Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 103 / Wednesday, May 30, 2007 / Notices 29945 

• The determination of cooking 

parameters for safe seafood for 

consumers, 

• Assessment of the food safety 

importance of Mycobacterium avium 

subspecies paratuberculosis, and 

• The determination of the most 

appropriate technologies for the Food 

Safety and Inspection Service to adopt 

in performing routine and baseline 

microbiological analyses. 

Documents Reviewed by NACMCF 

FSIS intends to make available to the 

public all materials that are reviewed 

and considered by NACMCF regarding 

its deliberations. Generally, these 

materials will be made available as soon 

as possible after the full Committee 

meeting. Further, FSIS intends to make 

these materials available in electronic 

format on the FSIS Web page, as well as 

in hard copy format in the FSIS Docket 

Room. Often, an attempt is made to 

make the materials available at the start 

of the full Committee meeting when 

sufficient time is allowed in advance to 

do so. 

Disclaimer: NACMCF documents and 

comments posted on the FSIS Web site 

are electronic conversions from a variety 

of source formats. In some cases, 

document conversion may result in 

character translation or formatting 

errors. The original document is the 

official, legal copy. 

In order to meet the electronic and 

information technology accessibility 

standards in Section 508 of the 

Rehabilitation Act, NACMCF may add 

alternate text descriptors for non-text 

elements (graphs, charts, tables, 

multimedia, etc.). These modifications 

only affect the online copies of the 

documents. 

Copyrighted documents will not be 

posted on the FSIS Web site, but will be 

available for inspection in the FSIS 

Docket Room. 

Additional Public Notification 

Public awareness of all segments of 

rulemaking and policy development is 

important. Consequently, in an effort to 

ensure that minorities, women, and 

persons with disabilities are aware of 

this notice, FSIS will announce it online through the FSIS Web page located 

at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/regulations/ 

2007_Notices_Index/. FSIS will also 

make copies of this Federal Register 

publication available through the FSIS 

Constituent Update, which is used to 

provide information regarding FSIS 

policies, procedures, regulations, 

Federal Register notices, FSIS public 

meetings, recalls and other types of 

information that could affect or would 

be of interest to constituents and 

stakeholders. The update is 

communicated via Listserv, a free 

electronic mail subscription service for 

industry, trade and farm groups, 

consumer interest groups, allied health 

professionals, and other individuals 

who have asked to be included. The 

update is available on the FSIS Web 

page. Through the Listserv and Web 

page, FSIS is able to provide 

information to a much broader and more 

diverse audience. In addition, FSIS 

offers an e-mail subscription service 

which provides automatic and 

customized access to selected food 

safety news and information. This 

service is available at http:// 

www.fsis.usda.gov/news_and_events/ 

email_subscription/. Options range from 

recalls to export information to 

regulations, directives, and notices. 

Customers can add or delete 

subscriptions themselves and have the 

option to password protect their 

account. 

Done at Washington, DC on May 24, 2007. 

David P. Goldman, 

Acting Administrator. 

[FR Doc. E7–10321 Filed 5–29–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–DM–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Food Safety and Inspection Service 

[Docket No. FSIS 2007–0018] 

Disposition of Hogs and Chickens 

From Farms Identified as Having 

Received Pet Food Scraps 

Contaminated With Melamine and 

Melamine-Related Compounds and 

Offered for Slaughter 

AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection 

Service (FSIS), USDA. 

ACTION: Notice and request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: The Food Safety and 

Inspection Service (FSIS) is publishing 

this notice to articulate its position on 

the slaughter for human food of hogs 

and chickens from farms identified as 

having purchased or otherwise received 

pet food scraps that contain melamine 

and melamine-related compounds. The 

contaminated pet food scraps were used 

to supplement animal feed on farms in 

several States. The results of an interim 

safety/risk assessment indicate that, 

based on currently available data and 

information, the consumption of pork, 

poultry, eggs, and domestic fish 

products from animals inadvertently fed 

animal feed contaminated with 

melamine and melamine-related 

compounds is very unlikely to pose a 

human health risk. 

Based on the findings of the interim 

safety/risk assessment, as well as the 

results of validated testing for melamine 

concentration that has been conducted 

on tissue samples of hogs and chickens 

exposed to the adulterated feed, FSIS 

has determined that pork and poultry 

products from all animals identified as 

having been fed animal feed containing 

contaminated pet food scraps are ‘‘not 

adulterated’’ and are thus eligible to 

receive the mark of inspection. All such 

animals that were being held on farms 

have been released and may be offered 

for slaughter for human food. 

