Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 212 / Wednesday, November 3, 2004 / Notices 64019

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service 

Bitterroot National Forest, Ravailli 

County, MT, Middle East Fork Project

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an 

environmental impact statement. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

National Environmental Policy Act, 

notice is hereby given that the Forest 

Service, Bitterroot National Forest will 

prepare a Draft Environmental Impact 

Statement to disclose the environmental 

consequences of the proposed Middle 

East Fork (MEF) Project. The proposed 

project would treat vegetation on 

approximately 6000 acres in the Middle 

East Fork of the Bitterroot River 

watershed to help reduce wildland fire 

threats and restore fire adapted 

ecosystems. 

The need for action in the Middle East 

Fork area became highlighted by the 

local community after the wildfires of 

2000. This area was identified in the 

Bitterroot Community Wildfire 

Protection Plan as a high priority area to 

reduce wildland fire risk. This plan was 

developed through community 

collaborative efforts involving 

community leaders, organizations, and 

residents and is reviewed annually. 

The Forest Service completed a 

watershed analysis (EAWS) for the 

Middle East Fork landscape that 

included a recommendation to reduce 

the threat from wildfire in the wildland 

urban interface. Another 

recommendation was to restore desired 

and historical vegetation composition 

and structure using harvest, prescribed 

fire, and cultural activities. 

The Middle East Fork Project area 

occupies the middle third of the East 

Fork of the Bitterroot River drainage. On 

the north side of the East Fork Bitterroot 

River, it begins just east of Cameron 

Creek and extends to and includes 

Tepee Creek. On the south side it begins 

east of Tolan Creek and extends to 

Meadow Creek. The Bitterroot 

Community Wildfire Protection Plan 

identifies the wildland urban interface 

in this area as a high risk area and 

labeled the area a priority for treating 

hazardous fuels. The Middle East Fork 

wildland urban interface extends 

through the middle of the project area 

encompassing the community of 

approximately 700 residents along the 

East Fork Bitterroot River and the East 

Fork Road. The East Fork Road provides 

the only paved emergency access and 

escape route for the community. 

This is an authorized project under 

the Healthy Forest Restoration Act of 

2003 (Pub. L. 108–148). This act 

contains a variety of provisions to 

expedite hazardous fuel reduction and 

forest restoration projects such as this 

on specific types of Federal land that are 

at risk from wildland fire or insect and 

disease epidemics. 

Project objectives follow those 

defined in the National Fire Plan, the 

Bitterroot Community Wildfire 

Protection Plan, and the Healthy Forest 

Restoration Act and include: Reduce 

wildland fire threat to the East Fork 

community, restore fire-adapted 

ecosystems in the Middle East Fork 

landscape, and restore stands affected 

by the Douglas-fir beetle epidemic by 

treating infested areas and lands at 

imminent risk of spread of the beetle 

epidemic to promote healthy ecosystem 

function, composition and structure.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope 

of the analysis should be received by 

December 6, 2004. The draft of 

environmental impact statement is 

expected to be available for public 

review in February 2005 and the final 

environmental impact statement is 

expected to be available end of April 

2005.

ADDRESSES: Submit written, oral, or email comments by: (1) Mail—Middle 

East Fork Project; Tracy Hollingshead, 

District Ranger; Sula Ranger Station; 

7338 Hwy 93 S; Sula, Montana 59871 

(2) phone—(406) 821–3201; (3) e-mail—

comments-northern-bitterrootsula@fs.fed.us.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Project Team Leader, Sula Ranger 

District, Bitterroot National Forest (see 

address above).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Purpose 

The purpose is to reduce the wildland 

fire risk to the Middle East Fork 

community to restore fire adapted 

ecosystems in the Middle East Fork 

watershed particularly focusing on the 

wildland urban interface as defined by 

the Bitterroot Community Wildfire 

Protection Plan. 

Proposed Action 

The proposed action is designed with 

extensive mitigation to reduce potential 

impacts. To accomplish the project 

objectives the following actions would 

be taken:

—Commercial thinning of Douglas-fir 

and ponderosa pine stands and 

salvage of beetle-killed Douglas-fir 

with yarding of activity fuels followed 

by prescribed fire, jackpot burning, or 

burning of high piled slash. 

Approximately 1650 acres. 

—Commercial thinning of Douglas-fir 

and ponderosa pine stands and 

salvage of beetle-killed Douglas-fir 

with yarding to remove activity fuels. 

Approximately 700 acres.

—Pre-commercial thinning of young 

stands followed by burning of hand 

piled slash or lop and scattering slash. 

Approximately 500 acres. 

—Salvage and/or sanitation harvest of 

diseased and/or dead and dying 

Douglas-fir stands followed by 

burning of created slash piles. 

Approximately 240 acres. 

—Regeneration harvest in stands of 

extensive Douglas-fir beetle mortality 

with yarding of activity fuels followed 

by prescribed fire, jackpot burning, or 

burning of hand piled slash. 

Approximately 1450 acres. 

—Regeneration harvest in stands of 

extensive Douglas-fir beetle mortality 

with yarding of activity fuels. 

Approximately 170 acres. 

—Approximately 3 miles of temporary 

road would be constructed and then 

obliterated upon project completion. 

—Road drainage improvements on 

approximately 14 miles of major 

forest roads prior to the project 

beginning. Other roads would be 

maintained or improved under terms 

of project contracts. 

