Joseph Creek Range Planning on the Wallowa Valley Ranger District, Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, Wallowa County, Oregon

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

Joseph Creek Range Planning on the Wallowa Valley Ranger

District, Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, Wallowa County, Oregon

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) to update range management planning on 11 livestock

grazing allotments and 1 administrative horse pasture which will result

in the development of new Allotment Management Plans. The grazing

allotments are named Al-Cunningham, Cougar Creek, Crow Creek, Davis

Creek, Fine, Hunting Camp, Swamp Creek, Table Mountain, Joseph Creek,

Dobbins, and Elk Mountain and the administrative horse pasture is named

Upper Chico. The allotments are located 70 miles north and east of

LaGrande, Oregon. The allotments, combined, are called the Joseph Creek

Range Planning Area. National Forest System lands within the Wallowa-

Whitman National Forests, will be considered in the proposal.

Management actions are planned to be implemented beginning in the year

2000. The agency gives notice of the full environmental analysis and

decision-making process that will occur on the proposal so that

interested and affected people may become aware of how they may

participate in the process and contribute to the final decision.

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DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis should be received

in writing by March 26, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments and suggestions concerning this

proposal to Jimmy Roberts, District Ranger, Wallowa Valley Ranger

District, Wallowa-Whitman National Forest 88401 Hwy 82, Enterprise,

Oregon 97828.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Direct questions about the proposed action and EIS to Paul Bridges,

Interdisciplinary Team Leader, Wallowa-Whitman National Forest Baker

Ranger District, 3165 10th Street, Baker City, Oregon 97814, phone

(541) 523-1950.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed action is to continue to permit

livestock grazing on National Forest System lands. The proposed action

is designed to continue the improving trends in vegetation, watershed

conditions, and ecological sustainability relative to livestock grazing

within the eleven allotments and one administrative horse pasture all

located in the South Joseph Creek Watershed. The action is needed to

develop new Allotment Management Plans (AMPs) which incorporate results

of recent scientific research, analysis and documentation at the sub-

basin level.

The Wallowa-Whitman Forest Plan as amended, recognized the

continuing need for forage production from the Forest and recognized

the 11 allotments and 1 administrative pasture within the Joseph Creek

watershed as containing lands which are capable and suitable for

grazing by domestic livestock. This action is needed to continue this

historic use. The allotments encompass approximately 95,555 acres of

National Forest System lands in the Joseph Creek Watershed. The Range

Planning Area also contains private and Bureau of Land Management (BLM)

lands within its boundary.

Anadromous streams occur in all of the allotments and provide

spawning and rearing habitat for Snake River Chinook salmon and Snake

River summer steelhead. Chinook salmon were listed under the Endangered

Species Act (ESA) in 1992, and the summer steelhead in 1997. Range

management practices within the allotments have been modified to

address concerns for the listed fish species and their habitat. These

modifications resulted in implementation of projects designed to

protect streams such as fences, new water developments to draw cattle

away from riparian areas, and adjustments in season of use to protect

spawning populations of steelhead.

Within the Joseph Creek Range Planning Area, Joseph Creek is

designated as a Wild and Scenic River and is managed under the Forest

Plan to maintain the river's outstandingly remarkable values. The range

planning area is used by recreationists for numerous activities, with

several campgrounds, trailheads and dispersed recreation sites

receiving use. Joseph Canyon Viewpoint, an interpretive site describing

significant events in Nez Perce Tribal history, is located in Joseph

Creek allotment.

The Joseph Creek Range Planning Area provides habitat for many

wildlife species including management indicator species (MIS) and their

habitats. These MIS species include California wolverine, North

American lynx, Rocky Mountain elk, marten, pileated woodpecker,

goshawk, bald eagle and American peregrine falcon.

Premliminary issues include: (1) The effects of livestock grazing

on riparian conditions (including water quality, water temperature and

stream bank stability); (2) the ability to maintain ecological

sustainability and continue watershed restoration with continued

livestock grazing; (3) the effects of no grazing or reduced grazing on

the local economy; and (4) the effects of livestock grazing on TES

species.

A detailed public involvement plan has been developed, and an

interdisciplinary team has been selected to do the environmental

analysis, prepare and accomplish scoping and public involvement

activities.

The proposed action is intended to provide the analysis needed to

prepare new AMPs that meet all the Forest Plan amended requirements of

Interim strategies for managing Pacific anadromous fish-producing

watersheds in eastern Oregon and Washington, Idaho, and portions of

California (PACFISH), Inland Native Strategies for Managing Fish-

producing Watersheds in Eastern Oregon and Washington, Idaho, Western

Montana, and Portions of Nevada (INFISH) and are consistent with the

scientific findings of the Interior Columbia Basin Ecosystem Management

Program (ICBEMP). Consultation with the National Marine Fisheries

Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, as required under the

ESA, will be completed for all proposed activities.

Public involvement will be especially important at several points

during the analysis, beginning with the scoping process. The Forest

Service will be consulting with Indian Tribes and seeking information,

comments, and assistance from Federal, State, local agencies, tribes,

and other individuals or organizations who may be interested in or

affected by the proposals. The scoping process includes:

1. Identifying and clarifying issues.

2. Identifying key issues to be analyzed in depth.

3. Exploring alternatives based on themes which will be derived

from issues recognized during scoping activities.

4. Identifying potential environmental effects of the proposals and

alternatives (i.e., direct, indirect, and cumulative effects and

connected actions).

5. Determining potential cooperating agencies and task assignments.

6. Developing a list of interested people to keep apprised of

opportunities to participate through meetings, personal contacts, or

written comments.

7. Developing a means of informing the public through the media

and/or written material (e.g., newsletters, correspondence, etc.).

Public comments are appreciated throughout the analysis process.

The draft EIS is expected to be filed with the Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA) and be available for public review by September 1999. 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 final

EIS is scheduled to be available March 2000.

The Forest Service believes it is important to give reviewers

notice of this early stage of public participation and of several court

rulings related to public participation in the environmental review

process. First, reviewers of a draft EIS 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 have been

raised at the draft stage may be waived or dismissed by the court if

not raised until after completion of the final EIS. City of Angoon v.

Hodel, 803 f.2d 1016, 1022 (9th Cir, 1986) and Wisconsin Heritages,

Inc. v. Harris, 490 F. Supp. 1334 (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 substantive comments and objections are made available to the Forest

Service at a time when it can meaningfully consider and respond to them

in the final EIS.

To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues

and concerns on the proposed action,

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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

statement. Comments may also address the adequacy of the draft EIS or

the merits of the alternative 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.)

In the final EIS, the Forest Service is required to respond to

substantive 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. The Responsible Official is Karyn L.

Wood, Forest Supervisor for the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. The

Responsible Official will document the decision and rationale for the

decision in the Record of Decision. That decision will be subject to

appeal under 36 CFR Part 215.

Dated: February 9, 1999.

William R. Gast,

Deputy Forest Supervisor.

[FR Doc. 99-3937 Filed 2-17-99; 8:45 am]

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