The Project Area. Coeur d'alene River Ranger District. Idaho Panhandle National Forest. P. O. Box 159 Smelterville, ID 83868

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1 United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service Idaho Panhandle National Forest Coeur d'alene River Ranger District P. O. Box 159 Smelterville, ID East Sherman Avenue Coeur d' Alene, ID File Code: 1950 Date: October 18, 2017 Dear Interested Party, The Idaho Panhandle National Forests (IPNF) invites your comments on the proposed Potter s Wheel project. The approximately 29,000-acre project area is located on the Coeur d Alene River Ranger District, approximately 35 miles northeast of Coeur d Alene, Idaho. This letter describes the purpose and need for action, proposed activities intended to meet resource objectives, and your opportunity to engage in public participation. The Forest Service has begun a preliminary field assessment of the project area to determine existing conditions of various resources (e.g. vegetation, wildlife habitat, aquatic habitat, hydrology, etc.) and to identify opportunities to trend existing conditions towards desired conditions described in the 2015 Land Management Plan (Forest Plan). The outcome of our initial assessment was the development of a proposed action that addresses various resource needs within the project area. The proposed actions and objectives are intended to establish and maintain resilient forest stand structure and species composition across the landscape, contribute to local economies, and improve water quality and aquatic habitat through various restoration efforts. The proposed vegetation improvement activities include commercial timber harvest, which would contribute to local economies by providing forest products from National Forest System lands. Road work and fuel treatment activities would also occur to complement the proposed activities. The Project Area The project area is located in portions of Kootenai and Shoshone Counties. The project boundary (Figure 1) runs north to south from the Magee Historic Site to Skull Saddle and east to west from Grassy Mountain to Cascade Spur (primarily in the Upper Tepee Creek drainage, with a portion in the Trail Creek drainage). Legal description of the project area includes portions of T50N-R2E; T50N-R3E; T51N-R2E; T51N-R3E; T52N-R2E; T52N-R3E; Boise Meridian. Approximately 98 percent of the project area is within Management Area 6 (MA 6) - General Forest as described in the Forest Plan; which states that these are relatively large areas with roads, trails, and structures, as well as signs of past and ongoing activities designed to actively manage the forest vegetation. The Forest Plan also states that many of the acres within this MA are suitable for the production of timber on a regulated basis, providing wood fiber in response to regional and national demand. Approximately 1 percent (371 acres) of the proposed project is within inventoried roadless areas (IRAs), including 265 acres of the Magee IRA and 106 acres of the Tepee Creek IRA (Figure 2). These lands are designated as Backcountry (MA5) under the Forest Plan and as Backcountry/Restoration under the Idaho Roadless Rule. MA5 is generally roadless backcountry where natural ecological processes and disturbances are the primary forces affecting the composition, structure and pattern of vegetation. The remaining 1 percent (125 acres) of the Potter s Wheel Project Area is in private ownership.

