Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 82 / Friday, April 27, 2012 / Notices 25129 

Protection), Ventura County, and 

Orange County Fire Authority have 

agreed to participate as cooperating 

agencies. Other federal, state, and local 

agencies as well as tribes are invited to 

join as cooperators. 

Responsible Official 

Cleveland National Forest Supervisor 

Will Metz is the lead Forest Supervisor 

for the joint planning effort between the 

Angeles, Cleveland, Los Padres, and San 

Bernardino National Forests and is the 

Responsible Official for purposes of this 

notice. If the proposed amendment 

results in a significant change to the 

LMPs (as described by Forest Service 

policy), Regional Forester Randy Moore 

will be the Responsible Official for the 

decision. If the proposed amendment 

does not result in a significant change 

to the LMP, each individual Forest 

Supervisor may act as the Responsible 

Official for the decision. Refer to Forest 

Service Manual section 1926 for more 

detail. 

Nature and Scope of Decision To Be 

Made 

Given the purpose and need, the 

Responsible Official reviews the 

proposed action, the other alternatives, 

and the environmental consequences in 

order to determine whether the LMPs 

will be amended as proposed, modified 

by an alternative, or not at all. The 

decision framework is limited in scope 

to the proposed changes to the land use 

zone allocations for select IRAs and to 

the monitoring protocols. 

Scoping Process 

This notice of intent initiates the 

scoping process, which guides the 

development of the supplemental 

environmental impact statement. The 

four forests will host a series of open 

house workshops during the scoping 

period. Forest Service staff will be 

available during the open house 

workshops to answer questions about 

the proposed action. 

It is important that reviewers provide 

their comments at such times and in 

such manner that they are useful to the 

agency’s preparation of the 

environmental impact statement. 

Therefore, comments should be 

provided prior to the close of the 

comment period and should clearly 

articulate the reviewer’s concerns and 

contentions. 

Comments received in response to 

this solicitation, including names and 

addresses of those who comment, will 

be part of the public record for this 

proposed action. Comments submitted 

anonymously will be accepted and 

considered, however anonymous 

comments will not provide the Agency 

with the information needed to provide 

the respondent with subsequent 

environmental documents. 

Planning Process 

The LMP amendment will be 

developed under the transition 

provisions of the new Forest Service 

planning rule found at 36 CFR 219.17, 

which provides that plan amendments 

may be initiated under the provisions of 

the prior planning regulations (see 74 

FR 67062, December 18, 2009 for more 

information on the prior planning rule). 

Under those transition provisions, this 

plan amendment will be conducted 

under the 1982 planning rule, however, 

the pre-decisional administrative review 

process described under 36 CFR 219 

subpart B will apply. 

Meetings 

The Forest Service will be hosting 

multiple open house workshops during 

the scoping period. The content and 

format of each meeting will be the same. 

Forest Service staff will be available to 

answer questions about the proposed 

action. Maps of the proposed changes 

will be available for viewing. The 

meeting times and locations are: 

May 29, 2012, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., 

Avenue Adult Center, 550 N. Ventura 

Avenue, Ventura, CA 93001 (Hosted by 

Los Padres National Forest). 

May 30, 2012, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., 

Angeles National Forest Headquarters, 

701 North Santa Anita Avenue, Arcadia, 

CA 91006. 

May 31, 2012, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., Santa 

Maria Red Cross, 3030 Skyway Drive, 

Santa Maria, CA 93455 (Hosted by Los 

Padres National Forest). 

May 31, 2012, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., Santa 

Clara Mojave Rivers Ranger District 

Office, 33708 Crown Valley Road, 

Acton, CA 93510. 

May 31, 2012, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., San 

Bernardino National Forest 

Headquarters, 602 S. Tippecanoe Ave., 

San Bernardino, CA 92408. 

May 31, 2012, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., 

Palomar Ranger District Office, 1634 

Black Canyon Road, Ramona, CA 92065. 

