South Spruce Ecosystem Rehabilitation Project, Dixie National Forest, Iron and Kane Counties, Utah

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

South Spruce Ecosystem Rehabilitation Project, Dixie National

Forest, Iron and Kane Counties, Utah

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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

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

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Forest Service, USDA, will

prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Forest Service

to implement several proposals within the South Spruce Ecosystem

Recovery Project area, on the Cedar City Ranger District, Dixie

National Forest. These proposals include: (1) commercial timber harvest

by salvage, release, and improvement cuttings, and associated road

construction; (2) burning and mechanical regeneration treatments of

aspen forests; and, (3) travel management. Multiple decisions may be

issued upon completion of the analysis; however, the cumulative effects

of all the proposed actions will be disclosed in the EIS. The purpose

of these proposals is to initiate actions that would improve forest

health and diversity, accelerate reforestation, meet woody debris

objectives, and reduce road densities within the project area. The

project area is located approximately 15 miles east of Cedar City,

Utah. The project would be implemented in accordance with direction in

the Land and Resource Management Plan (LRMP) for the Dixie National

Forest, 1986.

In addition to the management activities proposed to be

implemented, a site specific amendment to the LRMP is being proposed.

This amendment is necessary in order to ensure that the commercial

timber harvest proposed action complies with the LRMP. The amendment is

described below under Supplementary Information.

The agency gives notice that the environmental analysis process is

underway. During the analysis process, an issue surfaced that warranted

disclosure of effects under an EIS. This issue is the high degree of

interest associated with the potential to alter the undeveloped

character of a portion of the project area due to vegetative management

treatments.

Interested and potentially affected persons, along with local,

state, and other federal agencies, are invited to participate in, and

contribute to, the environmental analysis. The Dixie National Forest

invites written input regarding issues specific to the proposed action.

DATES: Written comments to be considered in the preparation of the

Draft Environmental impact Statement (DEIS) should be submitted by May

11, 1998, which is at least 30 days following the publication of this

notice in the Federal Register. The DEIS is expected to be available

for review by June, 1998. The Record of Decision and Final

Environmental Impact Statement are expected to be available by

November, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments to: District Ranger, Cedar City

Ranger District, 82 North 100 East, P.O. Box 627, Cedar City, Utah

84721-0627; FAX: (801) 865-3791; E-mail: Brunswick__Nancy/

[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Direct questions about the proposed action and EIS to Phillip G.

Eisenhauer, Project Environmental Coordinator, by mail at 82 North 100

East, P.O. Box 627, Cedar City, Utah 84721-0627; or by phone at (801)

865-3700; FAX: (801) 865-3791; E-mail: Brunswick__Nancy/

[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed projects are located in a

52,991 acre analysis area in the upper drainages of the Parowan,

Mammoth, Panguitch, Asay and Coal Creek watersheds. Approximately

37,577 acres of the project area are forested and 15,414 acres are non-

forested. The proposed commercial conifer treatment areas currently are

or will likely be infested with spruce beetle (Dendrocto-nus

rufipennis). Spruce beetle populations are at epidemic levels and have

killed millions of spruce trees, on approximately 19,000 acres within

the project area. In some sites, where spruce was the dominant

overstory, few live trees remain. Because spruce beetle populations

have been expanding since the early 1990's it is likely the remaining

9,000 acres of spruce forest will become infested.

The purpose of the project is to harvest with salvage cuttings

approximately 718 acres of dead, dying, and high risk Engelmann spruce

trees to recover wood products that would otherwise be lost, while

still meeting desired resource objectives for standing dead and down

tree material. Minor amounts of subalpine fir trees (less than 15% of

the total removed) would also be removed with improvement cuttings to

release healthy aspen, spruce or subalpine fir regeneration, improve

residual stand vigor, or that will likely be damaged or killed during

the removal of the spruce trees.

Approximately 2,412 acres of spruce forests that are at moderate to

high risk to spruce beetle infestation that are located immediately

adjacent to infested areas are proposed for harvest with the same

commercial salvage and improvement cuttings. These currently uninfested

areas will not be harvested until they become infested by epidemic

levels of spruce beetles.

On approximately 289 acres adjacent to sites previously harvested

by strip clearcutting the purpose of commercial timber harvest is to

release or stimulate aspen regeneration and create a more natural

forest pattern.

Rehabilitation of areas heavily impacted by bark beetle mortality

through the completion of natural and artificial regeneration

activities would occur as needed. An estimated 1,625 acres would be

planted with spruce seedlings. Reforestation is essential to providing

for the most rapid progression toward the desired future condition for

forest cover in the project area.

Regeneration treatment of aspen forests is also included in this

proposal. Treatments would include both burning and mechanical

(commercial and non-commercial harvest) with or without burning. About

9,171 acres of forest are dominated by aspen in the project area. Most

are being converted to conifers by natural succession and the lack of

fire in the ecosystem. Most vegetation management treatments would lead

to an increase in the abundance of aspen, which is the desired goal for

resource values identified in the project area (ie: wildlife habitat

improvement,

[[Page 16757]]

vegetation diversity, and scenic variety and color in the landscape).

Approximately 463 acres would be regenerated.

