United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service Idaho Panhandle National Forests Sandpoint Ranger District 1602 Ontario Road Sandpoint, ID 83864-9509 (208)263-5111 File Code: 1950 Date: July 14, 2010 Dear Interested Party, The Idaho Panhandle National Forests, Sandpoint Ranger District is considering a fuels reduction project on National Forest System (NFS) lands southeast of Schweitzer Mountain Resort, which will hereafter be known as the Schweitzer Fuels Reduction Project. This letter initiates scoping for the project and includes background information, a description of the proposed action, the purpose and need for the proposed action, and the input requested from you. I encourage your participation in this planning process. Background The Bonner County Fire Mitigation working group (BONFIRE) identified the Schweitzer Mountain area as one of the top priority areas for hazardous fuels treatment in Bonner County based on two major factors. Sand Creek is the municipal watershed for the City of Sandpoint, and protecting water quality from the potentially harmful effects of wildfire in the drainage is a priority. In addition, access to Schweitzer Village (located on the upper third of the Schweitzer Creek drainage) is one way in and out, which could present a threat to public safety in the event of a wildfire in the area. Because of the emphasis from BONFIRE, the Forest Service is considering fuels management on National Forest ownership in the area as well. Although we are a small land manager in the Sand Creek and Schweitzer Creek drainages, we feel it is important that we contribute to the overall efforts to reduce fuels in the area. Key land owners include the City of Sandpoint, Schweitzer Mountain Resort (Schweitzer Village), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and the State of Idaho. The project area is in the wildland-urban interface. The project area is positioned below Schweitzer Village in the Schweitzer Creek drainage. The access road for Schweitzer Village is adjacent to the project area, and - as noted above - this road provides the only way into and out of Schweitzer Village. In addition, a portion of the project area is within the municipal watershed for the City of Sandpoint. The desired future condition for the project area includes reduced surface fuels to create a condition that lessens surface fire intensity from what is currently expected, removal of ladder fuels to reduce the likelihood of a surface fire moving into the tree crowns, and increased crown spacing to reduce the risk of fire spread between tree crowns. The desired future condition would thus provide for increased public safety, including egress during a wildfire, fire suppression success, and firefighter safety in the event of a wildfire in the area. Purpose and Need for the Project The purpose and need of the project is as follows: 1. Provide for the safety of the public and firefighters by facilitating future fire suppression efforts; 2. Complement BONFIRE work that has been completed on other ownership lands in the wildlandurban interface; 3. Contribute to the protection of ingress/egress routes, powerlines, water supplies, and other infrastructure that service adjacent residences; 4. Create and maintain stands where early-seral, more fire-tolerant species such as ponderosa pine and western larch dominate over fire-intolerant species. Caring for the Land and Serving People Printed on Recycled Paper
Proposed Action The Sandpoint Ranger District of the Idaho Panhandle National Forests is proposing treatments to reduce forest fuel loading on National Forest System (NFS) lands in the Schweitzer Creek and Sand Creek areas. The project area is located approximately six miles north of Sandpoint, Bonner County, Idaho, in Township 58 North Range 2 West Sections 26, 27 and 34 (Boise Meridian). Proposed treatments include approximately 350 acres of timber harvest, with the following proposed silvicultural treatments, logging systems and fuels treatments: Silvicultural Treatment Acres* Commercial Thin/Group Select 118 Improvement Cut 82 Shelterwood Cut 139 Precommercial Thin / Prune 11 Logging System Acres* Skyline 225 Tractor 114 Fuels Treatment Acres* Excavator Pile 172 Hand Pile 11 Excavator Pile / Jackpot Burn 30 Underburn 136 *Discrepancies in acreage are due to rounding Approximately 1.9 miles of temporary road would be constructed on NFS lands; the temporary roads would be decommissioned following completion of project activities. In addition, approximately 3.8 miles of road on other ownership lands would be reconstructed. Planning of the Schweitzer Fuels Reduction Project is being conducted under the Healthy Forests Restoration Act (HFRA) of 2003. This Act was created to work closely with communities affected by proposed projects, to reduce administrative delays and to expedite implementation of community protection projects such as the Schweitzer Project. In addition, the project was designed to respond to the National Fire Plan and 10-year Comprehensive Strategy. Decision to be Made The decision to be made is whether or not to treat the project area as described in this proposal. Sandpoint District Ranger Richard P. Kramer will be the Deciding Official for this project. Requested Input I am particularly interested in hearing about any issues, points of discussion, dispute, or debate about the effects of the proposed action. Projects conducted under HFRA emphasize collaboration with interested individuals and groups to meet project objectives. A public meeting will be scheduled following the scoping period. Interested parties will have an opportunity to learn more about the project, to voice concerns and to present other alternatives by which the agency may meet the purpose and need described above for the project area. If you would like to be involved in this project and/or receive future mailings regarding the project, you must submit the enclosed form or otherwise provide your comments prior to August 16, 2010. If you have any concerns relating to this proposal, please notify Betsy Hammet (interdisciplinary team leader) at (208) 263-5111. Written comments may be sent to the Sandpoint Ranger District, 1602 Ontario Street, 2
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COMMENT FORM FOR SCHWEITZER FUELS REDUCTION PROJECT After reviewing the enclosed project proposal, take a moment to write down your thoughts, issues, ideas, or any information you may have relevant to this project. Please be as specific as possible so we can consider ways to modify our proposal to address your comments. If you have any questions about this proposal, please do not hesitate to call or write. Name: Address: Phone: Please indicate whether you would like to receive the Decision Notice for this project. If we do not hear back from you, you will not receive any further mailings. Please send me the Decision Notice for this project. I am not interested in receiving any further information. Fold in thirds, tape, affix stamp, and mail (no staples please)
ATTN: TO: Sandpoint Ranger District 1602 Ontario Street Sandpoint, ID 83864