MANTI-LA SAL NATIONAL FOREST

Transcription

1 MANTI-LA SAL NATIONAL FOREST MOAB / MONTICELLO RANGER DISTRICT CATEGORICAL EXCLUSION REVIEW FILE NUMBER: 1950 / 2700 / MOA1601 PROJECT TITLE: Emery Telcom Bald Mesa Fiber Line Project PROJECT LEAD: Anita Jones ESTIMATED DATE FOR IMPLEMENTATION: Summer/Fall 2016 Categorical Exclusion: 36 CFR 220 6(e)(2). Additional construction or reconstruction of existing telephone or utility lines in a designated corridor. PART 1 - LINE OFFICER DIRECTIONS This documents my instructions to proceed with the NEPA analysis for the proposed Emery Telcom Bald Mesa Fiber Line Project on the Moab-Monticello Ranger District, and provides you with the opportunity to identify any concerns or specific information important for me to be aware of prior to making a decision regarding this proposal, including any recommendations for Design Features pertinent to your resource specialty. If you choose to use this document as a resource specialist report, address current conditions and potential direct, indirect, and cumulative effects discussions limited to displaying the potential for this project to breach a significance threshold regarding extraordinary circumstances. Attach pertinent citations supporting your conclusions with any maps and supporting references for the project record. The projected level of analysis for the document is a Categorical Exclusion 36 CFR 220.6(e)(2). Additional construction or reconstruction of existing telephone or utility lines in a designated corridor. I will use this analysis to determine if it is appropriate to proceed with the project or if additional NEPA documentation (EA or EIS) is required prior to implementation. INTERDISIPLINARY TEAM AND TIMELINES Project Initiation: This document Aug Specialist reports - by May Decision Memo August 2016, Project implementation Summer / Fall IDT LEADER: Anita Jones SPECIALIST: Lands / Special Uses IDT MEMBER: Don Irwin SPECIALIST: Archaeology IDT MEMBER: Jan Curtis-Tollestrup SPECIALIST: Hydrology IDT MEMBER: SPECIALIST: Soils IDT MEMBER: Barb Smith SPECIALIST: Wildlife IDT MEMBER: Tina Marian SPECIALIST: Range IDT MEMBER: Brian Murdock SPECIALIST: Recreation IDT MEMBER: Brian Mattox SPECIALIST: Fire / Fuels IDT MEMBER: Greg Montgomery SPECIALIST: Plants / NEPA IDT MEMBER: Jeff Salow SPECIALIST: Geology IDT MEMBER: Carla Gleave SPECIALIST: Safety SCOPING PLAN: Letters to: Others as identified by Staff Manti-La Sal National Forest Page 1 August 10, 2016

2 PART 2 Project Proposal PROPOSED ACTION: The Moab-Monticello Ranger District, Manti-La Sal National Forest proposes the Emery Telcom Bald Mesa Fiber Line Project. Emery Telcom is proposing to install a fiber optic telecommunications cable and facilities in order to upgrade services to an existing cell tower in the Bald Mesa area. The cable would be placed aerial on existing Rocky Mountain Power (RMP) poles along with anchors/down guys and hand-holes (24ʺ x 36ʺ x 36ʺ). This project places a total of 76,530 feet (14.49 miles) of fiber optic cable with approximately 33,261 feet (6.3 miles) placed across the National Forest System lands. Construction is scheduled for Summer/Fall of 2016 and will progress at approximately two to three miles per day using standard construction procedures (see attached plan of development). A temporary 25-foot construction corridor with a permanent 10-foot width is requested. Utilizing the existing power poles would minimize new disturbance. Rocky Mountain Power is planning routine maintenance on some of the poles on this line in the Summer of The route was analyzed for RMP s Rattlesnake Powerline Upgrade Project in The Decision was signed, but the Rattlesnake Project was not implemented. The entire line has been culturally surveyed, except for the spur to the Bald Mesa Communications Site. DESIGN FEATURES: Cultural Resources Discovery of previously unknown sites, surface or subsurface, may occur during project implementation. If discovered, project activity in the vicinity of the cultural resource would cease and a USFS representative notified immediately. All cultural resources shall be protected in accordance with Federal Laws. All persons associated with this project will be informed that they will be subject to prosecution for knowingly disturbing Native American Indian historic and prehistoric archaeology sites, or for collecting artifacts of any kind, including historic items and/or arrowheads and pottery fragments from Federal lands. Noxious/Invasive plants Clean all equipment with a power wash before entry onto public land to remove noxious weed seed. All equipment must be inspected by the COR or designated project inspector before entry onto public lands. Noxious weed free certification will be required for all straw or hay bales used for mulch, and for any seed mixes used for the project. Any seeding would use an approved native seed mix specified for this project. Control noxious weeds as appropriate under existing decisions and agreements. Paleontology No digging, drilling, blasting, ripping the surface, or any impacts to the ground will be done other than driving over it with rubber-tired vehicles. Any maintenance work using other vehicles will need prior approval of the authorized officer. The permit will stipulate that no fossils (including vertebrate and non-vertebrate) will be removed by the maintenance crew or anyone else working on the fiber line. If paleontological resources are found, the work will halt and a paleontologist and the Forest will be contacted immediately to determine if the site requires excavation before continuing with the work in that area. Plants Roads To protect sensitive plants along the powerline corridor and access routes, consult with District Biologist prior to construction activity on the section of powerline within the Sensitive Plant Zone on lower Brumley Ridge (shown on map Figure 3) so areas can be flagged for avoidance. No construction activity is permitted in the sensitive plant zone when soils are wet. All access routes that are not roads open to the public will be blocked with rocks to prohibit unauthorized motorized use. Visual Resources Avoid vegetation removal and when veg removal is absolutely necessary, avoid straight line edges. Irregular cleared edges are more natural looking. The cable will be as non-reflective as possible. Manti-La Sal National Forest Page 2 August 10, 2016

