This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER

contains documents other than rules or

proposed rules that are applicable to the

public. Notices of hearings and investigations,

committee meetings, agency decisions and

rulings, delegations of authority, filing of

petitions and applications and agency

statements of organization and functions are

examples of documents appearing in this

section.

Notices Federal Register

45765 

Vol. 71, No. 154 

Thursday, August 10, 2006 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Forest Service 

Plumas National Forest, California, 

Roadside Noxious Weed EIS 

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an 

environmental impact statement. 

SUMMARY: The Plumas National Forest, 

in cooperation with Butte, Plumas and 

Sierra Counties, will prepare an 

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) 

to treat noxious weeds on National 

Forest system lands under an integrated 

weed management approach. Actions 

proposed through this project focus on 

eradication or control of invasive 

species along roads over the next 10 

years. The potentially affected areas 

includes 706 known sites that cover 310 

acres and additional roadside sites 

(within 100 feet of roads) within the 

next ten years not previously identified. 

Treatment acres for new infestations 

would not exceed a total of 2,000 acres 

over the 10-year period. The range of 

acres treated under the proposed action 

over the ten-year period would be 310 

to 2,310. Up to five different control 

tactics would be prescribed for each 

infested area depending on phenology 

of a particular species, proximity to 

water and other sensitive resources, and 

size of infestation. Of the 310 acres of 

current infestations: 4 Acres are being 

proposed to be treated by mechanical/ 

hand control tactics, 34.5 acres with 

herbicides, 191.5 acres with a 

combination of mechanical and 

herbicide tactics, and 80 acres with a 

combination of mechanical, biocontrol 

and herbicide tactics. A variety of 

noxious weeds would be treated, 

including but not limited to Canada 

Thistle, Medusa head, Yellow star 

thistle, Scotch broom, Hariy whitetop, 

Dyer’s Woad, Perennial Pepperweed, 

French broom, Spanish broom, and 

Spotted Knapweed. 

DATES: Although comments will be 

accepted throughout any phase of this 

project, comments concerning the scope 

of the analysis would be helpful if 

received within 30 days of the date of 

publication of this notice in the Federal 

Register. The draft EIS is expected on 

March 2007 and the final EIS is 

expected July 2007. 

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to 

Forest Supervisor James M. Pen ̃ a, 

Plumas National Forest, P.O. Box 11500, 

Quincy, CA 95971. Fax: (530) 283–7746. 

Comments may be: (1) Mailed to 

responsible official; (2) hand delivered 

between the hours of 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m. 

weekdays Pacific Time; (3) faxed; or (4) 

electronically mailed to: commentspacificsouthwest-plumas@fs.fed.us. 

Comments submitted electronically 

must be in Rich Text Format (.rtf). 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

George Garcia, Project Coordinator, 

Supervisor’s Office, Plumas National 

Forest (see address above). 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Purpose and Need for Action 

The purpose of this project is to 

implement an integrated weed 

management approach along roadsides 

within the Plumas National Forest to 

meet the following desired conditions: 

(1) Contain, control and eradicate 

known weed infestations along 

roadsides to less than 10% of the total 

existing infested acres over the next 10 

years; (2) contain, control and eradicate 

new weed infestation along roadsides 

over the next 10 years in order to have 

no net increase in roadside infestations 

over existing conditions. 

The goal of this project is to eradicate 

or contain current roadside weed 

populations while still small. This 

integrated weed management approach 

would help the Plumas National Forest 

meet the following resource needs: (1) 

Protection of Threatened, Endangered, 

Sensitive and Management Indicator 

species habitats (plants and animals); (2) 

protection of cultural properties (i.e., 

native grasses); (3) reduction of 

hazardous fuels that are created by 

invasive species (i.e., Broom spp.); (4) 

maintaining native forage and habitat 

for plants, terrestrial wildlife and 

aquatic species. 

Proposed Action 

The Plumas National Forest, in 

cooperation with Butte, Plumas and 

Sierra Counties, proposes to treat 

noxious weeds on National Forest 

system lands under an integrated weed 

management approach. Actions 

proposed through this project focus on 

eradication or control of invasive 

species along roads over the next 10 

years. The potentially affected area 

includes 706 known sites that cover 310 

acres and additional roadside sites 

(within 100 feet of roads) within the 

next ten years not previously identified. 

Treatment of new infestations or 

occurrences would be prioritized 

considering funding, state and county 

rankings and potential for ecological 

impact and rate of spread. Treatment 

acres for new infestations would not 

exceed a total of 2,000 acres over the 10- 

year period. The range of acres treated 

under the proposed action over the tenyear period would be 310 to 2,310. 