June 1, 2012, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Frazier 

Park Library, 3732 Park Drive, Frazier 

Park, CA 93225 (Hosted by Los Padres 

National Forest). 

June 5, 2012, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., 

Descanso Ranger District office, 3348 

Alpine Blvd., Alpine, CA 91901. 

June 5, 2012, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., 

Trabuco Ranger District office, 1147 E. 

6th Street, Corona, CA 92879. 

Dated: April 17, 2012. 

William Metz, 

Forest Supervisor, Cleveland National Forest. 

[FR Doc. 2012–9909 Filed 4–26–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–11–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Forest Service 

Environmental Impact Statement for 

Issuance of a Special Use Permit for 

the Continued Operation of the 

Winchester Canyon Gun Club; Los 

Padres National Forest, California 

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Reissuance of a notice of intent 

(NOI) to prepare an environmental 

impact statement (EIS). 

SUMMARY: The USDA, Forest Service, 

Los Padres National Forest, gives notice 

of intent to conduct an analysis and 

prepare an EIS for reissuance of a 20- 

year special use permit for the 

Winchester Canyon Gun Club (WCGC). 

This notice announces the beginning of 

scoping, describes the proposed action 

and the decision to be made, and 

estimates the dates for filing the draft 

and final EIS. This notice also provides 

information concerning public 

participation and the names and 

addresses of Agency officials, who can 

provide information. The Agency issued 

an NOI in the Federal Register (Vol. 74, 

No. 230, Wednesday, December 2, 

2009). However, issuance of the draft 

EIS has been delayed. Because of this 

delay, the Agency is reissuing the NOI 

to ensure timely scoping and a timely 

release of the documents. 

DATES: Comments concerning the scope 

of the analysis must be received by June 

11, 2012. The draft EIS is expected in 

the fall of 2012 and the final EIS is 

expected the end of 2012. 

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to: 

Los Padres National Forest, 6755 

Hollister Avenue, Suite 150, Goleta, CA 

93117, attention: Jeff Bensen. Comments 

may also be sent via email to commentspacificsouthwest-los-padressantabarbara@fs.fed.us or via facsimile to 

(805) 561–5729. Comments received in 

response to this solicitation, including 

the names and addresses of those who 

comment, will be part of the public 

record for this proposed action. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Questions about the proposed action 

may be directed to Jeff Bensen, Project 

Team Leader, Los Padres National 

Forest, 6755 Hollister Avenue, Suite 

150, Goleta, CA 93117; telephone: (805) 

961–5744; email: 

commentspacificsouthwest-los-padresmstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

25130 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 82 / Friday, April 27, 2012 / Notices 

santabarbara@fs.fed.us. Individuals, 

who use telecommunication devices for 

the deaf (TDD), may call the Federal 

Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1 

(800) 877–8339 between 8 a.m. and 8 

p.m. Eastern time Monday through 

Friday. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Purpose and Need for Action 

The WCGC has been authorized to 

operate on the Los Padres National 

Forest by a special use permit since the 

late 1960s. The last term permit expired 

in 1995, and from that time on, the 

WCGC has been authorized by annual 

special use permits. In 2007, an 

environmental assessment pertaining to 

the issuance of a 20-year special use 

permit was completed, and a Decision 

Notice/Finding of No Significant Impact 

was issued. The decision was appealed, 

and the R5 Regional Forester sent the 

decision back to the Los Padres National 

Forest for further analysis. The purpose 

of this action is to reinitiate the 

proposed action in an EIS. 

