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[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 247 (Monday, December 27, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77175-77177]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-28141]

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

Freds Fire Restoration, Eldorado National Forest, El Dorado 
County, CA

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.

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SUMMARY: In October 2004, the Freds Fire burned approximately 7,700 
acres on the Eldorado National Forest and on private timberlands. The 
project area for this analysis is the approximately 4,600 acre portion 
of the Freds Fire on National Forest System lands. The USDA, Forest 
Service, Eldorado National Forest will prepare an environmental impact 
statement (EIS) for a proposal to treat approximately 3,200 acres of 
fire killed and damaged trees in the Freds Fire burned area. The land 
allocations within the fire area, as identified in the Sierra Nevada 
Forest Plan Supplemental EIS, are threat zone, defense zone, general 
forest, protected activity centers for spotted owls, spotted owl home 
range core areas, and riparian conservation areas adjacent to 
perennial, seasonal and ephemeral streams.
    The purpose of the project is to: (1) Reduce long term fuel loading 
to reduce future fire severity and resistance to control; (2) improve 
roads and establish effective ground cover in severely burned areas to 
reduce erosion and sedimentation to streams in the short term, and to 
contribute to long term soil productivity; (3) recover the economic 
value of timber killed or severely injured by the fire, in an 
expeditious manner, for the purpose of generating funds to offset the 
cost of future restoration activities; and (4), reduce safety hazards 
to the public and forest workers.

[[Page 77176]]

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received 
by January 12, 2005. The draft environmental impact statement is 
expected in March 2005 and the final environmental impact statement is 
expected in June 2005.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to John D. Berry, Forest Supervisor, 
Eldorado National Forest, 100 Forni Road, Placerville, CA 95667, 
Attention: Freds Fire Restoration.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Laura Hierholzer, Project Leader, 
Placerville Ranger District, 4260 Eight Mile Road, Camino, CA 95709, or 
by telephone at 530-647-5382.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Purpose and Need for Action

    The fire burned with varying intensity. Many areas of the fire 
burned at high and moderate intensity, killing 75%-100% of the trees 
and completely consuming the duff and litter that protected the soil. 
In these areas, the fire resulted in high rates of soil erosion, 
sedimentation to streams, destruction of wildlife habitat for sensitive 
species, and loss of old forest characteristics. The fire killed tens 
of thousands of trees, that if left untreated will contribute to 
extremely high fuel loading over time. As these dead trees fall and 
fuel accumulates, future fires will be even more severe. Treating the 
dead and dying tree component of the landscape is the first step in 
reducing long term fuel loading and restoring the historic fire regime, 
thereby reducing the impacts of fires on the future forest and 
contributing to the restoration of old forest habitats. Without 
treatment to begin to restore the fire area, significant additional 
impacts to soil, water quality, cultural resources, and wildlife 
habitat are likely over the short and long term. This Environmental 
Impact Statement (EIS) addresses treating the dead and dying tree 
component of the landscape and improving rocks to reduce sediment 
delivery to streams. The process of removing dead trees would reduce 
soil erosion by immediately increasing effective ground cover (limbs, 
twigs, and small boles) and maintain soil productivity for tree growth.

Proposed Action

    The proposed action would remove dead trees using ground based, 
skyline, and helicopter logging methods. Trees posing a safety hazard 
to the public and forest workers would be removed along roads, trails, 
residential and recreation areas. Roads would be reconstructed and 
improved to facilitate tree removal and to improve watershed condition. 
Approximately 1 mile of newly constructed road would be built. Slash 
and small dead trees would be treated to provide ground cover and 
reduce short term fuel loading. Protection would be applied to 
sensitive plants and wildlife species, and cultural resources.
    The proposed action is consistent with the 1989 Eldorado National 
Forest Land and Resource Management Plan as amended by the Sierra 
Nevada Forest Plan Amendment Record of Decision (2004).

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The decision to be made is whether to adopt and implement the 
proposed action, an alternative to the proposed action, or take no 
action to remove fire killed and damaged trees in the project area, to 
undertake road improvements, or to implement fuel treatments.
    Other alternatives will be developed based on significant issues 
identified during the scoping process for the environmental impact 
statement. All alternatives will need to respond to the specific 
condition of providing benefits equal to or better than the current 
condition. Alternatives being considered at this time include: (1) The 
Proposed Action and (2) No Action.

Scoping Process

    Public participation will be especially important at several points 
during the analysis. The Forest Service will be seeking information, 
comments, and assistance from the Federal, State, and local agencies 
and other individuals or organizations who may be interested in or 
affected by the proposed action. To facilitate public participation, 
information about the proposed action will be mailed to all who express 
interest in the proposed action and notification of the public scoping 
period will be published in the Mountain Democrat, Placerville, CA.
    Comments submitted during the scoping process should be in writing 
and should be specific to the proposed action. The comments should 
describe as clearly and completely as possible any issues the commenter 
has with the proposal. The scoping process includes:
    (a) Identifying potential issues;
    (b) Identifying issues to be analyzed in depth;
    (c) Eliminating nonsignificant issues or those previously covered 
by a relevant previous environmental analysis;
    (d) Exploring additional alternatives;
    (e) Identifying potential environmental effects of the proposed 
action and alternatives.
    A public meeting will be held on Thursday, January 13, 2005, from 7 
p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Pollock Pines Community Center, Sanders Drive, 
Pollock Pines, California.

Comment Requested

    This notice of intent initiates the scoping process which 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, at this early state, 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

[[Page 77177]]

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.)

    The final EIS is scheduled to be completed in June, 2005. In the 
final EIS, the Forest Service is required to respond to substantive 
comments 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 the decision 
regarding this proposal.
    John D. Berry, Forest Supervisor, Eldorado National Forest is the 
responsible official. As the responsible official he will document the 
decision and reasons for the decision in the Record of Decision. That 
decision will be subject to Forest Service appeal regulations (36 CFR 
part 215).

    Dated: December 17, 2004.
Kathryn D. Hardy,
Acting Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 04-28141 Filed 12-23-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M
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