[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 155 (Friday, August 9, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41565-41568]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-20286]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
North Lochsa Face Vegetative Management; Clearwater National
Forest; Idaho County, ID
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice; Intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Clearwater
National Forest will prepare an EIS (environmental impact statement)
for vegetative management activities, within the North Lochsa Face
analysis area, that will restore and maintain the health of forest
ecosystems and support the economic and social needs of people and
their communities. The analysis area is located on the Lochsa Ranger
District on the Clearwater National Forest, headquartered in Orofino,
Idaho.
The EIS will tier to the Clearwater National Forest Land and
Resource Management Plan Final EIS of September, 1987, which provides
overall guidance of all land management activities on the Clearwater
National Forest. Analyses will also be conducted in compliance with the
Stipulation of Dismissal agreed to for the lawsuit between the Forest
Service and the Sierra Club, et al (signed September 13, 1993).
The agency invites written comments and suggestions on the issues
and management opportunities for the area being analyzed.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis should be received
by no later than September 23, 1996, to receive timely consideration in
the preparation of the Draft EIS. The Draft EIS is anticipated to be
filed with the Environmental Protection Agency in December 1996. The
Final EIS and Record of Decision are expected to be issued in May 1997.
ADDRESSES: Submit written comments and suggestions on the proposed
action or requests to be placed on the project mailing list to James L.
Caswell, Forest Supervisor, Clearwater National Forest, 12730 U.S.
Highway 12, Orofino, ID, 83544, FAX: 208-476-8329.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: (George Harbaugh, Interdisciplinary
Team Leader, Lochsa Ranger District, P.O. Box 398, Kooskia, ID 83539,
telephone (208) 926-4275.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The North Lochsa Face analysis area covers
approximately 128,000 acres of mostly forested, steep mountains on the
Lochsa Ranger District. It lies between Highway 12 and the Lolo
Motorway (Forest Road 500) just north of the small communities of
Lowell and Syringa. Lewiston is 95 miles west of the area on Highway
12; Missoula is 130 miles to the east. The Lochsa River, a designated
Wild and Scenic River, runs alongside Highway 12. The Lochsa District
boundary and the Lolo Motorway form the north border of the analysis
area. The Pete King Creek drainage forms the southwest boundary.
Highway 12 and the Lochsa River form the south/southeast boundary up to
Fish Creek, and the remaining boundary is the eastern watershed divide
of Fish Creek.
The area is relatively isolated and undeveloped. However, U.S.
Highway 12, the only highway in central Idaho that connects Washington
and Montana, carries a great deal of traffic year-round. It is the
primary route for trucks hauling grain, logs and other products from
Montana and the northern tier of states, as well as southern Canada, to
the shipping port of Lewiston. This route also provides the quickest
crossing for passenger traffic from the Portland, Oregon, area to
points in the northern tier of states. Recreation traffic on this
highway, especially in the summer, can be heavy.
Two small communities, Lowell and Syringa, lie at the southern tip
of the analysis area. Both offer motels and a service station for
highway travelers and tourists. Within a 60 mile radius of the analysis
area lie the towns of Kooskia, Kamiah, Grangeville, Orofino, Pierce,
Weippe, and Sites. All are primarily timber-dependent communities,
whose economies are directly affected by Forest Service management. The
analysis area is within Idaho County, but any activity in the analysis
area would also affect those communities within adjacent Clearwater and
Lewis Counties.
The Clearwater Forest Plan provides guidance through its goals,
objectives, standards, guidelines and management area direction. The
analysis area consists of Management Areas A6, A7, C3, C4, C6, C8S, E1,
M1, and US, with inclusions of Management Area M2 in all areas. Below
is a brief description of the applicable management direction.
Management Area A6--Historic Lolo Trail Corridor (11,262 acres)--
Manage to provide opportunity for recreational activities oriented to
traveling over, understanding, and appreciating the route as a historic
travel route. Minimize timber harvest activity conflicts with
recreation.
Management Area A7--Middle Fork of the Clearwater Wild and Scenic
River Corridor (4,105 acres)--Protect and enhance scenic values,
cultural values, water quality, big game, non-game, and fishery
habitats with special emphasis on the anadromous fishery, and developed
and dispersed recreation that will contribut to public use and
enjoyment of the free flowing rivers and their immediate environment.
Harvest timber when enhancement of key resources will occur and adverse
impacts to key resources would be of low magnitude and short duration,
and to achieve specific vegetation management objectives.
