This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER

contains documents other than rules or

proposed rules that are applicable to the

public. Notices of hearings and investigations,

committee meetings, agency decisions and

rulings, delegations of authority, filing of

petitions and applications and agency

statements of organization and functions are

examples of documents appearing in this

section.

Notices Federal Register

4368 

Vol. 74, No. 15 

Monday, January 26, 2009 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Forest Service 

Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, 

WI; Twin Ghost Project 

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an 

environmental impact statement. 

SUMMARY: The Great Divide Ranger 

District intends to prepare an 

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) 

to disclose the environmental 

consequences of managing vegetation 

and the transportation system within 

the Twin Ghost Project area. The 

approximate legal description for the 

area is as follows: Township 42 North 

Ranges 4 and 5 West, and Township 43 

North Ranges 4, 5, and 6 West. The 

project area encompasses approximately 

67,085 acres in the west central portion 

of the Great Divide Ranger District, 

within Ashland, Bayfield, and Sawyer 

counties in Wisconsin. Excluding 

private in-holdings and lakes, there are 

about 53,427 acres of federal land 

within the project area, of which about 

12,000 acres are proposed for vegetation 

management activities. See the 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for 

details regarding the purpose and need 

and proposed action. 

DATES: Comments concerning the scope 

of the analysis should be received by 

February 12th, 2009 to receive timely 

consideration. The draft environmental 

impact statement is expected in May 

2009 and the final environmental 

impact statement is expected in October 

2009. 

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to 

District Ranger Constance Chaney, 

Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, 

Great Divide Ranger District, P.O. Box 

896, 10650 Nyman Avenue, Hayward, 

WI 54843. Comments may also be sent 

via facsimile to 715–634–3769. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Debra Proctor, Project Leader; Great 

Divide Ranger District, P.O. Box 896, 

10650 Nyman Avenue, Hayward, WI 

54843, 715–634–4821. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Purpose and Need for Action 

The vegetation proposal is to use 

timber harvest as a means to achieve 

forest health, silvicultural, and wildlife 

habitat improvement goals set forth in 

the Chequamegon-Nicolet National 

Forest 2004 Land and Resource 

Management Plan. The transportation 

system proposal is based on a risk/value 

assessment that was conducted with a 

goal to provide ample public and 

administrative motorized access while 

preventing undesirable natural resource 

impacts. The overall goal is to balance 

the needs of the public with the 

protection of the natural resources we 

all value. 

Many of the stands within the project 

area are experiencing individual tree 

mortality and decreased growth rates 

due to their age, drought stress, insect 

and disease outbreaks, overstocking, 

and other factors. Many of the stands of 

short-lived forest types (aspen, balsam 

fir, paper birch, and jack pine) are 

beyond rotation age. These stands will 

experience increasing losses to decay 

and breakage, and be subject to greater 

tree mortality, if they are not treated 

soon. Wildlife species that are 

dependent upon early successional 

species such as aspen for food and cover 

benefit from the maintenance of aspen 

on the landscape that has a wellbalanced age class distribution. Young 

aspen is needed for foraging, breeding, 

and protective nesting and brood cover. 

There are currently very few stands 

younger than 20 years. Many of the 

long-lived stands (oak, red pine, white 

pine, and northern hardwoods) are too 

crowded resulting in a decline of 

individual tree growth and greater 

susceptibility to insects and disease. 

Other needs that have been identified 

include: Increasing the amount of 

habitat for spruce grouse, reducing 

ladder fuels in Wildland Urban Interface 

areas, providing forest commodities, 

and providing a safe, efficient, and 

effective transportation system. 

Proposed Action 

The following proposed actions have 

been identified to address the needs 

listed above: Thin 1,425 acres of red 

oak, 3,008 acres of northern hardwood, 

536 acres of red pine plantations, 218 

acres of white pine plantations, 30 acres 

of aspen, and 34 acres of balsam fir; 

conduct a selection harvest in 1,973 

acres of northern hardwoods; 

shelterwood harvest 326 acres of oak, 

1,106 acres of paper birch, and 17 acres 

of balsam fir; clearcut and regenerate 

1,847 acres of aspen, 491 acres of jack 

pine, and 169 acres of red pine; 

underplant up to 313 acres of white 

pine and 157 acres of black spruce or 

jack pine; plant 169 acres of red pine 

and 162 acres of jack pine; prescribe 

burn up to 1,298 acres of oak, paper 

birch, or jack pine sites for regeneration; 

mechanically scarify up to 1,780 acres 

of stands for regeneration; remove 

balsam fir trees less than 3 inches in 

diameter in up to 3,000 acres of 

Wildland Urban Interface areas; 

maintain 187 miles of existing roads; 

add to the system and maintain as open 

57 miles of unauthorized roads; add to 

the system and maintain as closed 37 

miles of unauthorized roads; construct 

14 miles of temporary roads that would 

be decommissioned after use for 

accessing stands that need treatment 

infrequently; reconstruct 2 miles of 

road; convert 5 miles of road to trail; 

close 11 miles of road year-round; 

seasonally close 6 miles of road; and 

decommission 83 miles of 

predominantly unauthorized roads. 

