Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 179 / Friday, September 16, 2005 / Notices 54707 

their satisfaction with various aspects of 

the locations they visited. 

Forest Service or contractor personnel 

will interview visitors as they exit 

National Forest System lands at a 

stratified random sample of recreational 

sites and forest access points. Surveys 

will be conducted on about one-fifth of 

the National Forests each year, so that 

complete coverage of agency lands 

occurs over a five-year cycle. Results of 

this study will be published in agency 

reports and various research journals. 

Data gathered in this collection is not 

available from other sources. 

Estimate of Annual Burden: 10 

minutes. 

Type of Respondents: People who 

visit National Forest System lands. 

Estimated Annual Number of 

Respondents: 66,000. 

Estimated Annual Number of 

Responses per Respondent: 1. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden on 

Respondents: 11,000 hours. 

Comment is invited on: (1) Whether 

this collection of information is 

necessary for the stated purposes and 

the proper performance of the functions 

of the agency, including whether the 

information will have practical or 

scientific utility; (2) the accuracy of the 

agency’s estimate of the burden of the 

collection of information, including the 

validity of the methodology and 

assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance 

the quality, utility, and clarity of the 

information to be collected; and (4) 

ways to minimize the burden of the 

collection of information on 

respondents, including the use of 

automated, electronic, mechanical, or 

other technological collection 

techniques or other forms of information 

technology. 

All comments received in response to 

this notice, including names and 

addresses when provided, will be a 

matter of public record. Comments will 

be summarized and included in the 

request for Office of Management and 

Budget approval. 

Dated: September 2, 2005. 

Frederick R. Norbury, 

Associate Deputy Chief, National Forest 

System. 

[FR Doc. 05–18385 Filed 9–15–05; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–11–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Forest Service 

Plumas National Forest, Feather River 

Ranger District, California, Slapjack 

Project 

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice to intent to prepare an 

environmental impact statement. 

SUMMARY: The USDA Forest Service will 

prepare an environmental impact 

statement to disclose the environmental 

effects from construction of defensible 

fuel profile zones (DFPZs); harvest and 

reforestation of timber stands; watersted 

rehabilitation; control of noxious weeds; 

construction of temporary roads and 

reconstruction of specified roads; 

decommissioning of roads; road access 

restrictions, and underburning forest 

fuels and debris in the Slapjack project 

area. 

DATES: Comments concerning the scope 

of the analysis must be received within 

30 days of the publication of this notice 

in the Federal Register. The draft 

environmental impact statement is 

expected by January 2006, and the final 

environmental impact statement is 

expected by April 2006. 

ADDRESSES: Send written comments 

concerning this notice to James M. Pen ̃ a, 

Forest Supervisor, Plumas National 

Forest, P.O. Box 11500, 159 Lawrence 

Street, Quincy, CA 95971. Comments 

may be (1) mailed to the Responsible 

Official; (2) hand-delivered between the 

hours of 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m., Monday 

through Friday, excluding holidays; (3) 

faxed to (530) 283–7746; or (4) 

electronically mailed to: commentspacificsouthwestplumas@fs.fed.us. 

Comments submitted electronically 

must be in Rich Text Format (.rtf). 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Susan Joyce, Project Leader, Feather 

River Ranger District, 875 Mitchell 

Avenue, Oroville, CA 95965, or call 

(530) 534–6500. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Project Location 

The Slapjack project area is located 

approximately 19 air miles east of 

Oroville, California, near the 

communities of Challenge, Brownsville, 

Dobbins, Forbestown, Feather Falls, 

Woodleaf, Clipper Mills, and Strawberry 

Valley. The project area consists of 

approximately 27,000 acres of public 

and private land and is located within 

Butte, Yuba, and Plumas Counties, 

California. It is generally situated 

between Lake Oroville to Dobbins to the 

west, the North Yuba River to Wambo 

Bar on the East, and from Barton Hill to 

the town of Feather Falls to the North. 

The area ranges in elevation from 

approximately 1,300 to 3,800 feet above 

mean sea level. 

The legal description of the project 

area is: Township (T) 20N, Range (R) 6E, 

portions of Sections 15, 23, 25, 26, and 

34; T20N, R8E, portions of Section 32; 

T19N, R6E, portions of Sections 2–5, 9, 

11 and 14; T19N, R7E, portions of 

Sections 1, 8, 11–13, 16–21 and 27–34; 

T19N, R8E, portions of Sections 4, 5, 

and 6; T18N, R7E, portions of Sections 

2, 3, 12, 14, 22, 23, 26, and 34, Mount 

Diablo Base and Meridian. 

