Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 94 / Friday, May 15, 1998 / Notices 27047

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

Deschutes Provincial Interagency

Executive Committee (PIEC), Advisory

Committee

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

SUMMARY: The Deschutes PIEC Advisory

Committee will meet on June 9, 1998 at

the Madras Fire Department Convention

Hall located on the corner of Adam and

J Street off of Hwy 97 in Madras,

Oregon. A combined field trip and

business meeting will begin at 9:00 a.m.

and finish at 4:30 pm. Agenda items

include: (1) Fuels Management Issues

(2) PAC Rechartering (3) Working Group

Update (4) Public Forum from 9:00 to

9:20 am at the Madris Fire Hall. All

Deschutes Province Advisory

Committee meetings are open to the

public.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mollie Chaudet, Province Liaison,

USDA, Bend-Fort Rock Ranger District,

1230 N. E. 3rd, Bend, Oregon 97701,

541–383–4769.

Dated: May 7, 1998.

Sally Collins,

Deschutes National Forest Supervisor.

[FR Doc. 98–13030 Filed 5–14–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–11–M

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Natural Resources Conservation

Service

Colfax Watershed, Richland County,

North Dakota; Notice of Finding of No

Significant Impact

AGENCY: Natural Resources

Conservation Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of finding of significant

no impact.

SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c)

of the National Environmental Policy

Act of 1969; the Council on

Environmental Quality Regulations (40

CFR Part 1500); and the National

Resources Conservation Service

Regulations (7 CFR Part 650); the

Natural Resources Conservation Service,

U.S. Department of Agriculture, gives

notice than an environmental impact

statement is not being prepared for the

Colfax Watershed, Richland County,

North Dakota.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Scott Hoag, Jr., State Conservationist,

Natural Resources Conservation Service,

220 East Rosser Avenue, P.O. 1458,

Bismarck, North Dakota 58502–1458,

(701) 250–4421.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

environmental assessment of this

federally assisted action indicates that

the project will not cause significant

local, regional, or national impacts on

the environment. As a result of these

findings, Scott Hoag, Jr., State

Conservationist, has determined that the

preparation and review of an

environmental impact statement are not

needed for this project.

The project purposes are for flood

control, agricultural water management,

and watershed protection. The planned

works of improvement include a 300

linear foot dike with overflow, 8,800

linear feet of floodway with pipe drop

inlet and grade stabilization structure,

3,000 linear feet of floodway and dike,

12,000 linear feet of floodwater

diversion, and 22,500 linear feet of

floodway renovation. Associated Land

Treatment Measures will be planned

and installed on a minimum of 50

percent of the watershed above the

structural measures. Seven thousand

acres of cropland and 500 acres of

grassland are expected to be benefited

through the proposed project.

The Notice of a Finding Of No

Significant Impact (FONSI) has been

forwarded to the Environmental

Protection Agency and to various

Federal, State, and local agencies and

interested parties. A limited number of

copies of the FONSI are available to fill

single copy requests at the above

address. Basic data developed during

the environmental assessment are on

file and may be reviewed by contacting

Scott Hoag, Jr., State Conservationist,

220 East Rosser Avenue, P.O. box 1458,

Bismarck, North Dakota 58502–1458.

No administrative action on

implementation of the proposal will be

taken until 30 days after the date of this

publication in the Federal Register.

Scott Hoag, Jr.,

State Conservationist.

(This activity is listed in the Catalog of

Federal Domestic Assistance under No.

10.904, Watershed Protection and Flood

Prevention, and is subject to the provisions

of Executive Order 12372, which requires

intergovernmental consultation with State

and local officials)

Introduction

The Colfax Watershed is a federally

assisted action authorized for planning

under Public Law 83–566, the

Watershed Protection and Flood

Prevention Act. An environmental

assessment was undertaken in

conjunction with the development of

the watershed plan. This assessment

was conducted in consultation with

local, State, and Federal agencies as

well as with interested organizations

and individuals. Data developed during

the assessment are available for public

review at the following location: U.S.

Department of Agriculture, Natural

Resources Conservation Service, 220

East Rosser Avenue, Bismarck, ND

58501.

Recommended Action

Proposed is the implementation of

both structural and associated land

treatment measures (ALTM) to reduce

flood damages and protect the

watershed. The structural components

include a 300 linear foot dike with

overflow, 8,800 linear feet of floodway

with pipe drop inlet and grade

stabilization structure, 3,000 linear feet

of floodway and dike, 12,000 linear feet

of floodwater diversion, and 22,500

linear feet of floodway renovation. The

ALTM will be planned and installed on

a minimum of 50 percent of the

watershed above the structural

measures. Seven thousands acres of

cropland and 500 acres of grassland are

expected to be benefited through the

proposed project.

Effect of Recommended Action

The recommended action will protect

the watershed hydrologically by

improving the soil cover condition,

water quality, and reduce overland flow

quantities and velocities. Existing

floodways will be restored, or built to

the extent the peak flood flow rates for

a 10 year, 24 hour flood event can be

handled.

The proposed action will have little or

not effect on wetlands. Only 2.2 acres

are expected to be impacted to the point

of requiring mitigation. The land

treatment applied on 7,500 acres, will

improve rainfall infiltration on both

cropland and grassland. Sedimentation

rates will be reduced from high value

low residue crop fields. Integrated crop

management will reduce the availability

of nutrients and pesticides from

entering the Wild Rice River.

The proposed project still encourage

and promote farm units in the

watershed to manage their natural

resources in a safe and productive

manner. This action will tend to sustain

agricultural diversity and productivity

for land users in the watershed. The

reduced threat of flooding will provide

social and economic benefits to

watershed residents.

An initial site leads inventory of

cultural resources as they relate to the

planned components has been

completed. This inventory concludes

that no significant adverse impacts will

occur to cultural resources in the