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Lassen National Forest Over-Snow Vehicle Use Designation Revised Draft Environmental Impact Statement Volume I

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Lassen National Forest Over-Snow Vehicle Use Designation Revised Draft Environmental Impact Statement Volume I United States Department of Agriculture Lassen National Forest Over-snow Vehicle Use Designation Revised Draft Environmental Impact Statement Volume I. Part 1. Chapters 1 through 3 (to page 295) Forest Service Lassen National Forest September 2017 Cover photo: Jonohey In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English. To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD- 3027, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: [email protected]. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. Revised Draft Environmental Impact Statement Lassen National Forest Over-snow Vehicle Use Designation Revised Draft Environmental Impact Statement Lassen National Forest Lassen, Shasta, Tehama, Butte, Plumas, Siskiyou, and Modoc Counties, California Lead Agency: USDA Forest Service Responsible Official: DAVID HAYS, FOREST SUPERVISOR Lassen National Forest 2550 Riverside Drive Susanville, CA 96130 For Information Contact: CHRISTOPHER O’BRIEN, PUBLIC SERVICES AND ECOSYSTEMS STAFF OFFICER Lassen National Forest 2550 Riverside Drive Susanville, CA 96130 Phone: (530) 257-2151 Abstract: The Forest Service proposes to designate snow trails and areas for public over-snow vehicle (OSV) use on the Lassen National Forest. These designations would occur on National Forest System (NFS) snow trails and areas on NFS lands within the Lassen National Forest. The Forest Service would also identify snow trails where grooming for public OSV use would occur within the Lassen National Forest. Consistent with the Forest Service’s Travel Management Regulations at 36 CFR Part 212 Subpart C, trails and areas designated for public over-snow vehicle use would be displayed on a publicly available over-snow vehicle use map (OSVUM). Public OSV use that is inconsistent with the OSVUM would be prohibited under Federal regulations at 36 CFR §261.14. This environmental impact statement (EIS) discloses the comparative analysis of the options being considered in designating snow trails and areas of the Lassen National Forest for OSV use. We consider the environmental impacts of a proposed action, a no-action alternative, and three additional action alternatives developed in response to issues. A Notice of Intent to prepare an EIS was published in the Federal Register on June 26, 2015. A final EIS and draft record of decision were released in August of 2016 and “Legal Notice Notice of Opportunity to Object” was published in the Lassen County Times on August 23, 2016. That legal notice signified the beginning of a 45-day objection period which began on August 24, 2016. After considering the objections received, the Forest Service determined it would be necessary to revise the analysis, starting with this Revised Draft Environmental Impact Statement (RDEIS). We prepared this RDEIS using public comments received during the scoping period, comment period, and objection period on the first final EIS; multiple interdisciplinary team discussions; coordination with project stakeholders; literature review; and analyses of effects on resources. Lassen National Forest i Over-snow Vehicle Use Designation We encourage your review of this document. It is important that reviewers provide their comments at such times and in such a way that they are useful to our preparation of a second final EIS. Therefore, comments should be provided prior to the close of the comment period and should clearly articulate the reviewer’s concerns and contentions. Comments must be received within 45 days from the date of the Notice of Availability in the Federal Register. Failing to submit timely and specific comments can affect a reviewer’s ability to participate in subsequent administrative review or judicial review. Comments received in response to this solicitation, including names and addresses of those who comment, will be part of the public record for this proposed action. Comments submitted anonymously will be accepted and considered; however, anonymous comments will not provide the respondent with standing to participate in subsequent administrative or judicial review. Send Comments to: Christopher O’Brien, Ecosystem Staff Officer, on behalf of David Hays, Forest Supervisor, Lassen National Forest, 2550 Riverside Drive, Susanville, CA 96130; (530) 257-2151, or by email to [email protected]. Comments may also be sent via facsimile to (530) 252-6463. Date Comments Must Be Received By: November 20, 2017 Comments received on this RDEIS will be considered and used to inform the development of the second final EIS. Once the second final EIS is prepared, it and the associated draft decision document (Record of Decision) would be subject to the pre-decisional administrative review process (objection process) pursuant to 36 CFR 218, Subparts A and B. Objections will only be accepted from those who have previously submitted specific written comments regarding this proposed project during scoping or other designated opportunity for public comment in accordance with §218.5(a). Issues raised in objections must be based on previously submitted, timely, specifically written comments regarding this proposed project unless based on new information arising after the designated comment opportunities. Lassen National Forest ii Revised Draft Environmental Impact Statement – Volume I Summary Summary Modified Proposed Action The proposed action has been modified based on concerns expressed in the public comment period on the original Lassen National Forest Over-snow Vehicle Use Designation Draft Environmental Iimpact Statement (DEIS) and in the pre-decisional objection review period on the final environmental impact statement (FEIS) and Draft Record of Decision. These modifications are described in chapter 2 of this analysis. The Forest Service proposes to designate NFS snow trails and areas on NFS land for public over-snow vehicle (OSV) use. These designations would occur on administrative units, or parts of administrative units or Ranger Districts of the Lassen National Forest where snowfall is adequate for that use to occur. These designations would be consistent with the requirements of Subpart C of the Forest Service’s Travel Management Regulation at Title 36 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 212 (36 CFR 212). The Forest Service would also identify snow trails to be groomed for public OSV use under the Lassen National Forest OSV trail grooming program. The Forest Service proposes the following actions on the Lassen National Forest: 1. To designate 8 discrete, specifically delineated areas for cross-country OSV use. There would be a total of 921,180 acres of NFS lands within the Lassen National Forest designated as areas where public, cross-country OSV use would be allowed. These areas would encompass approximately 80 percent of the NFS land on the Lassen National Forest. All existing OSV closures applying to areas and trails on the forest where public motorized use is not allowed would continue. 2. To designate approximately 334 miles of NFS snow trails on NFS lands within the Lassen National Forest as trails where public OSV use would be allowed. All existing OSV closures applying to trails where public motorized use is not allowed would continue. 3. To identify approximately 350 miles of snow trails that would be groomed for public OSV use by the Lassen National Forest Grooming Program. We would designate approximately 11.8 miles of snow trails for OSV use that would not be groomed. We would groom approximately 27.0 miles of snow trails for OSV use that would not be designated for OSV use because we do not have jurisdiction over these trails. 4. To groom snow trails for OSV use according to the California State Parks’ snow grooming standards when there is a minimum of 12 inches of snow on trails. 5. To implement forest-wide snow depth requirements for public OSV use that would provide for public safety and natural and cultural resource protection by: a. Allowing public, cross-country
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