DATES: Comments on this Federal 

Register notice must be received by 

August 28, 2007. 

ADDRESSES: FSIS invites interested 

persons to submit comments on the 

findings in this notice. Comments may 

be submitted by any of the following 

methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: This 

Web site provides the ability to type 

short comments directly into the 

comment field on this Web page or 

attach a file for lengthier comments. Go 

to http://www.regulations.gov and, in 

the ‘‘Search for Open Regulations’’ box, 

select ‘‘Food Safety and Inspection 

Service’’ from the agency drop-down 

menu, then click on ‘‘Submit.’’ In the 

Docket ID column, select FDMS Docket 

Number FSIS–2007–0018 to submit or 

view public comments and to view 

supporting and related materials 

available electronically. 

• Mail, including floppy disks or CD–

ROM’s, and hand-or courier-delivered 

items: Send to Docket Clerk, U.S. 

Department of Agriculture, Food Safety 

and Inspection Service, 300 12th Street, 

SW., Room 102 Cotton Annex, 

Washington, DC 20250. 

• Electronic mail: 

fsis.regulationscomments@fsis.usda.gov. 

Individuals who do not wish FSIS to 

post their personal contact information 

— mailing address, e-mail address, 

telephone number — on the Internet 

may leave the information off their 

comments. All submissions received by 

mail or electronic mail must include the 

Agency name and docket number FSIS–

2007–0018. All comments submitted in 

response to this notice, as well as 

research and background information 

used by FSIS in developing this 

document, will be available for public 

inspection in the FSIS Docket Room at 

the address listed above between 8:30 

a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through 

Friday. Comments will also be posted 

on the Agency’s Web site at http:// 

www.fsis.usda.gov/. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. 

Daniel Engeljohn, Deputy Assistant 


sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES
29946 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 103 / Wednesday, May 30, 2007 / Notices 

Administrator, Office of Policy, 

Program, and Employee Development 

(OPPED), (202) 205–0495. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background 

FSIS is responsible for ensuring that 

meat and poultry products are safe, 

wholesome, and accurately labeled. 

FSIS enforces the Federal Meat 

Inspection Act (FMIA) (21 U.S.C. 601 et 

seq.) and the Poultry Products 

Inspection Act (PPIA) (21 U.S.C. 451 et 

seq.). These two statutes require Federal 

inspection and provide for Federal 

regulation of meat and poultry products 

prepared for distribution in commerce 

for use as human food. 

Under the Acts, FSIS inspection 

personnel apply the mark of inspection 

to meat and poultry products if they 

find upon inspection that these articles 

are not adulterated (21 U.S.C. 455, 457; 

21 U.S.C. 604, 606, 607). The Acts 

prohibit the sale or transportation in 

commerce of meat and poultry products 

capable of use as human food that are 

adulterated or misbranded or that have 

not been inspected and passed (21 

U.S.C. 458 (a)(2); 21 U.S.C. 610(c)). The 

Acts also authorize FSIS to take certain 

actions to remove from commerce meat 

or poultry products that the Agency has 

reason to believe are adulterated or 

misbranded, or that have not been 

inspected (21 U.S.C. 467(a),467(b); 21 

U.S.C. 672,673). Under the Acts, a meat 

or poultry product is adulterated if, 

among other circumstances, it bears or 

contains any poisonous or deleterious 

substance that may render it injurious to 

health (21 U.S.C. 453(g)(1), 601(m)(1)); it 

bears or contains (by reason of 

administration of any substance to the 

live animal or poultry, or otherwise) any 

added poisonous or added deleterious 

substance which may in the judgment of 

the Secretary render it unfit for human 

food (21 U.S.C. 453(g)(2), 601(m)(2)); if 

it is for any reason unsound, 

unhealthful, unwholesome, or unfit for 

human food (21 U.S.C. 453(g)(3), 

601(m)(3)); or if it has been prepared, 

packaged, or held under insanitary 

conditions whereby it may have been 

rendered injurious to health (21 U.S.C. 

453(g)(4), 601(m)(4)). 

On April 26, 2007, FSIS and the U.S. 

