80 FR 8055 - Malheur National Forest; Blue Mountain Ranger District; Grant County, Oregon; Magone Project Environmental Impact Statement
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 30 (February 13, 2015)
Forest Service
Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 30 (February 13, 2015)
| Page Range | 8055-8057 | |
| FR Document | 2015-03027 |
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 30 (Friday, February 13, 2015)] [Notices] [Pages 8055-8057] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2015-03027] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Forest Service Malheur National Forest; Blue Mountain Ranger District; Grant County, Oregon; Magone Project Environmental Impact Statement AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Forest Service will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to disclose the environmental effects of commercial and non-commercial vegetation management activities, prescribed burning, road activities, recreation [[Page 8056]] opportunity improvements, and other restoration activities. Other design criteria are included to protect resources and facilitate management activities. The project is located on the Blue Mountain Ranger District, Malheur National Forest, Grant County, Oregon, approximately 7 miles north of the town of John Day, Oregon. DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received within 30 days from the date of publication in the Federal Register. ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Dave Halemeier, District Ranger, Blue Mountain Ranger District, c/o Sasha Fertig, P.O. Box 909, John Day, OR 97845. Comments may also be sent via email to comments-pacificnorthwest-malheur-bluemountain@fs.fed.us; or submitted via facsimile to 541-575-3319. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sasha Fertig, Lead NEPA Planner, Blue Mountain Ranger District, 431 Patterson Bridge Road, P.O. Box 909, John Day, OR 97845. Phone: 541-575-3061. Email: sashafertig@fs.fed.us. Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through Friday. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Magone project planning area encompasses approximately 27,000 acres in the Grub Creek and East Fork Beech Creek subwatersheds that drain into the Upper John Day River. The legal description for the project planning area includes Townships 11 and 12 South, Ranges 31 and 32 East, Willamette Meridian, Grant County, Oregon. Purpose and Need for Action The purpose and need for the Magone Project was developed by comparing the management objectives and desired conditions in the Malheur Forest Plan to the existing conditions in the project planning area related to forest resiliency and function. Comparison of the existing and desired condition indicates the specific needs to: (1) Restore forest structure, composition, and density toward more resilient vegetative conditions given the historical fire regime; (2) reduce the fuel loadings by reducing the density and connectivity of standing vegetation, surface fuels, and ladder fuels; (3) maintain or improve habitat for fish and wildlife species present in the project planning area; (4) improve one or more of the nine roadless area characteristics within the Nipple Butte inventoried roadless area; and (5) provide for a variety of social values and opportunities in the watershed, including availability of traditional use plants, a variety of wood products, enhanced recreation experiences around Magone Lake, and forest management employment opportunities. Proposed Action The Forest proposed action includes silviculture treatments, prescribed burning, road activities, recreation opportunity improvements, and Magone Lake restoration activities to address the purpose and need. These activities would occur over approximately the next 10 years. The proposed action includes: (1) Commercial thinning (5,500 acres), non-commercial thinning (1,200 acres), post and pole removal (400 acres), biomass removal (may occur within units designated for commercial and non-commercial thinning), and mountain mahongany and bitterbursh enhancement (within commercial and non-commercial thinning units). Silviculture treatments would help restore forest structure, composition, and density toward more resistant and resilient vegetative conditions. (2) Prescribed fire on up to 28,500 acres to reduce and maitain fuel loadings. Treated stands would see a combination of burning piled material and underburning (approximately 5,800 acres). Those stands not mechanically treated would be managed exclusively with the use of prescribed burning. As conditions and stand characteristics allow, natural ignitions within the planning area would be used to meet the objectives of prescribed burning. In the project planning area, the Grant County Community Wildfire Protection Plan identified 2 county roads and the Malheur National Forest identified 4 Forest Service roads as potential escape route/safety corridors in the event of a wildland fire. Fuel breaks would be created and maintained using a combination of mechanical treatments and prescribed burning. Additionally, the decreased fuel loadings in strategically placed, shaded fuel breaks would afford suppression forces a higher probability of success controlling wildfires. (3) Approximately 85 miles of road would be maintained for haul and 9 miles of temporary road would be constructed (and rehabilitated following use). The following changes to the road system are also proposed: Decommissioning 1.3 miles of road, closing 2.3 miles of currently open road, closing currently open roads and co-designating those roads as trails (1.3 miles), and converting a road to a trail (1.2 miles). These changes would reduce water quality issues, close roads that are already effectively closed on the ground, and decommission and close roads that are within the Nipple Butte inventoried roadless area (IRA). (4) A variety of recreation opportunities would be developed to enhance recreational experiences in the project