2 Potters Wheel Project Page 2 Figure 1. Vicinity map of the Potter s Wheel Project Area.

3 Potters Wheel Project Page 3 Need for Action and Objectives Preliminary reconnaisance of the area indicates that existing conditions in the Potter s Wheel project area deviate from the desired conditions described in the Forest Plan. Existing and desired conditions in the Potter s Wheel project area indicate a need to: Establish and maintain resilient forest stand structure and species composition Contribute economic benefit to local communities and the general public, by providing forest products to market Improve water quality and aquatic habitats Establish and maintain resilient forest stand structure and species composition As described previously, a majority of the project area is in MA 6. In much of this MA, vegetation management activities have a dominant role in affecting the composition, structure, and pattern of vegetation. These management activities trend the vegetation towards the desired conditions. Although natural ecological processes and disturbances are still present, they are influenced more by human activity in this MA than in others. (MA6-DC-VEG-01) A primary objective of this project is to increase the proportion of western white pine, ponderosa pine, western larch, and western red cedar across the landscape. Activities which maintain and increase the presence of these species are proposed to increase the diversity of conifers in the project area, improve the health of the forested ecosystem, and increase resiliency to disturbances such as fire, insects, diseases, and drought, trending stands toward the desired conditions. By trending toward the desired conditions for vegetation, habitat is provided for native fauna adapted to open forests and early seral habitats, or whose life/natural history and ecology are partially provided by those habitats, which is consistent with the desired condition for wildlife (FW-DC-WL-20). The current species composition of the forest, both at stand and landscape levels, deviates from desired conditions identified in the Forest Plan (FW-DC-VEG-01). Long-lived insect and diseaseresistant and fire resilient species, including western white pine, ponderosa pine, western larch, and western red cedar, are lacking within the project area. These species provide a level of resilience to the ecosystem because they are more resistant to insects, disease, and drought stress. With thicker bark and taller crowns, western larch and ponderosa pine can withstand and even benefit from low to moderate severity fires that thin out less resilient species such as Douglasfir, grand fir, and western hemlock. Larch, white pine and ponderosa pine are adapted to disturbances such as fire which can create large openings that are full of sun and clear away shrubs and trees that compete with their seedlings. White pine, larch and cedar are important and desired long-lived insect and disease resistant species in moist forest habitat types of the local ecosystem. The project area historically supported stands with a relatively high percentage of western white pine. Current surveys indicate that while there is some western white pine present, there are no stands that are dominated by western white pine. Similar to western white pine, western larch and western red cedar are also present but rarely in sufficient numbers to meet desired levels. Less desirable Douglas-fir, grand fir, and western hemlock are the dominant species across approximately 70 percent of the project area and are present in substantial numbers on most of the remaining 30 percent of the project area. The potential for large-scale wildfire is increasing throughout the area, because the true firs and hemlock maintain their lower branches much longer than white pine and therefore can have more

4 Potters Wheel Project Page 4 ladder fuels that facilitate the transition of ground fires into the crowns, and have dense forest canopies that carry crown fires. Forests on the IPNF today are generally less productive than they were historically. Prior to the arrival of blister rust, mixed white pine stands commonly supported 50,000 board feet per acre. Contemporary stands of mixed fir and hemlock forests that developed due to the loss of white pine typically produce about half as much. Reforestation in harvested stands with blister rust-resistant western white pine would improve ecological conditions, maintain productivity and trend forest stand conditions towards historic conditions. Contribution to Local Economies The Forest Plan addresses community stability in describing the desired economic and social environment. The outputs and values provided by the Forest contribute to the local economy through the generation of jobs and income while creating products for use, both nationally and locally. Jobs and income generated by the activities and outputs from national forest management remain stable, contributing to the functional economy surrounding the IPNF, (FW-DC-SES-02). Also, the outputs and values provided by the Forest contribute to community stability or growth and the quality of lifestyles in the Plan area, (FW-DC-SES-03). As stated earlier, NFS lands within the project area are designated predominantly within MA 6, where timber harvest is scheduled and contributes to the allowable sale quantity (MA6-STD-TRB-01). Communities surrounding the IPNF have important social and economic ties to National Forest System lands. Forest products resulting from management activities on National Forest System lands contribute to the local economy and to the sustainability of the local forest products industry. Local forest products industries also provide the necessary infrastructure for accomplishing restoration goals, objectives and desired conditions outlined in the Forest Plan. The extent to which the proposed activities will contribute economically to local communities depends largely upon costs and revenues, which are based in part on market conditions and production costs. Improve water quality and aquatic habitats The proposed action includes watershed improvement activities (culvert upgrades, road storage, road decommissioning, road reconstruction and maintenance) that are intended to improve water quality and aquatic habitats. Watershed restoration is needed in part because streams within the project area do not fully support beneficial uses of the State of Idaho due to high sediment delivery and altered habitat and temperature regimes. More specifically, Tepee Creek, Big Elk Creek, and their tributaries do not support beneficial uses for either sedimentation or water temperature; Trail Creek and its tributaries do not support beneficial uses for water temperature. The Forest Plan has a goal to Maintain or improve watershed conditions in order to provide water quality, water quantity, and soil productivity necessary to support ecological functions and beneficial uses, (GOAL-WTR-01). Sedimentation would be reduced through the storage of routes not needed in the short-term (1 to 20 years) and decommissioning of routes not needed for future land management. Routes proposed for storage or decommissioning were identified through an interdisciplinary transportation analysis process (TAP). Habitat improvement would be addressed through activities such as adding large woody debris to the stream and floodplain and treating reed canary grass in riparian areas. Large woody debris has been identified as lacking in sections of the larger streams within the project area. The addition of large woody debris would provide habitat complexity such as pools and overhead cover to areas needing improvement. Treatment of reed canary grass would allow shrubs and trees to grow and provide shade to the stream.

