[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 193 (Monday, October 6, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52147-52148]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-26398]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for
Issuance of an Incidental Take Permit to the California Department of
Forestry and Fire Protection
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior; National Marine Fisheries
Service, NOAA, Commerce; and California Department of Forestry and Fire
Protection.
ACTION: Notice of Intent.
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SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine
Fisheries Service (collectively ``the Services''), and the California
Department of Forestry and Fire Protection intend to prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement/ Environmental Impact Report for: (1)
approval of a Habitat Conservation Plan, and issuance of an incidental
take permit, pursuant to section 10(a) of the Endangered Species Act of
1973, as amended; and (2) approval of the Jackson Demonstration State
Forest's Sustained Yield Plan by the California Department of Forestry
and Fire Protection, including consideration of conservation measures
or plans addressing State-listed species. The Habitat Conservation Plan
will cover forest management and recreation activities on the Jackson
Demonstration State Forest in Mendocino County, California. The
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Applicant)
intends to request an incidental take permit for the northern spotted
owl (Strix occidentalis caurina), marbled murrelet (Brachyramphus
marmoratus marmoratus), American peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus
anatum), and coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch). It is anticipated that
the Applicant may also seek coverage for approximately 20 unlisted
species of concern (fish, wildlife, and plants) under specific
provisions of the permit, should these species be listed in the future.
Public Involvement: This notice is being furnished pursuant to the
Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for Implementing the
Procedural Provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act.
Pursuant to regulations at 40 CFR (sections 1501.7 and 1508.22), the
Services are seeking suggestions and information from other agencies
and the public on the scope of issues and alternatives to be considered
in preparation of the Environmental Impact Statement. To satisfy both
Federal and State environmental policy act requirements, the above
Federal and California agencies are conducting a joint scoping process
for the preparation of environmental documents.
DATES: In order to expedite the planning process, the above agencies
request all scoping comments on this notice be received by October 31,
1997. A public scoping meeting for interested persons to comment on the
scope of the Environmental Impact Statement has been scheduled for
Wednesday, October 8, 1997, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., at the Cotton
Auditorium Fort Bragg Middle School, 500 North Harold Street, Fort
Bragg, California.
ADDRESSES: Comments regarding the scope of the Environmental Impact
Statement should be addressed to Mr. Bruce Halstead, Project Leader,
Coastal California Fish and Wildlife Office, 1125 16th Street, Room
209, Arcata, California 95521-5582; telephone (707) 822-7201. Written
comments may also be sent by facsimile to (707) 822-8411. Comments
received will be available for public inspection by appointment during
normal business hours (Monday through Friday; 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.)
at the above office. All comments received, including names and
addresses, will become part of the administrative record and may be
made available to the public.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Contact Ms. Amedee Brickey, at the above
address.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Applicant manages the Jackson
Demonstration State Forest, a 50,195-acre area in Mendocino County,
California. The Jackson Demonstration State Forest is managed for a
variety of benefits including ``demonstration'' forestry projects,
watershed, fisheries, and wildlife in cooperation with University of
California at Berkeley, Humboldt State University, the California
Department of Fish and Game, the U.S. Forest Service's Pacific
Southwest Experiment Station, and others. Estimated annual timber
volume growth on the forest is 46 million board feet with a total
volume for the property of 2.3 billion board feet, 4 times greater than
when the forest was acquired by the Applicant fifty years ago. The
annual volume harvested is about 28 million board feet or about 1.2
percent of the total inventory. The Jackson Demonstration State Forest
also provides recreation in the form of camping, biking, horse riding
and
[[Page 52148]]
hiking, and protects a number of prehistoric and archaeological sites.
The Environmental Impact Statement will evaluate various forest and
recreation management alternatives for the planning area, including a
current project alternative, a baseline forest management alternative,
and at least two enhanced conservation alternatives.
The current project alternative would include continuing forest
management of the Jackson Demonstration State Forest to meet or exceed
current Forest Practice Rules. As a demonstration forest, the current
forest management practices on the Jackson Demonstration State Forest
go beyond the current California Forest Practice Rules in terms of
biological resource protection. This alternative defines the moderate
timber productivity management situation and the moderate wildlife
protection management situation.
The baseline forest management alternative would include current
Forest Practice Rules only. This alternative defines the maximum timber
productivity management situation and the minimum wildlife protection
management situation.
The first enhanced conservation alternative would take a multi-
species approach, and include measures for maintaining or enhancing
habitat for listed species covered under the permit as well as some
unlisted species. This alternative is expected to include a well
developed monitoring and adaptive management program that is sufficient
to minimize significant adverse impacts on the habitat of sensitive
species. The timber program under this alternative, while falling short
of competitive economic efficiency, would be expected to provide a
sustainable and economically viable timber harvest program. The timber
program would substantially exceed the requirements of the State Forest
Practice Rules. This alternative would define a moderate to
conservative timber production management situation and a moderate
wildlife conservation management situation.
The second enhanced conservation alternative would describe an
increased level of habitat conservation for listed and unlisted
species, relative to the first enhanced conservation alternative, to
reduce the risk of significant adverse impacts. This alternative would
set the most restrictive forest management practices in recognition of
scientific uncertainty regarding potential impacts of timber management
activities on sensitive species and their habitats. While expected to
provide increased protection for covered species, this alternative
would limit the ability of the Jackson Demonstration State Forest to
function as a demonstration and timber production forest. This enhanced
conservation alternative would define a timber management situation
that is reduced to a low or custodial management level and an enhanced
wildlife conservation management situation.
Once completed, it is expected that the Applicant will submit the
Habitat Conservation Plan as part of the incidental take permit
application process, as required under the provisions of section
10(a)(2)(A) of the Endangered Species Act. It is anticipated that the
permit application for incidental take will include the northern
spotted owl, marbled murrelet, American peregrine falcon, and coho
salmon. The permit application is also expected to include an agreement
covering conservation of certain unlisted species. The Services will
evaluate the incidental take permit application and associated Habitat
Conservation Plan in accordance with section 10(a) of the Endangered
Species Act, and its implementing regulations.
Environmental review of the permit application, including the
Habitat Conservation Plan, will be conducted in accordance with the
requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act and its
implementing regulations. A No Action/No Project alternative will be
considered consistent with the requirements of the National
Environmental Policy Act and the California Environmental Quality Act.
The Applicant will also be preparing a Sustained Yield Plan
pursuant to the provisions under Article 6.75 of the California Forest
Practice Rules, including consideration of conservation measures or
plans addressing state-listed species under the California Endangered
Species Act. It is expected that a section 2090 or 2081 agreement will
be issued by the California Department of Fish and Game under the
California Fish and Game code for selected state-listed species that
potentially occur on the Jackson Demonstration State Forest.
Dated: September 29, 1997.
Don Weathers,
Acting, Regional Director, Region 1, Portland, Oregon.
[FR Doc. 97-26398 Filed 10-3-97; 8:45 am]
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