oregon Department of Forestry that it would log the unit in accordance
with the following conditions:
No conifer would be harvested within 100 feet of Walker
Creek (using the high water mark as a boundary). No hardwood would be
harvested within 50 feet of Walker Creek. All ``in-unit'' leave trees
would be placed in, or adjacent to, the riparian management area.
Conifer leave trees would be placed further than 100-feet from Walker
Creek and hardwood leave trees would be placed further than 50-feet
from Walker Creek. The ``in-unit'' leave trees would be a minimum of 75
percent conifer. All other trees would be harvested;
Any tree that cannot be felled and kept further than 50
feet from Walker Creek would be left standing. Any portion of a felled
tree inadvertently falling within 50 feet of Walker Creek would be
left;
No downed wood or snags (except those required to be cut
for safety) would be cut within the Walker Creek riparian management
area. No downed wood or snags would be cut within 20 feet of a small
tributary that enters Walker Creek in the northeast corner of the unit;
and
The unit would be cable/cat yarded. Logging skylines may
hang across the riparian management area. All yarding road changes
would be made either by clearing above the riparian management area or
by pulling back and restringing each road. Only safety trees would be
cut in this process.
This alternative would eliminate spotted owl habitat for an unknown
and indefinite period of time. This alternative would likely result in
incidental take in the form of harm by impairing essential breeding,
feeding, and sheltering behaviors of spotted owls.
Alternative 3. Large Tree, Snag, and Downed Wood Retention Alternative
This alternative is similar to the Boise Cascade Plan, but would
include the following prescriptions:
Two of the largest diameter green trees per acre harvested
would be retained, including the two known spotted owl nest trees. Half
of these trees would be a minimum of 26 inches dbh, and the remaining
half would be a minimum of 34 inches dbh. Snags could be substituted
for green trees, so long as the total number would not exceed more than
20 percent of the leave trees, and the snags have a trunk at least 30
feet tall. Trees retained within the designated 100-foot riparian
management area under the Oregon Forest Practices Act could not be
double-counted for the leave trees;
The retained trees would be clumped and randomly
distributed throughout the harvested acreage, and not all clumped
within or immediately adjacent to the riparian management area. The
clumps would be positioned and composed of enough trees, including sub-
dominant trees if necessary, to withstand windthrow in such a manner
that the target of 100 leave trees would be maintained outside of the
riparian management area;
All existing downed logs would be retained; and
The retained trees would not be harvested for a period of
80 years.
This alternative would result in a likelihood of incidental take of
spotted owls associated with harm through habitat loss, but would
provide dispersal quality habitat in about 40 years.
Alternative 4. Dispersal Habitat Alternative
This alternative would allow for timber harvest in accordance with
the following prescriptions:
No more than 40 percent of the standing tree basal area
would be removed, and trees that would be at least 11 inches dbh and
have an average 40 percent canopy closure immediately after harvest
would be retained;
At least one of the two known spotted owl nest trees would
be retained;
No downed logs would be removed; and
Further logging on the unit would be deferred for 40
years.
This alternative would result in a likelihood of incidental take of
spotted owls by harm through habitat loss within the area harvested,
but would maintain dispersal quality habitat and provide spotted owl
foraging opportunities.
Alternative 5. Dispersal and Remnant Nesting Habitat Alternative
In addition to the prescriptions identified in alternative 4, this
alternative would add a 500-foot, no-cut protection zone, within the
bounds of the property, centered around one of the two known owl nest
trees.
This alternative would result in a likelihood of incidental take of
spotted owls by harm through habitat loss within the area harvested,
but would maintain dispersal and foraging quality habitat, and provide
a remnant piece of nesting quality habitat.
All interested agencies, organizations, and individuals are urged
to provide comments on the draft Environmental Assessment, permit
application, Plan, and draft Implementation Agreement. All comments
received by the closing date will be considered by the Service as it
completes its National Environmental Policy Act compliance and makes
its decision regarding permit issuance or denial.
Dated: February 26, 1999.
Cynthia U. Barry,
Acting Regional Director, Region 1, Portland, Oregon.
[FR Doc. 99-5456 Filed 3-4-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P