5 Potters Wheel Project Page 5 Water temperature would be addressed indirectly through implementation of road maintanance, storage and decommissioning, as well as the addition of large woody debris and reed canary grass control. Watershed restoration in both Upper Tepee Creek and Trail Creek subwatersheds would complement past efforts and continue with the next steps needed to continue to improve watershed condition by reducing sedimentation and water temperature. Proposed Activities The following proposed activities are planned in order to address the purpose and need for action in the Potter s Wheel project area and meet resource objectives. Vegetation Management and Associated Activities The proposed vegetation management actions are designed to shift the forest vegetation conditions towards the desired conditions as described in the Forest Plan (FW-DC-VEG-11). They would also result in more acres of the seedling/sapling size class with a range of stand sizes that also trends towards the aforementioned desired conditions. Proposed vegetation management actions (Table 1) include even-aged, two-aged and uneven-aged silvicultural systems. Shelterwood, seed-tree and clearcutting are the proposed regeneration methods that would be applied to accomplish the establishment of new even-aged and two-aged stands. Varying amounts and arrangements of green tree retention would occur within even-aged and two-aged stands. The group selection regeneration method would be used to establish a new age class within the uneven-aged stands. Commercial thinning and precommercial thinning would also be utilized to trend stand density and species composition towards desired conditions in young to mid-aged stands. Planting of native woody vegetation is proposed to facilitate the establishment of riparian forest in floodplains that are currently dominated by non-native reed canary grass. Prescribed burning would be utilized to facilitate rehabilitation of severely diseased stands, reduce natural fuels and fuels resulting from harvest activities, and to improve big game browse. Table 1. Proposed vegetation management treatments in the Potter s Wheel project area. Vegetation Management Treatment Proposed Action (acres) Commercial timber harvest/logging systems Stand clearcut with leave trees 2,502 Seed tree with leave trees 751 Shelterwood 1,525 Commercial thin 147 Selection harvest Total commercial activities 5,030 Non-commercial vegetation management activities Precommercial thinning 346 Rehabilitation burning and planting 123 Woody vegetation establishment 108 Prescribed burning of natural fuels 834 Total non-commercial activities 1,411 Total acres of vegetation treatments 6,441 1 Approximately 34 acres of the selection harvest would be for the purpose of improving forest habitat within riparian areas. Trees removed from the riparian selection treatment would be used within the project area for watershed restoration.

