21722 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 70 / Wednesday, April 11, 2012 / Notices 

moderate/high intensity wildfires, as 

well as minimizing the spread of 

wildfire originating from developed 

areas onto forested lands. There is a 

need to treat the surface (dead and 

down fuels) and ladder fuels to reduce 

the risk of spread and intensity of 

wildfire. 

Proposed Action 

The Whisky Ridge Ecological 

Restoration Project proposes to; 

• Restore key wildlife structures and 

improve wildlife habitat by maintaining 

and restoring key components that are 

utilized for shelter, reproduction sites, 

resting or food sources; 

• Increase resiliency of mixed conifer, 

pine and fir stands through density 

management by beginning the process of 

returning treatment areas to conditions 

more closely resembling those present 

prior to the early 1900s; 

• Maintain or improve growth and 

vigor of pine, mixed conifer, and fir 

stands, as well as conifer plantations 

through density management; 

• Minimize the effects of wildland 

fire in the high risk (probability of 

ignition occurring), high hazard 

(availability of fuels to sustain a fire) 

wildland urban intermix area, and 

surrounding forest by reducing the 

potential for uncharacteristically large 

and severe wildfire and facilitate 

conditions that result in low-tomoderate severity wildland fire; 

• Treat surface and ladder fuels to 

reduce the potential for a surface fire to 

transition into a sustained crown fire; 

• Allow for the reintroduction of fire 

as a process restoration tool; 

• Recover failed conifer plantations 

and openings by planting conifers 

within specific sites; 

• Use integrated weed management to 

prevent and control infestations of 

noxious weeds; 

• Restore production and enhance 

vitality of culturally gathered plant 

material; 

• Protect the historic values and 

characteristics of archaeological and 

historical cultural resources and 

improve their integrity by reducing fuels 

within cultural resource sites; 

• Restore and stabilize degraded 

watershed features such as meadows, 

streams, and riparian features by 

improving channel stability; 

• Decommission unapproved trails 

that are contributing to resource 

degradation; 

• Review the Sierra National Forest 

Motorized Travel Management plan and 

determine if any roads within the 

Project area recommended for potential 

decommissioning should be addressed 

under this proposal; 

• Minimize livestock impacts to 

riparian features by developing range 

improvements (e.g. off-site water 

developments). 

The Whisky Ridge Ecological 

Restoration Project encompasses 18,285 

acres. Approximately 7,500 acres would 

be analyzed for treatments. 

Possible Alternatives 

To comply with NEPA, the Forest 

Service will evaluate additional 

alternatives to the proposed action 

developed based on public comments. A 

no action alternative to provide a 

baseline for comparison to the action 

alternatives will be included within the 

EIS. Each alternative will be explored 

and evaluated, or rationale will be given 

for eliminating an alternative from 

detailed study. 

Responsible Official 

The Responsible Deciding Official is 

Scott G. Armentrout, Forest Supervisor, 

Sierra National Forest, 1600 Tollhouse 

Road, Clovis, CA 93612. 

Nature of Decision To Be Made 

The Forest Supervisor will decide 

whether to implement the proposed 

action, take an alternative action that 

meets the purpose and need or take no 

action. 

Scoping Process 

The notice of intent initiates the 

scoping process, which guides the 

development of the environmental 

impact statement. The project is 

included in the Sierra National Forest’s 

quarterly scheduled of proposed actions 

(SOPA). Information on the proposed 

action will also be posted on the Sierra 

National Forests Web site, http:// 

www.fs.fed.us/nepa/fs-usda-pop.php/ 

?project=37829, and will also be 

advertised in both the Fresno Bee and 

the Oakhurst Sierra Star. This notice of 

intent initiates the scoping process, 

which guides the development of the 

environmental impact statement. 

Comments submited during this 

scoping period 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 comnenter has with the 

proposal. It is important reviewers 

provide their comments at such times in 

such a manner that they are useful to 

the agency’s preparation on the 

environmental impact statement. 

Dated: April 4, 2012. 

Scott G. Armentrout, 

Forest Supervisor. 