Proposed Action 

The proposed action would authorize 

the renewal of a 20-year special use 

permit for the WCGC. The proposed 

action would require changes pertaining 

to historic activities and a reduction in 

the number of shooting facilities, as well 

as, the number of acres covered under 

the special use permit from what had 

been authorized previously. The total 

size of the permit area would be 

reduced from 140 acres, as previously 

permitted, to 96 acres. Maps are 

available upon request that display the 

location of the project area, the existing 

facilities, and the features of the 

proposed action. The permit would 

authorize the following existing 

facilities: 

• Clubhouse with a barbecue area 

• Restroom buildings 

• Two access roads and gates 

• Fire equipment and storage containers 

• 50-, 100-, 200-yard rifle and pistol 

ranges 

• Three target range firing line covers 

• Parking areas 

• Three trap ranges, one skeet range, 

and a sporting clay course 

• Skeet, trap, and sporting clay shot-fall 

zones 

• Safety fences, barriers, and berms 

• Permit area perimeter fences and 

signs 

• Generator building 

• Propane tank and enclosure 

Shooting activities would be 

restricted to the existing rifle and pistol 

ranges, three trap ranges, one skeet 

range, and a sporting clay course, as 

listed above. Shotgun ranges would be 

used in a manner minimizing the size of 

shot-fall areas, minimize the areas of 

lead contamination, and minimize the 

area where lead must be collected and 

recycled. Sporting clay activities would 

be conducted in a manner ensuring that 

the shot fall would overlap the trap and 

skeet range shot-fall areas. The proposed 

action would not authorize use of the 

historic long-bore range in the San Jose 

basin. 

The range would be open year-round, 

with use authorized from sunrise to 

sunset. The WCGC would offer access to 

both club members and the public. Club 

members would be allowed to access 

the permit area for appropriate target 

shooting seven days a week. The public 

would be allowed shotgun use on 

Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday, 

with rifle/pistol use on Saturday and 

Sunday. The WCGC would also offer the 

rifle and pistol ranges to local law 

enforcement agencies and military 

affiliates, such as ROTC. 

An access trail leading into the trap 

and skeet shot-fall areas would be 

constructed on the steep northern 

portion of the proposed permit area. The 

trail would be 50 inches wide and 

approximately 1⁄3 mile long. The trail 

would allow the WCGC to monitor lead 

deposition and collect and recycle lead 

shot. Initial lead shot recovery activities 

would be within 50 feet of the 

centerline of the trail, focusing 

primarily on areas of shot concentration. 

The objective of the proposed action 

is to isolate the WCGC from the 

adjoining San Jose basin to the greatest 

extent possible, maximize the physical 

separation of the two areas, and mitigate 

unavoidable effects. In 2011, the San 

Jose basin area was recommended as a 

Traditional Cultural Landscape (TCL), 

underlining the importance of this 

objective, and it will be managed as an 

area of cultural importance. A barrier 

fence constructed at the ridgeline 

between the proposed WCGC boundary 

and the San Jose basin would stop clay 

target and shot wad (shooting) debris, 

but noise and some lead shot would still 

carry into the basin area. This is 

discussed in greater detail below. The 

Forest Service and the WCGC are jointly 

developing an Environmental 

Stewardship Plan (ESP), which will 

incorporate a schedule of actions to 

mitigate effects of the target range on the 

San Jose basin. 

In the San Jose basin, the existing 

200-, 300-, and 600-yard-long bore 

ranges with target structures and impact 

berms will be permanently removed. 

Use of these ranges by the WCGC has 

been denied by the Forest Service since 

1998. The structures have remained idle 

since that time. To access the range, an 

existing unused access road, which is 

1⁄2-mile long, will be re-opened to 

remove the structures and soil 

containing lead from the berms. 

Minimal work would be done to open 

the road to utilize a dump truck and a 

backhoe/loader to remove the steel and 

wooden target frames, retaining walls, 

impact berms, and associated target 

range materials. Contaminated soil at 

each of the three target structures would 

be removed from the basin area. It is 

expected at least the top 12 inches of 

soil will need to be removed. The 

contaminated soil and structural timbers 

will be hauled to the existing rifle and 

pistol ranges where the material will be 

used to reinforce the target berms and 

improve the safety/dividing barriers 

between the ranges. Once the removal 

project is completed, the area of the 

three target structures will be recontoured, a culvert on the road would 

be removed, and the road and target 

areas would be ripped and put to bed. 