planning area. An expanded trail system would be centered around the Magone Lake developed recreation area. Several connecting trail options would provide for longer hikes, varied returns, and a more broad recreation experience. New construction of single-track bicycle trails within the Nipple Butte IRA would connect with existing bicycle trails and the other newly constructed trails. All of the trails would be single-track bicycle and hiker trails with measures to prevent any off-highway vehicle (OHV) use. Approximately 50 miles of trail would be designated, with 42 miles of that being new trail construction. New interpretive signs would be placed at Four Corners and the Magone Lake Campground. Fishing and recreational boating opportunities would be enhanced with expansion of the existing floating boat dock located at the boat launch, modifying the existing two piece floating dock adjacent to the campground, and placing a new floating fishing dock on the east side of Magone Lake. (5) The proposed action also includes restoration activities within Magone Lake to increase near shore habitat complexity for fish. Fish cribs and fish sticks (bunches of 3 to 5 trees) would be placed on the ice during winter, to sink into the lake during ice melt. Preliminary connectivity corridors have been identified between late and old structure stands to allow for movement of old-growth dependent species. The goal of creating ``connectivity'' is to manage stands in corridors at higher canopy densities when compared to more intensively managed stands located outside of corridors. Corridors established for old-growth dependent species in the project planning area would allow for big game migratory and dispersal movements, as well as providing higher cover rates and forage. The designated connectivity corridors are approximately 1,900 acres in size. The Magone Project will also include a variety of project design criteria that serve to mitigate impacts of activities to forest resources, including wildlife, soils, watershed condition, aquatic species, riparian habitat conservation areas, heritage resources, visuals, rangeland, botanical resources, and invasive plants. The proposed action [[Page 8057]] may also include amendments to the Malheur National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan, as amended. Possible Alternatives The Forest Service will consider a range of alternatives. One of these will be the ``no action'' alternative in which none of the proposed action would be implemented. Additional alternatives may be included in response to issues raised by the public during the scoping process or due to additional concerns for resource values identified by the interdisciplinary team. Responsible Official The Forest Supervisor of the Malheur National Forest, 431 Patterson Bridge Road, John Day, OR 97845, is the Responsible Official. As the Responsible Official, I will decide if the proposed action will be implemented. I will document the decision and rationale for the decision in the Record of Decision. I have delegated the responsibility for preparing the draft EIS and final EIS to the District Ranger, Blue Mountain Ranger District. Nature of Decision To Be Made Based on the purpose and need, the Responsible Official reviews the proposed action, the other alternatives, the environmental consequences, and public comments on the analysis in order to make the following decision: (1) Whether to implement timber harvest and associated fuels treatments, prescribed burning, and watershed work, including the design features and potential mitigation measures to protect resources; and if so, how much and at what specific locations; (2) What, if any, specific project monitoring requirements are needed to assure design features and potential mitigation measures are implemented and effective, and to evaluate the success of the project objectives. A project specific monitoring plan will be developed. Scoping Process This notice of intent initiates the scoping process, which guides the development of the environmental impact statement. The interdisciplinary team will continue to seek information, comments, and assistance from Federal, State, and local agencies, Tribal governments, and other individuals or organizations that may be interested in, or affected by, the proposed action. There is a collaborative group in the area that the interdisciplinary team will interact with during the analysis process. It is important that reviewers provide their comments at such times and in such manner that they are useful to the agency's preparation of the environmental impact statement. Therefore, comments should be provided prior to the close of the comment period and should clearly articulate the reviewer's concerns and contentions. Comments received in response to this solicitation, including names and addresses of those who comment, will be part of the public record for this proposed action. Comments submitted anonymously will be accepted and considered, however. Dated: February 6, 2015. Steven K. Beverlin, Forest Supervisor. [FR Doc. 2015-03027 Filed 2-12-15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410-11-P
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Notices Federal Register
Vol. 80, No. 30
Friday, February 13, 2015
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER potential persons who are to respond to plant pests new to the United States not
contains documents other than rules or the collection of information that such known to be widely distributed
proposed rules that are applicable to the persons are not required to respond to throughout the United States. APHIS’
public. Notices of hearings and investigations, the collection of information unless it fruits and vegetables regulations allow
committee meetings, agency decisions and displays a currently valid OMB control the importation of commercial
rulings, delegations of authority, filing of
petitions and applications and agency
number. shipments of fresh eggplant from Israel.
