Small NEPA Scoping Letter April 2017 Fremont - Winema National Forest

Transcription

1 Project Proposals 1) Van Hulzen Private Land Access [Klamath RD] Proposed Category: 36 CFR 220.6(e) (3) Approval, modification, or continuation of minor special uses of NFS lands that require less than five contiguous acres of land. Legal Coordinates: T. 36 S., R. 6 E., WM., section 8 SE1/4 NE1/4 Background: The purpose of this purposed action is to comply with Forest Service policy on occupancy and use of National Forest System land. There is a need to respond to Al Van Hulzen s request for authorization of an existing road (60 wide) that crosses approximately 107 of National Forest System land to access his private property that is being partitioned. The road would access two separate land parcels. This existing road is not a National Forest System road. Project Design / Equipment: Private landowner would continue to use the Non-National Forest System road for motorized access to reach private land. Private landowner would use the road for motorized vehicle use and perform maintenance activities that would occur (i.e. snow plowing and grading). The road has existed for several years with no signs of resource concerns. Project Implementation: Existing road would be authorized under Private Road Easement with a review date of 30 years. Project Information: Catherine Callaghan, Realty Specialist, , ccallaghan@fs.fed.us 1

2 2

3 3

4 4

5 2) Von Schlegell Private Land Access Private Road Easement (Klamath RD) Proposed Category: 36 CFR 220.6(e) (3) Approval, modification, or continuation of minor special uses of NFS lands that requires less than five contiguous acers of land. Legal Coordinates: T. 34 S., R. 7 E., WM., section 18 SW1/4 NW1/4 Background: The purpose of this proposed action is to comply with the Forest Service policy on occupancy and use of National Forest System land. There is a need to respond to John Von Schlegell s request for authorization of an existing road that crosses approximately 30 of National Forest System land to access his private property that is being partitioned. This existing road is not a National Forest System road. Project Design / Equipment: Private landowner would continue to use the Non-National Forest System road for motorized access to reach private land. Routine motorized vehicle use and maintenance activities would occur (i.e. snowplowing; grading; culvert cleaning). This road has existed for several years with no signs of resource damage. Project Implementation: Existing road would be authorized under Private Road Easement with a review date of 30 years. Project Information: Catherine Callaghan, Realty Specialist, , ccallaghan@fs.fed.us 5

6 6

7 7

8 3)Klamath Personal Use Road-side Firewood [Klamath (RD)] Proposed Category: 36 CFR 220.6(d) (8): Approval, modification, or continuation of minor, short-term (1 year or less) special uses of NFS lands. Legal Coordinates: All unpaved MVUM open roads on the Klamath Ranger District. See map. Background:Currently the road system of the Klamath Ranger District is inundated with dead and down trees. This proposal will help with road maintenance and clearing accumulation of road-side downed wood Project Design / Equipment: Removal will be confined to 300 feet off all unpaved MVUM open roads. No cross country travel would be permitted per MVUM. Use of existing tracks within 300 feet of designated routes could be used. The only standing trees that will be removed are dead lodgepole pine and dead white fir, and all tree species can be removed that are dead and down. No heavy equipment can be used for removal. The only ground disturbance will be from pick-up trucks and trailers. Some road systems may see increased use where high accumulation of dead trees are present. Impacts to other resources should be minimal. This work will be accomplished using the personal use firewood program. The local community of Klamath Falls and surrounding areas will remove the dead material, following the Fremont- Winema personal use firewood rules and regulations and MVUM. Project Implementation: Time frame for this project would be on a temporary basis of 1 year, with a limited operating period of 10/1-12/30. Limited operating period proposed for Spotted Owl. Project Information: Cassidy Russell, Special Forest Products Program Manager, , carussell@fs.fed.us 8

