![[logo] US EPA](http://www.epa.gov/epafiles/images/logo_epaseal.gif){kind=logo}
Little Doe and Low Gulch Timber Sale Project EIS--Six Rivers National Forest
Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.
[Federal Register: May 18, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 96)]
[Notices]
[Page 28850-28851]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr18my06-28]
========================================================================
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.
========================================================================
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Little Doe and Low Gulch Timber Sale Project EIS--Six Rivers
National Forest
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Forest Service will prepare an environmental impact
statement on a proposal to harvest timber from the Little Doe and Low
Gulch project area, which is located on National Forest System lands
administered by the Six Rivers National Forest in Northern California.
If approved, the project would harvest approximately 7.9 million board
feet (MMBF) of timber from approximately 923 acres of conifer stands
through intermediate and regeneration cutting methods. Logging systems
employed would include ground-based skidding, skyline cable yarding,
and helicopter logging. Post-harvest treatments within the proposed
treatment units include fuel reduction, site preparation, and
reforestation treatments. Connected actions associated with the project
proposal include landing construction and reconstruction, temporary
road construction with subsequent decommissioning, and road
maintenance. There is a need to provide timber volume that would
contribute to the economic base of the local communities. Within the
context of meeting this need, an opportunity exists to maintain oaks as
an important component within Douglas-fir/black oak conifer stands and
oak woodlands within the project area.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis should be received
on or before 30 days after publication of this notice in the Federal
Register. The draft environmental impact statement is expected to be
released in November 2006 and the final environmental impact statement
is expected to be released in April 2007.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to William Metz, Acting Forest
Supervisor, Six Rivers National Forest, 1330 Bayshore Way, Eureka, CA
95501-3834. Electronic mail may be sent to
comments-pacificsouthwest-six-rivers-mad-river@fs.fed.us.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ruben Escatell, EIS Team Leader, (707)
574-6233, Ext. 225.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Proposed Action
The Forest Service proposes to harvest approximately 7.9 million
board feet (MMBF) of timber from approximately 923 acres of conifer
stands within the Little Doe and Low Gulch planning areas in the form
of 87 harvest units. The planning areas are located on National Forest
System lands administered by the Mad River Ranger District of the Six
Rivers National Forest in Trinity County, California. The project area
is located in all or portions of the following townships: T.26 N., R.11
W.; T.26 N., R.12 W.; T.27 N., R11 W.; and T.27 N., R.12 W.; Mount
Diablo Meridian. The project area occurs on lands allocated to
Management Areas that support a programmed timber harvest under the Six
Rivers Land and Resource Management Plan (LRMP).
Silvicultural treatments prescribed on the proposed harvest units
include 709 acres of intermediate harvest treatments (low thinning,
thinning/sanitation cutting, and oak release) and 214 acres of
regeneration cutting treatments (regeneration with green tree legacy
and shelterwood cutting). Of the 923 acres proposed for commercial
harvest, approximately 730 acres would be tractor logged, 14 acres
would be tractor swung to skyline corridors, 82 acres would be skyline
logged, and 97 acres would be helicopter logged. Twenty-five (25) new
landings would be constructed, and 127 existing landings would be
utilized. Fuel treatments prescribed would include one or a combination
of the following treatments: hand or machine piling and subsequent
burning of piles, yarding of tops out of the units and piling at
existing landings for future disposal, yarding unutilized material out
of harvest units, felling of unutilized material less than 8 inches in
diameter, and underburning. Reforestation would take place after
logging and fuels treatments are completed on 214 acres in harvest
units proposed for regeneration cutting. Connected actions include
approximately 1,213 feet (0.23 miles) of new temporary road
construction and 3,443 feet (0.65 miles) of existing non-system roads
used to access landings in harvest units. These roads would be
decommissioned upon project completion. Road maintenance would occur as
needed on Forest system roads used to haul commercial timber. These
activities may include blading, scarification, spot rocking, brushing,
ditch cleaning, culvert cleaning, dust abatement, water bars, minor
slide and slump repair, and water source deferred maintenance.
Purpose and Need for Action
There is a need for the Six Rivers National Forest to provide
timber volume to contribute to the economic base of the local
communities. Within the context of meeting this need, vegetation
management within the project area also provides an opportunity to
maintain oaks as a component within Douglas-fir/black oak conifer
stands and oak woodlands. The project area encompasses vegetative
communities where oaks are becoming over-topped, shaded out, and
encroached upon by conifers. There is an opportunity to remove
competing conifers from treatment units exhibiting these
characteristics. This opportunity serves to maintain oaks and the
specialized habitats they provide over the long term.
Responsible Official
William Metz, Acting Forest Supervisor, Six Rivers National Forest,
1330 Bayshore Way, Eureka, CA 95501-3834, is the Responsible Official
for making any decisions relative to this proposal. He will document
his decisions and rationale in a Record of Decision.
Decisions To Be Made
The Forest Supervisor of the Six Rivers National Forest will decide
on whether the proposed action will proceed as proposed, or as modified
by an alternative. If it proceeds he will also decide on what project
design features and monitoring requirements will be applied to the project.
[[Page 28851]]
Estimated Dates for Filing
The draft EIS is expected to be filed with the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) and to be available for public review by
November 2006. At that time EPA will publish a Notice of Availability
of the draft EIS in the Federal Register. The comment period on the
draft EIS will be 45 days from the date the EPA publishes the Notice of
Availability in the Federal Register. It is very important that those
interested in the management of this area participate at that time.
The final EIS is scheduled to be completed by April 2007. In the
final EIS, the Forest Service is required to respond to comments and
responses received during the comment period that pertain to the
environmental consequences discussed in the draft EIS and applicable
laws, regulations, and policies considered in making a decision
regarding the proposal.
Comment Requested
This notice of intent continues the scoping process which guides
the development of the environmental impact statement. The Forest
Service will be seeking information, comments and assistance from
Federal, State and local agencies and other individuals or organization
that may be interested in, or affected by, the proposed action. While
public participation in this analysis is welcome at any time, comments
received within 30 days of the publication of this notice will be
especially useful in the preparation of the EIS.
Electronic Access and Filing Addresses
Comments may be sent by electronic mail (e-mail) to
comments-pacificsouthwest-six-rivers-mad-river@fs.fed.us. Please
reference the Little Doe and Low Gulch Timber Sale Project on the subject
line. Also, include your name and mailing address with your comments so
documents pertaining to this project may be mailed to you.
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
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 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: May 12, 2006.
William Metz,
Acting Forest Supervisor, Six Rivers National Forest.
[FR Doc. E6-7556 Filed 5-17-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P