[Federal Register: February 7, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 26)]
[Notices]
[Page 6401-6402]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr07fe03-27]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Lake Project; Manti-La Sal National Forest, Emery and Sanpete
Counties, UT
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA;
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare Environmental Impact Statement.
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Authority: The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as
amended (42 U.S.C. 4321-4346); Council on Environmental quality
Regulations, title 40, Code of Federal Regulations, parts 1500-1508 (40
CFR parts 1500-1508); and U.S. Department of Agriculture NEPA
Regulations, part 1b (7 CFR part 1b).
SUMMARY: Epidemic populations of spruce beetle are found on the Wasatch
Plateau. Many susceptible spruce-fir stands have been infested, and it
is anticipated that many more will soon be infested with spruce beetle
populations. The beetle populations could collapse due to natural
factors, but at this time the populations remain viable and continue to
spread. Scattered 3-5 tree pockets of spruce beetle caused mortality
are present in the Lake project analysis area and if the current level
of beetle activity continues without check, it is probable that most of
the spruce-fir component on the Wasatch Plateau would be lost. The
beetles have already caused severe impacts on several thousand acres of
spruce-fir stands adjacent to and south of the analysis area. As a
consequence, most spruce trees over eight inches in diameter in the
area to the south are dead or dying, and in some areas nearly all
spruce are dead as a result of the beetle epidemic. The insects are
continuing to move in a northward direction and it is anticipated they
will continue to invade, infest, and kill most of the spruce trees
eight inches and larger in diameter throughout this analysis area, as
was the case in the adjacent spruce-fir stands to the south. The Forest
Service will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to
document the analysis and disclose the environmental impacts of
proposed actions to salvage dead, insect infested and dying trees,
commercially thin live high risk trees, manage natural and prescribed
burning, and restock some stands of trees located in the Spring, and
the north and south forks of Lake Canyon drainages within the project
analysis area. The project area is located on public lands administered
by the Ferron/Price Ranger District approximately 20 miles northwest of
Huntington, Utah. It is bordered on the north by State highway 31
located in Huntington Canyon, on the west by Skyline Drive, Forest
Service Road 50150, on the east by the Millers Flat road, Forest
Service Road 50014, and on the south at the ridge between South Fork
Lake and Rolfson canyons.
The need for the proposal is to:
[sbull] Restore and maintain composition, structure, and diversity
by providing for tree species and stand density levels that are lower
in stocking and more diverse;
[sbull] Facilitate rapid reestablishment of Engelmann spruce
through replanting of spruce;
[sbull] Enhance the aspen communities that are being lost due to
conifer invasion/encroachment and lack of natural fire;
[sbull] Contribute to a timber resource supply that helps meet
National demand for forest products and recover some of the economic
loss of the resource from the dead, dying, insect infested and high-
risk green trees;
[sbull] Improve public safety by removing hazard trees from
roadsides and from dispersed camping areas within the project area.
Portions of the Rolfson-Staker Inventoried Roadless Area are
located within the analysis area but are not included in the Proposed
Action. The No Action is one alternative that will be considered.
Additional alternatives will be formulated based on public issues, and
response analysis.
The proposed action involves harvesting/salvaging approximately 3.7
MMBF (Million Board Feet) of dead, dying, insect infested and high-risk
green trees from approximately 820 acres within an analysis area of
about 5,600 acres. Harvest of trees would be by both aerial
(helicopter) and ground based (tractor) methods. Helicopter logging
would be used to access approximately 500 acres, and tractor logging
would be used to access approximately 320 acres. Approximately 135
acres are proposed for artificial reforestation (hand planting of
seedlings) and 145 acres would be open to natural regeneration.
Approximately 80 acres of aspen stands would be regenerated by removal
of aspen and competing conifer species in clear-cut patches up to 10
acres in size. Other aspen stands would be enhanced by removing conifer
trees from within and adjacent to the stands. Approximately 145 acres
will be broadcast burned. Road work anticipated includes approximately:
2.1 miles of road reconstruction, 0.8 mile of new road construction and
use of approximately 0.25 miles of temporary road. After the project is
completed, approximately 2.8 miles of existing Forest Service Roads are
proposed to remain open and be maintained. Approximately four temporary
helicopter landing one acre in size and eleven temporary tractor
landings of \1/4\ acre in size would be needed during the logging
operation. The proposed action does not include road construction,
reconstruction, or logging in the inventoried roadless area.
DATES: Written comments concerning the scope of the analysis described
in this notice should be received within 30 days of the date of
publication of this notice in the Federal Register.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Manti-La Sal National Forest, 599
West Price River Drive, Price Utah 84501.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions concerning the proposed
action and EIS should be addressed to Alan Lucas, Forester, Manti-La
Sal National Forest, phone (435) 636-3328.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This project was previously proposed in the
spring of 2001, with a Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental
Impact Statement published on May 4, 2001 (Federal Register/Vol. 66,
No. 87, pages 22513-22514). The original purpose of need, and proposed
actions have been modified to respond to new information. This EIS will
tier to the final EIS for the Manti-La Sal National Forest Land and
Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan). The Manti-La Sal Forest Plan
provides the overall guidance (Goals, Objectives, Standards, and
Management Area Direction) to achieve the Desired Future Condition
[[Page 6402]]
for the area being analyzed, and contains specific management area
prescriptions for the entire Forest.
The Forest Service is seeking information and comments from
Federal, State, and local agencies as well as individuals and
organizations that may be interested in, or affected by the proposed
action. The Forest Services invites written comments and suggestions on
the issues related to the proposal and the area being analyzed.
Information received will be used in preparation of the Draft EIS and
Final EIS. For most effective use, comments should be submitted to the
Forest Service within 30 days from the date of publication of this
notice in the Federal Register.
The Ferron/Price Ranger District of the Manti-La Sal National
Forest in Emery and Sanpete Counties in the state of Utah would
administer the proposed management activities for this analysis. Agency
representatives and other interested people are invited to visit with
Forest Service officials at any time during the EIS process. Two
specific time periods are identified for the receipt of formal comments
on the analysis. The two comment periods are: (1) During the scoping
process, the next 30 days following publication of this notice in the
Federal Register, and (2) during the formal review period of the Draft
EIS.
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 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 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 reviewers' position and intentions.
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 waved or dismissed by the courts.
City of Angoon v. Hodel, 803 F. 2d 1016, 1022 (9th Circuit, 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 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 Environmental Impact
Statement. 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 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, 40
CFR 1503.3 in addressing these points.
The final release of the EIS is projected to be September 12, 2003.
The Forest Supervisor for the Manti-La Sal National Forest is the
responsible official for the EIS. After considering the comments,
responses, and environmental consequences discussed in the Final
Environmental Impact Statement, and applicable laws, regulations, and
policies a decision by this official will be made regarding the
proposal. The reasons for the decision will be documented in a Record
of Decision. The Forest Supervisor's office of the Manti-La Sal
National Forest is located at 599 West Price River Drive, Price, Utah
84501, phone: 435-637-2817.
Dated: January 13, 2003.
Elaine J. Zieroth,
Forest Supervisor, Manti-La Sal National Forest.
[FR Doc. 03-3104 Filed 2-6-03; 8:45 am]
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