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Rangeland Allotment Management Planning on the Pine Ridge Geographic Area Nebraska National Forest, Pine Ridge Ranger District
Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.
[Federal Register: June 19, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 118)]
[Notices]
[Page 36765-36766]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr19jn03-12]
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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.
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Rangeland Allotment Management Planning on the Pine Ridge
Geographic Area Nebraska National Forest, Pine Ridge Ranger District
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
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SUMMARY: The USDA, Forest Service, will prepare an environmental impact
statement (EIS) to update rangeland management planning on thirty-four
(34) livestock grazing allotments, which will result in the development
of new Allotment Management Plans (AMPs). The allotments are within the
Pine Ridge Geographic Area as defined by the Nebraska National Forest
Land and Resource Management Plan 2001 Revision (Forest Plan). Proposed
management actions would be implemented beginning in the year 2004. The
agency gives notice of the full environmental analysis and
decisionmaking process that will occur on the proposal so interested
and affected people may become aware of how they may participate in the
process and contribute to the final decision.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received
within 30 days after publication in the Federal Register. The draft
environmental impact statement is expected August 2003 and the final
environmental impact statement is expected October 2003.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to the District Ranger, Pine Ridge
Ranger District, Nebraska National Forest, 1240 W. 16th Street,
Chadron, Nebraska 69337. For further information, mail correspondence
to Jeff Abegglen, Interdisciplinary Team Leader, Nebraska National
Forest, Pine Ridge Ranger District, 1240 W. 16th Street. Chadron,
Nebraska 69337. Phone 308-432-4475.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose and Need for Action
Two primary influences help to shape the need for this project.
The Rescission Act of 1995, (Pub. L. 104-19, section 504) directed
the Forest Service to complete NEPA analysis on all grazing allotments.
This analysis will comply with that direction.
The Forest Plan (2001 revision) established goals, objectives,
standards, and guidelines for resource management on the Nebraska
National Forest and Associated Units. The Nebraska National Forest Land
and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan) identifies livestock grazing
as an appropriate multiple use under certain conditions described as
standards and guidelines. Term grazing permits currently authorize
cattle grazing on all 34 allotments within the Pine Ridge Geographic
Area (PRGA).
The Forest Service will compare the existing conditions on the 34
allotments in the project area with the desired conditions relative to
the goals, objectives, standards and guidelines contained within the
Forest Plan. This comparison will identify any differences between the
existing and desired conditions, and establish the need for the
project.
The purpose of the project is to address the established need by
determining whether to continue to permit livestock grazing on all, or
part, of the 34 allotments in the project area, and under what
conditions, if grazing is to be continued.
Proposed Action
The proposed action is to continue to permit livestock grazing on
all 34 allotments within the PRGA, while meeting Forest Plan direction
which provides for a wide range of values and uses. The proposed action
is designed to continue the improving trends in vegetation, watershed
conditions, and in ecological sustainability relative to livestock
grazing within the PRGA. The proposal generates the need to develop new
AMPs which incorporate results from scientific research, analysis and
documentation, and meet Forest Plan direction. Collectively these 34
allotments contain approximately 52,878 acres of National Forest System
(NFS) lands and private lands with the allotments. Private lands within
the allotment are those acres that are managed in the same manner as
the Federal acres. However, the private landowner can fence these areas
separate from NFS lands as he chooses, and exclude them from Federal
management. The revised AMPs will be prepared for individual allotments
and implemented in the 2004 grazing season and beyond.
The Forest Plan identified lands within the PRGA as containing
lands which are capable and suitable for grazing by domestic livestock.
The Forest Plan also provided specific management direction across
the PRGA. Within the area encompassed by these 34 allotments,
management areas (MA) include MA1.1--Wilderness: Soldier Creek, MA
1.31--Backcountry Recreation Non-motorized, MA 1.31a--Backcountry
Recreation Non-motorized (Pine Ridge NRA), MA 2.1--Special Interest
Areas, MA 3.51 Bighorn sheep, MA 5.12--General Forest and Rangelands:
Range Vegetation Emphasis, and MA 7.1--Residential/Forest Intermix.