Proposed Action 

The Forest Service proposes to 

construct approximately 18 miles of 

DFPZs with a total treatment area of 

approximately 4,800 acres. A DFPZ is a 

strategically located strip of land 

approximately 1⁄4 mile in width on 

which fuels, both living and dead, have 

been modified in order to reduce the 

potential for sustained crown fire and to 

allow fire suppression personnel a safer 

location from which to take action 

against a wildfire. Proposed DFPZs are 

located primarily on ridges. Due to 

dense brush in the area, use of 

herbicides is proposed to maintain the 

effectiveness of the DFPZs. Use of 

mechanical ground based equipment is 

proposed on 1,099 acres in DFPZs for 

masticating woody shrubs and trees 

under 10 inches in diameter at breast 

height. The healthiest, largest, and 

tallest conifers would be left at a 

spacing of 18 to 25 feet, depending on 

size of the remaining trees. Mastication 

would break up fuel continuity in these 

stands. 

The Forest Service also proposes to 

harvest approximately 12 million board 

feet of timber through application of 

group selection and individual tree 

selection harvest methods. Group 

selection timber harvest would be 

conducted on approximately 240 acres 

within and near the DFPZ treatment 

units. Group selection involves harvest 

of trees up to 30-inches in diameter 

from small (1⁄2 to 2 acres) groups. The 

240 acres would be harvested from a 

total area of about 2,291 acres. Over 

time, this would create an uneven-aged 

(all-aged) forests made up of a 

patchwork of small groups of same-aged 

trees. Individual tree selection harvest 

would be conducted on 148 acres to 

improve forest health and favor fire 

resilient tree species. 

Use of existing and temporary roads 

would be needed to access timber and 

DFPZ treatment areas. An estimated 26 

miles of existing road would be 

reconstructed with 2 additional miles of 

road resurfacing. An additional 26 miles 

of road, no longer in use or needed, 

would be decommissioned or closed by 

various methods, such as removal of 

culverts, ripping and seeding, 

recountouring, and installing barriers. 

Use of herbicides to control the 

spread of noxious weeds is proposed on 

10 to 15 acres. Aquatic and riparian 

54708 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 179 / Friday, September 16, 2005 / Notices 

restoration projects include removal of 

five fish barriers, 1,000 feet of stream 

bank stabilization, and 15 acres of 

meadow restoration. 

Underburning is proposed on 841 

acres. An underburn is a prescribed 

burn under an existing canopy of trees 

designed to reduce excessive live and 

dead vegetation. Firelines would be 

constructed and burning would be 

initiated based on prescribed burn plans 

and on ‘‘burn days’’ designated by the 

State Air Quality Control Board. 

Purpose and Need 

The purposes of the project are: (1) To 

reduce the wildfire threat to 

communities located in the wildlandurban interface by creating a strategic 

Defensible Fuel Profile Zone (DFPZ) 

that provides fire suppression personnel 

control points for fireline construction 

and access; (2) to create all-aged, multistory, fire resilient forest stands; 

promote ecological health; and increase 

the number of seedling and saplingsized stands to better match estimated 

pre-European settlement conditions for 

the various seral (successional) stages. 

Fire resilient species include ponderosa 

pine, Douglas-fir, black oak, and sugar 

pine; (3) to contribute to the economic 

stability of rural communities by 

providing an adequate timber supply; 

(4) to implement restoration projects to 

promote healthy aquatic and riparian 

ecosystems; and (5) To control the 

spread of non-native, invasive plants 

within forest communities in order to 

maintain native plant diversity, natural 

communities, and maintain the 

effectiveness of DFPZs. 

Preliminary Issues 

The following preliminary issues have 

been identified for this proposal: Use of 

herbicides for control of noxious weeds 

and DFPZ maintenance, timber harvest 

within watersheds approaching or over 

the threshold of concern, and DFPZ 

construction costs. Additional issues 

may be identified during the scoping 

process. 

Responsible Official 

James M. Pen ̃ a, Forest Supervisor, 

P.O. Box 11500, 159Lawrence Street, 

Quincy, CA 95971, is the Responsible 

Official. 