6 Potters Wheel Project Page 6 Existing roads would be used wherever feasible. Approximately 11 miles of permanent road construction and 7.5 miles of temporary road construction would be necessary to access proposed harvest units and to maintain access for long-term management. New permanent roads would be accessible for administrative motorized use only and would not be open to public motorized use, with the exception a road segment associated with the proposed re-route of Forest Road 265 to improve water quality. Temporary roads and landings would generally be located on dry ridgetops and designed to standards appropriate for the intended uses, considering safety, cost of transportation, and potential to impact resources (16 U.S. Code 1608(b) and (c)) and to make progress toward achieving forest-wide desired conditions (FW-DC-AR-07). FW-DC-AR-07 describes the desired condition as; a transportation system is in place that provides safe and efficient public and administrative access to the Forest for recreation, special uses, forest resource management, and fire management activities. It is efficiently maintained, environmentally compatible, and responsive to public needs and desires. The transportation system and its use have minimal impacts on resources including threatened and endangered species, sensitive species, heritage and cultural sites, watersheds, and aquatic species. Newly constructed or reconstructed roads do not encroach into streams and riparian areas in ways that impact channel function, geometry, or sediment delivery. Roads in intermittent stored service pose minimal risks to water quality and aquatic ecosystems. Drainage structures have a minimal risk of failure and provide adequate drainage that prevents accelerated runoff, erosion, and sediment delivery to streams. In addition, stream crossings provide for passage of aquatic organisms. Unauthorized roads and trails are no longer created. At the completion of the project, temporary roads would be decompacted, recontoured to the approximate shape of the surrounding terrain, and seeded or covered with logging slash or other debris to prevent erosion and accelerate hydrologic and vegetative recovery. Potential Project-specific Forest Plan Amendment As required by NFMA and the planning rule, all projects and activities authorized by the Forest Service must be consistent with the applicable plan components (16 U.S.C. 1604(i)) as described at 36 CFR of the 2012 Planning Rule. The Forest Plan states; where a proposed project or activity would not be consistent with Plan direction, the responsible official has the following options: (1) modify the project to make it consistent, (2) reject the proposed project, or (3) amend the forest plan so that it will be be consistent with the project. The amendment may be limited to apply only to the project or activity and may be adopted at the same time as the approval of the project or activity via project specific environmental analysis and public involvement (36 CFR Sec (f)). As part of the proposed action, we may consider a site-specific Forest Plan amendment in order to maximize the vegetation restoration objectives of the project. Forest-wide guideline FW-GDL-WL- 13 states, Management activities in elk management units should maintain existing levels of elk security (see glossary). The proposed harvest may reduce vegetation to the extent that elk habitat security is decreased, which would not be consistent with the Forest Plan guideline to maintain existing levels of elk security. The long-term benefit of this proposed amendment for elk is the opportunity to be able to create greater amounts of early seral forage habitat over a broader area; and in locations where elk are less vulnerable. The following substantive requirements of the planning regulations at 36 CFR are likely to be directly related to the amendment (219.13(b)(5)): (a)(1) Fish and wildlife species, habitat and habitat connectivity, vegetation; (a)(5) Habitat conditions; (b)(i) Sustainable recreation.

7 Potters Wheel Project Page 7 Over 40-acre Openings (NFMA Requirement) The proposed harvest activities utilize clearcut, seed tree, and shelterwood harvests with or without reserves which are intended to create openings in order to regenerate even-aged or two aged stands in one harvest operation. As a result, 28 of the 37 proposed harvest units would be larger than 40-acre openings, either due to proposed unit size or as a result of existing adjacent openings. Forest Service policy (FSM ) directs land managers to normally limit the size of harvest openings created by even-aged harvesting methods to 40 acres or less. However, exceptions to the 40-acre opening limitation are allowable with Regional Forester approval. A request to exceed the 40-acre size limitation on specific regeneration harvests will be made in accordance with FSM , as described by Section 6 of the National Forest Management Act. Activities Within Inventoried Roadless Areas IRAs within the state of Idaho are under the Idaho Roadless Rule of 2008 (36 CFR 294 Subpart C). References applicable to the Potter s Wheel Project include: 36 CFR (b)(3)(iii), 36 CFR (c)(iv): The activity will maintain or improve one or more roadless characteristics over the long term to maintain or restore the characteristics of ecosystem composition, structure, and processes. 36 CFR (c)(2)(i). The activity maintains or improves one or more of the roadless characteristics over the long-term. Proposed activities would help to maintain and improve one or more roadless characteristics over the long term by maintaining and restoring the characteristics of ecosystem composition, structure, and processes, consistent with 36 CFR (b)(3)(iii), 36 CFR (c)(iv), and 36 CFR (c)(2)(i). Approximately 371 acres of the project area overlap inventoried roadless areas (IRAs), including 265 acres of the Magee IRA and 106 acres of the Tepee Creek IRA. No activities are proposed within the Magee IRA. Proposed activities to improve forest resiliency within a small portion of the Tepee Creek IRA would help to maintain and restore key characteristics of ecosystem composition, structure, and processes, which would trend conditions in the area toward desired conditions described in the Forest Plan. One activity unit (Unit 82) is proposed within the Tepee IRA (Figure 2). A combination of harvesting and prescribed burning would reduce the density of shade-tolerant species, while favoring the persistence of western larch and largest Douglas-fir. The 102-acre unit, representing approximately 2 percent of the 5,200-acre Tepee Creek IRA, includes 56 acres of shelterwood harvest with reserves, followed by underburning (to prepare the harvest area for planting and to reduce the density of shade-tolerant ingrowth) and planting rust-resistant western white pine per acre to supplement anticipated natural regeneration of western larch and Douglas-fir. Harvest in the roadless area would occur on only the portions of the stand that could be logged via ground-based yarding systems to existing Road 265 along the southern boundary of the roadless area. No new road construction would occur within the roadless area. Landscape burning would occur in the remainder of the roadless area unit (approximately 46 acres). The current stand naturally regenerated following a fire event in The majority of the original stand was comprised of western larch, Douglas-fir and western white pine. Grand fir and lodgepole pine also occurred in lesser quantities in the original stand. Today there are nearly no surviving white pine and many of the western larch are suffering from competition stress due to ingrowth of