statements of organization and functions are As a condition of entry, the eggplant
Animal and Plant Health Inspection
examples of documents appearing in this must be grown under a system approach
Service
section. that would include requirements for
Title: Importation of Baby Squash and pest exclusion at the production site,
Baby Courgettes from Zambia. fruit fly trapping inside and outside the
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE OMB Control Number: 0579–0347. production site, and pest-excluding
Summary of Collection: Under the packinghouse procedures.
Submission for OMB Review; Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7701), the Need and Use of the Information:
Comment Request Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to APHIS uses the following information
carry out operations or measures to activities to allow for the importation of
February 9, 2015. detect, eradicate, suppress, control, commercial consignments of fresh
The Department of Agriculture has prevent, or retard the spread of plant eggplant from Israel into the United
submitted the following information pests new to the United States or not
collection requirement(s) to OMB for States while continuing to provide
known to be widely distributed protection against the introduction of
review and clearance under the throughout the United States. APHIS
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, quarantine pests: Phytosanitary
fruits and vegetables regulations allow Certificate (foreign) Trapping Records;
Public Law 104–13. Comments the importation into the continental
regarding (a) whether the collection of Inspection of Pest-Exclusionary
United States of baby squash and baby Structures by Israel NPPO’s, Labeling of
information is necessary for the proper courgettes from Zambia. As a condition
performance of the functions of the Boxes, and Approved Pest-Exclusionary
of entry, both commodities would have Structure. Failure to collect this
agency, including whether the to be produced in accordance with a
information will have practical utility; information would cripple APHIS’
systems approach that would include ability to ensure that eggplant from
(b) the accuracy of the agency’s estimate requirements for pest exclusion at the
of burden including the validity of the Israel is not carrying plant pests.
production site, fruit fly trapping inside Description of Respondents: Foreign
methodology and assumptions used; (c) and outside the production site, and
ways to enhance the quality, utility and Government, Business and other for-
pest excluding packinghouse profit.
clarity of the information to be procedures. Both commodities would Number of Respondents: 2.
collected; (d) ways to minimize the also be required to be accompanied by Frequency of Responses: Reporting:
burden of the collection of information
a phytosanitary certificate with an On occasion.
on those who are to respond, including Total Burden Hours: 5.
additional declaration stating that the
through the use of appropriate
baby squash and baby courgette have Ruth Brown,
automated, electronic, mechanical, or
been produced in accordance with the
other technological collection Departmental Information Collection
proposed requirements. Clearance Officer.
techniques or other forms of information Need and Use of the Information:
technology. APHIS will collect information using [FR Doc. 2015–02988 Filed 2–12–15; 8:45 am]
Comments regarding this information BILLING CODE 3410–34–P
the following: Physanitary Certificate,
collection received by March 16, 2015
Records and Monitoring, Labeling on
will be considered. Written comments
Cartons and Inspection of Greenhouses.
should be addressed to: Desk Officer for Description of Respondents: Business DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agriculture, Office of Information and or other for-profits; Federal
Regulatory Affairs, Office of Forest Service
Government.
Management and Budget (OMB), New Number of Respondents: 2.
Executive Office Building, 725—17th Malheur National Forest; Blue
Frequency of Responses: Mountain Ranger District; Grant
Street NW., Washington, DC 20502. Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion.
Commenters are encouraged to submit County, Oregon; Magone Project
Total Burden Hours: 4. Environmental Impact Statement
their comments to OMB via email to:
OIRA_Submission@OMB.EOP.GOV or Animal and Plant Health Inspection AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
fax (202) 395–5806 and to Departmental Service
ACTION:Notice of intent to prepare an
Clearance Office, USDA, OCIO, Mail Title: Importation of Eggplant from environmental impact statement.
Stop 7602, Washington, DC 20250– Israel.
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
7602. Copies of the submission(s) may OMB Control Number: 0579–0350. SUMMARY: The Forest Service will
be obtained by calling (202) 720–8958. Summary of Collection: Under the prepare an Environmental Impact
An agency may not conduct or Plant and Protection Act (7 U.S.C. Statement (EIS) to disclose the
sponsor a collection of information 7701), the Secretary of Agriculture is environmental effects of commercial
unless the collection of information authorized to carry out operation or and non-commercial vegetation
displays a currently valid OMB control measures to detect, eradicate, suppress, management activities, prescribed
number and the agency informs control, prevent, or retard the spread of burning, road activities, recreation
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![Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 30 / Friday, February 13, 2015 / Notices 8057
may also include amendments to the It is important that reviewers provide public may inspect comments received
Malheur National Forest Land and their comments at such times and in at the Black Hills National Forest
Resource Management Plan, as such manner that they are useful to the Supervisor’s Office. Please call ahead to
amended. agency’s preparation of the facilitate entry into the building.
environmental impact statement. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Possible Alternatives Therefore, comments should be Scott Jacobson, Committee Coordinator,
The Forest Service will consider a provided prior to the close of the by phone at 605–673–9216, or by email
range of alternatives. One of these will comment period and should clearly at sjjacobson@fs.fed.us.
be the ‘‘no action’’ alternative in which articulate the reviewer’s concerns and
none of the proposed action would be Individuals who use
contentions.
implemented. Additional alternatives Comments received in response to telecommunication devices for the deaf
may be included in response to issues this solicitation, including names and (TDD) may call the Federal Information
raised by the public during the scoping addresses of those who comment, will Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339
process or due to additional concerns be part of the public record for this between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.,
for resource values identified by the proposed action. Comments submitted Eastern Standard Time, Monday
interdisciplinary team. anonymously will be accepted and through Friday.
considered, however. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
Responsible Official purpose of the meeting is to provide:
Dated: February 6, 2015.
The Forest Supervisor of the Malheur (1) Motorized Travel Fees for FY 16—
Steven K. Beverlin,
National Forest, 431 Patterson Bridge Working Group Update;
Forest Supervisor.
Road, John Day, OR 97845, is the (2) FY 15–19 MPB/Fuels Restoration
Responsible Official. As the Responsible [FR Doc. 2015–03027 Filed 2–12–15; 8:45 am]
Areas—Recommendation;
Official, I will decide if the proposed BILLING CODE 3410–11–P
(3) Over Snow Use Forum;
action will be implemented. I will (4) Lakes Enhancement Project
document the decision and rationale for Update; and
the decision in the Record of Decision. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
(5) Northern Long Eared Bat Proposed
I have delegated the responsibility for Forest Service Listing Update.
preparing the draft EIS and final EIS to
the District Ranger, Blue Mountain The meeting is open to the public.
