Long Draw Salvage Timber Sale, Okanogan National Forest, Okanogan County, Washington

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

Long Draw Salvage Timber Sale, Okanogan National Forest, Okanogan

County, Washington

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.

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SUMMARY: The USDA, Forest Service, will prepare an environmental impact

statement (EIS) for a proposal to salvage dead and dying timber in the

Long Draw analysis area. The Long Draw Salvage project includes: A

salvage timber sale of dead, dying and live trees in stands at risk to

insect caused mortality; closure of a road; construction and

reconstruction of roads; and a prescribed burn of shrub and grass lands

to decrease shrub cover and invigorate native species. The EIS will

develop and evaluate a range of alternatives for management of the

resources in the project area. the alternatives will include the No

Action alternative, involving no timber harvest or road construction,

and alternatives in response to issues identified during the scoping

process. The proposed action in consistent with the direction in the

1989 Okanogan National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest

Plan), as amended, which provides the overall guidance for management

of the area. The majority of the project area lies within the Long Draw

and Long Swamp Roadless Areas. Implementation of the proposal is

scheduled for Fiscal Year 1997. The agency invites written comments on

this project. In addition,

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the agency gives notice of this environmental analysis so that

interested and affected people are aware of how they may participate

and contribute to the decision making process.

DATES: Comments concerning this proposal must be received by August 15,

1996.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments to John Townsley, Project

Coordinator, Okanogan National Forest Supervisors Office, 1240 S.

Second Avenue, Okanogan, Washington 98840, telephone: 509-826-3568.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Direct questions about the proposed action and

environmental analysis to John Townsley, Project Coordinator, Okanogan

National Forest Supervisors Office, 1240 S. Second Avenue, Okanogan,

Washington 98840, telephone: 509-826-3568.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Long Draw analysis area consists of

approximately 13,300 acres of primarily forested lands. The area is

located 25 miles west of Tonasket, Washington, in the Toats Coulee

watershed. Forest types include: Lodgepole pine; Englemann spruce;

subalpine fir; mixed aspen/conifer; and mixed Douglas-fir/western larch

forest. Since the late 1980s, lodgepole pine stands have experienced

increasing tree mortality from a mountain pine beetle epidemic. It is

estimated that of the 13,300 acres within the Long Draw analysis area

boundary, over 9,000 acres have been attacked by the mountain pine

beetle, throughout the project area, and have differing amounts of

mortality. Mountain pine beetle attacks and kills lodgepole pine trees

generally six inches in diameter or larger. Trees of this size, growing

in crowded, overstocked conditions, are most at risk. The epidemic is

expected to continue until all or most of the suitable host trees are

killed.

The Analysis Area is allocated to the following Management Areas:

--Approximately 56 percent is in Management Area 5 which is designed to

provide opportunities for recreation and viewing scenery in a roaded

natural setting with a retention or partial retention scenic quality

objective.

--Approximately 44 percent is in Management Area 12 which is designed

to provide habitat to support a stable lynx population over the long

term while accessing the area for the purpose of growing and producing

merchantable wood fiber.

--Less than 1 percent is in Management Area 17 which is designed to

provide a variety of developed recreation opportunities in a roaded

setting.

Scoping for this project began in November 1995, and continued

throughout development of an environmental assessment (EA) which was

issued on June 21, 1996. In November 1995, a proposed action was mailed

to interested individuals. This proposed action was based on

preliminary information, with no detailed analysis. As a result of

scoping and detailed analysis, a revised proposed action was developed.

An EA was sent to the public on June 21, 1996. The Forest also hosted

an open house in Seattle and a field trip to the analysis area to

discuss the proposed action.

On July 2, 1996, Secretary of Agriculture Glickman issued direction

that ``No salvage sale in inventoried roadless areas may go forward

using authorities in section 2001(b) of Public Law 104-19, except * * *

[where] trees `imminently susceptible to fire' are located in areas

with high fuel loading or where there is a high fire risk rating for a

specific habitat type, and near local communities or occupied

structures.'' Since the Long Draw area does not meet all of these

elements and the Long Draw Salvage Timber Sale project is expected to

have significant effects on the roadless character in the Long Draw and

Long Swamp Roadless Areas, this environmental analysis will be

documented in an EIS.

This EIS will tier to the Forest Plan as amended. The amended

Forest Plan provides forest-wide standards and guidelines, management

area standards and guidelines, and desired future conditions for the

various lands on the Forest. This direction is provided for management

practices that will be utilized during the implementation of the Forest

Plan.

The Long Draw Salvage Timber Sale would salvage 1,129 acres of

dead, dying, and live trees at risk of insect caused mortality, while

maintaining adequate connectivity for lynx. Salvage would be done with

regeneration and commercial thinning harvest methods, and would use

ground-based logging systems. Approximately 15.7 miles of new road

would be constructed, approximately 10.6 miles of road would be

reconstructed, and approximately 0.4 miles of road would be closed.

The following issues have been identified in this proposed project:

unroaded and undeveloped character of the area; salvage of dead and

dying timber; economics; soils; inland fisheries, existing and future

fire risk; wilderness; recreational opportunities; wildlife; forest

health; and the cumulative effects of Federal and non-Federal actions.

The analysis will develop a range of alternatives from the No

Action alternative to alternatives with varying degrees of timber

harvest and road construction.

Public participation has been an important part of this analysis

process, and will continue to be. The Forest Service has sought and

will continue to seek information, comments, and assistance from other

Federal, State and local agencies, and tribes, and other individuals or

organizations who may be interested in or affected by the proposed

project. This input has been and will be used in the preparation of the

draft and final EISs.

The draft EIS is expected to be filed with the Environmental

Protection Agency (EPA) and to be available for public review in

August, 1996. Your comments and suggestions are encouraged and should

be in writing. The comment period on the draft EIS will be 45 days from

the date the EPA publishes the notice of availability in the Federal

Register.

The Forest Service believes it is important to give reviewers

notice of their opportunity to participate, and of several court

rulings related to public participation in the environmental review

process. First, reviewers of draft EISs 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 stage but that are not raised until after completion of the final

EIS may be waived or dismissed by the courts. City of Angoon v. Hodel,

803 F2d. 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 be meaningfully considered and

responded to in the final EIS.

To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues

about the proposed action, comments on the draft EIS should be as

specific as possible. It is also helpful if comments refer to specific

pages or chapters of the draft EIS. Comments may also address the

adequacy of the draft EIS or the merits of the alternatives formulated

and discussed in the statement.

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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.

The final EIS is scheduled for completion in January 1997. In the

final EIS, the Forest Service is required to respond to comments and

responses received during the comment period that pertain to the

environmental consequences discussed in the draft EIS and applicable

laws, regulations, and policies considered in making a decision

regarding the proposal. Sam Gehr, Forest Supervisor, Okanogan National

Forest, is the responsible official. The responsible official will

document the decision and rationale for the decision in the Record of

Decision, which will be subject to Forest Service Appeal Regulations

(36 CFR Part 215).

Dated: July 10, 1996.

Maureen T. Hyzer,

Acting Forest Supervisor.

[FR Doc. 96-18103 Filed 7-16-96; 8:45 am]

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