2404 Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 10 / Friday, January 14, 2022 / Notices 

Resources Program, including 

agricultural sciences, economics and 

policy, environmental sciences, natural 

resource sciences, health sciences, and 

nutritional sciences; 3 members from 

the general public and shall include 

leaders in fields of public policy, 

community development, trade, 

international development, law, or 

management; and 4 members with 

expertise in cultivar development and 

animal breed development. In addition, 

4 of the members of the NGRAC shall 

be appointed from among individuals 

representing: 1862 land-grant colleges 

and universities; 1890 land-grant 

colleges and universities; Hispanicserving institutions; or 1994 Equity in 

Education land-grant institutions. 

Nominations 

Nominations are open to all 

individuals without regard to race, 

color, religion, sex, national origin, age, 

mental or physical handicap, marital 

status, or sexual orientation. To ensure 

the recommendation of the Advisory 

Board takes into account the needs of 

the diverse groups served by the USDA, 

membership shall include, to the extent 

practicable, individuals with 

demonstrated ability to represent the 

needs of all racial and ethnic groups, 

women and men, and persons with 

disabilities. 

Please note, individuals may not serve 

on more than one USDA Federal 

Advisory Committee. Individuals who 

are federally registered lobbyists, 

appointed to committees to exercise 

their own individual best judgment on 

behalf of the government (e.g., as 

Special Government Employees), are 

ineligible to serve. 

All nominees will be carefully 

reviewed for their relevant experience, 

expertise, and leadership. Appointed 

members will serve one-, two-, or threeyear terms in order to properly stagger 

term rotation. All nominees will be 

vetted before selection. Appointments to 

the NAREEE Advisory Board and its 

committees and subcommittees will be 

made by the Secretary of Agriculture. 

Instructions 

The following information must be 

included in the package of materials 

submitted for each, individual being 

nominated for consideration: (1) AD– 

755 https://www.ocio.usda.gov/ 

document/ad-755 stating your full birth 

name and completed application in its 

entirety; (2) A letter(s) of nomination 

stating the Board (Board Category)/ 

Subcommittee (SCC, CDS, NGRAC) 

must be identified (3) 1 page bio of 

nominee; and (4) a current copy of the 

nominee’s resume ́. You may apply for as 

many categories on the Advisory Board 

and Committees and/or subcommittee(s) 

and this must be stated in your 

application and nomination letter(s). 

Nomination packages may be submitted 

directly by the individual being 

nominated or by the person/ 

organization recommending the 

candidate. 

Nominee Selection 

Nominated individuals will be picked 

by the Secretary of Agriculture based on 

how well they meet the required 

qualifications and the current needs of 

the Board/Subcommittees. It is 

anticipated that the members will start 

serving on the Advisory Board/ 

committees/subcommittee beginning 

October 1, 2022. 

ADDRESSES: All sections of the AD–755 

form must be filled out completely and 

signed from the nominee. The 

completed AD–755 and any submission 

of letters of support can be sent via 

Email to nareee@usda.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kate 

Lewis, Executive Director, National 

Agricultural Research, Extension, 

Education, and Economics Advisory 

Board, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, 

Room 6019, The South Building, 

Washington, DC 20250–2255; telephone: 

202–720–3684 or email: nareee@

usda.gov. Committee website: https://

nareeeab.ree.usda.gov/. 

Done at Washington, DC, this day of 

January 10, 2022. 

Cikena Reid, 

USDA Committee Management Officer. 

[FR Doc. 2022–00650 Filed 1–13–22; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–03–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Forest Service 

Big Piney Ranger District and Greys 

River Ranger District; Bridger-Teton 

National Forest; Wyoming, Dell Creek 

and Forest Park Elk Feedgrounds: 

Long-Term Special Use Permits 

AGENCY: Forest Service, Agriculture 

(USDA). 

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an 

environmental impact statement. 

SUMMARY: The Bridger-Teton National 

Forest (BTNF) is preparing an 

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) 

for the Dell Creek and Forest Park 

Feedgrounds: Long-Term Special Use 

Permit project. The Wyoming Game and 

Fish Commission (WGFC) has applied 

for continued use of facilities on 

National Forest System lands to conduct 

their elk management activities, 

including providing hay to wintering 

elk at Dell Creek and Forest Park 

feedgrounds between mid-November 

and the end of April. The Dell Creek 

feedground is in the Big Piney Ranger 

District on Dell Creek Road (Forest 

Service Road 30600) about 4 miles east 

of Highway 191/189, in Bondurant, 

Wyoming, and has been maintained by 

the WGFC under a Forest Service 

special use permit since 1975. The 

Forest Park feedground is in the Greys 

River Ranger District along the Greys 

River Road (Forest Service Road 10138) 

about 33 miles from Alpine, Wyoming, 

and has been maintained by the WGFC 

under a Forest Service special use 

permit since 1979. The Forest Service 

action is to determine whether to 

authorize the requested long-term use 

and if so, under what conditions. 

DATES: Comments concerning the scope 

of the analysis must be received by 

February 14, 2022. The draft 

environmental impact statement is 

expected January 2023 and the final 

environmental impact statement is 

expected January 2024. 

ADDRESSES: Scoping comments can be 

submitted electronically through the 

project web page or directly to https:// 

cara.ecosystem-management.org/ 

Public//CommentInput?Project=60949. 

Comments may also be mailed to P.O. 

Box 1888, Jackson, WY 83001, or sent 

via facsimile to 307–739–5010. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Visit 

the project web page at https://www.fs.

usda.gov/project/?project=60949 for 

current information. A public meeting 

will be held virtually during the 

comment period to share information 

about the project. For additional 

information contact Mary Cernicek, 

Planning and Public Affairs Staff Officer 

by email at mary.cernicek@usda.gov or 

by phone at 307–739–5564 or cellphone 

307–413–2481. Individuals who use 

telecommunication devices for the deaf/ 

hard-of-hearing (TDD) may call the 

Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1–800– 

877–8339, 24 hours a day, every day of 

the year, including holidays. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Purpose and Need for Action 

The Forest Service received a request 

from the WGFC to continue to use 

facilities at Dell Creek and Forest Park 

feedgrounds to conduct their elk winter 

feeding and related management 

activities. Under 36 Code of Federal 

Regulations (CFR) 251.50, authorization 

is required for this type of special use 

of National Forest System lands. The 

purpose of the WGFC’s proposal is to 

prevent conflicts with nearby livestock 

operations including reduce the risk of 


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Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 10 / Friday, January 14, 2022 / Notices 2405 

brucellosis transmission, maintain elk 

population objectives pursuant to the 

interests of their constituents and 

without excessive winter elk mortality, 

and prevent vehicle collisions on 

Highway 191. The purpose of the 

federal action is to decide whether to 

approve the WGFC’s request and, if so, 

under what conditions to continue to 

permit the use. As part of the federal 

action, the Forest Service must ensure 

that the decision complies with the 

BTNF Land and Resource Management 

Plan (Forest Plan), Forest Service 

regulations and policies, and other 

applicable direction. Pertinent direction 

in the Forest Plan includes but is not 

limited to: An objective to ‘‘[p]rovide 

suitable and adequate habitat to support 

the game and fish populations 

established by the Wyoming Game and 

Fish Department, as agreed to by the 

Forest Service’’ (Objective 2.1(a)); and to 

‘‘[h]elp re-establish historic elk 

migration routes to provide increased 

viewing and hunting opportunities for 

outfitters and clients’’ (Objective 1.1(g)). 

The need for the federal action is to 

respond to the WGFC’s application as 

required under 36 CFR 251.50. In 

addition, the need for the federal action 

is to address any gaps between desired 

and existing conditions at Dell Creek 

and Forest Park feedgrounds associated 

with disease (including brucellosis and 

chronic wasting disease), elk habitat, 

recreation opportunities (hunting and 

wildlife viewing), and the condition of 

soil, vegetation, riparian areas, and 

associated fish and wildlife. 

Proposed Action 

The WGFC’s proposal is to continue 

long-term use (20 years) of the Dell 

Creek feedground (35 acres), Forest Park 

feedgound (100 acres), and existing 

facilities for their winter elk 

management program. Hay would be 

distributed from horse-drawn sleighs 

daily between November 15th and April 

30th, depending on winter conditions. 

The WGFC would maintain and operate 

existing facilities necessary for their 

ongoing winter elk management 

activities including: Hay storage sheds, 

fenced stackyard, corrals, elk traps, 

fencing, 0.25 mile of road, bridge, cabin, 

spring development, water well and 

portable tack shed. No new construction 

would be permitted. Winter elk 

management activities would include, 

but are not limited to, feeding, 

capturing, collaring, vaccinating and 

testing elk, and removing seropositive 

elk from the population. 