[FR Doc. 2012–8661 Filed 4–10–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–11–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Forest Service 

Gore Creek Restoration Project; Intent 

To Prepare an Environmental Impact 

Statement 

AGENCY: Medicine Bow-Routt National 

Forests, Forest Service, USDA. 

Project: Gore Creek Restoration 

Project. 

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, Medicine Bow-Routt National 

Forests, will prepare a Draft 

Environmental Impact Statement to 

disclose the environmental 

consequences of the proposed Gore 

Creek Restoration Project (Gore Creek). 

The Gore Creek analysis area 

encompasses approximately 76,000 

acres of National Forest System (NFS) 

land with 6,900 acres of interspersed 

private land. 

The Yampa Ranger District is 

proposing a variety of actions in the 

Gore Pass area to improve watershed 

health and reduce potential erosion 

issues. Timber harvesting that took 

place outside of previously analyzed 

timber sale boundaries has resulted in 

impacts that had not been previously 

analyzed. Before rehabilitation can be 

completed, a new analysis must be 

conducted to address the previous 

activities and the proposed 

rehabilitation activities. 

In order to complete previously 

analyzed vegetation management 

projects, an analysis of additional 

temporary roads needs to occur. 

Included in the analysis is the further 

consideration of the roads that would be 

necessary to complete both proposed, 

remaining timber management activities 

and the restoration activities. The 

analysis will be used to determine the 

best methods for minimizing watershed 

impacts from the current roads, 

proposed roads and road construction. 

Included in the analysis of the existing 

and proposed road construction will be 

the consideration of restoration of 

dispersed campsites within riparian 

areas within the project area, which may 

be impacting watershed health. Also 

included in the analysis will be the 

effects of disposing of merchantable 

timber and other vegetation resulting 

from emergency clearing work within 

the power line right-of-ways in the 

analysis area. 

DATES: Comments concerning the scope 

of the analysis should be received by 30 


wreier-aviles on DSK5TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 70 / Wednesday, April 11, 2012 / Notices 21723 

days from the publication of this Notice. 

The Draft Environmental Impact 

Statement is expected to be available for 

public review in January 2013, the Final 

Environmental Impact Statement is 

expected to be available in March 2013, 

and the Record of Decision is expected 

to be released in March 2013. 

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to 

Jack Lewis, Yampa District Ranger, P.O. 

Box 7, Yampa, Colorado 80483 or email 

comments to comments-rockymountain-medicine-bowyampa@fs.fed.us. All comments, 

including names and addresses of 

commenters, when provided, are placed 

in the record and will be available for 

public inspection and copying. The 

public may review the comments at the 

Yampa Ranger District, 300 Roselawn 

Ave., Yampa, Colorado 80483. Visitors 

are encouraged to call ahead to (970) 

638–4516 to facilitate entry into the 

building. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Jamie Krezelok, Project Manager, Hahn 

Peaks/Bears Ears Ranger District, 925 

Weiss Drive, Steamboat Springs, 

Colorado 80487, (970) 870–2256 or 

email—jkrezelok@fs.fed.us. Individuals 

who use telecommunication devices for 

the deaf (TTF) may call the Federal 

Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1– 

800–877–8339 between 8 a.m. and 8 

p.m., Eastern Standard Time, Monday 

through Friday. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Purpose and Need for Action 

The purpose of the Gore Creek project 

is to address the environmental impacts 

created during implementation of the 

Rock Creek decision and reduce current 

impacts associated with roads in the 

analysis area. 

The needs for the proposed action 

include: 

• Analyzing the landings, slash piles, 

and skid trails that were inadvertently 

created during timber sale activities. 

• Analyze effects of temporary roads 

needed to complete the Rock Creek 

sales. 

• Analyze additional proposed 

actions associated with completing the 

Rock Creek sales. 

• Analyze the clean-up activities for 

powerlines in the analysis area. 

• Improve watershed health through 

relocation and/or decommissioning of 

roads and dispersed campsites that may 

be causing adverse impacts to stream 

networks within the project boundary. 