Management Area C3--Elk Winter Range (16,797 acres)--Provide winter
forage and thermal cover for big-game. Classify this land as unsuitable
for timber production.
Management Area C4--Elk Winter Range/Timber (14,979 acres)--Provide
sufficient winter forage and thermal cover for existing and projected
big game populations while achieving timber production outputs.
Management Area C6--Elk Summer Range (28,263 acres)--Protect the
soil and water from adverse effects of man's activities. Classify this
land as unsuitable for timber production.
Management Area C8S--Elk Summer Range/Timber (22,900 acres)--Manage
these areas to maintain high quality wildlife and fishery objectives
while producing timber from the productive Forest land.
[[Page 41566]]
Management Area E1--Timer Management (24,640 acres)--Provide
optimum, sustained production of timber products in a cost-effective
manner while protecting soil and water quality.
Management Area M1--Lochsa Research Natural Area (1,022 acres)--
Manage established RNAs to protect their inherent natural features and
maintain them in undisturbed ecosystems.
Management Area M2--Riparian Areas (inclusions)--Manage under the
principles of multiple use as areas of special consideration,
distinctive values, and integrated with adjacent management areas to
the extent that water and other riparian-dependent resources are
protected.
Management Area US--Unsuitable Land (3,764 acres)--Manage to
maintain and protect soil and watershed values and vegetative cover.
Manage for resources other than timber such as dispersed recreation,
and big-game summer range as appropriate.
The proposed actions are based on the North Lochsa Face Landscape
and Watershed Assessment, April 1996, which was a National Forest
Management Act (NFMA) analysis completed by a team of Forest and
District specialists. The team was given two major objectives. The
first was to prepare a scientific assessment of the ecological
condition of the North Lochsa Face area, focusing on structure,
function, and composition. The second major objective was to describe
the social values associated with this piece of land, and integrate
those social values into future management of the area. The analysis
also provided an opportunity to modify interim PACFISH watershed
guidelines. Copies of the assessment are available upon request from
the District office.
The proposed actions reflect treatment needs identified for this
landscape from a scientific basis. Numerous social constraints have not
been overlaid on the proposed actions, but will be reflected in future
alternative development. Also, in replicating natural disturbance
patterns, it is likely that some of the timber harvest and/or
prescribed burning proposals will result in Forest openings greater
than 40 acres. The following actions are proposed for the North Lochsa
Face area during the next 5-year planning period (1997-2001):
Proposed Action: Timber Harvest-Approximately 6,900 acres of highly
stocked stands in the Fish and Hungery Creek drainages, 4,000 acres in
the Canyon and Deadman Creek drainages, 2,500 acres in the Pete King
drainage, and 6,000 acres in the remaining small drainages along the
northern face of the Lochsa River are proposed for harvest. Stand
diagnoses are still needed to determine the type of harvest treatment.
However, at this time, it is anticipated that the primary type of
proposed treatments will consist of commercial thinnings, with some
regeneration harvest and selection cuts. Where needed, proposed road
activities will consist mostly of reconstruction or reconditioning. It
is anticipated that there will be minimal need, if any, for the
construction of new roads. Almost two-thirds of the total area proposed
for harvest is unroaded and will require helicopter yarding. Those
remaining areas having existing road systems would be logged using
conventional systems (skyline and tractor yarding). An additional 840
acres of roadside salvage, mostly in the Canyon and Deadman Creek
drainages, are proposed within a 200 foot strip on both sides of 23
miles of open roads. Where economically feasible, opportunities for
salvage harvesting will be considered beyond the roadside strips.
Conventional systems would be used to yard the dead, dying, and high
risk trees proposed for salvage. The total estimated volume to be
harvested will be available after further data analysis and field
reconnaissance.
Purpose: To reduce stand densities, change species composition, and
achieve age class/size distribution and structure patterns to desired
levels; to reduce the risk of wildfire; to reduce burn intensities on
the breaklands; to salvage dead, dying and high risk trees; to improve
Forest health; and to provide a supply of timber for logging-dependent
communities.
Need: Many years of fire suppression have allowed a majority of the
stands proposed for harvest to have basal areas higher than the normal
range of variability. Increased stand densities, combined with the
drought conditions of recent years, have stressed the trees, making
them more susceptible to attack by bark beetles, root rots, and other
pests. As the incidence of insects and disease has increased, higher
fuel loads have resulted, increasing the risk of higher intensity
fires. Also, since many of these acres are on the breaklands, the stand
densities need to be reduced through timber harvest, before the
following proposal on prescribed burning can be implemented.
