Coconino National Forest, Arizona; Draft Environmental Impact Statement, Windmill Range Allotment

SUMMARY: The Coconino National Forest of the Forest Service is planning

to prepare an environmental impact statement on proposals to change

cattle management on the 248,792 acre Windmill Allotment planning area.

DATES: This analysis has been ongoing and public participation has

occurred at various stages. The Draft Environmental Impact Statement

will be published in February of 1997. Preliminary comments can be made

on this Notice of Intent before January 31, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Peaks Ranger District, 5075 N. Hwy 89,

Flagstaff, Arizona 86004, Reference: Windmill EIS.

RESPONSIBLE OFFICIAL: Fred Trevey, Coconino Forest Supervisor.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Peaks District Range Staff, Mike Hannemann, (520) 526-0866.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Windmill Allotment Management Plan was

updated in 1982 to improve the distribution of areas scheduled for

cattle use. In 1988 the Allotment plan for the Winter Division was

updated to change the grazing system to improve the growth of cool-

season Stipa grasses and overall range conditions.

In 1994, the Peaks, Mormon Lake and Sedona Ranger Districts in

partnership with the Arizona Game and Fish Department initiated the

comprehensive analysis for the Windmill Allotment to update the

Allotment Management Plan. The Allotment was selected for this update

for the following reasons: Large, open meadows are in poor condition

indicating an imbalance between plant growth and use of plants

throughout the meadows; riparian conditions could be improved on the

Allotment; a need exists to address threatened, endangered and

sensitive species; an opportunity exists to increase administrative

efficiency by consolidating the three portions of the Allotment under

one Allotment Management Plan; an opportunity exists to examine the

forest floor on a broad landscape scale; the Arizona Game and Fish

Department can help describe existing conditions on the Allotment by

combining the Department's information on elk with that obtained from

joint-agency utilization monitoring.

Under the 1995 Range Permit Issuance effort, a Burns amendment

permit was issued for 10 years for the Windmill Allotment. As required

by the Burns amendment the Allotment was than scheduled for

comprehensive analysis within the 10 year period. The Burns decision

for Windmill included some mitigating measures which included fencing

riparian and sensitive plant habitats, sweeping cattle from driveways

and shipping culled cows. Public participation occurred prior to

issuance of the Burns Amendment decision in the form of public response

to a proposed action.

In 1996, the comprehensive analysis was re-initiated and will

result in publication of an Environmental Impact Statement. This

analysis attempts to gain more understanding about the relationship of

the lands forage production which is affected by soils, tree densities,

climatic conditions and past grazing and the dietary needs of cattle

and elk. We had the opportunity to judge where forage dietary needs and

grazing use were out of balance with the lands ability to produce

forage in upward trends. We then had the opportunity to determine

management actions which responded to what we found. A 10-year adaptive

management plan will be developed which strives to take advantage of

future opportunities, adapt to changing landscape conditions and

progress toward a better balance between the landscape and forage

grazers.

A new Allotment management plan will be developed to guide grazing

practices and a new permit may be issued. The option of eliminating

cattle grazing from this Allotment will also be cosnidered.

Tentative alternatives are,

1. Alternative A is designed to meet all the current grazing

management issues while maintaining a viable ranching operation. This

alternative uses permittee and range conservationist knowledge to

determine proper livestock numbers, graze periods, graze rotations, and

pasture splits. Total livestock numbers are 1,252 to 1,257.

2. Alternative B is the no action alternative as required by the

National Environmental Policy Act regulations. Selection of this

alternative would mean that no cattle grazing would occur on this

allotment for the next 10 years.

3. Alternative C is the management system currently in place. This

alternative permits a total of 1,252 to 1,257 cattle to graze year-

round on the Windmill Range Allotment.

4. Alternative D is designed to respond to grazing capacity and

proper use guideline issues. This alternative uses timber stand data

base and Terrestrial Ecosystem Survey data to project total yearly

forage production for each pasture. Total livestock numbers are 635.

5. Alternative F is the same as Alternative A except for adjusting

the Luke Mountain pasture of the Foxboro Herd from a two-way pasture

split to a three-way pasture split. This third pasture reduces graze

periods in Little T-Six from 20 to 10 days and Highway Camp from 14-20

days to 10 days. This responds to concerns over poor and declining

range conditions in the Foxboro summer range area. Total livestock

numbers are 1,252 to 1,257.

6. Alternative G is designed to better meet resource concerns of

poor and declining range conditions in parts of Munds-Pocket and

Foxboro Herd areas. This alternative improves on Alternative A in these

areas by reducing livestock numbers, adjusting graze periods and

providing additional pasture splits. Total livestock numbers are 1,090

to 1,125.

Items common to alternatives include fencing some riparian areas to

exclude livestock. The areas chosen for fencing are easily accessed by

cattle, are fairly large and have adjacent wet meadows and are

estimated to have high potential for improvement. Not all riparian

springs located on the Allotment are fenced. Those not chosen for

fencing are

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less accessible to cattle, are not associated with wet meadows and are

very small. Major creeks and rivers will not have direct cattle access

under any of the alternatives. Other items common to all alternatives

include tank re-location and/or waterlot construction where tanks occur

in dry meadows. Pastures that will not be used in the 10 year

management plan period are also identified.

Environmental analysis has been ongoing. It is anticipated that a

draft environmental impact statement will be published in February of

1997. A ninety day comment period pursuant to 36 CFR 219.10(b) will be

provided for the public to make comments on the draft environmental

impact statement. A record of decision will be prepared and filed with

the final environmental impact statement. A ninety day appeal period

pursuant to 36 CFR 217.8(a) will be applicable. The ninety day comment

period on the draft environmental impact statement will begin when the

Environmental Protection Agency's Notice of Availability appears in the

Federal Register.

To be most helpful, comments on the draft environmental impact

statement should be as specific as possible and may address the

adequacy of the statement or the merits of the alternatives discussed

(see Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for implementing the

procedural provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act at 40

CFR 1503.3).

Fred Trevey,

Coconino Forest Supervisor.

[FR Doc. 97-353 Filed 1-7-97; 8:45 am]

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