It is expected the road and target sites 

will naturally re-vegetate with 

significant recovery within several 

years. 

Continuing impacts to the San Jose 

basin are lead shotfall and shooting 

noise. A portion of the skeet range shot 

fall area overlaps into the northwest 

edge of the San Jose basin. The overlap 

would continue with mitigation 

measures to minimize lead and shooting 

debris accumulation in the basin area. 

The overlap is a wedge shaped 4.2 acre 

area. This area of continued impact is a 

reduction from 55 acres the WCGC was 

historically permitted to use in the basin 

area when the long bore range was 

included. Mitigation measures are listed 

below and include construction of a 12- 

foot high 200-foot long barrier fence 

along the ridgeline between the skeet 

range and the San Jose basin to stop 

shooting debris (target clays and shot 

wads) and some lead shot from entering 

the basin area. Mitigations also include 

monthly clean-up of any shooting debris 

entering the basin, and planned 

collection of lead shot in the shot fall 

area. The potential effects of this lead 

cleanup will be analyzed in the EIS. To 

partially mitigate the impact of noise, an 

MOA with the local Tribe has been 

developed to provide noise free days. 

The EIS will also analyze the impacts of 

noise to surrounding areas. 

The ESP incorporates the findings 

from this environmental document to 

identify environmental concerns, 

evaluate and prioritize appropriate 

actions, and generate a list of short- and 

long-term action items and the steps 

necessary to implement each item to 

protect and manage the permitted area. 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 82 / Friday, April 27, 2012 / Notices 25131 

The ESP incorporates the U.S. 

Environmental Protection Agency’s 

guidelines entitled ‘‘Best Management 

Practices for Lead at Outdoor Shooting 

Ranges.’’ In addition, the ESP contains 

the following: 

• Conduct an annual evaluation of 

progress by the WCGC and the Forest 

Service toward the environmental 

stewardship goals. 

• Establish a testing and monitoring 

schedule for soil pH at target backstops 

and shotgun shot-fall zones. Soil pH 

will be maintained between 6.5 and 8.5. 

• Establish a soil testing and 

monitoring schedule for lead content 

and stability on the site. 

• Install physical barriers such as silt 

dams and berms as needed at target 

backstops and shot-fall zones to prevent 

lead migration off-site through 

groundwater and surface water. 

• Use only ‘‘environmentally 

friendly’’ clay targets. 

• Do not allow target clays and wads 

to accumulate on the trap, skeet, and 

sporting clay fields. The accumulated 

‘‘environmentally friendly’’ and ‘‘black’’ 

targets on the accessible areas at the 

trap, skeet, and sporting clay zones will 

be cleaned up and removed from the 

site. This project will be completed 3 to 

4 years after the permit is issued, and 

subsequent routine removal of the target 

debris will be established in the ESP. 

• Collect and recycle lead at the rifle/ 

impact berms. 

• Collect and recycle lead from the 

trap and skeet ranges and shot-fall 

zones. 

• Construct a 12-foot-high, 200- footlong barrier fence on the eastern edge of 

the skeet range to stop shooting targets 

and some lead shot from crossing into 

the San Jose basin. 

• Coordinate with the local Native 

American communities to establish ‘‘no 

shooting days’’ to mitigate the impact of 

noise. 

• Remove the target frame racks and 

permanently discontinue use of the 

200-, 300-, and 600-yard ranges in the 

basin, and remove the materials, 

contaminated soil, and access road 

when the rehabilitation project is 

completed. 

• Construct a 50-inch-wide access 

trail into the north-facing trap and skeet 

range shot-fall zone for lead collection. 

Lead shot collection will initially be 

conducted within 50 feet of the trail up 

and downslope from the trail. 

• Collect lead in the skeet range shotfall overlap area in the San Jose basin by 

trimming brush only enough to facilitate 

access to areas of shot accumulation on 

the soil surface. 

