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North Fork Eel Grazing Allotments EIS--Six Rivers National Forest
Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.
[Federal Register: August 5, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 150)]
[Notices]
[Page 46162-46163]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr05au03-31]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
North Fork Eel Grazing Allotments EIS--Six Rivers National Forest
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Revised notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact
statement.
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SUMMARY: This notice revises the original notice of intent (67FR68089)
published in the Federal Register on November 8, 2002. The Six Rivers
National Forest will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) on
a proposal to: (1) Authorize grazing up to 10 years, under changed
seasons of use and grazing practices, of about 500 Cow/Calf Pairs on
the Hoaglin, Zenia, Long Ridge, and Van Horn cattle allotments
encompassing about 116,000 acres of National Forest System (NFS) lands;
and (2) amend the Six Rivers National Forest Land and Resources
Management Plan (LRMP) to close the vacant Soldier Creek Allotment
encompassing about 10,000 acres of NFS lands.
The analysis area is located predominantly within the North Fork
Eel River Watershed and includes all or portions of the following
townships: T2SR6E, T2SR7E, T3SR6E, T3SR7E, T3SR8E, T4SR6E, T4S7E,
T4SR8E, T5SR6E, T5SR7E, Humboldt. Meridian; T25NR12W, T26NR12W, Mount
Diablo Meridian; Trinity County, California.
The proposal is designed to meet the following needs: (1) Continued
livestock grazing in the currently active allotments; (2) achievement
of soil compaction and bank stability standards as stated in the LRMP;
(3) achievement of forage utilization standards in riparian areas and
annual grasslands as stated in the LRMP; and (4) meeting the management
goals for the Soldier Basin Recommended Research Natural Area (RRNA) as
directed in the LRMP. The EIS will satisfy the requirements of the
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and implementing regulations
(40 CFR 1500).
DATES: Comments concerning the proposed action must be received on or
before 14 days after publication of this notice in the Federal
Register. The draft EIS is expected to be published in October 2003 and
the final EIS is expected in February 2004.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to S.E. ''Lou'' Woltering, Forest
Supervisor, Six Rivers National Forest, 1330 Bayshore Way, Eureka, CA
95501-3834. Comments may be mailed electronically to
rescatell@fs.fed.us.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ruben Escatell or Clara Cross EIS Team
Leaders, Mad River Ranger District, Star Route Box 300, Bridgeville, CA
95526. Phone (707) 574-6233. E-mail rescatell@fs.fed.us.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose and Need for Action
The Six Rivers National Forest has determined the following needs
concerning the Van Horn, Long Ridge, Hoaglin, Zenia and Soldier Creek
Allotments: (1) Continued livestock grazing under updated allotment
Management Plans on the Van Horn, Long Ridge, Hoaglin, and Zenia
allotments; (2) achievement of soil compaction and bank stability
standards and guidelines as stated in the LRMP; (3) achievement of
forge utilization standards in riparian areas and annual grasslands as
stated in the LRMP; and (4) meeting the management goals, as directed
in the LRMP, for the Soldier Basin Recommended Research Natural Area
(RRNA) which is located in the Soldier Creek Allotment. In achieving
the aforementioned needs the following purposes will be met: (1)
fulfill a trust responsibility to the Round Valley Indian Tribes to
manage grazing activities so as to not adversely impact tribal trust
properties and rights down river of the allotments, namely water
quality and anadromous fish; (2) minimize impacts to anadromous
fisheries along the North Fork Eel River system; (3) redistribute
cattle away from identified heritage sites; (4) maintain the permitees'
ability to graze livestock efficiently and economically, and (5)
maintain rangeland productivity on suitable rangelands while providing
forage for livestock production consistent with demand and other
resource values and uses.
Proposed Action
The Forest Service proposes to (1) authorize grazing up to 10
years, under changed seasons of use and grazing practices, of about 500
Cow/Calf Pairs on the Hoaglin, Zenia, Long Ridge and Van Horn
Allotments encompassing about 116,00 acres of National Forest System
(NFS) lands; and (2) amend the Six Rivers National Forest Land and
Resource Management Plan (LRMP) to close the currently vacant Soldier
Creek allotment encompassing about 10,000 acres of NFS lands. The
proposed action includes change to Allotment Management Plans that
address grazing practices, construction of new range improvements,
restoration and/or removal of existing range improvements, allotment
boundary modifications, and monitoring provisions. Closure of the
Soldier Creek allotment would constitute a Forest Plan amendment. A
detailed description of the proposed action can be obtained by
contacting Ruben Escatell at the address listed above.
[[Page 46163]]
Responsible Official
S.E. ``Lou'' Woltering, Forest Supervisor, Six Rivers National
Forest, USDA Forest Service, 1330 Bayshore Way, Eureka, CA 95501-3834,
is the Responsible Official for any decision to authorize grazing,
manage rangelands, or close any allotment on affected National Forest
System lands within the Six Rivers National Forest. His decisions and
rationale will be documented in a Record of Decision.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The Forest Supervisory will make the following decisions: Whether
or not to authorize cattle grazing in allotments considered in this
analysis and, if so, the terms and conditions required for the term
grazing permits and AMPs; and, whether or not to close the Soldier
Creek Allotment, thereby removing its rangeland from the LRMP suitable
forage base.
Scoping Process
Scoping is the procedure by which the Forest Service identifies
important issues and determines the extent of analysis necessary for an
informed decision on a proposed action. The public is encouraged to
comment on this proposal and is encouraged to visit with Forest Service
Officials at any time during the analysis and prior to the decision.
The Forest Service will be seeking information, comments and assistance
from Federal, State and local agencies and other individuals or
organizations who may be interested in, or affected by, the proposed
action. While public participation in this analysis welcome at any
time, comments received within 14 days of the publication of this
notice will be especially useful in the preparation of the Draft EIS
Early Notice of Importance of Pubic Participation in Subsequent
Environmental Review
A draft environmental impact statement will be prepared for
comment. 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 service 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 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 environmental impact statement stage but that are not raised
until after completion of the final environmental impact statement may
be waived or dismissed by the courts. City of Angoon v. Hodel, 803 F.2d
1016, 1022 (9th Cir. 1986) and Wisconsin Heritages, Inc. v. Harris, 490
F. supp. 1344, 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 re 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 EIS 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.
Comments received, including the names and addresses of those who
comment, will be considered part of the public record on this proposal
and will be available for public inspection.
(Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7 and 1508.22; Forest Service Handbook
1909.15, Section 21)
Dated: July 30, 2003.
William D. Metz,
Deputy Forest Supervisor, Six Rivers National Forest.
[FR Doc. 03-19838 Filed 8-4-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M