ELK CITY, ID – The Red River Ranger District of the Nez Perce – Clearwater National Forests is seeking comments on the Twentymile project during a combined 30-day public scoping and comment period. The Red River Ranger District is proposing various forest treatment activities on approximately 8,318 acres within the project area to reduce hazardous fuels and improve forest health.
“Proposed treatments include approximately 1,822 acres of regeneration harvest, approximately 387 acres of intermediate harvest, and approximately 6,807 acres of prescribed burning. Associated road activities being proposed include approximately 36 miles of road maintenance and ten miles of temporary road construction,” according to District Ranger Robyn Smith. “The proposed action also includes a change in road access management to route traffic to Sourdough Peak over a shorter distance during the summer months and provide for a secondary means of egress for the public from the Sourdough and Tenmile Creek areas in case of wildfire.”
The proposed action would: provide for public safety; restore a more diverse and resilient forest structure; provide for a continuing presence of Pacific yew “suitable” for moose winter habitat; reduce hazardous fuel loading; improve forest infrastructure and seasonal access to the Sourdough Peak and Tenmile Creek areas by providing a secondary means of egress during summer months; and meaningfully reduce fire risk while utilizing forest products as a by-product of landscape-scale restoration.
From the Red River Ranger District:
On January 19, 2023 Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced expanded efforts to reduce wildfire risk across the western United States that builds upon the 10-Year Wildfire Crisis Strategy announced in 2022. On the Nez Perce – Clearwater National Forests, 1.8 million acres were identified as one of the 11 key landscapes announced as part of Expanding Efforts to Deliver on the Wildfire Crisis Strategy (USDA Forest Service, 2023). These priority landscapes were selected based on the potential for wildfire to affect nearby communities, critical infrastructure, public water sources and Tribal lands. The Twentymile project area falls entirely within the landscape identified by Secretary Vilsack, and this project will contribute towards forest resilience and community protection.
The proposed action includes regeneration harvest that would create eleven openings larger than 40 acres (ranging from approximately 41 to 642 acres.) Section 6 of the National Forest Management Act requires that cuts designed to regenerate an even aged stand of timber may be subject to established maximum size limits, per 16 USC 1604(g)(3)(F)(iv), the limit is 40 acres. Forest Service Manual (FSM) 2471.1 allows for this size limit to be exceeded with Regional Forester approval and 60-day public notice.
A Proposed Action document is available and provides a summary of the existing conditions, the details of the actions being proposed, and potential preliminary effects of the proposed action and no action. The Forest Service is requesting feedback from you on the project during this 30-day combined scoping and comment period to identify any potential issues that have not already been identified during the development of this project. The Responsible Official, Forest Supervisor, Cheryl Probert does not anticipate providing an additional request for written comments other thanthis scoping/comment period. The Twentymile Proposed Action document is available online at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/
The Twentymile project analysis is anticipated to be completed in an environmental assessment. The project area lies within one of the 250 identified High Risk Firesheds therefore, the NPC is requesting an Emergency Action Determination for this project under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law section 40807. The reason for requesting this emergency authority is to mitigate the harm to life and property adjacent to NFS land; to control insects or disease; remove hazardous fuels; and protect and restore water resources and infrastructure. The request is currently pending approval. If approved, the Twentymile project will not be subject to the pre-decisional objection review process. It is therefore critical that you provide feedback on this project during this designated combined scoping and comment period, as the public may not be able to raise additional project concerns during an objection period.
If the request is not granted, the Twentymile project would be subject to the predecisional administrative review process (objection process) pursuant to 36 CFR 218 subparts and B. Objections will only be accepted from those who have submitted written comments specific to the proposed project during this 30-day scoping and comment period or other public involvement where written comment are requested by the Responsible Official (36 CFR 218.5).
How to comment and timeframe:
Comments must be received within 30 calendar days following publication of the legal notice in the newspaper of record, the Lewiston Morning Tribune (Lewiston, Idaho). The publication date in the newspaper of record (April 6, 2023) is the exclusive means for calculating the comment period. It is the responsibility of persons providing comments to submit comments by the close of the comment period. Those wishing to comment should not rely on dates or timeframe information provided by any other source.
Submit comments electronically through the project webpage at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/
Submit written comments to: Karen Hardwick, Project Team Leader, Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests 1008 Highway 64 Kamiah, ID 83536; or in person (Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., excluding holidays).
Comments submitted by individuals or organizations must have evidence of timely submission, asdefined by 36 CFR 218.25(a)(4), and meet the following requirements outlined in 36 CFR218.25(a)(3):
•Name and postal address (email recommended but not required)
•Title of the proposed project or activity (i.e. Twentymile)
•Specific written comments as defined in 36 CFR 218.2 regarding the proposed project of activity,along with supporting reasons
• Signature or other verification of identity upon request and identification of the individual or entity who authored the comments. For comments listing multiple entities or multiple individuals, a signature or other means of verification must be provided for the individual authorized to represent each entity and for each individual in the case of multiple names. A scanned signature or other means of verifying the identity of the individual or entity representative may be used for electronically submitted comments.
• Individual members of an entity must submit their own comments to establish personal eligibility; comments received on behalf of an entity are considered as those of the entity only. Comments received in response to this solicitation, including names and addresses of those who comment, will be considered part of the public record on this proposed action and will be available for public inspection. Comments submitted anonymously will be accepted and considered. Additionally, pursuant to 7 CFR 1.27 (d), any person may request the agency to withhold a submission from the public record by showing how the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) permits such confidentiality. Requests for confidentiality may be granted in only very limited circumstances. The Twentymile Proposed Action document is available at the project website link provided above. This document is available in other formats upon request. For more information – or questions concerning this project or how to comment – please contact Robyn Smith – Red River Ranger District c/o 208-842-2245 ; or robyn.smith@usda.gov. USDA is an equal opportunity employer and lender.