• Collect and remove lead for 

recycling using hand screening or small 

mechanized screening equipment if 

available. The collection methods will 

be consistent with the recommendations 

listed in the U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency’s guidelines entitled 

‘‘Best Management Practices for Lead at 

Outdoor Shooting Ranges.’’ Lead shot 

collection and ground disturbance will 

be monitored and conducted to reduce 

the potential for off-site migration of 

lead. 

All facilities will be available and 

accessible to all people without 

discrimination based on race, color, 

national origin, sex, religion, age, 

disability, political beliefs, or marital or 

familial status. An operation and 

maintenance plan, safety plan, and fire 

plan will be developed by both the 

WCGC and the Forest Service, attached 

to the permit, and monitored to ensure 

compliance. 

Possible Alternatives 

A full range of alternatives will be 

considered, including non-renewal of 

the permit, renewal of the permit, and 

renewal of the permit with 

modifications. In addition, alternatives 

in response to issues generated during 

the scoping process will be considered. 

All alternatives will comply with the 

Los Padres National Forest Land 

Management Plan. 

Responsible Official 

Peggy Hernandez, Forest Supervisor, 

Los Padres National Forest, Goleta, 

California, is the responsible official for 

this EIS and its Record of Decision. As 

the responsible official, the Forest 

Supervisor will document the decision 

and the reason for the decision in the 

Record of Decision. The decision will be 

subject to Forest Service Appeals 

Regulations (36 CFR Part 215). 

Nature of Decision To Be Made 

The responsible official will make a 

decision by considering the following: 

1. Whether the proposed action will 

proceed as proposed, with 

modifications, or not at all; and 

2. What associated mitigation 

measures and monitoring requirements 

will be required. 

Preliminary Issues 

Preliminary issues identified during 

earlier public involvement include the 

following: 

1. Potential impacts of lead and other 

shooting contaminants on-site: 

(a) At affected areas of San Jose 

basin from long-bore ranges, and 

(b) From continued operation of 

existing facilities proposed to remain; 

2. Potential for off-site migration of 

lead and other shooting contaminants; 

3. Impacts on cultural sites in the San 

Jose basin; 

4. Target range safety; 

5. Target range potential for starting 

wildfires; and 

6. Need for a controlled regulated 

shooting facility. 

Scoping Process 

All scoping comments submitted to 

the Forest Service in response to the 

NOI dated December 2, 2009, will be 

carried through to this current scoping 

period. Previous respondents are not 

required to provide duplicate 

comments; however, all new comments 

relevant to this proposed action are 

encouraged and welcome. This scoping 

process guides the development of the 

EIS. The Forest Supervisor is seeking 

public and agency comment on the 

proposed action to identify issues that 

could arise. These issues may lead to 

other alternatives or additional 

mitigation measures and monitoring 

requirements. Comments may be 

provided at any time during the 

planning process, but it is important 

that reviewers provide their comments 

at a time and in a manner that will be 

most useful to the Agency’s preparation 

of the EIS. Therefore, comments should 

be provided prior to the close of the 

comment period and should clearly 

articulate the reviewer’s concerns and 

contentions. The submission of timely 

and specific comments in response to 

this Notice does not confer status for 

subsequent administrative appeal but 

does provide important information for 

preparation of the document and may be 

of importance for judicial review. 

Dated: April 19, 2012. 

Peggy Hernandez, 

Forest Supervisor. 

[FR Doc. 2012–10192 Filed 4–26–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–11–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Rural Utilities Service 

Turning Point Solar LLC: Notice of 

Finding of No Significant Impact 

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice of Finding of No 

Significant Impact. 

SUMMARY: The Rural Utilities Service 

(RUS) has issued a Finding of No 

Significant Impact (FONSI) for the 

Environmental Assessment (EA) 

associated with a solar generation 

project. The EA was prepared in 

accordance with the National 

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the 

Council on Environmental Quality’s 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES