Saveno DeBorgiac Timber Sales and Road Rehabilitation; Superior Ranger District, Lolo National Forest; Mineral County, Montana

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

Saveno DeBorgiac Timber Sales and Road Rehabilitation; Superior

Ranger District, Lolo National Forest; Mineral County, Montana

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; intent to prepare environmental impact statement.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Forest Service will prepare an environmental impact

statement (EIS) to disclose the environmental effects of timber

harvesting, prescribed burning, road access changes, and watershed

rehabilitation in a 38,000 acre area near St. Regis, Montana.

DATES: Initial comments concerning the scope of the analysis should be

received in writing no later than August 26, 1998. Comments received

during the initial scoping will be considered in the analysis and do

not need to be resubmitted during this comment time period.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Cindy Chapman Enstrom, District

Ranger, Superior Ranger District, Box 460, Superior, MT 59872.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Ron Mason, Saveno DeBorgiac Interdisciplinary Team Leader, Superior

Ranger District, as above, or phone: (406) 822-4233.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The responsible official who will make

decisions based on this EIS is Charles C. Wildes, Forest Supervisor,

Lolo National Forest, Building 24 Fort Missoula, Missoula, MT 59804. He

will decide on this proposal after considering comments and responses,

environmental consequences discussed in the Final EIS, and applicable

laws, regulations, and policies. The decision and reasons for the

decision will be documented in a Record of Decision.

The Forest Service proposed to harvest about 33,000 hundred cubic

feet of timber from about 1700 acres (about 1030 of those acres to be

burned after harvest), to reconstruct or recondition about 7.5 miles of

road and stabilize and/or obliterate about 10.3 miles of existing road

(primarily to mitigate existing water quality and fish habitat

impacts), and to add new yearlong road closures to about 7.3 miles of

currently open roads. New road construction would be limited to about

2.5 miles of permanent road and about 3.4 miles of temporary road.

Lands affected are within the Twin Creek, Savenac Creek, Timber

Creek, McManus Creek and Packer Creek drainages, tributary to the St.

Regis River, between Saltese and DeBorgia, Montana. The project area is

bounded by Interstate 90 to the south and the divide between Plains/

Thompson Falls and superior Ranger Districts to the north.

The purpose of this proposal is to carry out the goals and

direction given in the Lolo National Forest Land and Resource

Management Plan with ecosystem management principles. Key elements of

the purpose and need are:

(1) Maintain existing elk security habitat;

(2) Modify stand structures in lodgepole pine to reduce

susceptibility to mountain pine beetle;

(3) Accelerate succession in mid seral, moist mixed conifer stands

where potential exists to develop late seral, multi-storied structures

with old growth characteristics;

(4) Replace the ponderosa pine communities which developed from

poorly adapted seed from other states. The trees were planted in the

early 1900's. These stands are experiencing extensive mortality from

diseases, and are also increasingly susceptible to bark beetle attacks.

These communities are also naturally reproducing, and degrading the

locally adapted gene pool;

(5) Develop stand structures that are equivalent to single story,

moisture limited conditions resembling structures developed from very

frequent, low intensity ground fires. The resulting stand structures

will enhance growth and development of ponderosa pine, western larch

and Douglas-fir stands;

(6) The St. Regis River is a priority watershed for bull trout

recovery; we will protect the species and seek opportunities to enhance

and restore habitat;

(7) The St. Regis River is a Water Quality Limited Segment (WQLS).

Increased sediment has resulted in the ``cold water fishery'' to be

only partially supported. The proposal seeks opportunities to eliminate

erosion and control sediment sources to improve water quality in the

streams entering the St. Regis River; and

(8) Provide forest products in support of forest plan goals.

The decision to be made is to what extent, if at all, the Forest

Service should conduct timber harvest, prescribed burning, road

construction or reconstruction, road reclamation, and road closure in

the Twin Creek, Savenac Creek, Timber Creek, McManus Creek and Packer

Creek drainages, given the above purpose and need. This is a site

specific project decision, not a general management plan nor a

programmatic analysis.

Public scoping has been conducted on this proposal and the

alternatives developed for this proposal.

While quite a number of issues have been identified for

environmental effects analysis, the following issues are the one which

so far have been found significant enough to guide alternative

development and provide focus for the EIS.

(1) Water quality and fisheries habitat effects resulting from

timber harvest and road construction and rehabilitation activities;

(2) Forest health issues pertaining to even-aged management and

restoration; and

(3) Economic effects on local communities resulting from different

access methods and resulting timber values.

The proposed action could have both beneficial and adverse effects

on these resources. In addition to the proposed action, a range of

alternatives have been developed in response to issues identified

during scoping. Alternatives planned for detailed study are:

(1) No action; none of the proposed activities would be

implemented.

