DECISION MEMO JASON MINE-BAT HABITAT IMPROVEMENT AND MINE CLOSURE Section 22, T. 13S., R. 2W. Union County, Illinois

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1 DECISION MEMO JASON MINE-BAT HABITAT IMPROVEMENT AND MINE CLOSURE Section 22, T. 13S., R. 2W. Union County, Illinois USDA Forest Service Mississippi Bluffs Ranger District, Shawnee National Forest Background In March of 2005, Dr. Tim Carter of Southern Illinois University identified an urgent need to stabilize the entrance to an abandoned mine and to close the mine to public visitation to protect a small number (24-87) of Indiana bats that winter in the Jason Mine. The mine entrance is collapsing and reducing airflow into the mine that in turn makes the mine less favorable for hibernating Indiana bats. Dr. Carter also identified evidence of recent human disturbances in the mine. A partnership project with Southern Illinois University, Unimin Specialty Minerals, Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service was identified by Dr. Carter and Steve Widowski of the Mississippi Bluffs Ranger District to accomplish the tasks of stabilizing the mine entrance to prevent collapse and to close the mine to public disturbances. Decision and Rationale for the Decision My decision is to implement the project as follows: 1) Temporary opening of the abandoned access road. This would involve use of a small bulldozer to push out and remove the woody vegetation growing on approximately 0.5 miles of an abandoned road surface, temporary installation of 3 road culverts to allow crossing of intermittent streams and some small erosion gullies, and providing a temporary turn-around at the end of the road in the abandoned pit mine location just north of the deep mine location. Actions would also include putting the road to bed immediately following the project, including water barring and culvert removal. The road would only be open for administrative use during a three- four week period around project work at the mine. Four-wheel drive trucks, a small bulldozer and tractor, a forklift, and a large, front-end loader would be using the road for approximately 3-4 weeks starting in mid-august. The gate on the road would remain closed during the project whenever possible and after project completion. 2) Stabilization of a 12 foot high mine entrance for 40 feet into the abandoned Jason mine. This would involve the use of a large front-end loader to remove the soil and rock blockage in front of the mine entrance, use of a forklift to aid in the construction of a wood (treated timbers) and steel reinforced, mine shaft for 40

2 feet into the mine. The reinforced mine shaft would be constructed by SIU bat researchers and their assistants, IDNR bat specialists, and Unimin Specialty Minerals staff experienced in this type of mine shaft construction at Magazine Mine. The reinforced mine shaft would be 12 foot high in the center with steel supports bolted together at 6 foot intervals and 8 inch x 8 inch treated wooden posts six feet in length laying between the steel supports from the ground surface to the roof of the mine forming a solid wooden passageway or mineshaft for 40 linear feet into the mine. 3) Construction of a bat-friendly gate on the mineshaft entrance into the mine. This would be made of angled steel and follow existing bat friendly gate designs developed by Bat Conservation International. Some welding would be done as part of gate construction. The gate would be permanently closed and locked allowing no public access to the underground mine. Administrative access for monitoring of bat numbers and habitat conditions would be designed into the gate. The project would include the following mitigation measures to limit impacts to timber rattlesnakes and soil and water resources: Work areas will be checked daily to remove or avoid any rattlesnakes that may move into the project area. Heavy equipment would only be allowed to operate off improved roadways during periods when the soil conditions are dry enough to avoid excessive rutting and soil compaction (ALRMP IV-43). Heavy machinery would avoid stream Riparian Filter Strips. Any disturbance within the Riparian Filter Strip would be within Forest Plan Standards and Guidelines. These guidelines contain a maximum allowable percentage of bare soil within the filter strip (ALRMP IV-134). Areas of exposed soil would be seeded and mulched according to Forest Plan guidelines. Native seed would be favored over non-native. The following seeds in the Forest Plan are not native: alfalfa, orchard grass, timothy, lindina clover, red clover, and some knotweed species including Polygonum neglectum, P. areanstrum, and P. aviculare (ALRMP Appendix G). The project will benefit Indiana and southeastern bats by stabilizing and protecting a known hibernaculum for both species. No negative effects on these species are predicted from project implementation. The project will secondarily provide for and benefit public safety by closing an existing, subsurface mine entrance to public access. There is presently nothing to stop the public from entering this abandoned, subsurface mine that is a public, safety hazard. An abandoned road will be temporarily reopened to accommodate heavy equipment needed for the mine stabilization and closure project. It will be closed and rehabilitated in accordance with our restoration standards and guidelines following completion of the

3 project, later this summer. Once the road is closed, we will monitor it to ensure it remains closed. If necessary, we will conduct future closing activities to ensure that it remains closed to motorized vehicles. If, sometime in the future, it is determined that these habitat alterations are detrimental to the species, then a reevaluation and reconstruction of the improvements may become necessary. The project needs to be completed before the middle of September to prevent affecting breeding and hibernating bats and therefore implementation will proceed immediately following this decision date. Reasons for Categorically Excluding The Proposed Action Analysis of this proposal indicates there are no extraordinary circumstances that might cause the action to have significant effects upon the quality of the human environment, either cumulatively or individually. While this project would have indirect effects on a federal endangered species and a Regional Forester sensitive species, these effects are positive on only a relatively, small number of individuals of either species and would not have significant effects on the populations of either species in southern Illinois or throughout their range. This project would have no effects on floodplains, wetlands, or municipal watersheds. This project would have no effects on wildernesses, wilderness study areas, or national recreation areas. This project would have no effects on inventoried roadless areas. This project would have no effects on research natural areas. This project would have no effects on American Indian religious or cultural sites. This project would have no effects on archeological sites or historic properties or areas. Forest Service Environmental Policy and Procedures Handbook , Chapter 31.2, Category 6 - Timber & Wildlife Habitat Improvement, dated 07/06/2004 identifies that this action may be excluded from documentation in an environmental assessment; however a project or case file and a decision memo are required. Public Involvement A soping letter was sent out to 281 individuals including all individuals on the Forest s All Decisions List. Those contacted also included Illinois, southern Illinois and

4 national and international bat management expects and organizations. Local mining interests were also contacted. We received comments or review from five Forest staff members and seven members of the public including U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Illinois Department of Natural Resources and Southern Illinois mammalogy professors. These are included in the project planning files. No significant issues or effects were identified from these scoping comments. Comments included documentation of the beneficial effects on the small bat populations using the mine and on public safety. They also included an analysis of the these effects on federal threatened and endangered plant and animal species, Regional Forester sensitive plant and animal species, soil and water resources, and cultural resources and recommended standards and guidelines for soil and water resources and Indiana and southeastern bat species. Findings Requirement by other Laws This action is consistent with the standards and guidelines listed in the Amended Land and Resource Management Plan for the Shawnee National Forest (Forest Plan) dated 1992 as required by the National Forest Management Act. Implementation Date This project may be implemented immediately. Administrative Review or Appeal Opportunities This decision is not subject to administrative appeal pursuant to 36 CFR (f). Contact Person For additional information concerning this decision contact Steve Widowski, Mississippi Bluffs Ranger District, 521 N. Main, Jonesboro, IL 62952, , Dan L. Lentz DAN L. LENTZ District Ranger Mississippi Bluffs Ranger District Date 8/12/05 The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs,

5 reprisal, or because all or part of an individual s income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA s TARGET Center at (202) (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C , or call (800) (voice) or (202) (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.