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 

announced that hogs on farms in certain 

States had consumed animal feed 

supplemented with pet food scraps 

contaminated with melamine and 

melamine-related compounds. On April 

30, 2007, the agencies announced that 

chickens on certain farms in Indiana 

had also been fed poultry feed 

supplemented with melaminecontaminated pet food scraps. FSIS 

learned of the adulterated feed during 

the course of an ongoing FDA 

investigation of pet food associated with 

illnesses and deaths in cats and dogs. 

The pet food was found to contain 

melamine or melamine-related 

compounds (cyanuric acid, ammelide, 

and ammeline). 

Based on the available science and 

information, FDA investigators believed 

that the combination of melamine and 

melamine-related compounds, 

particularly cyanuric acid, caused the 

formation of crystals in the kidneys that 

led to kidney failure in some of the pets 

that had consumed the adulterated pet 

food. The investigation found that the 

source of the melamine and melaminerelated compounds in the pet food was 

products, labeled as rice protein 

concentrate and as wheat gluten, which 

had been imported from China. The 

investigation also revealed that scraps 

from the adulterated pet food had been 

sold to hog and chicken producers and 

feed mills, where they were used to 

supplement animal feed. FDA then 

notified FSIS of its findings regarding 

animal feed. 

When FSIS and FDA announced that 

they had learned that hog and chicken 

farms in various States had purchased 

or otherwise received pet food scraps 

contaminated with melamine and 

melamine-related compounds, the 

agencies noted that some of the hogs 

and chickens that had consumed feed 

supplemented with the contaminated 

pet food scraps may have been 

slaughtered and their products 

distributed in commerce. At that time, 

the agencies also explained that they 

would work with States and industry to 

take the appropriate action with regard 

to the disposition of these products. 

Actions Taken Based on Data 

Concerning the Consumption of Feed 

Supplemented With Adulterated Pet 

Food 

When FSIS learned that hogs and 

chickens had consumed feed that had 

been supplemented with pet food scraps 

contaminated with melamine and 

melamine-related compounds, the 

Agency concluded that risk to human 

health from consuming pork or poultry 

products from these animals was likely 

to be very low. This conclusion was 

based on information that indicated that 

the concentration of melamine and 

melamine-related compounds in the 

adulterated feed was likely very low due 

to dilution. However, because the 

animal feed in question was adulterated, 

and given the information that was 

available at the time, FSIS could not 

rule out the possibility that pork and 

poultry products produced from hogs 

and chickens that consumed the 

adulterated feed could also be 

adulterated. Therefore, all animals that 

had been identified as having consumed 

feed supplemented with pet food scraps 

contaminated with melamine and 

melamine-related compounds and that 

were not yet offered for slaughter were 

placed under State quarantine or 

voluntarily held by the producers. 

In a press release issued on May 7, 

2007, FDA and FSIS announced the 

results of a human health risk 

assessment estimating the risk to human 

health from melamine and melaminerelated compounds through the 

consumption of edible animal products 

derived from poultry, pork, and fish. 

This human health risk assessment has 

since been updated with new 

information and is hereafter referred to 

as the interim safety/risk assessment. 

The interim safety/risk assessment 

concludes that, based on currently 

available data and information, the 

consumption of pork, poultry, eggs, and 

domestic fish products from animals 

inadvertently fed animal feed 

contaminated with melamine and 

melamine-related compounds is very 

unlikely to pose a human health risk. In 

a Notice of Availability published in 

this issue of the Federal Register, FDA 

is announcing the availability of this 

‘‘Interim Melamine and Analogues 

Safety/Risk Assessment.’’

In the May 7, 2007, press release, FDA 

and FSIS also announced that several 

samples of feed from farms identified as 

having received contaminated pet food 

scraps had been tested by Federal 

laboratories or state laboratories using 

approved methods and the tests did not 

detect the presence of melamine and 

melamine-related compounds. The 

negative tests most likely reflected the 

fact that, because of dilution, the 

amount of melamine and melaminerelated compounds present in the feed 

was so small that the compounds were 

no longer detectable by the approved 

testing method. 

After considering the new information 

presented in the interim safety/risk 

assessment, together with the recent test 

results that found that melamine 

concentrations in some of the 

adulterated feed was below the level of 

detection, FSIS determined that it 

would be appropriate at that time for the 

Agency to permit, under certain 

conditions, hogs and chickens that had 

been identified as having consumed 

adulterated feed to be offered for 

slaughter. Therefore, at that time, FSIS 

decided to allow hogs and chickens 

identified as having consumed 

adulterated feed to be offered for 

slaughter for human food if the feed had 


sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 103 / Wednesday, May 30, 2007 / Notices 29947 

been tested by a Federal laboratory or 

state laboratory using approved methods 

and the test did not detect the presence 

of melamine and melamine-related 

compounds. FSIS concluded that under 

these conditions, FSIS would be able to 

find that pork and poultry products 

from animals that had consumed 

adulterated feed were ‘‘not adulterated’’

and thus eligible to receive the mark of 

inspection. 