(2) Restoration of offsite ponderosa pine stands. Mid-seral stands

will be treated to develop multi-storied stands with large trees, and

dry sites with a history of high fire frequency will be thinned to

develop open stands of ponderosa pine, Douglas-fir and larch.

Approximately 77 percent of the volume will be helicopter yarded, 12

percent will be tractor yarded and 11 percent will skyline yarded.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Approximate

Road work miles

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Construction, new roads.................................... 0.0

[[Page 40095]]

Reconstruction, existing roads............................. 2.7

Reclamation, existing roads................................ 12.9

Construct and obliterate temporary roads................... 0.0

Reconstruct and reclaim, existing road..................... 0.0

Change travel management................................... 7.3

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(3) Then lodgepole pine stands to make them resistant to mountain

pine beetle attacks. Harvest from existing roads and from short-term

and temporary roads on gentle ridgetops and upper sidelopes, harvest

with no evenaged management cuts. Approximately 1 percent of the volume

will be helicopter yarded, 64 percent will be tractor yarded and 35

percent will skyline yarded.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Approximate

Road work miles

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Construction, new roads.................................... 0.0

Reconstruction, existing roads............................. 2.7

Reclamation, existing roads................................ 8.6

Construct and obliterate temporary roads................... 3.4

Reconstruct and reclaim, existing road..................... 4.3

Change travel management................................... 7.3

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(4) Restoration of offsite ponderosa pine stands. Mid-seral stands

will be treated to develop multi-storied stands with large trees, and

dry sites with a history of high fire frequency will be thinned to

develop open stands of ponderosa pine, Douglas-fir and larch. Thin

lodgepole pine stands to make them more resistant to mountain pine

beetle attacks. Approximately 43 percent of the volume will be

helicopter yarded, 33 percent will be tractor yarded and 24 percent

will skyline yarded.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Approximate

Road work miles

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Construction, new roads.................................... 2.5

Reconstruction, existing roads............................. 2.7

Reclamation, existing roads................................ 6.7

Construct and obliterate temporary roads................... 3.4

Reconstruct and reclaim, existing road..................... 0.4

Change travel management................................... 0.0

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(5) Restoration of offsite ponderosa pine stands. Mid-seral stands

will be treated to develop multi-storied stands with large trees, and

dry sites with a history of high fire frequency will be thinned to

develop open stands of ponderosa pine, Douglas-fir and larch. Thin

lodgepole pine stands to make them more resistant to mountain pine

beetle attacks. Approximately 20 percent of the volume will be

helicopter yarded, 45 percent will be tractor yarded and 35 percent

will skyline yarded.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Approximate

Road work miles

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Construction, new roads.................................... 2.5

Reconstruction, existing roads............................. 3.2

Reclamation, existing roads................................ 2.6

Construct and obliterate temporary roads................... 3.4

Reconstruct and reclaim, existing road..................... 4.3

Change travel management................................... 0.0

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Public participation is important to the analysis. People may visit

with Forest Service officials at any time during the analysis and prior

to the decision. No formal scoping meetings are planned. However, two

periods are specifically designated for comments on the analysis:

(1) During this scoping process; and

(2) During the draft EIS comment period.

During the scoping process, the Forest Service is seeking

information and comments from Federal, State, and local agencies and

other individuals or organizations who may be interested in or affected

by the proposed action. A scoping document will be mailed to parties

known to be interested in the proposed action. The agency invites

written comments and suggestions on this action, particularly in terms

of issues and alternatives.

The Forest Service will continue to involve the public and will

inform interested and affected parties as to how they may participate

and contribute to the final decision. Another formal opportunity for

response will be provided following completion of a draft EIS.

The draft EIS should be available for review in March, 1999. The

final EIS is scheduled for completion in June, 1999.

The comment period on the draft EIS will be 45 days from the date

the Environmental Protection Agency publishes the notice of

availability in the Federal Register.

The Forest Service believes it is important, at this early stage,

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 it is

meaningful and alerts the agency to the reviewer's position and

contentions. Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519,

533 (1978). Also, environmental objections that could be raised at the

draft environmental impact statement stage but 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 Heritage v. Harris, 490 F.

Supp. 1334, 1338 (E.D. Wis. 1980). Because of these court rulings, it

is very important those interested in this proposed action participate

by the close of the 45 day comment period so 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.

I am the responsible official for this environmental impact

statement. My address is Lolo National Forest, Building 24, Fort

Missoula, Missoula MT 59804.

Authority: 40 CFR 1508.220.

Dated: July 10, 1998.

Charles C. Wildes,

Forest Supervisor.

[FR Doc. 98-19726 Filed 7-24-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410-11-M