8 Potters Wheel Project Page 8 the more shade tolerant grand fir, subalpine fir and, on more moist sites, western hemlock. The stand has not experienced a fire since Because forest health issues associated with root disease are exacerbated by the increasing density of Douglas-fir and true firs, this proposed suite of treatments would reduce the future stands resistance and resilience to root diseases. Ingrowth of shade-tolerant grand fir, western hemlock and subalpine fir can increase the probability of torching and crowning if a fire occurs, thereby decreasing the resistance of a stand to wildfire. Ingrowth of shade-tolerant species reduces the vigor and density of the remaining larch and may lead to mortality due to crown scorch or consumption due to torching in the event of a fire. This reduces the stands resilience to high intensity wildfires because there will be fewer vigorous seed producing larch available to regenerate the stand following future fire events. The proposed combination of harvesting and prescribed burning would rapidly reduce the density of shade-tolerant species while favoring the persistence of western larch and the largest Douglas-fir in the stand. Figure 2. Inventoried roadless areas adjacent to the Potter s Wheel project area.

9 Figure 3. Map of activities proposed within the Tepee Creek IRA (Unit 82).

10 Potters Wheel Project Page 10 Activities to Improve Water Quality and Aquatic Habitats Development of the proposed action considered the existing TMDL and the identified high value restoration potential. Restoration activities are proposed to restore hydrologic function, improve water quality, and enhance fish habitat for native Westslope cutthroat trout and other aquatic species by reducing road densities, fixing or removing failed/failing road crossings, and increasing large wood in riparian areas to improve stream shade and fish habitat. The proposed activities would result in an overall decrease in sediment delivered to streams and a decrease in water temperature, both of which would improve water quality and aquatic habitat. Road Decommissioning and Storage: The project interdisciplinary team is conducting a transportation analysis to identify the minimum road system necessary for safe and efficient travel and for the administration, utilization, and protection of National Forest System lands in the project area. Roads not needed for long-term forest management are proposed for decommissioning to reduce impacts to water quality and reduce maintenance costs. The goal of decommissioning is to reduce erosion, restore site productivity, eliminate the potential of a road-related failure, and reestablish natural water infiltration and drainage patterns. Roads proposed for storage have been identified as needed for long-term forest management, but do not have any foreseeable use anticipated in the next 20 years. Three routes are proposed for special decommissioning, including two that are currently open to public motorized travel as displayed on the Coeur d Alene River Ranger District Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM), and one that is not classified as open. The two currently open motorized routes are Road 534SC and a portion of Road 265. Both are used for recreation and other travel, are within the floodplain and riparian zones and are directly affecting water quality and function in adjacent streams. Road 534SC (which is not part of the snowmobile trail system) is approximately 1.6 miles in length; through traffic and loops would still be available by using Road 534. Decommissioning would involve pulling all channel crossings and recontouring the entire road to restore the riparian valley associated with this section of Potter s Creek. The section of Road 265 that is proposed for decommissioning is 2.8 miles in length and would include the removal of the bridge crossing Tepee Creek (by the backcountry airstrip) and removal of multiple channel crossings. This entire section of road would be recontoured. In order to maintain access to the area and provide a through route, approximately 2.4 miles of Administrative Road 1514 would be reconstructed and opened to the public. New construction of approximately 0.8 miles would occur to connect Road 1514 through to Road 265. Between these two special decommissioning projects, there would be a 1.2-mile net reduction of system road open to public motorized use. The third special decommissioning project would involve Administrative Roads 912 and 914. These two roads are not currently open to public motorized use under the MVUM; however, there are no physical barricades on the ground and illegal motorized use is prevalent. Decommissioning would include excavating channel crossings and recontouring the road. Aquatic Organism Passage (AOP) Barrier Improvement or Removal: Fish move about in streams to find food and shelter, and to avoid predators. Poorly designed or maintained stream crossings (culverts) can impede or block fish passage, with impacts to both individual fish who may no longer be able to meet these needs for survival and to the population of fish as a whole. Barriers to aquatic organism passage have been identified at several stream crossings in the Potter s Wheel project area. Proposed improvements include upgrading culverts, which would accommodate aquatic organism passage and increase the distribution of aquatic species in the project area.

