Notice2023-03354
Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest; Washington; Forest Plan Amendment for Planning and Management of Domestic Sheep and Goat Grazing Within the Range of Bighorn Sheep; Correction
Primary source
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Published
February 17, 2023
Issuing agencies
Agriculture DepartmentForest Service
Abstract
The USDA Forest Service published a notice of intent (NOI) to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) in the Federal Register on May 17, 2019 (84 FR 22432). The NOI served as the scoping document for the Forest Plan Amendment for Planning and Management of Domestic Sheep and Goat Grazing Within the Range of Bighorn Sheep for the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest (Forest). After the initial 2019 scoping effort, the Forest determined the need to update the NOI with new dates for the draft EIS and final EIS, new contact information, revised need for action, revised proposed action, preliminary alternatives, and nature of the decision to be made.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 33 (Friday, February 17, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 33 (Friday, February 17, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10284-10285]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-03354]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest; Washington; Forest Plan
Amendment for Planning and Management of Domestic Sheep and Goat
Grazing Within the Range of Bighorn Sheep; Correction
AGENCY: Forest Service, Agriculture (USDA).
ACTION: Correction to notice of intent to prepare an environmental
impact statement.
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SUMMARY: The USDA Forest Service published a notice of intent (NOI) to
prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) in the Federal Register
on May 17, 2019 (84 FR 22432). The NOI served as the scoping document
for the Forest Plan Amendment for Planning and Management of Domestic
Sheep and Goat Grazing Within the Range of Bighorn Sheep for the
Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest (Forest). After the initial 2019
scoping effort, the Forest determined the need to update the NOI with
new dates for the draft EIS and final EIS, new contact information,
revised need for action, revised proposed action, preliminary
alternatives, and nature of the decision to be made.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received
by April 3, 2023. The draft EIS is expected December 2023 and the final
EIS is expected December 2024.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to: Okanogan-Wenatchee National
Forest, Domestic Sheep EIS, 215 Melody Lane, Wenatchee, Washington
98801. Written comments can be submitted in person at the above address
during regular business hours between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Pacific
Time, Monday through Friday. Comments may also be submitted online at
<a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=53257">https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=53257</a> or via facsimile to 509-
664-9280.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stacy Lundgren, Environmental
Coordinator, via email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#7d0e091c1e0453110813191a0f18133d080e191c531a120b"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="582b2c393b2176342d363c3f2a3d36182d2b3c39763f372e">[email protected]</span></a>. Individuals who use
telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Relay
Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339, 24 hours a day, every day of the year,
including holidays.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose and Need for Action
The purpose for this action remains the same as described in the
2019 NOI found here: <a href="https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-05-17/pdf/2019-10266.pdf">https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-05-17/pdf/2019-10266.pdf</a>. The need has been revised to address new concerns
related to existing allotment management plans.
To address these concerns, the Forest needs to amend both the
Okanogan and Wenatchee Forest Plans to identify which existing grazing
allotments are suitable or unsuitable for domestic sheep and goat
grazing. The Forest also needs to identify potential site-specific
grazing opportunities which could be made available to existing sheep
permittees on the Forest. In contrast to the 2019 NOI, the proposed
plan amendments and allotment analyses will not address grazing
allotments on the Tonasket Ranger District, as that unit is now
administered by the Colville National Forest.
Proposed Action
The revised proposed action would: (1) amend the Okanogan and
Wenatchee Forest Plans to provide guidance for where domestic livestock
grazing might be feasible and appropriate; and (2) develop site-
specific allotment management plans for grazing of
[[Page 10285]]
domestic livestock, including sheep, goats, and cattle.
While the Forest is currently managed as one administrative unit,
forest plans were completed separately and were signed prior to the
Regional Forester identifying bighorn sheep as a sensitive species. The
proposed forest-wide plan amendment would add plan components to both
forest plans to support management of domestic livestock grazing while
mitigating disease transmission risk to bighorn sheep. Disease
trasnmission risk factors that may be analyzed include bighorn sheep
management and herd dynamics, local topography, spatial or temporal
separation, other herd characteristics, or range management actions.
