Plumas National Forest, California, Roadside Noxious Weed EIS
[Federal Register: August 10, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 154)]
[Notices]
[Page 45765-45766]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr10au06-16]
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Notices
Federal Register
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This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Plumas National Forest, California, Roadside Noxious Weed EIS
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
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SUMMARY: The Plumas National Forest, in cooperation with Butte, Plumas
and Sierra Counties, will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) to treat noxious weeds on National Forest system lands under an
integrated weed management approach. Actions proposed through this
project focus on eradication or control of invasive species along roads
over the next 10 years. The potentially affected areas includes 706
known sites that cover 310 acres and additional roadside sites (within
100 feet of roads) within the next ten years not previously identified.
Treatment acres for new infestations would not exceed a total of 2,000
acres over the 10-year period. The range of acres treated under the
proposed action over the ten-year period would be 310 to 2,310. Up to
five different control tactics would be prescribed for each infested
area depending on phenology of a particular species, proximity to water
and other sensitive resources, and size of infestation. Of the 310
acres of current infestations: 4 Acres are being proposed to be treated
by mechanical/hand control tactics, 34.5 acres with herbicides, 191.5
acres with a combination of mechanical and herbicide tactics, and 80
acres with a combination of mechanical, biocontrol and herbicide
tactics. A variety of noxious weeds would be treated, including but not
limited to Canada Thistle, Medusa head, Yellow star thistle, Scotch
broom, Hariy whitetop, Dyer's Woad, Perennial Pepperweed, French broom,
Spanish broom, and Spotted Knapweed.
DATES: Although comments will be accepted throughout any phase of this
project, comments concerning the scope of the analysis would be helpful
if received within 30 days of the date of publication of this notice in
the Federal Register. The draft EIS is expected on March 2007 and the
final EIS is expected July 2007.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Forest Supervisor James M.
Pe[ntilde]a, Plumas National Forest, P.O. Box 11500, Quincy, CA 95971.
Fax: (530) 283-7746. Comments may be: (1) Mailed to responsible
official; (2) hand delivered between the hours of 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
weekdays Pacific Time; (3) faxed; or (4) electronically mailed to:
comments-pacificsouthwest-plumas@fs.fed.us.
Comments submitted electronically must be in Rich Text Format (.rtf).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: George Garcia, Project Coordinator,
Supervisor's Office, Plumas National Forest (see address above).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose and Need for Action
The purpose of this project is to implement an integrated weed
management approach along roadsides within the Plumas National Forest
to meet the following desired conditions: (1) Contain, control and
eradicate known weed infestations along roadsides to less than 10% of
the total existing infested acres over the next 10 years; (2) contain,
control and eradicate new weed infestation along roadsides over the
next 10 years in order to have no net increase in roadside infestations
over existing conditions.
The goal of this project is to eradicate or contain current
roadside weed populations while still small. This integrated weed
management approach would help the Plumas National Forest meet the
following resource needs: (1) Protection of Threatened, Endangered,
Sensitive and Management Indicator species habitats (plants and
animals); (2) protection of cultural properties (i.e., native grasses);
(3) reduction of hazardous fuels that are created by invasive species
(i.e., Broom spp.); (4) maintaining native forage and habitat for
plants, terrestrial wildlife and aquatic species.
Proposed Action
The Plumas National Forest, in cooperation with Butte, Plumas and
Sierra Counties, proposes to treat noxious weeds on National Forest
system lands under an integrated weed management approach. Actions
proposed through this project focus on eradication or control of
invasive species along roads over the next 10 years. The potentially
affected area includes 706 known sites that cover 310 acres and
additional roadside sites (within 100 feet of roads) within the next
ten years not previously identified. Treatment of new infestations or
occurrences would be prioritized considering funding, state and county
rankings and potential for ecological impact and rate of spread.
Treatment acres for new infestations would not exceed a total of 2,000
acres over the 10-year period. The range of acres treated under the
proposed action over the ten-year period would be 310 to 2,310. Ongoing
inventories would confirm locations of specific noxious weeds and
effectiveness of past treatments. The intent of the Proposed Action is
to treat the current infestations, 310 acres, before they proliferate
and invade new acres. Up to five different control tactics would be
prescribed for each infested area depending on phenology of a
particular species, proximity to water and other sensitive resources,
and size of infestation. Of the 310 acres of current infestations: 4
acres are being proposed to be treated by mechanical/hand control
tactics, 34.5 acres with herbicides, 191.5 acres with a combination of
mechanical and herbicide tactics, and 80 acres with a combination of
mechanical, biocontrol and herbicide tactics. A variety of noxious
weeds would be treated, including but not limited to Canada Thistle,
Medusa head, Yellow star thistle, Scotch broom, Hairy whitetop, Dyer's
Woad, Perennial Pepperweed, French broom, Spanish broom, and Spotted
Knapweed.
Lead and Cooperating Agencies
The Plumas National Forest is the lead federal agency for this
project. County Agriculture Departments in Butte, Plumas and Sierra
counties will assist the Forest in implementation of this action once a
decision has been made.
Responsible Official
Plumas National Forest, Forest Supervisor James M. Pe[ntilde]a, is the
[[Page 45766]]
Responsible Official for this EIS. James M. Pe[ntilde]a, Forest
Supervisor, P.O. Box 11500, Quincy, CA 95971.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The Forest Supervisor will decide, based on the environmental
analysis disclosed in this EIS, whether to implement the Proposed
Action, another action alternative, or to implement the No Action
Alternative in accordance with forest plan goals and desired future
conditions. Indicator measures that will be considered in developing
and evaluating the Proposed Action and Alternative include: (1)
Effectiveness in treating noxious weed infestations, (2) potential
adverse effects to human health and the environment, and (3) monetary
costs and financial efficiency.
Scoping Process
The Plumas National Forest will be conducting public scoping on the
proposed action. Public scoping will consist of a letter to the
Forest's mailing list requesting public input and comments on the
proposed action, and any relevant issues the public may have with
regard to the integrated weed management approach outlined under the
Roadside Noxious Weed proposal. No public meetings for this proposed
action are currently scheduled.
Comment Requested
This notice of intent initiates the scoping process which guides
the development of the environmental impact statement. Comments submitted
to be specific to the proposed action and the treatments proposed.
Early Notice of Importance of Public 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 several court rulings related to public
participation in the environmental review process. First, reviewers of
the draft environmental impact statement 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 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: August 3, 2006.
Terri Simon-Jackson,
Acting Forest Supervisor, Plumas National Forest.
[FR Doc. 06-6838 Filed 8-9-06; 8:45 am]
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