Notice2022-26582
Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests; Idaho; Hungry Ridge Restoration Project
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
December 7, 2022
Issuing agencies
Agriculture DepartmentForest Service
Abstract
The USDA Forest Service is giving notice of its intent to prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for the Hungry Ridge Restoration Project on the Salmon River Ranger District of the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests, in Idaho. The Forest Supervisor plans to prepare a SEIS to further evaluate old growth and cumulative effects under National Forest Management Act (NFMA) and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) consistent with Case No. 3:21- cv-00189-CWD Memorandum and Decision Order (June 24, 2022).
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 234 (Wednesday, December 7, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 234 (Wednesday, December 7, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75023-75024]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-26582]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests; Idaho; Hungry Ridge
Restoration Project
AGENCY: Forest Service, Agriculture (USDA).
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact
Statement.
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SUMMARY: The USDA Forest Service is giving notice of its intent to
prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for the
Hungry Ridge Restoration Project on the Salmon River Ranger District of
the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests, in Idaho. The Forest
Supervisor plans to prepare a SEIS to further evaluate old growth and
cumulative effects under National Forest Management Act (NFMA) and
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) consistent with Case No. 3:21-
cv-00189-CWD Memorandum and Decision Order (June 24, 2022).
DATES: There is no comment period at this time. The draft SEIS will be
advertised for public comment as required by 40 CFR 1503.1. The draft
SEIS is anticipated to be available for public review and comment in
early 2023 and will be announced in the Federal Register, on the Nez
Perce-Clearwater National Forests' project website and other local
media. The comment period for the draft SEIS will be 45 days from the
date the Environmental Protection Agency publishes the notice of
availability in the Federal Register.
ADDRESSES: Nez Perce Clearwater National Forests, 1008 Highway 64,
Kamiah, Idaho 83536.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennie Fischer, Interdisciplinary Team
Leader, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#610b040f0f08044f0708120209041321141205004f060e17"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="a3c9c6cdcdcac68dc5cad0c0cbc6d1e3d6d0c7c28dc4ccd5">[email protected]</span></a>; 208-983-4048. Individuals who use
telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339, 24 hours a day,
every day of the year, including holidays.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Supplemental Environmental Impact
Statement will improve the Hungry Ridge Restoration final Enivironmntal
Impact Satement (FEIS) (September 2020, EIS No. 20200185) by providing
an updated analysis of the environmental effects related to old growth
and analysis of cumulative effects of the Hungry Ridge and End of the
World projects on old growth. The Final Record of Decision was signed
in March 2021. The SEIS will address the Judge's order regarding old
growth and cumulative effects.
If needed, the Forest Supervisor of the Nez Perce-Clearwater
National Forests will issue a new Record of Decision (ROD) after
evaluating the SEIS and public comments. If needed, an objection period
for a new ROD will be provided, consistent with 36 CFR part 218.
Purpose and Need for Action
The overall purpose of the Hungry Ridge Restoration project is to
manage forest vegetation to restore natural disturbance patterns;
improve long-term resilience at the stand and landscape levels; reduce
the potential risk to private property and structures; improve
watershed conditions; and maintain/improve habitat structure, function
and diversity. Timber outputs from the proposed action would be used to
offset treatment costs, support the economic structure of local
communities, and provide for regional and national needs.
Proposed Action
The proposed action was presented as Alternative 2 in the FEIS
(September 2020). The Hungry Ridge Restoration project is located
approximately 17 miles southeast of Grangeville in Idaho County, Idaho
and includes the following actions: 7,164 acres of commercial timber
harvest and fuels reduction; 12,372 acres of prescribed burning, and 10
acres of hand thinning around private property to reduce fuel levels. A
combination of ground-based and aerial logging systems would be used.
Associated road work includes up to: nine miles of permanent road
construction, 23 miles of temporary road construction that would be
decommissioned, two miles of road reconstruction, 34 miles of road
reconditioning, road maintenance for log haul, and four miles of road
long term storage. Approximately 1.8 miles of private road would be
used under a road use agreement. Restoration actions to improve
watershed conditions include approximately 25 miles road
decommissioning, replacement of 18 culverts, improvement at two trail
stream crossings, 87 acres of hardwood planting, and 75 acres of soil
restoration. Monitoring and one project-specific amendment to the Nez
Perce National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan)
are also proposed.
Preliminary Alternatives
The additional alternative the SEIS may consider is in response to
impacts to old growth. The Hungry Ridge Restoration FEIS (September
2020)
[[Page 75024]]
evaluated the potential effects of four alternatives, including No
Action and three action alternatives. The proposed action addresses the
need to: manage vegetation to provide forest products, to reduce
hazardous fuels on forest lands and adjacent to private property,
reduce effects to wild and scenic rivers, reduce effects to steep
slopes, reduce effects to wilderness characteristics, improve watershed
condition through changes to access management, treatment of road and
trail stream crossings. Alternatives were developed based on the
potential effects to: old growth and old growth-dependent species;
watershed and fish habitat, visual resources from timber harvest, new
road construction, mechanical treatment in Forest Plan Management Area
20, and landscape prescribed burning.
Expected Impacts
Preliminary significant impacts to be evaluated included: effects
to old growth and cumulative effects.
Responsible Official
Cheryl F. Probert, Nez Perce--Clearwater Forest Supervisor, Nez
Perce-Clearwater National Forests Supervisor's Office, 1008 Highway 64,
Kamiah, Idaho 83536.
Scoping Comments and the Objection Process
A Notice of Intent was published in the Federal Register on
February 12, 2014, and initiated the scoping period for the Hungry
Ridge Restoration Project. That notice started a 45-day scoping period.
In accordance with 40 CFR 1502.9(d)(3), there will be no scoping
conducted for this SEIS. The court's Decision on the Hungry Ridge
Restoration FEIS established the scope of this SEIS.
The Forest will be soliciting future participation via the
GovDelivery email notification system, rather than postal mail. Details
about the upcoming project information will sent to you through
GovDelivery. To sign up for GovDelivery and take advantage of new
electronic notifications, please visit the Hungry Ridge Restoration
project web page at: <a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=43661">https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=43661</a>.
Updates will not be sent via postal mail.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The deciding official will review the additional information to
determine whether direct, indirect and cumulative effects on old growth
in the Hungry Ridge Restoration project area meet the requirements of
Appendix N of the Forest Plan; if there are cumulative impacts to old
growth by the Hungry Ridge Restoration Project and the End of the World
Restoration Project; and whether a new decision is needed to comply
with the Forest Plan.
Dated: December 2, 2022.
Troy Heithecker,
Associate Deputy Chief, National Forest System.
[FR Doc. 2022-26582 Filed 12-6-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3411-15-P
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