Black Hills National Forest Advisory
Ranger District. The agenda will include time for people
Board
to make oral statements of three minutes
Nature of Decision To Be Made AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA. or less. Individuals wishing to make an
Based on the purpose and need, the ACTION: Notice of meeting. oral statement should submit a request
Responsible Official reviews the in writing by February 16, 2015 to be
proposed action, the other alternatives, SUMMARY: The Black Hills National scheduled on the agenda. Anyone who
the environmental consequences, and Forest Advisory Board (Board) will meet would like to bring related matters to
public comments on the analysis in in Rapid City, South Dakota. The Board the attention of the Board may file
order to make the following decision: is established consistent with the written statements with the Board’s staff
(1) Whether to implement timber Federal Advisory Committee Act of before or after the meeting. Written
harvest and associated fuels treatments, 1972 (5 U.S.C. App. II), the Forest and comments and time requests for oral
prescribed burning, and watershed Rangeland Renewable Resources comments must be sent to Scott
work, including the design features and Planning Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C. 1600 et. Jacobson, Black Hills National Forest
potential mitigation measures to protect seq.), the National Forest Management Supervisor’s Office, 1019 North Fifth
resources; and if so, how much and at Act of 1976 (16 U.S.C. 1612), and the Street, Custer, South Dakota 57730; by
what specific locations; Federal Public Lands Recreation email to sjjacobson@fs.fed.us, or via
(2) What, if any, specific project Enhancement Act (Pub. L. 108–447). facsimile to 605–673–9208.
monitoring requirements are needed to Additional information concerning the Delayed Notice: Due to organizational
assure design features and potential Board, including the meeting summary/ changes within the agency, this notice
mitigation measures are implemented minutes, can be found by visiting the has not been published within 15
and effective, and to evaluate the Board’s Web site at: http:// calendar-days of the February 18th
success of the project objectives. A www.fs.usda.gov/main/blackhills/ meeting.
project specific monitoring plan will be workingtogether/advisorycommittees.
Meeting Accommodations: If you are
developed. DATES: The meeting will be held a person requiring reasonable
Wednesday, February 18, 2015 at 1:00 accommodation, please make requests
Scoping Process p.m. in advance for sign language
This notice of intent initiates the All meetings are subject to interpreting, assistive listening devices
scoping process, which guides the cancellation. For updated status of or other reasonable accommodation for
development of the environmental meeting prior to attendance, please access to the facility or proceedings by
impact statement. The interdisciplinary contact the person listed under FOR contacting the person listed in the
team will continue to seek information, FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
section titled FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
comments, and assistance from Federal, ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at CONTACT. All reasonable
State, and local agencies, Tribal the Mystic Ranger District, 8221 South accommodation requests are managed
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
governments, and other individuals or Highway 16, Rapid City, South Dakota. on a case by case basis.
organizations that may be interested in, Written comments may be submitted as
or affected by, the proposed action. described under SUPPLEMENTARY Dated: February 9, 2015.
There is a collaborative group in the INFORMATION. All comments, including Craig Bobzien,
area that the interdisciplinary team will names and addresses, when provided, Forest Supervisor.
interact with during the analysis are placed in the record and available [FR Doc. 2015–03023 Filed 2–12–15; 8:45 am]
process. for public inspection and copying. The BILLING CODE 3411–15–P
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Document Created: 2015-12-18 13:17:40
Document Modified: 2015-12-18 13:17:40
| Category | Regulatory Information | |
| Collection | Federal Register | |
| sudoc Class | AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106: | |
| Publisher | Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration | |
| Section | Notices | |
| Action | Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement. | |
| Dates | Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received within 30 days from the date of publication in the Federal Register. | |
| Contact | Sasha Fertig, Lead NEPA Planner, Blue Mountain Ranger District, 431 Patterson Bridge Road, P.O. Box 909, John Day, OR 97845. Phone: 541-575-3061. Email: [email protected] Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through Friday. | |
| FR Citation | 80 FR 8055 |
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