9 9

10 4)Cold Springs (3651 Rd) Danger Trees [Klamath (RD)] Proposed Category: 36 CFR 220.6(d) (4): Repair and maintenance of administrative sites. Legal Coordinates: T. 35 S., R. 5 E., W.M. sections 12, 13, 23, 24, 25, 26 Background: Current conditions along the 3651 Rd (Cold Spring) are as follows: The road runs through an area which in the last 6 years has experienced a significant amount of mortality in lodgepole pine do to bark beetle infestation. The 3651 Rd is a heavily traveled road used by the public to access the Cold Springs Trailhead. Recent winter and various wind storms have caused a dozens of dead trees to fall across the road, mainly between the Lost Creek and the Cold Springs Trailhead. This has caused a serious safety issue while traveling this section of road, both to the public and forest employees. Additionally the 3651 Rd is a one way in one way out road to the Cold Springs Trailhead, there have been and will continue to be issues with the public being trapped behind trees that have fallen while they were at the trail head. As a secondary benefit, inevitably the 3651 Rd will be used as a control feature for a wildfire in the wilderness at some point in the future. Removing standing dead trees that would fall across the road or increase fire intensity adjacent to the road now will reduce the work and hazard exposure during fire suppression activities. The desired condition is to limit the number of dead trees that are likely to fall across the road during the winter months and during wind storms and therefor reducing exposure to the public. Project Design / Equipment: The project will consist of felling all standing dead lodgepole trees within 100 feet of the roadway by the use of chainsaws. The limbs and slash from the felled trees would be piled for later burning. Tree felling will exacerbate existing high fuel loading adjacent to the road. Fuel loading would be reduced by designating the area for commercial and or personal use firewood gathering. Cutting, Piling, and Burning will be performed by Klamath Ranger district fire personnel and managed by the Assistant Fire Management Officer. Areas where work has been finished will be designated as a firewood collecting area for public use. Due to the fact trees will be felled by hand with chainsaws and no heavy equipment will be used little to no ground disturbance is expected to occur with this project, with the exception of some soil disturbance as a result of pile burning. No impacts are foreseen to other resource areas. Access to the area will remain open during this project, with the exception of stopping traffic intermittently while trees are being felled. 10

11 Project Implementation: This project is expected to start in the spring of 2017 when access to the area becomes available and should not take longer than 4 years to complete. Project completion time frames are mostly affected by inaccessible due to snow during the winter months and can include shoulder seasons of fall and spring. Work would only be able to occur during the time which the area is accessible (spring, summer, fall) and could be further restricted by chainsaw use restrictions due to high fire danger in summer months. In addition, since local fire crews will be preforming the work, their availability during fire season could limit the amount of time spent each year on the project. Project Information: Josh Fitzpatrick, Supervisory Fire Engine Operator, , jdfitzpatrick@fs.fed.us 11

12 12

13 5)AT&T and Verizon communication Use Leases Renewals at Pearce Point; Soloman Butte; and Tomahawk [Klamath and Chiloquin Ranger District (RD)] Proposed Category: 36 CFR 220.6(e) (3): Approval, modification, or continuation of minor special uses of NFS lands that require less than five contiguous acres of land. Legal Coordinates: Pearce Point is in T.36 S., R. 5 E., WM., section 34; Tomahawk is in T. 36 S., R. 6 E., WM., section 15; Soloman Butte is in T. 33 S., R. 8 E., WM., section 7 Background: The purpose of this proposed action is to comply with the Forest Service policy on occupancy and use of the National Forest System land. There is a need to respond to AT&T and Verizon s requests for new communication use leases for their existing cellular facilities on National Forest System lands because their leases have either expired or will expire in the next year. Project Design / Equipment: Applicants would continue to use and maintain current communication use site facilities (equipment shelters; towers; backup generators; etc.). No impacts anticipated, as existing facilities have been in place for several years. Coordination under the draft communication use site management plan may outline shared road maintenance between communication use site lease holders and Crater Lake Zip Line permit holder (Tomahawk). Routine road maintenance activities include motorized vehicle use to maintain and upgrade facilities (additional antennas). Equipment used for the project include grader; backhoe; snowplow; crane (if additional antennas are installed). Project Implementation: Renewal of leases recommended for 20 years. Project Information: Mike DeSmit, Realty Specialist, , mdesmit@fs.fed.us for Pearce Point and Tomahawk and Catherine Callaghan, Realty Specialist, , ccallaghan@fs.fed.us for Soloman Butte 13

