Environmental statements; notice of intent: Dixie National Forest, UT,

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Federal Register: April 6, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 65)NoticesPage 16756-16758From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

DOCID:fr06ap98-36

Notices Federal Register

This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings, delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency statements of organization and functions are examples of documents appearing in this section.

[Page 16756]

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

South Spruce Ecosystem Rehabilitation Project, Dixie National Forest, Iron and Kane Counties, Utah

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Forest Service, USDA, will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Forest Service to implement several proposals within the South Spruce Ecosystem Recovery Project area, on the Cedar City Ranger District, Dixie National Forest. These proposals include: (1) commercial timber harvest by salvage, release, and improvement cuttings, and associated road construction; (2) burning and mechanical regeneration treatments of aspen forests; and, (3) travel management. Multiple decisions may be issued upon completion of the analysis; however, the cumulative effects of all the proposed actions will be disclosed in the EIS. The purpose of these proposals is to initiate actions that would improve forest health and diversity, accelerate reforestation, meet woody debris objectives, and reduce road densities within the project area. The project area is located approximately 15 miles east of Cedar City, Utah. The project would be implemented in accordance with direction in the Land and Resource Management Plan (LRMP) for the Dixie National Forest, 1986.

In addition to the management activities proposed to be implemented, a site specific amendment to the LRMP is being proposed. This amendment is necessary in order to ensure that the commercial timber harvest proposed action complies with the LRMP. The amendment is described below under Supplementary Information.

The agency gives notice that the environmental analysis process is underway. During the analysis process, an issue surfaced that warranted disclosure of effects under an EIS. This issue is the high degree of interest associated with the potential to alter the undeveloped character of a portion of the project area due to vegetative management treatments.

Interested and potentially affected persons, along with local, state, and other federal agencies, are invited to participate in, and contribute to, the environmental analysis. The Dixie National Forest invites written input regarding issues specific to the proposed action.

DATES: Written comments to be considered in the preparation of the Draft Environmental impact Statement (DEIS) should be submitted by May 11, 1998, which is at least 30 days following the publication of this notice in the Federal Register. The DEIS is expected to be available for review by June, 1998. The Record of Decision and Final Environmental Impact Statement are expected to be available by November, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments to: District Ranger, Cedar City Ranger District, 82 North 100 East, P.O. Box 627, Cedar City, Utah 84721-0627; FAX: (801) 865-3791; E-mail: Brunswick__Nancy/ r4__dixie@fs.fed.us.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Direct questions about the proposed action and EIS to Phillip G. Eisenhauer, Project Environmental Coordinator, by mail at 82 North 100 East, P.O. Box 627, Cedar City, Utah 84721-0627; or by phone at (801) 865-3700; FAX: (801) 865-3791; E-mail: Brunswick__Nancy/ r4__dixie@fs.fed.us.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed projects are located in a 52,991 acre analysis area in the upper drainages of the Parowan, Mammoth, Panguitch, Asay and Coal Creek watersheds. Approximately 37,577 acres of the project area are forested and 15,414 acres are non- forested. The proposed commercial conifer treatment areas currently are or will likely be infested with spruce beetle (Dendrocto-nus rufipennis). Spruce beetle populations are at epidemic levels and have killed millions of spruce trees, on approximately 19,000 acres within the project area. In some sites, where spruce was the dominant overstory, few live trees remain. Because spruce beetle populations have been expanding since the early 1990's it is likely the remaining 9,000 acres of spruce forest will become infested.

The purpose of the project is to harvest with salvage cuttings approximately 718 acres of dead, dying, and high risk Engelmann spruce trees to recover wood products that would otherwise be lost, while still meeting desired resource objectives for standing dead and down tree material. Minor amounts of subalpine fir trees (less than 15% of the total removed) would also be removed with improvement cuttings to release healthy aspen, spruce or subalpine fir regeneration, improve residual stand vigor, or that will likely be damaged or killed during the removal of the spruce trees.

Approximately 2,412 acres of spruce forests that are at moderate to high risk to spruce beetle infestation that are located immediately adjacent to infested areas are proposed for harvest with the same commercial salvage and improvement cuttings. These currently uninfested areas will not be harvested until they become infested by epidemic levels of spruce beetles.

On approximately 289 acres adjacent to sites previously harvested by strip clearcutting the purpose of commercial timber harvest is to release or stimulate aspen regeneration and create a more natural forest pattern.

Rehabilitation of areas heavily impacted by bark beetle mortality through the completion of natural and artificial regeneration activities would occur as needed. An estimated 1,625 acres would be planted with spruce seedlings. Reforestation is essential to providing for the most rapid progression toward the desired future condition for forest cover in the project area.

Regeneration treatment of aspen forests is also included in this proposal. Treatments would include both burning and mechanical (commercial and non-commercial harvest) with or without burning. About 9,171 acres of forest are dominated by aspen in the project area. Most are being converted to conifers by natural succession and the lack of fire in the ecosystem. Most vegetation management treatments would lead to an increase in the abundance of aspen, which is the desired goal for resource values identified in the project area (ie: wildlife habitat improvement,

[Page 16757]vegetation diversity, and scenic variety and color in the landscape). Approximately 463 acres would be regenerated.

