[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 108 (Monday, June 7, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30303-30304]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-14296]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
Little Boulder Harvest and Fire Restoration Project; Butte and
Jefferson Ranger Districts; Little Boulder Harvest and Fire Restoration
Project; Butte Field Office; Jefferson County, MT
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA and Bureau of Land Management, USDI.
ACTION: Notice; intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
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SUMMARY: The Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will
prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) to disclose the
environmental impacts of a proposed action to manipulate forest and
range vegetation on about 12,950 acres. The manipulation includes
timber harvest and prescribed burning. The Forest Service will be lead
agency for this EIS (40 CFR 1501.5). The purpose is to restore and
maintain aspen, open Douglas-fir forests, and shrub/grass cover. The
proposed action includes approximately 58 acres of regeneration
harvest, 4,815 acres of commercial tree thinning (some followed by
burning and some not), 7,303 acres of prescribed burning without timber
harvest, and 775 acres of conifer removal around aspen clones.
DATES: Initial comments concerning the scope of the analysis should be
received in writing no later than July 9, 1999.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Mike Paterni, Acting Forest
Supervisor, Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, 1820 Meadowlark,
Butte, MT 59701.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Lee Harry, Environmental Analysis Team Leader, Butte Ranger District,
1820 Meadowlark, Butte, MT 59701, or phone: (406) 494-2147.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Forest Service and BLM goals are to
restore aspen, open-grown Douglas-fir forests, and shrub/grass
vegetation. Prescribed burning would be applied on a total of 10,173
acres, both as a single treatment (7,303 acres), and following timber
harvest (2,870 acres). Of the total of 4,870 acres of harvest, 2,000
acres of harvest would not be followed by underburning. Commercial
thinning in lodgepole, Douglas-fir and around aspen clones would be the
primary harvest technique. A small part of the harvest would be for
regeneration of lodgepole pine, and one proposed unit of
[[Page 30304]]
regeneration harvest would exceed 40 acres.
The analysis area lies between Butte, Boulder, and Whitehall,
Montana. It includes several tributaries to Boulder River. Some
included tributaries are: Bison Creek; Kleinsmith Gulch; Galena Gulch;
Little Galena Gulch; North Fork Little Boulder River; and Little
Boulder Creek. (T4N,R5W; T5N,R4W; T5N,R5W; T5N,R6W; T6N,R4W; T6N,R5W;
T6N,R6W). The project area encompasses approximately 69,000 acres.
Potential issues identified are the effects of the proposal on
watershed function, visual quality, fish and wildlife, noxious weeds,
and roadless character.
Public participation is important to the analysis. Part of the goal
of public involvement is to identify additional issues and to refine
the general, tentative issues identified above. People may visit with
Forest Service and BLM officials at any time during the analysis and
prior to the decision. Two periods are specifically designated for
comments on the analysis: (1) During the scoping process and (2) during
the draft EIS comment period.
During the scoping process, the Forest Service and BLM are seeking
information and comments from Federal, State, and local agencies and
other individuals or organizations who may be interested in or affected
by the proposed action. The agencies invite written comments and
suggestions on this action, particularly in terms of identification of
issues and alternative development.
Analysis of this proposed action began in an environmental
assessment (EA). Public involvement for the EA started in October 1998
with a scoping letter to interested parties and legal notice in the
Montana Standard. Since then, the public has participated in
formulating issues and developing alternatives through responding to
large mailings and attending periodic public meetings and field trips.
The Forest Service and BLM will continue to jointly involve the
public and will inform interested and affected parties as to how they
may participate and contribute to the final decision. Another formal
opportunity for response will be provided following completion of a
draft EIS.
The draft EIS should be available for the review in December, 1999.
The final EIS is scheduled for completion in March, 1999.
The comment period on the draft EIS will be 60 days from the date
the Environmental Protection Agency publishes the notice of
availability in the Federal Register. It is very important that those
interested in this proposed action participate by the close of the 60-
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 and BLM 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.
The Beaverhead-Deerlodge Forest Supervisor and the Butte Field
Manager are the responsible officials who will make the decision. They
will decide on this proposal after considering comments and responses,
environmental consequences discussed in the Final EIS, and applicable
laws, regulations, and policies. The decision and reasons for the
decision will be documented in a Record of Decision.
Dated: June 1, 1999.
Mike Paterni,
Acting Forest Supervisor, Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest.
Dated: June 1, 1999.
Merle Good,
Field Manager, BLM Butte Field Office.
[FR Doc. 99-14296 Filed 6-4-99; 8:45 am]
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