Preliminary Alternatives 

Three preliminary alternatives, in 

addition to the proposed action, have 

been identified. (1) No Special Use 

Authorization Alternative: Use of 

National Forest System lands for 

WGFC’s winter elk management 

activities would not be permitted at Dell 

Creek and Forest Park feedgrounds. 

WGFC would remove the existing 

facilities and re-habilitate impacts at 

both locations. (2) Phase-Out 

Alternative: Use of National Forest 

System lands for WGFC’s winter elk 

management activities would be 

permitted at Dell Creek and Forest Park 

feedgrounds for less than 20 years. The 

number of days elk would be fed would 

decrease over time. Upon expiration of 

the permit, use of National Forest 

System lands for WGFC’s winter elk 

management activities would be 

terminated and WGFC would remove 

the existing facilities and re-habilitate 

impacts at both locations. (3) Emergency 

Feeding Only Alternative: Use of 

National Forest System lands for 

WGFC’s winter elk management 

activities would be permitted at Dell 

Creek and Forest Park feedgrounds for 

emergency use only. Upon expiration of 

the permit, use of National Forest 

System lands for WGFC’s winter elk 

management activities would be 

terminated and WGFC would remove 

the existing facilities and re-habilitate 

impacts at both locations. Alternatives 

will be developed based on comments 

received and issues identified. 

Expected Impacts 

The effect of the Forest Service 

authorizing the WGFC’s occupancy of 

Dell Creek and Forest Park feedgrounds 

and use of associated facilities would be 

that the WGFC utilizes these 

feedgrounds to implement their elk 

management program. Under the 

WGFC’s elk management program, 

supplemental winter feeding increases 

over-winter elk survival by maintaining 

body condition. Winter feeding of elk 

reduces transmission of diseases to 

livestock, such as brucellosis, by 

reducing commingling of wintering elk 

and livestock. The continuation of 

feedground operations may increase elk 

mortality by increasing the prevalence 

of chronic wasting disease in the elk 

herds that use the feedgrounds. 

Conversely, terminating elk winter 

feeding may reduce elk winter survival. 

A decrease in the health and population 

size of elk herds would negatively 

impact hunting and wildlife viewing 

opportunities. 

Lead and Cooperating Agencies 

Forest Service is the lead agency and 

Wyoming Game and Fish Department, 

Wyoming Department of Agriculture, 

and U.S. Geological Survey are 

cooperating agencies. 

Responsible Official 

The responsible official is the Forest 

Supervisor of the Bridger-Teton 

National Forest, Patricia O’Connor. 

Scoping Comments and the Objection 

Process 

This notice of intent initiates the 

scoping process, which guides the 

development of the environmental 

impact statement. In this process the 

Agency is requesting comments on 

potential alternatives and impacts, and 

identification of any relevant 

information, studies or analyses of any 

kind concerning impacts affecting the 

quality of the human environment. 

It is important that reviewers provide 

their comments at such times and in 

such manner that they are useful to the 

agency’s preparation of the 

environmental impact statement. 

Therefore, comments should be 

provided prior to the close of the 

comment period and should clearly 

articulate the reviewer’s concerns and 

contentions. Commenting during 

scoping and any other designated 

opportunity to comment provided by 

the Responsible Official will also 

establish standing to object once the 

notice of the final EIS and draft Record 

of Decision has been published in the 

newspaper of record. Comments 

received in response to this solicitation, 

including names and addresses of those 

who comment, will be part of the public 

record for this proposed action. 

Comments submitted anonymously will 

be accepted and considered, however, 

they will not be used to establish 

standing for the objection process. 

Permits Required 

A Forest Service special use permit 

would be required to authorize WGFC’s 

use of facilities at Dell Creek and Forest 

Park feedgrounds to conduct their elk 

winter feeding and related management 

activities. 

Nature of Decision To Be Made 

The Forest Service is to decide 

whether to reauthorize the WGFC longterm use of Dell Creek and Forest Park 

feedgrounds and associated facilities to 

conduct their elk management activities, 

and if so, under what conditions. 

Dated: January 7, 2022. 

Barnie Gyant, 

Associate Deputy Chief, National Forest 

System. 

[FR Doc. 2022–00700 Filed 1–13–22; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3411–15–P 


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