11 Potters Wheel Project Page 11 Stream Restoration: Several sections of stream restoration are proposed throughout the project area. The restoration would include adding large wood (trees) to the stream and across the floodplain, bank stabilization, riparian planting, and the construction of meander lengths. These treatments have been identified to reduce sedimentation, diversify streamflow and channel morphology, and accommodate flood flow in the riparian area. These channel process and morphology improvements are expected to result in greater aquatic habitats and more resilient systems. Tree Removal for Instream Restoration: Specific harvest units have been identified as suitable for tree extraction, some with root wads attached, for use at instream restoration sites. All trees removed from these units would be used exclusively for instream restoration. The units would be groundbased and tractor logged. These particular harvest units were identified because trees in the unit meet the need for instream wood, the units are easily accessible from the existing road system, and the removal of these trees would not inhibit long-term silviculture desires for the unit. Stream Channel Crossing Restoration: In addition to the AOP culverts, sites have been identified that are impacting stream conditions, and where fish passage could be improved. Restoration of these sites may mean pulling the culvert and restoring stream channel form, or replacing the structure with one that would allow better fish passage (such as a larger culvert, bottomless arch, or bridge, depending on the species found in the stream and whether the structure is located on a road that is open to public motorized use). Project Planning and Design The Potter s Wheel project will be designed to avoid or minimize potential impacts to natural resources to the extent possible, and will comply with all applicable laws, regulations, and direction. Compliance will be achieved by the development and implementation of project level design features as well as unit specific design features identified during scoping, ongoing effects analyses, and contract implementation. Standard Design Features (including Best Management Practices) The interdisciplinary team identified standard design features to minimize or avoid adverse effects which could occur as a result of implementing proposed activities in the project area. The design features are based on Forest Plan direction and policy, best available science, and site-specific evaluations; and would be applied (except where specifically stated otherwise) during project implementation. Design features are an integral part of the proposed action and would be applied on the ground during project implementation. Section 208 of the Clean Water Act authorizes and encourages state and local management of nonpoint pollution sources, which include forest practices. This project incorporates best management practices (BMPs) as laid out in the R1/R4 Soil and Watershed Conservation Practices Handbook to help meet the requirements of the Clean Water Act. Site specific BMPs will be developed based on the proposed activities, water quality objectives, and site specific characteristics in order to avoid or minimize potential adverse impacts to water quality and watershed function from project activities. State monitoring results and professional judgment are used to develop sitespecific BMP prescriptions. All applicable BMPs would be applied to activities proposed in the project area. Contract provisions that are requirements in timber sales are the mechanism by which BMPs are implemented during activities. Additionally, monitoring of BMPs occurs during and after harvest in order to ensure correct implementation and effectiveness. Specific Unit Design Features In addition to standard design features and BMPs identified above, unit-specific design features will be applied to avoid or protect resources on a site-by-site basis. For example, the analysis of effects to

