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Scriver Creek Integrated Restoration Project, Boise National Forest, ID

Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.

 [Federal Register: January 25, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 16)]
[Notices]
[Page 3383-3385]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr25ja07-24]

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service

Scriver Creek Integrated Restoration Project, Boise National Forest, ID

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare Environmental Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY: The Emmett Ranger District of the Boise National Forest will
prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) for a resource
management project in the Scriver Creek drainage. The entire project
area is located in watersheds that drain into the Middle Fork Payette
River. The 11,500-acre project area is located approximately 6 miles
north of Crouch, Idaho.
    The agency invites written comments and suggestions on the scope of
the analysis. The agency also hereby gives notice of the environmental
analysis and decisionmaking process that will occur on the proposal so
interested and affected people are aware of how they

[[Page 3384]]

may participate and contribute to final decision. At this time, no
public meetings to discuss the project are planned.
    Proposed Action: Three purposes have been identified for the
project: (1) Modify stand density, structure, species composition, and
surface fuels to restore suitable white-headed woodpecker and
flammulated owl habitat, in addition to providing forest conditions
that are more resistant to insects, disease and wildfire; (2) initiate
watershed restoration within the Scriver Creek 6th Field hydrologic
unit (subwatershed) to improve watershed conditions and reduce long-
term sedimentation caused by existing roads, in addition to reducing
road-related impacts to wildlife, fish, soil, and water resources; (3)
provide commercial timber that supports local and/or regional sawmills,
employment, and economies.
    The Proposed Action would implement silvicultural activities,
including thinning of commercial trees on 2,826 acres (570 acres of
commercial thinning, 1,445 acres of commercial thinning followed by
prescribed fire, and 811 acres of commercial thinning followed by
machine pile and burning). An estimated 928 acres would be harvested
with off-road jammer/tractor, 870 acres would be skyline logged and a
helicopter would harvest about 1,028 acres. The Proposed Action would
employ silvicultural prescriptions including commercial thin, and
thinning of submerchantable trees occurring naturally and within about
846 acres of existing plantations.
    Approximately 16.5 miles of road would be decommissioned, of which
an estimated 0.7 mile or road would be decommissioned while leaving the
existing drainage and road prism sufficient for a future motorized
trail. Approximately 16.1 miles of road improvement on National Forest
System (NFS) roads 693, 6930, 695B, and 696 would take place. Roughly
2.4 miles of new specified road and approximately 1.1 miles of
temporary road would be constructed to facilitate harvest activities.
Approximately 3.8 miles of NFS roads 696 and 693B would be realigned to
eliminate roads and road segments paralleling within Riparian
Conservation Area (RCA) corridors, and 1.3 miles of NFS road 693A would
be reconstructed. Fish passage would be restored by replacing or
removing the existing culvert on NFS road 693A and two culverts on NFS
roads 693 and 695 would be replaced with fish passable structures. All
perennial crossings would have up to 300 feet of surface gravel applied
on both sides of the crossing on those roads used in conjunction with
timber harvest (except for roads to be decommissioned). Twelve
helicopter landings would be developed. Except for administrative use,
about 20.5 miles of authorized roads would be closed year-round to
motorized use after vegetation treatments are complete.
    Preliminary Issues: Preliminary concerns with the Proposed Action
include potential impacts on water quality and terrestrial wildlife
species.
    Possible Alternatives to the Proposed Action: One alternative to
the Proposed Action that has been discussed thus far is a No Action
alternative. Other alternatives will likely be developed as issues are
identified and information received.
    Decisions to be Made: The Boise National Forest Supervisor will
decide the following: (1) Should vegetation be managed within the
project area at this time, and if so, which stands should be treated
and what silvicultural systems applied? (2) Should roads be built at
this time, and if so, how many miles should be built and where should
they occur within the project area? (3) Should identified road
maintenance activities occur at this time? (4) Should road
decommissioning and realignment take place and which roads and how
would this happen? (5) What design features, mitigation measures, and/
or monitoring should be applied to the project?

DATES: Comments concerning the proposed project and analysis are
encouraged and should be postmarked or received within 30 days
following publication of this announcement in the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to the Emmett Ranger District,
ATTN: Ann Roseberry, 1805 Highway 16, Room No. 5, Emmett, ID 83617; or
sent electronically to comments-intermtn-boise-emmett@fs.fed.us.
Electronic comments must be submitted in plain text or another format
compatible with Microsoft Word. Comments may also be delivered to the
above address during regular business hours of 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Monday-Friday. Comments can also be submitted by phone at 208-365-7000
or fax to 208-365-7037. Comments received in response to this request
will be available for public inspection and will be released in their
entirety if requested pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Further information can be obtained
from Ann Roseberry at the address mentioned above or by calling 208-
365-7000.
    Schedule: Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS), July 2007.
Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS), December 2007.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The entire project area drains into the
Middle Fork Payette River and, although there are no 303(d)/305(b)
listed streams within the project area, Scriver Creek drains to a
segment of the Middle Fork Payette River, which is currently listed in
Section 4a, Impaired Waterbodies with a TMDL complete for sediment
(Idaho, State of, 1998a). A TMDL is currently in place and addresses
the entire length of the Middle Fork Payette River.
    The entire project area lies within Management Area 14 (Lower
Middle Fork Payette River), discussed on pages III-254 through III-265
in the Boise National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest
Plan). Several Management Prescription Categories (MPCs) apply within
this management area. However, only MPC 5.2 occurs within the project
area. The Proposed Action includes management activities within MPC 5.2
only.
    The comment period on the DEIS 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 DEIS 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 DEIS stage but are not raised until after
completion of the FEIS may be waived or dismissed by the courts. City
of Angoon v. Hodel, 803 F. 2d 1016, 1002 (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 DEIS
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 FEIS.
    To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues
and concerns on the proposed action, comments on the DEIS should be as
specific as possible. It is also helpful if comments refer to specific
pages or

[[Page 3385]]

chapters of the draft 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.
    Responsible Official: Richard A. Smith, Forest Supervisor, Boise
National Forest, 1249 South Vinnell Way, Suite 200, Boise, ID 83709.

    Dated: January 18, 2007.
Richard A. Smith,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 07-285 Filed 1-24-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M

 
 

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