In addition to forest plan components, site-specific conditions
relative to risk of disease transmission between bighorn sheep and
domestic livestock would be evaluated for each allotment. Domestic
livestock grazing conditions, including but not limited to continuing
sheep and goat grazing, switching from sheep and goat to cattle
grazing, keeping allotments vacant, or closing allotments would be
evaluated to determine how best to meet the need for action.
Preliminary Alternatives
The Forest has developed six preliminary alternatives: no action,
current management strategies, no domestic livestock grazing,
separation area delinations, allotment-by-allotment suitability
determinations, and modified zone management.
Expected Impacts
The Forest will evaluate the proposed action and alternatives for
potentially significant impacts including changes in the abundance and
distribution of bighorn sheep, increased risk of disease transmission
to bighorn sheep that result in population declines, changes in bighorn
sheep viewing and hunting opportunities, changes to range conditions
due to modification of grazing practices, and effects to local
economies.
Lead and Cooperating Agencies
The USDA Forest Service is the lead agency for the analysis in
compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act. The two
cooperating agencies include the USDA Agricultural Research Service
(ARS) and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) as
described here: <a href="https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-05-17/pdf/2019-10266.pdf">https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-05-17/pdf/2019-10266.pdf</a>.
Responsible Official
The responsible official who will approve the Record of Decision is
the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest Supervisor.
Scoping Comments and the Objection Process
This notice of intent re-opens the scoping process that was
initiated in the NOI published in the Federal Register in May 2019.
Because the Forest continues to use the information received during the
original comment period associated with the 2019 NOI, those comments
need not be resubmitted. Comments submitted in response to this updated
NOI will also be considered, and all comments will guide the
development of the draft environmental impact statement. The Agency is
requesting comments on potential alternatives and impacts, and
identification of any relevant information, studies, or analyses
concerning impacts that may affect the quality of the environment.
It is important that reviewers provide their comments at such times
and in such manner that they are useful to the agency's preparation of
the environmental impact statement. Therefore, comments should be
provided prior to the close of the comment period and should clearly
articulate the reviewer's concerns and contentions.
The proposed action is subject to objection under Forest Service
regulations found at 36 CFR 218 and 36 CFR 219. Commenting during
scoping and any other designated opportunity to comment provided by the
Responsible Official will establish eligibility to object once the
final EIS and Draft Record of Decision have been published. Comments
received in response to this solicitation, including names and
addresses of those who comment, will be part of the public record for
this proposed action. Comments submitted anonymously will be accepted
and considered, however, they cannot be used to establish eligibility
for the objection process.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The Responsible Official will decide whether to approve the
proposed amendment for the two Forest Plans to establish new plan
components for domestic sheep and goat grazing on NFS lands within the
range of the bighorn sheep and decide on site-specific allotment
management for grazing of domestic sheep, goats, and cattle.
Substantive Provisions
In accordance with the regulation at 36 CFR 219.6, when evaluating
an amendment for a Forest Plan, ``the responsible official has the
discretion to determine the scope, scale, and timing of an assessment .
. . .'' As per 36 CFR 219.13(b)(5), the responsible official shall,
``[d]etermine which specific substantive requirement(s) within 219.8
through 219.11 are directly related to the plan direction being added,
modified, or removed by the amendment and apply such requirement(s)
within the scope and scale of the amendment.'' With the proposed
amendment, the relevant substantive requirements include: 219.6(b)(6):
Social, cultural, and economic conditions relevant to the plan area;
219.8(a)(1)(ii): Contributions of the plan area to ecological
conditions within the broader landscape influenced by the plan area;
219.9(a)(2)(i): Key characteristics associated within terrestrial and
aquatic ecosystem types; and 219.10(a)(7): Reasonably foreseeable risks
to ecological, social, and economic sustainability.
Dated: February 10, 2023.
Troy Heithecker,
Associate Deputy Chief, National Forest System.
[FR Doc. 2023-03354 Filed 2-16-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3411-15-P
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