Known stands in need of commercial thinning are less than 100 years
old with over 175 trees per acre. There is a need to thin these stands
back to about 100 trees per acre to reduce stress, redistribute growth,
and reduce fuel loads.
Many stands along open roads are experiencing declaring growth
rates resulting from age, insects, disease, and overcrowding. The
recent emergency salvage effort, conducted under authority of the
Rescission Act, focused on similar stands through the Forest. Another
23 miles of open roads within this analysis area have dead and dying
stands along them, plus, recent aerial surveys have detected insect and
disease damage in much of the analysis area. These stands need to be
salvaged and regenerated to improve productively reduce attack by
insects and disease, and utilize volumes usually lost to mortality.
Historically, logging has been the primary means of support and a
way of life for local community residents. Most communities were hit
hard by the timber shortages of the 1980s, and there has been some
movement towards economic diversification. However, logging still plays
a significant role in the area, and the above mention harvest proposals
would benefit those people who work in the mills and wood products
industry.
Proposed Action: Prescribed Burning--Approximately 5,000 to 8,000
acres of ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir habitats, mostly within the
breaklands, are proposed for understory burns. Prescribed natural fire
may take up additional acres, should lightening strikes occur in
desirable areas. A prescribed natural fire management plan will be
prepared as part of this analysis. Also, a Forest Plan amendment will
be proposed to change the contain/confine status in brushfields in an
effort to balance the suppression costs with resource values.
Purpose: To use prescribed fire to maintain healthy ecosystems; and
to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires.
Need: Historically, the breaklands have had a short term fire
regime of 26 to 50 years. Frequent fires maintained a very diverse
structure composition, keeping stands open and allowing Douglas-fir,
western larch, and to a lesser extent ponderosa pine to dominate a
stand a regenerate. Over 60 years of fire suppression has caused the
seral species to become less dominant in the overstory and replaced by
uniform standards of trees with dense understories of western redcedar,
grand fir, subalpine fir, and Douglas-fir. Under these conditions, the
risk of a large catastrophic fire occurring in the breaklands is high.
This risk is highest in Rye Patch Creek, lower Canyon Creek, Apgar
Creek, and Glade Creek. Under-story burns will help perpetuate
[[Page 41567]]
the types of stand composition and structure naturally occurring when
fire is reincorporated as an ecological process on the landscape.
Proposed Action: Stocking Control--Approximately 7,500 acres of
stands having more than 1,000 trees per acre, less than 7'' diameter
breast height (dbh), are proposed to be thinned back to 400-500 trees
per acre, using chainsaws or natural prescribed fire as methods of
treatment. These stands are scattered throughout the analysis area, and
further screening based on accessibility will probably eliminate those
stands out of reach. Another estimated 860 acres of overstocked stands
are proposed to have their tolerant species (grand fir, cedar,
subalpine fir, and mountain hemlock) thinned back to increase the
percentage of seral species (Douglas-fir, ponderosa pine, white pine,
larch, and lodgepole pine) left in the stand. These stands will also be
screened for accessibility.
Purpose: To reduce the number of trees per acre in overstocked
stands; and where desired, to reduce the density of tolerant species in
favor of the seral species.
Need: High stocking levels, especially on the drier LTAs, lead to
limited availability of water and nutrients for individual trees,
predisposing them to insect and disease problems and increased fire
risk. Shade-tolerant species on a site are more sensitive to water
deficits, with the same results as overstocking. Also, stands having
high percentages of seral species are better adapted to fire regimes.
Proposed Action: Planting Riparian Areas--Approximately 450 acres,
consisting of a strip 300 feet wide, 6 miles long on both sides of Fish
Creek, are proposed to be interplanted with conifers such as cedar and
spruce, and cottonwoods. Approximately 150 acres, consisting of a
similar strip along 2 miles of Pete King Creek, are proposed to be
full-planted with cedar and white pine tree species.
Purpose: To reduce stream temperatures by re-establishing stands of
trees (shade) in riparian areas.
Need: The stream terraces within both of these drainages would
typically have a high percentage of old-growth trees. However, only
remnants remain due to the 1934 fire that overran these areas. With
shade being limited, stream temperatures in both Pete King Creek and
Fish Creek are currently above water quality standards. The re-
establishment of shade providing trees is needed to reduce stream
temperature to desired levels.