At that time, hogs and chickens that 

had been identified as having consumed 

feed that had tested positive for 

melamine and melamine-related 

compounds, as well as animals that had 

been identified as having consumed 

feed supplemented with contaminated 

pet food scraps but none of the 

adulterated feed was available for 

testing, continued to be held under State 

quarantine or voluntarily by the 

producers. The disposition of these 

animals was to be determined on the 

basis of information from on-going 

investigations of hogs and chickens 

identified as having consumed 

adulterated feed. As part of these 

investigations, samples of animal feed, 

urine, and tissues were collected and 

analyzed for melamine concentration. 

In addition, based on the information 

that was available at the time, including 

information in the interim safety/risk 

assessment, FSIS concluded that it did 

not have sufficient evidence to 

demonstrate that the pork or poultry 

products that had already been 

distributed in commerce were injurious 

to health, unfit for human food, or 

otherwise adulterated under the FMIA 

or PPIA. Therefore, FSIS decided that it 

would not take action to remove from 

commerce any pork or poultry products 

that were produced from hogs and 

chickens that had consumed feed 

supplemented with pet food scraps 

contaminated with melamine and 

melamine-related compounds, but that 

had been slaughtered and processed 

prior to May 7, 2007. Thus, FSIS did not 

request that companies voluntarily 

recall the affected products from 

commerce. Information on the safety of 

pork and poultry from animals 

inadvertently fed adulterated feed that 

has become available since that time 

and is now reported in the interim 

safety/risk assessment further affirms 

this decision. 

Actions Taken in Response to Tissue 

Test Results 

As discussed above, as part of the ongoing investigations of hogs and 

chickens identified as having consumed 

feed supplemented with pet food scraps 

contaminated with melamine and 

melamine-related compounds, samples 

of animal feed, urine, and tissues were 

collected and analyzed for melamine 

concentration. Information from these 

ongoing investigations is being used to 

examine the relationship between 

melamine levels in feed and the levels 

in animal tissues, assess the changes in 

melamine level in the animals over 

time, and compare the level found in 

animals and feed with concentrations 

that could pose a risk to humans. 

On May 12, 2007, FSIS completed its 

validation of the methodology used to 

detect melamine concentration in pork 

tissues. The current analytical method 

for measuring melamine concentrations 

in pork can screen for melamine 

concentrations in pork tissue at 50 ppb 

and above. It should be noted that 50 

ppb represents a conservative estimate 

for the method employed. All pork 

samples analyzed to date have had 

melamine concentrations below the 

validated 50 ppb screening level (ranges 

measured were estimated to be from 9 

to 12 ppb), including samples from hogs 

identified as having consumed the 

highest percentage of pet food scraps, as 

to which the hog feed was composed 

primarily, if not exclusively, of the 

contaminated pet food scraps. 

On May 15, 2007, USDA issued a 

press release that announced that results 

of testing conducted on tissue samples 

from hogs confirm that meat from hogs 

fed animal feed supplemented with pet 

food scraps containing melamine and 

melamine-related compounds is safe for 

human consumption. The press release 

also announced that hogs being held on 

farms because they had consumed 

adulterated feed would be released and 

approved for slaughter and processing 

into human food. The press release 

explained that the interim safety/risk 

assessment had been updated to reflect 

the melamine concentration for pork of 

50 ppb screening level. The conclusion 

of the interim safety/risk assessment did 

not change. 

Subsequent to the development of the 

validated testing method for hog tissue, 

FSIS validated the test methodology 

used to screen for melamine 

concentration levels in poultry tissue at 

the 50 ppb level. All poultry tissue 

samples analyzed to date have had 

melamine concentrations below 50 ppb. 

On May 18, 2007, a USDA press release 

announced that the validated test for 

poultry confirms the safety of eating 

meat from chickens fed poultry feed 

supplemented with pet food scraps 

containing melamine and melaminerelated compounds. The press release 

also announced that, based on the 

results of the tests, approximately 

80,000 birds that were being held on 

farms in Indiana were to be released and 

approved for slaughter and processing 

into human food. 

