61282 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 197 / Friday, October 10, 2014 / Notices 

resources using the principles of 

ecosystem management; and that lands 

disturbed by mineral operations are 

reclaimed using the best scientific 

knowledge and returned to other 

productive uses. If this information was 

not collected, the Forest Service would 

not be in compliance with the Federal 

Regulations and locatable mineral 

operations could result in undue 

damage to surface resources. 

Estimate of Annual Burden: 12 Hours 

(10 hours—Plan of Operations; 1 hour— 

Notice of Intent; 1 hour—Cessation of 

Operations). 

Type of Respondents: Mining 

operators. 

Estimated Annual Number of 

Respondents: 283 (111—Plans of 

Operations; 169—Notices of Intent; 3— 

Cessation of Operations). 

Estimated Annual Number of 

Responses per Respondent: 1. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden on 

Respondents: 10,005 Hours (12 hours × 

111 Plans of Operation = 1,332; 2 hour 

× 169 Notices of Intent = 338; 1 hour × 

3 Cessation of Operations = 3; 1,332 + 

338 + 3 = 1,673). 

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: October 2, 2014. 

Gregory C. Smith, 

Acting Deputy Chief, National Forest System. 

[FR Doc. 2014–24200 Filed 10–9–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3411–15–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Forest Service 

Apalachicola National Forest; 

Apalachicola Ranger District, Florida; 

Beasley Pond Analysis Area 

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an 

environmental impact statement. 

SUMMARY: The Forest Service will 

prepare an Environmental Impact 

Statement (EIS) to analyze the impacts 

of timber harvest and associated 

activities on approximately 3,800 acres 

of forestland and savannahs in the 

Beasley Pond Analysis Area. Based on 

public scoping, discussion with other 

federal agencies and initial issues 

analysis, the responsible official has 

determined that preparation of an EIS is 

appropriate for this project. The 

proposed project is an activity 

implementing a land management plan 

and is subject to the pre-decisional 

objection process at 36 CFR part 218 

subparts A and B. 

DATES: Comments concerning the scope 

of the analysis must be received by 

November 10, 2014. The draft EIS is 

expected December 2014 and the final 

EIS is expected March 2015. 

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to 

Marcus Beard, District Ranger, 57 Taff 

Drive, Crawfordville, FL 32327. 

Comments may also be sent via email to 

comments-southern-floridaapalachicola@fs.fed.us, or via facsimile 

to (850) 926–1904. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Branden Tolver—phone: (850) 926– 

3561; email: btolver02@fs.fed.us. 

Individuals who use telecommunication 

devices for the deaf (TDD) may call the 

Federal Information Relay Service 

(FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339 between 8 

a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday 

through Friday. 

Purpose and Need for Action 

The National Forests in Florida’s 

Forest Plan outlines several goals for the 

National Forests of Florida, one of 

which calls for the conservation and 

protection of declining natural 

communities, and uncommon 

biological, ecological, or geological site. 

The Beasley Pond Analysis area 

contains large areas of historical 

savannah habitat, multiple redcockaded woodpecker (RCW) clusters, 

critical habitat for the frosted flatwoods 

salamander and recent records of three 

federally listed plant species that occur 

in open savannah habitats. The primary 

purpose of this project is to maintain, 

improve, and restore a healthy forest 

ecosystem by: Thinning both longleaf 

and slash pine stands to allow for 

further tree growth, restoring remnant 

savannahs to improve habitat for a 

variety of plant species, and controlling 

overabundant hardwood trees and brush 

species to restore herbaceous 

groundcover. Secondary benefits 

include maintaining a stable RCW 

habitat and improving the current 

transportation system. There is a need to 

reduce current stocking levels of stands 

within the project area to open the forest 

canopy and promote herbaceous 

groundcover growth and establishment. 

There also exists a need for 

rehabilitation and maintenance in 

declining natural savannah sites in the 

project area. 

Proposed Action 

➢ First or intermediate thinning of 

approximately 1981 acres of slash and 

longleaf pine stands. Stands range in age 

from 25 to 141 years old. Younger slash 

and longleaf pine plantations have a 

basal area (BA) ranging from 70 to 173 

square-feet per acre. Thinning these 

stands would reduce the BA to an 

average of 50 square feet per acre thus 

opening the stands for sunlight 

penetration needed for continued 

growth and groundcover establishment. 

➢ Conduct uneven-aged management 

cuts on 978 acres of mature longleaf 

pine. Openings ranging from 1⁄4–2 acres 

(average size of 1⁄2 acre) in size will be 

created around existing longleaf 

seedlings or in areas of the stand that 

would be suitable for longleaf natural 

regeneration. The number of openings 

would be limited to 10% of the stand 

size. Stand 7 of compartment 28 (91 

acres) will be treated with a foliar 

application of triclopyr (as needed) for 

hardwood control. 

➢ Savannah restoration treatments 

on approximately 811 acres of savannah 

sites to remove pine trees and 

encroaching hardwoods. Girdling will 

be used in stands that cannot be 

accessed for traditional logging 

operations (stands 19 and 41 in 

compartment 26 and stand 37 in 

compartment 27). All of these sites have 

either been planted with slash pine or 

have been encroached upon by woody 

brush species and hardwood tree 

species. To restore these savannah sites 

a variable residual BA strategy will be 

implemented with groundcover 

condition serving as the trigger point for 

thinning intensity. More herbaceous 

groundcover is needed when thinning to 

a lower BA in order to continue the use 

prescribed fire as a means of 

maintaining the open park-like structure 

associated with savannahs. When 

groundcover conditions are deemed less 

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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 197 / Friday, October 10, 2014 / Notices 61283 

than adequate to carry fire the Forest 

Service proposes to leave a higher 

residual BA of 40 square feet per acre 

in order to allow pine needle cast to 

serve as primary carrier of fire across the 

stand. 