Proposed Action: Reforestation of Shrubfields--There are
approximately 5,300 acres of shrubfields with none or low tree
stocking, mostly within the Fish, Hungery, Deadman, Bimerick, and Glade
Creek drainages. Currently, a mechanical slash buster is being used on
about 600 acres of shrubfields in the Middle Butte area. As the brush
is cut back, the prepared sites are being planted with seral tree
species. At this time, it is proposed to monitor the effectiveness of
this treatment and research that of other treatments, such as, slashing
followed by a light burn, underplanting followed by release, and
possible ground applications of herbicides. Following this monitoring
and research effort, some or all of the 5,300 acres of shrubfields may
be proposed for treatment.
Purpose: To comply with the NFMA mandate to restore and maintain
appropriate forest cover; to put suitable lands back into optimal
timber production; to allow for soil recovery; and to provide future
thermal cover for wildlife.
Need: Seral shrubfields, comprised of ninebark, mountain maple,
alder, snowberry, ocean spray, willow, and other species, have come to
dominate these areas after repeated large fires eliminated tree seed
sources. These past fires have reduced site productivity through
changing soil physical and chemical properties along with surface soil
erosion losses. Forest vegetation is slowly returning to areas with
deeper soils, but without treatment, some of the shrubfields may remain
for many years.
Although these shrubfields represent an important early seral
stage, the areas they occupy must proceed through natural successional
processes to allow soil recovery from past fires. To accommodate big
game use, shrubfields must be permitted to shift spatially across the
landscape over time. This process creates a mosaic pattern of forage
and thermal cover areas beneficial to big game while allowing for soil
restoration to occur.
Proposed Action: Restoring Native Species Composition--Off-site
ponderosa pine plantations occupy a total of 330 acres in the Boundary
Peak area and 1,950 acres in the Bimerick Creek drainage. During this
planning period, approximately 1,000 acres of off-site ponderosa pine
are proposed to be removed by use of timber harvest, slashing, and/or
burning. Use of timber harvest is still very questionable at this time,
since these trees are of poor form and quality (low value), and access
to them is very limited. Local seed sources would be used to replant
the sites with genetically adapted seral species.
Purpose: To better utilize these sites by replacing off-site
ponderosa pine with adapted stock; and to prevent the contamination of
the local gene pool, which could affect the species' ability to adapt
and thrive.
Need: After the 1934 fire these areas were planted with ponderosa
pine by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The trees planted were from
distant sources, including the Bitterroot, Cabinet, Chelan, and
Deschutes National Forests. Recent research has shown that ponderosa
pine is genetically adapted to specific elevations and geographic
areas. This stock was not matched to the planting sites with those
criteria. As a result, these trees have been slower growing than those
from local seed sources, and are now falling victim to diseases that
would normally not affect trees of this age. Root rots, blights, needle
casts, and insect infestations have all been noted.
Proposed Action: Control of Noxious Weeds--The initial proposal is
to prioritize where to control noxious weeds along all roads and
trails, plus the grazing allotment area near Woodrat Mountain. The
proposal will be further refined to concentrate control efforts on
those areas receiving high use, such as, recreation areas and open
roads. Methods of control to be analyzed include herbicides, manual or
mechanical eradication, prescribed fire, and available biological
control agents.
Purpose: To control new infestations and minimize the spread of
noxious weeds; to comply with the Idaho Noxious Weed Law; and to
participate in the integrated weed management system.
Need: Forest travel-ways (roads and trails) are the main seed
depositories and transportation corridors for invasive/non-native plant
species. Given the nature of use of the travel-ways within the analysis
area (logging equipment, livestock grazing, backcountry horsemen, and
weekend explorers), it would be safe to assume that all roads and
trails have at least one invasive/non-native weed species established
on them.
Surveys conducted along US Hwy 12 documented Spotted Knapweed
(Centaurea maculosa) present continually from Kooskia to Lolo Pass,
with scattered patches of Canada thistle (cirsium arvense), Meadow
Hawkweed (Hieracium pretense), Scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius), Common
crupina (Crupina vulgaris), St. Johnswort (Hypericum preforatum),
Dalmation Toadflax (Linaria dalmatica), Field bindweed (Convolvulus
arvensis), and Scotch thistle (Onopordum acanthium). Also documented
were two potential invaders, Sulfur cinquefoil (Potentilla recta) and
Everlasting peavine (Lathyrus
[[Page 41568]]
latifolius). Sulfur cinquefoil is the only species present that is
known to persist under a forested canopy. It is not yet a listed
Noxious Weed species in Idaho, but is considered a serious threat to
big game winter range habitat.