3 Watershed/Soils Implement the Soil and Water Conservation Practices and National Best Management Practices identified in the project watershed specialist report. Prohibit mechanical operation on wet soils exceeding the plastic limit or when ruts exceed 4 inches depth for 10 feet or more. Re-contour any surface disturbance to original conditions. Wildlife To protect the peregrine falcon and golden eagle nesting territory, there will be a seasonal restriction of no activity on a 1.57 mile section in Mill Creek Gorge, especially helicopters, within the one-mile buffer area from February 1 to August 31. PURPOSE AND NEED: The Purpose and Need for this action is to allow the proponent to exercise their right to apply for authorization to occupy National Forest lands while protecting the environment, in accordance with Forest Service regulations for special uses. The Forest Service has the responsibility to protect surface resources of public lands they manage. Forest Service authority to regulate Special Use activities is set forth in 36 CFR 251. The regulations require that the activities be conducted, insofar as possible, in a manner which minimizes adverse impacts to National Forest System surface resources. The appropriate level of resource analysis will be completed, and if deemed necessary, additional design features or conditions of approval will be added to minimize impacts. Emery Telcom provides communication services in southeastern Utah. They have a need to install fiber cable to the Bald Mesa Site in order to improve the cellular service of the rural residents in the area and to alleviate the current bottlenecks at the site. LOCATION OF PROPOSED ACTION: Moab-Monticello District, Manti-La Sal National Forest Southeast of Moab in the Bald Mesa to Pack Creek area, Grand and San Juan Counties, Utah The project will follow a portion of the path of the Rocky Mountain Power powerline right-of-way Harley Dome to Castleton aka Rattlesnake (Special Use Permit MOA ). T.26S, R.23E, Sec 24, SW¼NE¼, S½NW¼, W½SW¼; Sec 25, N½NW¼, SE¼NW¼, E½SW¼, SW¼SE¼; T.26S, R.24E, Section 19, Lots 4 and 5; Section 31, Lots 4, 8, 9, 11; T.27S, R.23E, Section 1, SE¼SW¼, NE¼SE¼ less private, SW¼SE¼ less private; Section 11, N½NE¼, SW¼NE¼, S½NW¼, W½SW¼; Section 12, Lots 3 and 4; and T.27S, R.24E, Section 6, Lots 5, 7, 8. Project area is in the Bald Mesa and Brumley Ridge Range Allotments, and in the Mill Creek Watershed. Special designation areas (Wilderness, Inventoried Roadless Area, Research Natural Area, or Wild & Scenic River) in or adjacent to the project area: Approximately.6 mile of the east section of the spur to Bald Mesa Comm Site is in the Horse Mountain Mans Peak IRA. A Roadless Area and Wilderness Characteristics worksheet will need to be completed. The route also crosses the Mill Creek Gorge RNA. PLAN CONFORMANCE REVIEW: The proposed action has been reviewed for compliance with the Forest Plan, Manti-La Sal National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (USDA Forest Service 1986, with amendments). Proposed activities meet the goals and management direction provided by the Forest Plan. The following management direction, as well as others not listed, applies: Consider special-use applications and permits on the basis of relative benefit to the public and individual need. (page III-5) Manti-La Sal National Forest Page 3 August 10, 2016

4 Utilities and other special uses would be considered in suitable areas and/or corridors based on need and overall benefit. (page III-13) Under Forest-wide Direction, the proposed action would conform to: Approve special-use applications for areas adjacent to developed sites only when the proposed use is compatible with the purpose and use of the developed site. Special-Use Management (Non-Recreation) (J01, page III-37) The primary Forest Plan management unit prescription for this area is RNG (emphasis is on production of forage for wildlife and livestock). The powerline goes through an RPI (Research Protection and Interpretive) / SPR (Semi- Primitive Recreation) area where it crosses Mill Creek Gorge. It also enters a GWR (General Big Game Winter Range) management unit when it follows Brumley Ridge. AUTHORITY: This action is proposed under authority of 36 CFR 220 6(e)(2). Additional construction or reconstruction of existing telephone or utility lines in a designated corridor. [Amendment No.: ]). Manti-La Sal National Forest Page 4 August 10, 2016

5 MAPS Figure 1 - Vicinity Map Manti-La Sal National Forest Page 5 August 10, 2016

6 Figure 2 - Project Area Map Manti-La Sal National Forest Page 6 August 10, 2016

7 PART 3 Preliminary Internal Review and Issue Identification EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES (ref 36 CFR 220 6(b)): (1) Resource conditions that should be considered in determining whether extraordinary circumstances related to a proposed action warrant further analysis and documentation in an EA or an EIS are: (i) Federally listed threatened or endangered species or designated critical habitat, species proposed for Federal listing or proposed critical habitat, or Forest Service sensitive species; (ii) Flood plains, wetlands, or municipal watersheds; (iii) Congressionally designated areas, such as wilderness, wilderness study areas, or national recreation areas; (iv) Inventoried roadless area or potential wilderness area; (v) Research natural areas; (vi) American Indians and Alaska Native religious or cultural sites; and (vii) Archaeological sites, or historic properties or areas. (2) The mere presence of one or more of these resource conditions does not preclude use of a categorical exclusion (CE). It is the existence of a cause-effect relationship between a proposed action and the potential effect on these resource conditions, and if such a relationship exists, the degree of the potential effect of a proposed action on these resource conditions that determines whether extraordinary circumstances exist. Manti-La Sal National Forest Page 7 August 10, 2016