Travel management is proposed for portions of the project area. The

purpose of this activity is to restore and rehabilitate ecological

values in areas where excessive numbers of open roads exist. Moving

these portions of the project area toward or below the LRMP guideline

of two miles of open road per square mile will reduce the adverse

environmental impacts associated with excessive numbers of open roads.

A reduction in open road density will reduce long-term maintenance

costs while promoting safe, efficient public travel on the open road

system.

Vegetation management treatments involving commercial harvest,

aspen regeneration, and travel management would occur on National

Forest system lands located within portions of Sections 28-33 of

Township(T) 35 South(S), Range(R) 8 West(W); Sections 3-17, 20-24, 26-

35 of T.36 S., R.8 W.; Sections 3-10, 15-21, 30-32 of T.37 S., R.8 W.;

Sections 1, 2, 11-14, 23-26, 35-36 of T.37 S., R. 8\1/2\ W.; Sections

1-6, 8-15, 24-25 and 36 T.36 S., R.9 W.; Sections 10-16, 22-27, 35-36

of T.37 S., R.9 W., Salt Lake City (SLC) Meridian, Iron County, UT;

and, Sections 1-2 of T.38 S., R.9 W.; and Sections 5-6 of T.38 S., R.8

W., SLC Meridian, Kane County, UT.

The transportation system required to access commercial harvest

areas is largely in place. However, to access all currently infested

stands, approximately 2.6 miles of temporary and specified road

construction would be required. An additional one half mile of

temporary road is proposed to access aspen regeneration areas with

commercial sawtimber and non-commercial fuelwood opportunities. No road

construction is proposed to occur in areas classified categories one,

two or three under Chief Dombeck's interim road policy (36 CFR part

212). A haul route is proposed through Cedar Breaks National Monument

along existing roads to facilitate removal of a portion of the trees

removed under the commercial harvest proposal.

All newly constructed temporary roads would be obliterated upon

completion of the project, and any new permanent or systems road would

be physically closed with earth and rock barriers or gates.

In addition to the vegetation management treatments, and related

activities, a site-specific amendment to the Dixie National Forest LRMP

is being proposed for this project. This amendment is necessary in

order to ensure that the commercial harvest proposed action is in

compliance with the LRMP. Because of the level of spruce beetle caused

mortality along state highways and areas designated semi-primitive

recreation management in the LRMP (2A and 2B), commercial harvests in

these areas may require that site specific amendments be made regarding

scenic resource management.

The proposed actions would implement management direction,

contribute to meeting the goals and objectives identified in the DNF-

LRMP, and move the project area toward the desired condition. This

project EIS would be tiered to the Dixie National Forest LRMP EIS

(1986), which provides goals, objectives, standards and guidelines for

the various activities and land allocations on the Forest. As lead

agency, the Forest Service would analyze and document direct, indirect,

and cumulative environmental effects for a range of alternatives. Each

alternative would include mitigation measures and monitoring

requirements. No alternatives to the proposed action have been

identified at this time, however, the following four preliminary issues

have been identified: (1) The presence of log trucks and other heavy

machinery on popular recreation traffic routes may increase hazards to

personal safety (management indicator: frequency and timing of logging

related traffic); (2) Prescribed burning associated with aspen

regeneration may generate smoke concentrations that could pool in urban

areas (management indicator: number of days expected to exceed

guidelines); (3) The proposed activities may affect areas the

undeveloped character of areas within the SERP area (measurement

indicator: number of acres altered within those areas); and, (4) The

proposed harvest levels may not optimize the recovery of the marketable

value of the wood products (measurement indicator: percent of acres

harvested of the total available spruce mortality on suitable and

operable acres).

Hugh C. Thompson, Forest Supervisor, Dixie National Forest, is the

responsible official. He can be reached by mail at 82 North 100 East,

P.O. Box 580, Cedar City, Utah, 84720-0580.

The Forest Service is seeking comments from individuals,

organizations, and local, state, and Federal agencies who may be

interested in or affected by the proposed action. Scoping notices have

been sent to potentially affected persons and those currently on the

Dixie National Forest mailing list that have expressed interest in

timber management proposals, proposals, relating to wildlife habitat

modifications and Forest Plan amendments. Other interested individuals,

organizations, or agencies may have their names added to the mailing

list for this project at any time by submitting a request to: Phillip

G. Eisenhauer, Project Environmental Coordinator, 82 North 100 East,

P.O. Box 627, Cedar City, UT 84720-0627.

The analysis area includes both National Forest System land and

private lands. Proposed treatments would occur only on National Forest

system lands. A permit is required to use the proposed haul route

through Cedar Breaks National Monument. No other federal or local

permits, licenses or entitlements would be needed.

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, reviewers of

the DEIS must structure their participation in the environmental review

of the proposal so that it meaningful and alerts an agency to the

reviewers' position and contentions. Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp

v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519, 553 (1978). Also, environmental objections that

could have been raised at the DEIS 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, (9th Circuit, 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 the time it can meaningfully

consider them and respond to them in the final EIS.

To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues

and concerns about the proposed action, comments on the DEIS 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 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

[[Page 16758]]

Act at 40 CFR 1503.3 in addressing these points.

Dated: March 25, 1998.

Hugh C. Thompson,

Forest Supervisor, Dixie National Forest.

[FR Doc. 98-8863 Filed 4-3-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 0224-10-M