Nature of Decision To Be Made 

The Responsible Official will decide 

whether to implement this proposal, an 

alternative design that moves the area 

towards the desired condition, or not to 

implement any project at this time. 

Scoping Process 

Public questions and comments 

regarding this proposal are an integral 

part of this environmental analysis 

process. Comments will be used to 

identify issues and develop alternatives 

to the proposed action. To assist the 

Forest Service in identifying and 

considering issues and concerns on the 

proposed action, comments should be as 

specific as possible. 

Information about the proposed action 

will be mailed to adjacent landowners, 

as well as to those people and 

organizations that have indicated a 

specific interest in the project, to Native 

American entities, and federal, state and 

local agencies. The public will be 

notified of any meetings regarding this 

proposal by mailings and press releases 

sent to the local newspaper and media. 

There are no meetings planned at this 

time. 

Public involvement was an integral 

part of the proposed action development 

as well. Forest Service personnel began 

working with local tribes, fire safe 

councils, Butte and Yuba County 

officials, State Congressional aides, 

South Feather Water and Power, the 

Quincy Library Group, and California 

Department of Forestry and Fire 

Protection in 2002–2003. The 

collaborators on the Slapjack Project, 

known collectively as the Eastern Butte/ 

Yuba Border group (EBYB), worked to 

develop a series of fuel reduction 

treatments on National Forest System 

lands that extend and connect with fuel 

treatments on private lands, including 

those owned by industrial timber 

companies. In the years since 

collaboration began, Forest Service 

personnel have continued to meet with 

members of the Butte and Yuba Fire 

Safe Councils, local residents, and 

industrial timberland owners to refine 

the Slapjack project proposal. 

Comment Requested 

This notice of intent initiates the 

scoping process which guides the 

development of the environmental 

impact statement. The public is 

encouraged to take part in the process 

and is encouraged to visit with Forest 

Service officials at any time during the 

analysis and prior to the decision. The 

Forest Service will be seeking 

information, comments, and assistance 

from Federal, State, and local agencies 

and other individuals or organizations 

that may be interested in, or affected by, 

the proposed vegetation management 

activities. 

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 draft environmental impact 

statements 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 

fifty-five 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) 

Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 179 / Friday, September 16, 2005 / Notices 54709 

Dated: September 2, 2005. 

Robert G. MacWhorter, 

Acting Forest Supervisor. 

[FR Doc. 05–17897 Filed 9–15–05; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–11–M 

COMMITTEE FOR PURCHASE FROM 

PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND OR 

SEVERELY DISABLED 

Procurement List; Proposed Additions 

AGENCY: Committee for Purchase From 

People Who Are Blind Or Severely 

Disabled. 

ACTION: Proposed additions to 

Procurement List. 

SUMMARY: The Committee is proposing 

to add to the Procurement List a product 

and services to be furnished by 

nonprofit agencies employing persons 

who are blind or have other severe 

disabilities. 

Comments must be received on or 

before: October 16, 2005. 

ADDRESSES: Committee for Purchase 

From People Who Are Blind or Severely 

Disabled, Jefferson Plaza 2, Suite 10800, 

1421 Jefferson Davis Highway, 

Arlington, Virginia 22202–3259. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR TO SUBMIT

COMMENTS CONTACT: Sheryl D. Kennerly, 

Telephone: (703) 603–7740, Fax: (703) 

603–0655, or e-mail 

SKennerly@jwod.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This 

notice is published pursuant to 41 U.S.C 

47(a)(2) and 41 CFR 51–2.3. Its purpose 

is to provide interested persons an 

opportunity to submit comments on the 

proposed actions. 

If the Committee approves the 

proposed additions, the entities of the 

Federal Government identified in the 

notice for each product or service will 

be required to procure the products and 

services listed below from nonprofit 

agencies employing persons who are 

blind or have other severe disabilities. 

Regulatory Flexibility Act Certification 

I certify that the following action will 

not have a significant impact on a 

substantial number of small entities. 

The major factors considered for this 

certification were: 

1. If approved, the action will not 

result in any additional reporting, 

recordkeeping or other compliance 

requirements for small entities other 

than the small organizations that will 

furnish the product and services to the 

Government. 

2. If approved, the action will result 

in authorizing small entities to furnish 

the product and services to the 

Government. 