Thus, as announced on May 15, 2007, 

regarding hogs, and on May 18, 2007, 

regarding chickens, FSIS has decided to 

allow all animals identified as having 

consumed pet food scraps contaminated 

with melamine and melamine-related 

compounds to be offered for slaughter. 

Based on the results of the measured 

melamine concentration in pork and 

poultry tissue samples from animals 

exposed to adulterated feed, together 

with the findings of the interim safety/ 

risk assessment, FSIS had determined 

that it is able to find that pork and 

poultry products from animals that have 

consumed feed that contains pet food 

scraps contaminated with melamine and 

melamine-related compounds are ‘‘not 

adulterated’’ and thus eligible to receive 

the mark of inspection as required 

under the FMIA and PPIA. 

At the time of publication of this 

Federal Register notice, all hogs and 

chickens that were previously under 

State quarantine or being held 

voluntarily by the producers because 

they had been identified as having 

consumed adulterated feed have been 

released. 

Request for Comments 

FSIS requests comments on the 

findings articulated by FSIS in this 

Federal Register notice, and specifically 

on whether the FSIS findings are 

appropriate to protect public health. 

Comments on the interim safety/risk 

assessment should be submitted to FDA 

as instructed elsewhere in this issue of 

the Federal Register. 

Additional Public Notification 

Public awareness of all segments of 

rulemaking and policy development is 

important. Consequently, in an effort to 

ensure that minorities, women, and 

persons with disabilities are aware of 

this document, FSIS will announce it 

on-line through the FSIS Web page 

located at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/ 

regulations_&_policies/ 

2007_Notices_Index/index.asp. FSIS 

will also make copies of this Federal 

Register publication available through 

the FSIS Constituent Update, which is 

used to provide information regarding 

FSIS policies, procedures, regulations, 

Federal Register notices, FSIS public 

meetings, recalls, and other types of 

information that could affect or would 

be of interest to constituents and 

stakeholders. The update is 

communicated via Listserv, a free 

electronic mail subscription service for 

industry, trade and farm groups, 

consumer interest groups, allied health 

professionals, and other individuals 


sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES
29948 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 103 / Wednesday, May 30, 2007 / Notices 

who have asked to be included. The 

update is available on the FSIS Web 

page. Through the Listserv and Web 

page, FSIS is able to provide 

information to a much broader and more 

diverse audience. In addition, FSIS 

offers an e-mail subscription service 

which provides automatic and 

customized access to selected food 

safety news and information. This 

service is available at http:// 

www.fsis.usda.gov/news_and_events/ 

email_subscription/. 

Options range from recalls to export 

information to regulations, directives 

and notices. Customers can add or 

delete subscriptions themselves and 

have the option to password-protect 

their account. 

Done at Washington, DC, on May 23, 2007. 

David Goldman, 

Acting Administrator. 

[FR Doc. 07–2649 Filed 5–25–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–DM–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Forest Service 

Caribou-Targhee National Forest, 

Idaho; Big Bend Ridge Vegetation 

Management Project and Timber Sale 

Supplement Environmental Impact 

Statement and Proposed Targhee 

Revised Forest Plan Amendment 

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a 

supplemental environmental impact 

statement. 

SUMMARY: The Caribou-Targhee National 

Forest proposes to supplement the Big 

Bend Ridge Vegetation Management 

Project and Timber Sale analysis and to 

consider amending the Targhee Revised 

Forest Plan with regard to old growth 

and aspen. The supplement will provide 

additional analysis and disclosure of 

environmental effects. 

DATES: Comments concerning the scope 

of the analysis must be received within 

45 days from the date of this 

publication. The draft supplemental 

environmental impact statement is 

expected in September 2007. The 

comment period on the draft 

supplemental environmental impact 

statement will be 45 days from the date 

the Environmental Protection Agency 

publishes the notice of availability in 

the Federal Register. The final 

supplemental environmental impact 

statement is expected in early 2008. 

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to 

Robbin Redman, Forest Planner, 

Caribou-Targhee National Forest, 1405 

Hollipark Drive, Idaho Falls, Idaho 

83401. Electronic comments can be 

submitted in rich text format (.rtf), or 

Word (.doc) to comments-intermtncaribou-targhee@fs.fed.us. 