12 Potters Wheel Project Page 12 soil may indicate the disturbance level at a specific unit is approaching the threshold identified by Forest Plan soil standards. Design features, such as modification of the unit, use of slash mats, etc., could be applied to that unit to ensure compliance with soil standards. Another example might be where topography would require use of an excavated skid trail, or a tractor swing to remove timber in a safe and environmentally sound manner. These design features address conditions found on-theground during implementation of project activities, and are applied through the timber sale contract, which includes both standard and site-specific contract provisions. Additional specific unit design features or mitigation measures may be added during the analysis, if additional measures are needed to minimize, avoid or mitigate adverse effects to a resource area. If these additions or changes result in substantive changes, additional public comments will be solicited. Opportunities for Public Involvement This letter and associated legal notification in the newspaper of record (the Coeur d Alene Press, Coeur d Alene, Idaho) initiate the public scoping process, which is used to identify environmental issues deserving of study. Issues serve to highlight effects or unintended consequences that may occur from the proposed action, providing opportunities during the analysis to explore alternative ways to meet the purpose and need for the proposal while reducing adverse effects. Your comments specific to the project are valuable in helping identify issues and concerns, refine the proposed action, develop alternatives to the proposed action, and refine the environmental analyses. Comments should be within the scope of the proposed action, have a direct relationship to the proposed action, and must include supporting reasons for the Responsible Official to consider (36 CFR 218.2). Pursuant to 36 CFR , comments on this proposed project will be accepted for 30 days beginning on the first day after the date of publication of the legal notice the paper of record (Coeur d Alene, Idaho s Coeur d Alene Press). If the comment period ends on a Saturday, Sunday or Federal holiday, comments will be accepted until the end of the next Federal working day. The publication date in the newspaper of record is the exclusive means for calculating the comment period for this proposal. Those wishing to comment should not rely upon date or timeframe information provided by any other source. Written comments can be hand delivered or mailed to Potter s Wheel Project, Coeur d Alene River Ranger District, 2502 East Sherman Avenue, Coeur d Alene, ID Office hours are 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. Comments may also be faxed to (208) Electronic comments can be submitted by , at comments-northern-idpanhandle-coeurdalene@fs.fed.us, or on the project website: On the right-hand side Get Connected, click Comment on Project to submit comments on this project. Electronic comments may be submitted in a format such as an message, plain text (.txt), rich text format (.rtf), or Word (.doc). Those submitting electronic comments should put the project name in the subject line. It is the responsibility of persons providing comments to submit them by the close of the comment period and to ensure that their comments have been received when they are submitted electronically. Comments received, including names and addresses of those who comment, will be considered part of the public record for this project, available for public inspection, and released if requested under the Freedom of Information Act.

13 Potters Wheel Project Page 13 Administrative Review (Objection) Process This project is subject to a pre-decisional administrative review process (referred to as the objection process) pursuant to 36 CFR 218, Subparts A and B. The project interdisciplinary team will finish collecting data this fall, and analysis of effects will occur over the coming winter. The analysis will determine whether effects of the proposed activities would be significant, which would warrant preparation of an environmental impact statement (EIS). If we find there would be no significant effects, an environmental assessment (EA) and finding of no significant impact (FONSI) will be prepared to document the site-specific effects of the proposed activities. We anticipate the public will have an opportunity to review and comment on the EA in April Based on the analysis findings and public input, a draft decision notice will then be made available to the public for pre-decisional administrative review/objection. Only individuals or entities who submit timely and specific written comments (as defined by 36 CFR 218.2) about this proposed project or activity during this scoping period or the EA review comment period will be eligible to file an objection at that time. After considering all analysis findings and public input, including objection process results, a final DN will be issued. Future Communications on the Project If you would like to receive future mailings about this project, please either send us your comments or contact us to let us know that you would like to remain on the mailing list. You can also manage subscriptions to Forest Service project electronic mailing list(s) and access immediate electronic information to project documents through an electronic messaging program. In order for you to switch to electronic communication, access the Potters Wheel project web page at select the Subscribe to Updates link from the Get Connected menu, and provide your address. After providing your address, you also have the ability to self-subscribe to additional Forest Service project electronic mailing lists and provide additional contact information if desired through the Subscriber Preferences link. The responsible official for this project and the decision is Mary Farnsworth, Forest Supervisor for the Idaho Panhandle National Forests. If you have questions regarding the Potters Wheel Project, please contact me at (208) ( dscaife@fs.fed.us). Sincerely, DANIEL SCAIFE District Ranger