14 14

15 15

16 16

17 6)Yamsi Allotment South Pasture Drift Fence (Chiloquin RD) Proposed Category: 36 CFR 220.6(e) (9) Implementation or modification of minor management practices to improve allotment condition or animal distribution when an allotment management plan is not yet in place. Legal Coordinates: T 33S, R11E, W.M. section 22, SW of the NW Background: The purpose of this proposed action is to control the movement of livestock through pasture division fencing. Currently there is no physical barrier preventing livestock from leaving the south pasture prematurely. A drift fence strategically placed should reduce or eliminate this movement, allowing better control over the movement between the North and South Yamsi allotment pastures.current livestock management in the south pasture is difficult at best especially in years the south pasture is used last in the rotation. Cattle do not want to stay in the south and constantly drift north back to the home ranch prematurely. The main north-south road (forest road 44) provides an easy trail back to the Ranch from the primary rangelands around Teddy Powers and Wild Horse meadows. Project Design / Equipment:A Drift Fence of proximately 1 mile in length from the cattle guard on forest road 44 at the Juncture with forest road 4598 (west) and forest road 4652 (east) will allow better control of livestock. The south pasture drift fence will extend at least ½ mile west (south of road 4598) and ½ mile east (south of road 4652) from the 44 road. The fence shall parallel the roads for easy maintenance consisting of a 3 wire barbed wire fence with steel post and wood H-brace and or rock-crib bracing as needed (approximately 6 total), H braces will require digging post holes approximately 36 deep (probably by a tractor mounted auger). Project Implementation: Fence construction from cattle guard in 44 road will be by permittee using Forest Service provided specifications and Forest Service oversite. There is limited expected impacts to other forest resources and construction should start as soon as possible and be completed by the end of summer/fall Project Information: Joseph E. Robson, SW Zoned Rangeland Specialist, (541) , jrobson@fs.fed.us 17

18 18

19 7)Calimus Butte Thinning (Chiloquin RD) Proposed Category: 36 CFR 220.6(e) (12) Harvest of live trees not to exceed 70 acres, requiring no more than ½ mile of temporary road construction. Legal Coordinates: T 34 S., R. 10 E., WM., sections 8 and 17 Background: Currently the stand of trees nearest the Calimus Butte lookout facilities have reached a height where they are beginning to impede visibility. Calimus lookout is the sole fire detection method on the Chiloquin Ranger District and an integral part of our fire management program. The effectiveness of this resource is being limited, and will continue to deteriorate as these trees grow and further restrict visibility. Project Design / Equipment:It is the purpose of this proposed action to restore visibility from the lookout by removing trees that are impeding visibility and thinning up to 67 acres surrounding the lookout. Tree thinning and removal may involve mechanical equipment or hand felling chainsaw operations. Activity fuels would be treated using one or both of the following methods: mechanical or hand piling for future burning and/or dispersing brush and boles on site to avoid excessive fuel loads. District personnel would fell the necessary trees. All ignitions on site would be conducted by agency personnel under allowable weather and fuels conditions. Project Implementation: The work would take place during the time of year when conditions allow for such operations and would not interfere or conflict with other resource area priorities. The length of time for such an operation would be approximately 2-4 weeks. Public motorized access would not be permitted on the road during operations. The estimated timeframe or restricted access is projected to be 1-3 weeks. Project Information: Evan Wright, Assistant Fire Management officer, , elwright@fs.fed.us 19

20 20

21 21