3. There are no known regulatory 

alternatives which would accomplish 

the objectives of the Javits-WagnerO’Day Act (41 U.S.C. 46–48c) in 

connection with the product and 

services proposed for addition to the 

Procurement List. 

Comments on this certification are 

invited. Commenters should identify the 

statement(s) underlying the certification 

on which they are providing additional 

information. 

End of Certification 

The following product and services 

are proposed for addition to 

Procurement List for production by the 

nonprofit agencies listed: 

Product 

Parts Kit, Hydraulic Transmission. 

NSN: 2520–01–398–4589—Parts Kit, 

Hydraulic Transmission. 

NPA: Goodwill Industries—Knoxville, Inc., 

Knoxville, Tennessee. 

Contracting Activity: Defense Supply Center 

Columbus, Columbus, Ohio. 

Services 

Service Type/Location: Custodial Services; 

Law Enforcement Center, FR 19, MP2 

South of San Miguel, Sells, Arizona. 

NPA: J.P. Industries, Inc., Tucson, Arizona. 

Contracting Activity: Department of 

Homeland Security, Washington, DC. 

Service Type/Location: Custodial Services; 

Somersworth U.S. Army Reserve Center, 

Route 108, Somersworth, New 

Hampshire. 

NPA: Northern New England Employment 

Services, Portland, Maine. 

Contracting Activity: Devens Reserve Forces 

Training Area, Devens, Massachusetts. 

Service Type/Location: Custodial Services; 

U.S. Army Reserve Center and 

Maintenance Shop, 7400 S. Pulaski 

Road, Chicago, Illinois. 

NPA: Jewish Vocational Service and 

Employment Center, Chicago, Illinois. 

Contracting Activity: 88th Regional Support 

Command, Fort Snelling, Minnesota. 

Sheryl D. Kennerly, 

Director, Information Management. 

[FR Doc. E5–5087 Filed 9–15–05; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6353–01–P 

COMMITTEE FOR PURCHASE FROM 

PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND OR 

SEVERELY DISABLED 

Procurement List; Addition 

AGENCY: Committee for Purchase From 

People Who Are Blind Or Severely 

Disabled. 

ACTION: Addition to Procurement List. 

SUMMARY: This action adds to the 

Procurement List a service to be 

furnished by nonprofit agencies 

employing persons who are blind or 

have other severe disabilities. 

DATES: Effective October 16, 2005. 

ADDRESSES: Committee for Purchase 

From People Who Are Blind or Severely 

Disabled, Jefferson Plaza 2, Suite 10800, 

1421 Jefferson Davis Highway, 

Arlington, Virginia, 22202–3259. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR TO SUBMIT

COMMENTS CONTACT: Sheryl D. Kennerly, 

Telephone: (703) 603–7740, Fax: (703) 

603–0655, or e-mail 

SKennerly@jwod.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On July 8, 

2005, the Committee for Purchase From 

People Who Are Blind or Severely 

Disabled published notice (70 FR 39484) 

of proposed additions to the 

Procurement List. 

After consideration of the material 

presented to it concerning capability of 

qualified nonprofit agencies to provide 

the service and impact of the addition 

on the current or most recent 

contractors, the Committee has 

determined that the service listed below 

is suitable for procurement by the 

Federal Government under 41 U.S.C. 

46–48c and 41 CFR 51–2.4. 

Regulatory Flexibility Act Certification 

I certify that the following action will 

not have a significant impact on a 

substantial number of small entities. 

The major factors considered for this 

certification were: 

1. The action will not result in any 

additional reporting, recordkeeping or 

other compliance requirements for small 

entities other than the small 

organizations that will furnish the 

service to the Government. 

2. The action will result in 

authorizing small entities to furnish the 

service to the Government. 

3. There are no known regulatory 

alternatives which would accomplish 

the objectives of the Javits-WagnerO’Day Act (41 U.S.C. 46–48c) in 

connection with the service proposed 

for addition to the Procurement List. 

End of Certification 

Accordingly, the following services 

are added to the Procurement List: 

Service 

Service Type/Location: Custodial Services; 

U.S. Post Office—Brooklyn, 271 Cadman 

Plaza East, Brooklyn, New York. 

NPA: NYSARC, Inc., NYC Chapter, New 

York, New York. 

Contracting Activity: GSA, Property 

Management Center, New York, New 

York. 

This action does not affect current 

contracts awarded prior to the effective date