➢ Spot foliar application of the 

herbicide triclopyr (as needed) on 811 

acres of savannah restoration sites for 

site hardwood control. This is not a 

broadcast application of herbicide. Spot 

treatment would occur only where there 

is a presence of woody vegetation that 

threatens the re-establishment of 

savannah plant species. If the savannah 

restoration areas do not show evidence 

of woody encroachment after harvest it 

will not receive herbicide treatment. 

➢ Clearcut 16 acres of slash pine 

plantation for borrow pit excavation to 

provide surface material for future road 

work. 

➢ Remove six cattle guards from a 

closed range allotment (two on highway 

379, two on FSR 113, and one on FSRs 

174 and 109). 

Possible Alternatives 

Three potential alternatives will be 

evaluated in the EIS. The first is the No 

Action alternative which will consist of 

no treatments in the proposed project 

area other than those already approved 

such as prescribed burning or nonnative invasive species control. The 

second alternative addresses the impact 

to the environment if no herbicides 

were used and treatments such as 

hardwood control were done by 

mechanical means. The third alternative 

would remove all proposed savannah 

treatments in the project area. 

Additional alternatives may also be 

added as we move through the planning 

process. 

Responsible Official 

Marcus Beard, District Ranger for the 

Apalachicola National Forest 

Nature of Decision To Be Made 

Based upon the effects of the 

alternatives, the responsible official will 

decide whether or not to implement the 

Proposed Action or one of the possible 

alternatives. 

Preliminary Issues 

1. Impact of timber removal on 

species listed as threatened or 

endangered under the Endangered 

Species Act of 1973. 

2. Impact of borrow pit excavation on 

16 acres of forested land. 

Scoping Process 

This notice of intent reinitiates the 

scoping process, which was started with 

a public scoping notice sent to 

interested parties in June 2013. Pursuant 

to 36 CFR part 218 subparts A and B, 

a draft EIS will be made available for the 

45-day notice and comment period. A 

final EIS and draft Record of Decision 

will be made available for a 45-day 

objection period. 

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. 

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 have 

standing to object. 

Dated: October 1, 2014. 

Marcus Beard, 

District Ranger. 

[FR Doc. 2014–24191 Filed 10–9–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–11–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Forest Service 

Shawnee National Forest, Illinois; 

Cretaceous Hills Ecological 

Restoration 

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an 

environmental impact statement. 

SUMMARY: The USDA Forest Service 

Shawnee National Forest (Forest) 

intends to prepare an environmental 

impact statement to disclose the 

environmental consequences of an 

ecological restoration project. In the 

environmental impact statement, the 

USDA Forest Service will address the 

potential environmental effects of the 

restoration of an oak-hickory hardwood 

forest-type and the increase of wildlife 

habitat diversity through the removal or 

thinning of non-native pine trees and 

small shade-tolerant hardwood trees 

from about 3,200 acres, the application 

of prescribed fire on about 15,100 acres, 

treatment of invasive species, 

maintenance of barrens habitats, 

development of vernal ponds, and 

transportation system maintenance, 

construction, or reconstruction. 

The Cretaceous Hills Ecological 

Restoration Project (Hills Project) is 

located in the Bay Creek Ditch, Barren 

Creek and Sister Islands-Ohio River 

watersheds between the communities of 

Metropolis and Bay City, in southern 

Pope and eastern Massac Counties, 

Illinois. The 26,102 acres in the project 

areas include about 15,130 acres of 

National Forest System land and 10,972 

acres of state and private land. All 

activities are proposed on National 

Forest System land. 

DATES: Comments concerning the scope 

of the analysis must be received by 

November 10, 2014 in order to be most 

useful in the development of the 

environmental impact statement. The 

draft environmental impact statement is 

expected February, 2015 and the final 

environmental impact statement is 

expected September, 2015. 

ADDRESSES: Comments may be 

submitted on the Hills Project Web 

page: http://tinyurl.com/CretaceousHills-Shawnee-NF. Written comments 

may be sent to: Shawnee National 

Forest, Attn: Hills Project, 602 N. 1st 

Street, Vienna, IL 62995. Comments 

may also be sent via facsimile to (618) 

658–1300, with ‘‘Hills Project’’ on the 

subject line. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Amanda Kunzmann at 602 N. 1st Street, 

Vienna, (618) 658–2111, or 

akunzmann@fs.fed.us. 

Individuals who use 

telecommunication devices for the deaf 

(TDD) may call the Federal Information 

Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339 

between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern 

Time, Monday through Friday. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Purpose of and Need for Action 

The purpose of the Hills Project is to 

implement land management activities 

consistent with the Forest Land and 

Resource Management Plan (Plan) and 

bring the Forest closer to the desired 

condition stated therein. The Forest 

Plan outlines goals, objectives and 

desired conditions for Forest resources. 

The Hills Project Area encompasses 

three Forest Plan managementprescription areas: Even-Aged 

Hardwood Forest (EH), Mature 

Hardwood Forest (MH) and Natural 

Area (NA). 

The EH management prescription 

emphasizes maintenance of the oakhickory forest-type; ecological 

restoration to native hardwood of areas 

planted with non-native pine; wildlife 

habitat associated with a mix of 

hardwoods, pine and openland; and the 

production of high-quality hardwoods 

in a roaded-natural recreational setting. 

The desired condition relevant to this 

project is for a natural-appearing 

landscape with stands of hardwood 

trees in various age and size classes. The 

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