Ongoing inventories would confirm 

locations of specific noxious weeds and 

effectiveness of past treatments. The 

intent of the Proposed Action is to treat 

the current infestations, 310 acres, 

before they proliferate and invade new 

acres. Up to five different control tactics 

would be prescribed for each infested 

area depending on phenology of a 

particular species, proximity to water 

and other sensitive resources, and size 

of infestation. Of the 310 acres of 

current infestations: 4 acres are being 

proposed to be treated by mechanical/ 

hand control tactics, 34.5 acres with 

herbicides, 191.5 acres with a 

combination of mechanical and 

herbicide tactics, and 80 acres with a 

combination of mechanical, biocontrol 

and herbicide tactics. A variety of 

noxious weeds would be treated, 

including but not limited to Canada 

Thistle, Medusa head, Yellow star 

thistle, Scotch broom, Hairy whitetop, 

Dyer’s Woad, Perennial Pepperweed, 

French broom, Spanish broom, and 

Spotted Knapweed. 

Lead and Cooperating Agencies 

The Plumas National Forest is the 

lead federal agency for this project. 

County Agriculture Departments in 

Butte, Plumas and Sierra counties will 

assist the Forest in implementation of 

this action once a decision has been 

made. 

Responsible Official 

Plumas National Forest, Forest 

Supervisor James M. Pen ̃ a, is the 


rwilkins on PROD1PC61 with NOTICES
45766 Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 154 / Thursday, August 10, 2006 / Notices 

Responsible Official for this EIS. James 

M. Pen ̃ a, Forest Supervisor, P.O. Box 

11500, Quincy, CA 95971. 

Nature of Decision To Be Made 

The Forest Supervisor will decide, 

based on the environmental analysis 

disclosed in this EIS, whether to 

implement the Proposed Action, 

another action alternative, or to 

implement the No Action Alternative in 

accordance with forest plan goals and 

desired future conditions. Indicator 

measures that will be considered in 

developing and evaluating the Proposed 

Action and Alternative include: (1) 

Effectiveness in treating noxious weed 

infestations, (2) potential adverse effects 

to human health and the environment, 

and (3) monetary costs and financial 

efficiency. 

Scoping Process 

The Plumas National Forest will be 

conducting public scoping on the 

proposed action. Public scoping will 

consist of a letter to the Forest’s mailing 

list requesting public input and 

comments on the proposed action, and 

any relevant issues the public may have 

with regard to the integrated weed 

management approach outlined under 

the Roadside Noxious Weed proposal. 

No public meetings for this proposed 

action are currently scheduled. 

Comment Requested 

This notice of intent initiates the 

scoping process which guides the 

development of the environmental 

impact statement. Comments submitted 

to be specific to the proposed action and 

the treatments proposed. 

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 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 draft environmental 

impact statement 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: August 3, 2006. 

Terri Simon-Jackson, 

Acting Forest Supervisor, Plumas National 

Forest. 

[FR Doc. 06–6838 Filed 8–9–06; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–11–M 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Forest Service 

Eastern Idaho Resource Advisory 

Committee; Caribou-Targhee National 

Forest, Idaho Falls, ID 

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice of meeting. 

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the authorities in 

the Federal Advisory Committee Act 

(Pub. L. 92–463) and under the Secure 

Rural Schools and Community SelfDetermination Act of 2000 (Pub. L. 106–

393) the Caribou-Targhee National 

Forests’ Eastern Idaho Resource 

Advisory Committee will meet 

Thursday, September 21, 2006 in Idaho 

Falls for a business meeting. The 

meeting is open to the public. 

DATES: The business meeting will be 

held on September 21, 2006 from 9 a.m. 

to 5 p.m. 

ADDRESSES: The meeting location is the 

Caribou-Targhee National Forest 

Headquarters Office, 1405 Hollipark 

Drive, Idaho Falls, Idaho 83402. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Larry Timchak, Caribou-Targhee 

National Forest Supervisor and 

Designated Federal Officer, at (208) 

524–7500. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

business meeting on September 21, 

2006, begins at 9 a.m. at the CaribouTarghee National Forest Headquarters 

Office, 1405 Hollipark Drive, Idaho 

Falls, Idaho. Agenda topics will include 

a vote on obligating project 

identification percentages for the 

upcoming year 2007 and a field trip to 

view completed projects from years 

past. 

Dated: August 4, 2006. 

Lawrence A. Timchak, 

Caribou-Targhee Forest Supervisor. 

[FR Doc. 06–6815 Filed 8–9–06; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–11–M 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

Economics and Statistics 

Administration 

Establishment of the Measuring 

Innovation in the 21st Century 

Economy Advisory Committee and 

Recruitment of Members 

AGENCY: Economics and Statistics 

Administration, Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of the Establishment of 

the Measuring Innovation in the 21st 

Century Economy Advisory Committee 

and Recruitment of Members from the 

Business and Academic Communities. 

SUMMARY: The Secretary of Commerce is 

announcing the establishment of and 

recruitment for members of a Federal 

Advisory Committee. In accordance 

with the provisions of the Federal 

Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App. 

2, and the General Services 

Administration rule on the Federal 

Advisory Committee Management, 41 

CFR part 101–6, the Secretary of 

Commerce has determined that the 

establishment of the Measuring 

Innovation in the 21st Century Economy 

Advisory Committee (the ‘‘Committee’’), 

is in the public interest in connection 


rwilkins on PROD1PC61 with NOTICES