Proposed Action 

The Yampa Ranger District of the 

Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests, 

proposes to authorize vegetation 

management and restoration activities 

on specified areas within the Gore Creek 

Restoration project area in order to meet 

or move toward desired conditions in a 

specified timeframe. Vegetation 

treatments may include; piling and 

stacking of timber that has already been 

cut, removing decks, and pile burning. 

Associated rehabilitation activities on 

landings, slash piles, skid trails, and 

temporary roads may include; ripping, 

seeding, slash, re-contouring, 

scarification, and erosion control. 

Watershed improvement projects are 

proposed on National Forest System 

Roads (NFSR) 185, 241, 242, 243, and 

246 and may include; changing primary 

type of use on portions of existing roads, 

improving drainage on roads, re-routing 

portions of system roads, road 

decommissioning, new road 

construction, and dispersed campsite 

decommissioning along streams. 

Responsible Official 

The Official responsible for this 

proposal is Jack H. Lewis, District 

Ranger, Yampa Ranger District, The 

responsible Official will consider the 

analysis and conclusions of the 

environmental effects and then 

document the final decision in a Record 

of Decision (ROD). 

Nature of Decision To Be Made 

The Gore Creek Restoration 

Environmental Impact Statement will 

document the site-specific management 

proposals, alternatives to the Proposed 

Action, and the analysis of the effects of 

the activities proposed in the 

alternatives. It will form the basis for the 

Responsible Official to determine: (1) 

Whether or not the Proposed Action and 

alternatives are responsive to the issues, 

consistent with Forest Plan direction 

and if not whether a Forest Plan 

amendment would be necessary, meet 

the purpose and need, and are 

consistent with other related laws and 

regulations directing National Forest 

Management activities; (2) whether or 

not the information in the analysis is 

sufficient to implement proposed 

activities; and (3) which actions, if any, 

to approve. 

Comment Requested 

This notice of intent initiates the 

scoping process that guides the 

development of the environmental 

impact statement. Comments that are 

site-specific in nature are most helpful 

to resource professionals when trying to 

narrow and address the public’s issues 

and concerns. 

All comments will be reviewed and 

considered to identify relevant issues. 

Issues that cannot be resolved through 

design features or minor changes to the 

Proposed Action may generate 

alternatives to the Proposed Action. 

This process is driven by comments 

received from the public, other agencies, 

and internal Forest Service concerns. To 

assist in commenting, a scoping letter 

providing more detail on the project 

proposal has been prepared and is 

available to interested parties at http:// 

www.fs.usda.gov/projects/mbr/ 

landmanagement/projects. Contact 

Jamie Krezelok, Project Coordinator, at 

the address listed in this notice of intent 

if you would like to receive a copy. 

Dated: April 4, 2012. 

Melissa A. Dressen, 

Yampa Acting District Ranger. 

[FR Doc. 2012–8585 Filed 4–10–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–11–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

Submission for OMB Review; 

Comment Request 

The Department of Commerce will 

submit to the Office of Management and 

Budget (OMB) for clearance the 

following proposal for collection of 

information under the provisions of the 

Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 

chapter 35). 

Agency: U.S. Census Bureau. 

Title: Generic Clearance for 

Geographic Partnership Programs. 

OMB Control Number: 0607–0795. 

Form Number(s): Various. 

Type of Request: Extension of a 

currently approved collection. 

Burden Hours: 200,450. 

Number of Respondents: 39,109. 

Average Hours per Response: 15 

hours on average. 

Needs and Uses: The U.S. Census 

Bureau requests approval from the 

Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB) for a three year extension of the 

generic clearance called the Geographic 

Partnership Programs (GPPs) that covers 

a number of activities needed to update 

or conduct research on the Master 

Address File/Topologically Integrated 

Geographic Encoding and Referencing 

(MAF/TIGER) System. The information 

collected by these programs in 

cooperation with tribal, state, and local 

governments is essential to the mission 

of the Census Bureau and directly 

contributes to the successful outcome of 

censuses and surveys conducted by the 

Census Bureau. The generic clearance 

allows the Census Bureau to focus its 

limited resources on actual operational 

planning, development of procedures, 

and implementation of programs to 

update and improve the geographic and 


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