For further information, mail 

correspondence to Robbin Redman, 

Forest Planner, Caribou-Targhee 

National Forest, 1405 Hollipark Drive, 

Idaho Falls, Idaho 83401 or call (208) 

557–5821. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Robbin Redman, Forest Planner, 

Caribou-Targhee National Forest, USDA, 

(see address above). 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Forest 

Service, working with the public, 

developed the Big Bend Ridge 

Vegetation Management Project and 

Timber Sale over numerous years 

beginning in 1998. The process 

included publishing a Notice of Intent 

(NOI), seeking comments (scoping) on 

the proposed project and also seeking 

comments on the Draft EIS that 

included various alternatives for the 

project. On December 12, 2003 a Record 

of Decision selecting Alternative C was 

signed by the Forest Supervisor. This 

decision was appealed and upheld by 

the Intermountain Regional Forester. 

After the ROD was upheld on appeal, 

a Complaint was filed in Idaho District 

Court. In the Complaint the Plaintiffs 

sought to enjoin the Big Bend 

Vegetation Management Project and 

Timber Sale project. The Court did not 

enjoin the Big Bend Vegetation 

Management Project and Timber Sale in 

its November 2004 ruling stating the 

logging was not imminent. The Court 

did enjoin the Big Bend Ridge 

Vegetation Project and Timber Sale on 

September 28, 2005 in its Memorandum 

Decision and Order when it determined 

the logging was imminent. 

To address the Court’s decision on the 

Big Bend Ridge Vegetation Project and 

Timber Sale, the Forest has completed 

a draft vegetation assessment of old 

growth and aspen for the Targhee 

National Forest. This preliminary 

information revealed that more 

clarification and guidance in the 

Targhee Revised Forest Plan (TRFP) is 

needed to assess, monitor, and manage 

old growth and aspen forests, and the 

proposed Targhee amendment is a result 

of this assessment. 

Purpose and Need for Action 

New information and a court ruling 

on the Big Bend Ridge Vegetation 

Management Project has shown that 

more clarification and guidance to 

assess, monitor, and manage old growth 

forest is needed. The Forest has 

determined a need to supplement the 

Big Bend Ridge Vegetation Management 

Project and Timber Sale analysis and to 

consider updating the Targhee Revised 

Forest Plan (TRFP) with regard to 

managing old growth, and aspen forests. 

This draft assessment will be used in 

the Forest’s review of the Big Bend 

Ridge Vegetation Management Project 

and Timber Sale and incorporated into 

the DSEIS and FSEIS for the project. In 

the SEIS process for the Big Bend Ridge 

Vegetation Management Project and 

Timber Sale, the Forest will consider 

amending the TRFP as needed to 

address clarification of old growth forest 

and aspen. 

The purpose and need for the Big 

Bend Ridge Vegetation Management 

Project and Timber Sale is: (1) Need for 

ecosystems and their components to be 

resilient to disturbances to structure, 

composition and processes at 

appropriate landscape scales. (2) Need 

to improve overall representation of 

forested age classes across the landscape 

over the long-term. (3) Need to maintain 

and regenerate declining species (at 

risk). (4) Need to provide for a sustained 

yield of forest products. 

Proposed Action 

The Forest will supplement the 

analysis for the Big Bend Ridge 

Vegetation Management Project and 

Timber Sale with regard to old growth, 

and aspen. The Forest also proposes to 

amend the TRFP to make it consistent 

regarding old growth, and aspen. 

The Forest proposes to develop 

Desired Future Conditions for old 

growth, and aspen that would be 

incorporated into the Targhee Revised 

Forest Plan. The Forest also proposes to 

remove the current guidance for old 

growth/late seral management found on 

page III–12–13 #6 of the Targhee 

Revised Forest Plan. 

The Big Bend Ridge Vegetation 

Management Project includes the 

following: harvesting by thinning from 

below and also some limited sanitation 

improvement harvest, planting a limited 

amount of trees (approximately 200 

acres), closing some non-system roads 

before and after harvest, relocating a 

specific road, some maintenance of 

roads used in the harvest activities, 

fencing some aspen units if needed, and 

some temporary road construction with 

rehabilitation after harvest. 

Possible Alternatives 

The Forest has developed the 

Proposed Action for the TRFP 

amendment as discussed above and the 

no-action alternative. 

Responsible Official 

The responsible official is: Lawrence 

Timchak, Forest Supervisor, CaribouVerDate Aug<31>2005 19:13 May 29, 2007 Jkt 211001 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\30MYN1.SGM 30MYN1

sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES