[Federal Register: November 24, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 226)]
[Notices]
[Page 68303-68304]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr24no04-35]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Black Hills National Forest, Bearlodge Ranger District, Wyoming,
Dean Project Area Proposal and Analysis
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 implement multiple resource management
actions within the Dean Area as directed by the Black Hills National
Forest Land and Resource Management Plan. The Dean Project Area covers
about 12,468 acres of National Forest System land and about 2,256 acres
of interspersed private land within the Redwater Creek watershed
directly north of Sundance, Wyoming. Proposed actions would modify the
structure of forest stands across the planning area to reduce fuel
loads, potential for uncharacteristically intense wildfire behavior,
and risk of insect outbreaks; provide for diverse wildlife habitat and
restore hardwoods; and provide a mix of motorized and non-motorized use
opportunities.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received
by December 22, 2004. The draft environmental impact statement is
expected to be available for public review by March 2005 and the final
environmental impact statement is expected to be completed by June
2005.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Steve Kozel, District Ranger, Black
Hills National Forest, Bearlodge Ranger District, 121 S. 21st Street,
Sundance, Wyoming 82729. Telephone Number: (307) 283-1361. E-mail:
comments-rocky-mountain-black-hills-bearlodge@fs.fed.us with ``Dean
Project'' as subject.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Janis Bouma, Project Coordinator,
Black Hills National Forest, Bearlodge Ranger District, at above
address, phone (307) 283-1361.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The actions are proposed in direct response
to management direction provided by the Black Hills National Forest
Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan). The site-specific
actions are based on Forest Plan Standards and
[[Page 68304]]
Guidelines to promote existing resource conditions in the Dean Project
Area toward meeting Forest Plan Goals and Objectives. The project area
lies in the Bear Lodge Mountains in the Black Hills National Forest,
directly north of Sundance, Wyoming. Anticipated issues include: Fire
and fuels hazard in the project area; support and opposition to
vegetation treatment such as timber harvest; impacts of vegetation
treatment and multiple forest uses on wildlife habitat; motorized and
non-motorized recreation; and travel management.
Purpose of and Need for Action
There is a need to reduce the potential for uncharacteristically
intense wildlife behavior and insect infestation, provide diverse
wildlife habitat, and manage motorized recreation in the Dean Project
Area. This project will address Forest Plan Goal 2 (providing for
biologically diverse ecosystems) and Goal 3 (providing for sustained
commodity uses) consistent with Forest Plan Standards and Guidelines.
Proposed Action
Actions proposed in the Dean Project Area include:
Modifying stand structure across the planning area to
reduce potential for uncharacteristically intense wildfire behavior and
benefit wildlife. This action includes thinning the forest, removing
conifers from stands of hardwoods such as aspen, bur oak, and birch,
and expanding and/or creating meadows.
Reducing fuel loads by decreasing the volume and
arrangement of both existing fuels and those resulting from other
vegetation treatment activities. Treatment could include lopping,
chipping, crushing, piling and burning, and prescribed burning on up to
3,494 acres.
Reducing the density of pine stands on up to 5,730 acres
to decrease the potential for spreading crown fires, increase tree
growth and vigor, and lessen the risk of insect infestation and
disease. This may be done by using commercial timber harvest to thin
out merchantable trees and using other methods to thin small,
unmerchantable trees. These actions would provide wood fiber to local
industry and would require construction of up to 10 miles of new
specified roads.
Modifying the Forest Plan through a non-significant
Amendment to change Management Area (MA) designation in part of the
project area to better reflect actual conditions. The entire project
area is currently in MA 5.4 (Big Game Winter Range Emphasis). The lower
elevations and south aspects on the east side of the project area
currently provide appropriate and important winter range for deer and
elk and are utilized as such. However, the remainder of the project
area is heavily used by deer and elk only during the spring, summer,
and fall, including calving and fawning periods. Therefore, the Forest
proposes to change the Management Area designation in a portion of the
project area to MA 5.6 (Forest Products, Recreation, and Big Game
Emphasis) to reflect the actual utilization and better manage the
project area to benefit a variety of wildlife, including big game
species, and better reflect existing non-motorized recreation
opportunities.
Providing a mix of motorized and non-motorized
opportunities and protecting wildlife in the area by closing the
project area to off-road motorized travel and restricting ATV use to
designated routes. Main system routes currently open to motorized
travel would remain open. Approximately 16.1 miles of roads would also
be decommissioned.
Responsible Official
Steve Kozel, District Ranger, Black Hills National Forest,
Bearlodge Ranger District, 121 S. 21st Street, Sundance, Wyoming 82729.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The decision to be made is whether or not to implement the proposed
action or alternatives at this time.
Scoping Process
Comments and input regarding the proposal will be requested via
direct mailing from the public, other groups and agencies during the
30-day (plus) public comment period in November and December 2004.
Also, response to the draft EIS will be sought from the interested
public in March 2005.
Comment Requested
This notice of intent initiates the scoping process which guides
the development of the environmental impact statement. It is our desire
to involve interested parties and especially adjacent landowners in
identifying the issues related to proposed activities. Comments will
assist the planning team identify key issues and opportunities used to
develop project alternatives and mitigation measures.
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 last 45 days (beginning around March 1, 2005) 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.
(Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7 and 1508.22; Forest Service Handbook
1909.15, Section 21)
Dated: November 17, 2004.
Brad Exton,
Acting Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 04-25972 Filed 11-23-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M