—Prescribed fire in grasslands and open 

forest stands. May include slashing 

prior to burning, and/or seeding and 

fertilization treatment on 

approximately 1500 acres of 

grassland/open forests. 

—Regeneration planting in stands with 

heavy mortality.

The Bitterroot National Forest also 

proposes to disclose the effects of a sitespecific Forest Plan Amendment that is 

needed to modify or clarify several 

standards in the Bitterroot National 

Forest Plan. This would include 

adjusting the Forest-wide and 

management area snag and coarse 

woody debris standards to better reflect 

current research, the Forest-wide 

thermal cover standard as it relates to 

this area, and standards defining what 

practices are allowed within certain 

lands classified as unsuitable for timber 

production and within old growth 

habitat. The proposed amendments to 

the Forest Plan, if approved, would 

apply only to the Middle East Fork 

Project area. 

Responsible Official 

The responsible official for the 

Middle East Fork Project is Dave T. Bull, 

Forest Supervisor, Bitterroot National 

Forest. 

64020 Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 212 / Wednesday, November 3, 2004 / Notices 

Nature of Decision To Be Made 

The Responsible Official will 

determine whether or not to proceed 

with the proposed project activities. 

Scoping Process 

Comments will be accepted during 

the 30-day scoping period as described 

in this notice of intent. To assist in 

commenting, a scoping letter providing 

more detailed information on the project 

proposal has been prepared and is 

available to interested parties. Contact 

Tracy Hollingshead, Sula District 

Ranger at the address listed in this 

notice of intent if you would like to 

receive a copy. 

Comment Requested 

This notice of intent initiates the 

scoping process that guides the 

development of the environmental 

impact statement. 

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, 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: October 28, 2004. 

David T. Bull, 

Forest Supervisor.

[FR Doc. 04–24508 Filed 11–2–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–11–M

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service 

Pickett Lake and Padre Canyon 

Allotments, Coconino National Forest; 

Coconino County, AZ

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an 

environmental impact statement. 

SUMMARY: The USDA Forest Service will 

prepare an environmental impact 

statement (EIS) to disclose the 

environmental effects of authorizing 

cattle grazing on the Picket Lake and 

Padre Canyon Allotments.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope 

of the analysis should be received 

within 30 days of the date of publication 

of this Notice of Intent in the Federal 

Register. The draft EIS is expected to be 

published in December 2004 and the 

final EIS is expected in February 2005.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to 

Terri Marceron, Mormon Lake District 

Ranger, 4373 South Lake Mary Road, 

Flagstaff, Arizona 86001, Fax: (928) 

214–2460, e-mail: commentssouthwestern-coconino-mormonlake@fs.fed.us.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Michael Hannemann, Range Staff, or 

Katherine Sa ́nchez Meador, Range 

Specialist, Peaks Ranger District, 5075 N 

Highway 89, Flagstaff, Arizona 86004, 

(928) 526–0866.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

Pickett Lake and Padre Canyon 

Allotments are adjacent cattle grazing 

allotments located approximately nine 

miles southeast of Flagstaff, Arizona. 

The Pickett Lake and Padre Canyon 

Allotments consist of 34,814 and 20,993 

acres, respectively. The current Pickett 

Lake Allotment permit is of 758 cattle 

from June 1 to October 31. The current 

Padre Canyon Allotment permit is for 87 

cattle from June 1 to October 31. Both 

Pickett Lake and Padre Canyon grazing 

permits are issued to the same 

permittee. This joint ownership makes 

management coordination between the 

two allotments possible. 

Grazing has occurred continuously on 

the Pickett Lake and Padre Canyon 

Allotments since the mid-1880s. Since 

that time, the Forest Service has 

reduced cattle numbers and controlled 

cattle grazing periods more strictly. 

Cattle grazing management has 

improved over time with the 

construction of fences and waters by the 

Forest Service and permittees. Over the 

last ten years, cattle numbers on the 

Pickett Lake Allotment have varied from 

a high of 758 cattle in 1994 to a low of 

300 cattle in 2002. Over the last ten 

years, cattle numbers on the Padre 

Canyon Allotment have varied from a 

high of 87 in 1995 to non-use in 1996, 

2000, 2002, 2003, and 2004. 

The Pickett Lake and Padre Canyon 

Allotments are scheduled for 

environmental analysis of grazing use 

on the Coconino National Forest, as 

required by the Burns Amendment 

(1995). This project was initiated in 

December 2000 as an EIS and the 

Proposed Action included cattle 

grazing, pinyon and juniper treatments, 

and broadcast burning. After initial 

public scoping and comment, the Forest 

Service decided to narrow the scope of 

the project to analyze only cattle grazing 

under an environmental assessment 

(EA). A revised Proposed Action was 

presented for public scoping in August 

2002 and a draft EA published in July 

2003. On September 14, 2004, a notice 

to withdraw the NOI for the EIS was 

published in the Federal Register

(volume 69, number 177, page 55403), 

because it was imminent that a Decision 

Notice and FONSI were to be signed.

Based on the controversy over the 

effects of cattle grazing on pronghorn 

habitat on the Anderson Mesa portion of 

these allocation, the responsible official 

has decided to initiate this analysis as 

an EIS. This project is being completed 

in order to ensure cattle grazing on the 

Pickett Lake and Padre Canyon 

Allotments is consistent with goals, 

objectives, as well as the standards and 

guidelines of the Coconino National