Travel management is proposed for portions of the project area. The purpose of this activity is to restore and rehabilitate ecological values in areas where excessive numbers of open roads exist. Moving these portions of the project area toward or below the LRMP guideline of two miles of open road per square mile will reduce the adverse environmental impacts associated with excessive numbers of open roads. A reduction in open road density will reduce long-term maintenance costs while promoting safe, efficient public travel on the open road system.

Vegetation management treatments involving commercial harvest, aspen regeneration, and travel management would occur on National Forest system lands located within portions of Sections 28-33 of Township(T) 35 South(S), Range(R) 8 West(W); Sections 3-17, 20-24, 26- 35 of T.36 S., R.8 W.; Sections 3-10, 15-21, 30-32 of T.37 S., R.8 W.; Sections 1, 2, 11-14, 23-26, 35-36 of T.37 S., R. 8\1/2\ W.; Sections 1-6, 8-15, 24-25 and 36 T.36 S., R.9 W.; Sections 10-16, 22-27, 35-36 of T.37 S., R.9 W., Salt Lake City (SLC) Meridian, Iron County, UT; and, Sections 1-2 of T.38 S., R.9 W.; and Sections 5-6 of T.38 S., R.8 W., SLC Meridian, Kane County, UT.

The transportation system required to access commercial harvest areas is largely in place. However, to access all currently infested stands, approximately 2.6 miles of temporary and specified road construction would be required. An additional one half mile of temporary road is proposed to access aspen regeneration areas with commercial sawtimber and non-commercial fuelwood opportunities. No road construction is proposed to occur in areas classified categories one, two or three under Chief Dombeck's interim road policy (36 CFR part 212). A haul route is proposed through Cedar Breaks National Monument along existing roads to facilitate removal of a portion of the trees removed under the commercial harvest proposal.

All newly constructed temporary roads would be obliterated upon completion of the project, and any new permanent or systems road would be physically closed with earth and rock barriers or gates.

In addition to the vegetation management treatments, and related activities, a site-specific amendment to the Dixie National Forest LRMP is being proposed for this project. This amendment is necessary in order to ensure that the commercial harvest proposed action is in compliance with the LRMP. Because of the level of spruce beetle caused mortality along state highways and areas designated semi-primitive recreation management in the LRMP (2A and 2B), commercial harvests in these areas may require that site specific amendments be made regarding scenic resource management.

The proposed actions would implement management direction, contribute to meeting the goals and objectives identified in the DNF- LRMP, and move the project area toward the desired condition. This project EIS would be tiered to the Dixie National Forest LRMP EIS (1986), which provides goals, objectives, standards and guidelines for the various activities and land allocations on the Forest. As lead agency, the Forest Service would analyze and document direct, indirect, and cumulative environmental effects for a range of alternatives. Each alternative would include mitigation measures and monitoring requirements. No alternatives to the proposed action have been identified at this time, however, the following four preliminary issues have been identified: (1) The presence of log trucks and other heavy machinery on popular recreation traffic routes may increase hazards to personal safety (management indicator: frequency and timing of logging related traffic); (2) Prescribed burning associated with aspen regeneration may generate smoke concentrations that could pool in urban areas (management indicator: number of days expected to exceed guidelines); (3) The proposed activities may affect areas the undeveloped character of areas within the SERP area (measurement indicator: number of acres altered within those areas); and, (4) The proposed harvest levels may not optimize the recovery of the marketable value of the wood products (measurement indicator: percent of acres harvested of the total available spruce mortality on suitable and operable acres).

Hugh C. Thompson, Forest Supervisor, Dixie National Forest, is the responsible official. He can be reached by mail at 82 North 100 East, P.O. Box 580, Cedar City, Utah, 84720-0580.

The Forest Service is seeking comments from individuals, organizations, and local, state, and Federal agencies who may be interested in or affected by the proposed action. Scoping notices have been sent to potentially affected persons and those currently on the Dixie National Forest mailing list that have expressed interest in timber management proposals, proposals, relating to wildlife habitat modifications and Forest Plan amendments. Other interested individuals, organizations, or agencies may have their names added to the mailing list for this project at any time by submitting a request to: Phillip G. Eisenhauer, Project Environmental Coordinator, 82 North 100 East, P.O. Box 627, Cedar City, UT 84720-0627.

The analysis area includes both National Forest System land and private lands. Proposed treatments would occur only on National Forest system lands. A permit is required to use the proposed haul route through Cedar Breaks National Monument. No other federal or local permits, licenses or entitlements would be needed.

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 the DEIS must structure their participation in the environmental review of the proposal so that it meaningful and alerts an agency to the reviewers' position and contentions. Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519, 553 (1978). Also, environmental objections that could have been raised at the DEIS stage but that are not raised until after completion of the final EIS may be waived or dismissed by the courts. City of Angoon v. Hodel, (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 of the 45 day comment period so that substantive comments and objections are made available to the Forest Service at the time it can meaningfully consider them and respond to them in the final EIS.

To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues and concerns about the proposed action, comments on the DEIS 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 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

[Page 16758]Act at 40 CFR 1503.3 in addressing these points.

Dated: March 25, 1998. Hugh C. Thompson, Forest Supervisor, Dixie National Forest.

FR Doc. 98-8863Filed4-3-98; 8:45 amBILLING CODE 0224-10-M

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