In 1995, FS Road 101 was surveyed from U.S. Hwy 12 to Mex Mountain.
This survey revealed Spotted Knapweed present almost continually on
both sides of the road as well as scattered infestations of Dalmation
toadflax, Canada thistle, Everlasting peavine, St. Johnswort and Orange
Hawkweed (Hieracium aurantiacum). Roads 417, 514, 455 and 418 were also
traveled during this survey. Spotted Knapweed, Orange Hawkweed and
Canada thistle were found on these roads.
Proposed Action: Watershed Restoration and Rehabilitation--Of all
the watersheds within the analysis area, Pete King has had the greatest
amount of mass wasting. Due to more stable landforms or timber
management associated activities, the other watersheds have experienced
less mass wasting. Treatments proposed include: removing sediment from
stream channels; placing large organic debris in the creeks; placing
seed, fertilizer, and straw mulch on exposed soil surfaces; and
rehabilitating over-steepened road cutslopes and old skid trails and
roads that remain exposed to rainfall and running water.
Purpose: To identify and stabilize stream sediment sources and
provide a pathway of actions that lead to a healthy functioning
watershed.
Need: The analysis area is composed of relatively managed
watersheds, with the exceptions of Fish/Hungery Creeks and some of the
face watersheds. Mass wasting, such as debris torrents associated with
channels, increased substantially after the large fire in 1934. Large
landslide events, mostly related to roads, occurred in the 1970s, 1987,
and 1996. This year's event can be related to higher than normal
rainfall and saturated soils. Except for Canyon/Deadman Creeks, the
other major drainages are in the upper ranges of natural variability
for sediment. Data on Canyon and Deadman Creeks show sediment gradually
declining, but these low energy systems do not clean themselves out.
A range of alternatives will be considered, including a no action
alternative and the proposals identified above. Based on the issues
identified through scoping, all action alternatives will vary in the
number and location of acres to be treated, the type of treatment, and
the kind of mitigation measures. Issues will drive the formulation of
feasible alternatives.
The EIS will analyze the direct, indirect and cumulative
environmental effects of the alternatives. Past, present and projected
activities on National Forest lands will be considered. The EIS will
disclose the analysis of site-specific mitigation measures and their
effectiveness.
Comments from the public and other agencies will be used in
preparation of the Draft EIS. The scoping process will continue to be
used to:
1. Identify potential issues.
2. Identify major issues to be analyzed in depth.
3. Eliminate minor issues or those which have been covered by a
relevant previous environmental analysis, such as the Clearwater Forest
Plan EIS.
4. Identify alternatives to the proposed action.
5. Identify potential environmental effects of the proposed action
and alternatives (i.e., direct, indirect and cumulative effects).
6. Determine potential cooperating agencies and task assignments.
Preliminary issues identified as a result of internal and public
scoping include: effects of the proposal on watersheds, air quality,
economics, roadless areas, research natural areas, ecosystem
management, social aspects, visual quality, heritage resources, the
possible use of herbicides, helicopter logging systems, and safety.
These issues will be verified, expanded and/or modified based on
continued scoping for this proposal.
Public participation is important all through the analysis process.
Two key time periods have been identified for receipt of formal
comments on the proposal and analysis:
1. Scoping period, which starts with publication of this notice and
continues for the next 45 days; and
2. Review of the Draft EIS in December 1996 thru February 1997. The
Forest Service expects to file the Draft EIS with the Environmental
Protection Agency in December 1996. The comment period on the Draft EIS
will be 45 days from the date the Environmental Protection Agency
publishes the notice of availability in the Federal Register. The Final
EIS and Record of Decision are expected in May 1997.
The Forest Service believes it is important to give reviewers
notice, at this early stage, of several court rulings related to public
participation in the environmental review process. First, reviewers of
a draft EIS 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 EIS stage but that are not raised
until after completion of the final EIS may be waived or dismissed by
the courts. 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 EIS.
To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues
on the proposed action, comments on the Draft EIS should be as specific
as possible. It is also helpful if comments refer to specific pages or
chapters of the Draft EIS.
Comments may also address the adequacy of the Draft EIS 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 Forest Supervisor is the responsible official for this
environmental impact statement. His address is Clearwater National
Forest, Forest Supervisor's Office, 12730 Highway 12, Orofino, ID
83544.
Dated: July 30, 1996.
James E. Caswell,
Forest Supervisor, Responsible Official.
[FR Doc. 96-20286 Filed 8-8-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M