Responsible Official 

The responsible official for this 

project is District Ranger Constance 

Chaney, Chequamegon-Nicolet National 

Forest, Great Divide Ranger District, 

P.O. Box 896, 10650 Nyman Avenue, 

Hayward, WI 54843. 

Scoping Process 

The Chequamegon-Nicolet National 

Forest began the scoping process for this 

project in October 2008, when it was 

listed on the Chequamegon-Nicolet 

Schedule of Proposed Actions. In 

November 2008, individuals, 

organizations, and agencies on the 

District’s mailing list and those owning 

property nearby the project area were 

sent information packages and project 

information was posted on the Forest’s 

Web site. Since that time meetings have 

been held when requested by 

individuals, organizations, and other 

agencies; news releases published in 

newspapers of record; and information 

shared on Wisconsin Public Radio and 

Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 15 / Monday, January 26, 2009 / Notices 4369 

other radio stations. An open house is 

planned to occur in early February and 

additional meetings and open houses 

will be provided if there is interest from 

the public. Project information is 

available on the Internet at http:// 

www.fs.fed.us/r9/cnnf/. Click on 

‘‘Project Proposals and Decisions’’, then 

‘‘Twin Ghost Project’’. 

Preliminary Issues 

The following issues will be analyzed 

in the EIS: Effects of the proposed 

activities on forest sustainability, soil 

productivity, water and air quality, 

Regional Forester Sensitive Species 

(plants and wildlife), game and nongame wildlife and bird species, nonnative invasive species, recreation and 

visuals. 

Possible Alternatives 

Two alternatives to the proposed 

action are being developed in response 

to public comments received. One 

alternative would consider different 

types and amounts of silvicultural 

treatments to achieve the vegetation 

related purpose and need objectives. 

The other would provide a higher level 

of motorized access opportunities. 

Comment Requested 

This notice of intent initiates the 

scoping process which guides the 

development of the environmental 

impact statement. 

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, 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. The submission of timely 

and specific comments can affect a 

reviewer’s ability to participate in 

subsequent administrative appeal or 

judicial review. 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 45-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, 36 

CFR 220.5(b) and Forest Service Handbook 

1909.15, Section 21) 

Dated: January 16, 2009. 

Jeanne M. Higgins, 

Forest Supervisor. 

[FR Doc. E9–1601 Filed 1–23–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–11–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

National Agricultural Statistics Service 

Notice of the Advisory Committee on 

Agriculture Statistics Meeting 

AGENCY: National Agricultural Statistics 

Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice of meeting. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Federal Advisory Committee Act, the 

National Agricultural Statistics Service 

(NASS) announces a meeting of the 

Advisory Committee on Agriculture 

Statistics. 

DATES: The Committee meeting will be 

held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, 

February 24, 2009, and from 8 a.m. to 

12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, February 25, 

2009. There will be an opportunity for 

public questions and comments at 9:30 

a.m. on February 25, 2009. 

ADDRESSES: The Committee meeting 

will take place at the Crystal City 

Marriott at Reagan National Airport, 

1999 Jefferson Davis Highway, 

Arlington, Virginia, 22202. Written 

comments may be filed before or within 

a reasonable time after the meeting with 

the contact person identified herein at: 

U.S. Department of Agriculture, 

National Agricultural Statistics Service, 

1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Room 

5041A, South Building, Washington, DC 

20250–2000. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joe 

Reilly, Executive Director, Advisory 

Committee on Agriculture Statistics, 

Telephone: 202–720–4333, Fax: 202– 

720–9013, or e-mail: 

HQ_OA@nass.usda.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

Advisory Committee on Agriculture 

Statistics, which consists of 25 members 

appointed from 7 categories covering a 

broad range of agricultural disciplines 

and interests, has scheduled a meeting 

on February 24–25, 2009. The meeting 

will focus on the following topics: 2007 

Agricultural Census Results and Issues, 

2012 Agricultural Census Content, Data 

Enclave update, and NASS Status of 

Programs. The Agricultural Resource 

Management Survey (ARMS) will hold 

a Data User meeting on Wednesday, 

February 25, from 1:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. in 

the same location. The ARMS meeting 

is optional but open to the public. 

The Committee meeting is open to the 

public. The public may file written 

comments to the USDA Advisory 

Committee contact person before or 

within a reasonable time after the 

meeting. All statements will become a 

part of the official records of the USDA 

Advisory Committee on Agriculture 

Statistics and will be kept on file for 

public review in the office of the 

Executive Director, Advisory Committee 

on Agriculture Statistics, U.S. 

Department of Agriculture, Washington, 

DC 20250. 

Dated January 7, 2009, at Washington, DC. 

Joseph T. Reilly, 

Associate Administrator, National 

Agricultural Statistics Service. 

[FR Doc. E9–1314 Filed 1–23–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–20–P