Important riparian areas occur in 19 allotments. Some allotments
contain riparian exclosures for riparian and wildlife habitat
protection. The term ``riparian'' refers to land bordering a stream,
lake, spring or seep whose waters provide soil moisture in excess of
what is locally available, and generally implies a particular type of
habitat with physical characteristics by an over story of trees or
other large woody plants with a complex under story of woody and/or
herbaceous species.
The PRGA provides habitat for many wildlife species (game and non-
game) including two management indicator species (MIS) and their
habitats. These MIS species are the sharp-tailed grouse and the pygmy
nuthatch.
Consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, as required
by the Endangered Species Act (ESA), will be completed on all proposed
activities.
An interdisciplinary team has been selected to do the environmental
analysis, as well as prepare and accomplish scoping and public
involvement activities.
Preliminary issues
Preliminary issues include:
[[Page 36766]]
(1) Economic effects (positive or negative) to livestock grazing
permittees and the local economy from changes in livestock management.
(2) Effects of proposed livestock grazing strategies on natural
ecosystems. This includes elements such as native and desirable
nonnative plant and animal communities, riparian areas, upland
grasslands, wooded draws, ponderosa pine forested areas, areas of
hazardous fuels, and threatened, endangered, sensitive, management
indicator, and local concern species.
(3) Effects of proposed livestock grazing strategies on
recreational activities and/or experiences.
Possible Alternatives
Potential alternatives will include a full range of management
options including:
(1) No action = No grazing (this is required).
(2) No change from permit or current situation.
(3) Livestock grazing incorporating adaptive management to meet the
Forest Plan goals, objectives, standards, and guidelines (Proposed
Action). Adaptive management is defined as a process where land
managers implement management practices that are designed to meet
Forest Plan standards and guidelines, and would likely achieve the
desired conditions in a timely manner. If monitoring shows that desired
conditions, as described by Forest Plan Direction, are not being met,
then an alternate set of management actions would be implemented to
achieve the desired results.
Responsible Official
District Ranger, Pine Ridge Ranger District, Nebraska National
Forest, 1240 W. 16th Street, Chadron, Nebraska 69337.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
This Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) does not document
a decision. The purpose of this document is to disclose the direct,
indirect, and cumulative effects of the proposed action and other
alternatives that are analyzed. After providing the public an
opportunity to comment on the specific activities described in the
alternatives, the District Ranger will review the proposed action, the
other alternatives, and the anticipated environmental consequences of
each in order to make the following decisions:
1. Whether to continue to permit cattle grazing on all 34
allotments within the Pine Ridge Geographic Area.
2. If grazing is to be permitted, (a) What grazing a systems and
prescribed livestock use would be permitted; (b) what structural range
improvements would be undertaken; and (c) what type of monitoring
program would be implemented. Individual Allotment Management Plans
(AMPs) would then be developed to incorporate conditions outlined in
the Record of Decision. These AMPs will be completed and approved prior
to the 2004 grazing season, and would become part of the term grazing
permits to be issued.
Scoping
A preliminary scoping letter was sent to interested parties on
March 7, 2003. This letter asked for public comments on the proposal
from March 7 to April 7, 2003. Public involvement will be especially
important at several points during the analysis, beginning with the
scoping process. The Forest Service will seek information, comments,
and assistance from Federal, State, local agencies, tribes, and other
individuals or organizations who may be interested in, or affected by,
the proposal. The scoping activities will include: (1) Engaging
potentially affected or interested parties by written correspondence,
(2) contacting those on our Forest media list, and (3) hosting public
information meeting(s).
Comment Requested
This notice of intent initiates the formal scoping process which
guides the development of the environmental impact statement.
Early Notice of Importance for Public Participation in Subsequent
Environmental Review
A draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) 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 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
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. 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 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 document. 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.)
Charles R. Marsh,
Acting District Ranger.
[FR Doc. 03-15422 Filed 6-18-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M