Environmental Assessment for Road Diobsud Road Repairs

Transcription

1 United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region Environmental Assessment for Road Diobsud Road Repairs

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3 Contents Chapter 1 purpose of and need for action... 3 Introduction... 3 Proposed Action... 3 Purpose and Need for Action... 4 Decision to be Made... 4 Tribal Consultation... 4 Public Involvement... 4 Issues... 4 Chapter 2 Alternatives... 7 Alternatives... 7 Chapter 3 Environmental Effects... 7 Introduction... 7 Description of Existing Environment... 7 Federally Listed Threatened and Endangered Wildlife Species... 7 Regional Forester s Sensitive and Survey and Manage Wildlife Species 7 Management Indicator Species... 8 Neotropical Migratory Birds... 8 Environmental Effects... 8 Aquatic Conservation Strategy... 9 Forest Plan Consistency Chapter 4 References i

4 The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status. (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 USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC or call (202) (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. ii

5 CHAPTER 1 PURPOSE OF AND NEED FOR ACTION Introduction This Environmental Assessment (EA) analyzes the effects of relocating approximately 300 foot of road approximately 20 into the hill slope, installing rock retaining walls above and below along approximately 150 of the road, installing one 24 diameter crossdrain culvert, and removing and storing approximately 700 cubic yards of slide material. The project area is located just inside the National Forest boundary in the Diobsud Creek watershed approximately three miles north of the town of Marblemount. The legal description of the project area is: Township 36 north, Range 11 east, Section 30. During the winter of 2008/2009, a culvert on the Diobsud Creek Road (Forest Service Road 1050) was overtopped during a rain event. This resulted in the loss of the road bed at mile posts (MP) 1.35 and Much of the eroded material was deposited on the road at MP The road has been impassible to general vehicle traffic since that storm event due to safety concerns. This road accesses the Diobsud Creek trail and is one of the few locations on the Mount Baker Ranger District that has road access to lands allocated to matrix (areas managed in part for wood products). Prior to the storm event, 11 miles of the road system were planned for treatment to reduce the risk of road failures such as the one that occurred. All road improvements above the storm damaged site are being implemented. Proposed Action The proposed action is to: Install a 24 cross drain culvert and rock retaining walls above and below the road at MP At MP 1.35 the Forest Service is proposing to relocate approximately 300 of road up to 20 into the hillside. This relocation will involve using a rock drill or explosives to create a road bed surface on bedrock. At both locations, road surfacing will be added to the new road bed, new road ditches will be created, and bare areas will be seeded and mulched. Rock excavated from the MP 1.35 site will used to construct the retaining walls at MP Excess excavated rock and slide material will be deposited to improve the parking area for the Diobsud trail and adjacent to the road in the switchback between the two road damage sites and on an abandoned road spur above the MP 1.35 repair site. Mitigation Measures to reduce impacts to aquatic system function and aquatic organisms: To avoid potential disruption of marbled murrelet nesting activity, project activities will occur between September 16 and March 31 or between August 6 and September 15 if no activities occur within two hours of sunrise and sunset. 3

6 To minimize effects to water quality: o A hazardous materials spill plan will be developed and be available onsite. o All heavy equipment will be inspected at the start of each day and any leaks repaired prior to beginning work. o All equipment will be fueled and serviced at an approved site, or farther than 150 from flowing water. To prevent silt laden water from entering streams, sediment barriers will be erected during project activities. To reduce the likelihood of new noxious weed population establishment: o All equipment that will operate outside of the limits of the road prism will be cleaned prior to entering National Forest System land. o All rock, gravel, sand, and fill material will be from weed-free sources. o All mulch used will be State-certified weed-free. If a previously unidentified historic property is discovered during project implementation, or if a known property is affected in an unanticipated way, the Forest Heritage Specialist will be notified. Purpose and Need for Action There is a need for motor vehicle access to the Diobsud Creek trailhead, to private land above the road damage locations, and for future forest management activities on the three miles of road open to motor vehicles beyond the damaged location. Decision to be Made The responsible official for this project, the Mt. Baker District Ranger, will decide if road repairs will occur as described. Tribal Consultation The Forest consulted with the Sauk-Suiattle, Swinomish, and Upper Skagit Tribes on May 12, No comments were received regarding the proposed project. Public Involvement The Ranger District mailed a scoping letter out to 13 local organizations, state agencies and individuals on May 14, One organization responded via telephone. In this phone conversation several points of the project were clarified to the responder s satisfaction. A map was sent to the responder showing the previous decision to upgrade the road system. The responder also requested that excess fill material be used to improve the trail parking area. Response: The project description was modified to include using excess rock to improve the trail parking area provided that the material is of appropriate size for that use. Issues No issues were raised as a part of internal or external scoping. 4

7 Figure 1. Road 1106 Relocation Vicinity Map 5

8 Figure 2. Project Site Map. 6

9 CHAPTER 2 ALTERNATIVES Alternatives Forest Service policy states that when there are no unresolved conflicts concerning alternative uses of available resources (NEPA, section 102(2)(E)), the EA need only analyze the proposed action and proceed without consideration of additional alternatives (36 CFR 220, 7(b)(2)(i)). As there is agreement about the proposed action, only the proposed action will be analyzed for this project. CHAPTER 3 ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS Introduction This chapter provides the basis for analyzing the effects of the proposed action described in Chapter 1. The chapter includes a description of the existing environment followed by a summary of effects for each resource. The effects are described in more detail in the Heritage, Botany, Fisheries, and Wildlife Specialist Reports in the Project Record. Description of Existing Environment Wildlife Federally Listed Threatened and Endangered Wildlife Species The project area largely consists of young trees smaller than 20 DBH. The stand does contain scattered larger, dominant trees that have branch structure suitable for marbled murrelet nesting; however none of these would be removed to accommodate planned road relocation. Northern spotted owl habitat is limited to dispersal habitat. The area is not critical habitat for either species. The project area is within the Welker Bear Management Unit (BMU) of North Cascades Grizzly Bear Recovery Area. Grizzly bear presence was confirmed to occur in this BMU in The forest habitats in the project area are not seasonally preferred foraging habitat. Gray wolves have not been detected west of Ross Lake. The lack of sufficient prey likely precludes the use of the area by resident wolves. The nearest known area of wolf use is approximately 50 miles east of the project area. Regional Forester s Sensitive and Survey and Manage Wildlife Species The Regional Forester currently lists the following sensitive species as documented or suspected to occur on the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest: Cryptomastix devia, Derocerous hesperium, Hemphilia glandulosa, Megomphix hemphilli, Pristiloma 7

10 wascoense, Johnson s hairstreak butterfly, peregrine falcon, bald eagle, common loon, harlequin duck, larch mountain salamander, van dyke s salamander, townsend s bigeared bat, and wolverine. The five terrestrial mollusks are also Survey and Manage species. Two surveys conducted to protocol did not detect any of the terrestrial mollusks (Cryptomastix devia, Derocerous hesperium, Hemphilia glandulosa, Megomphix hemphilli, Pristiloma wascoense) in areas where habitat disturbance would occur. The proposed project is not within the range of Larch Mountain and van dyke s salamanders. There is no suitable habitat for peregrine falcon, common loon, bald eagles, Johnson s hairstreak butterfly, harlequin duck and wolverine in the project area so these species would not be impacted. Townsend s big-eared bat may occur in the project area. Management Indicator Species Management indicator species for the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest that have not previously been addressed are mountain goat, pine marten, and woodpeckers (including pileated woodpecker). The project area is not habitat for mountain goats, but is potential habitat for woodpeckers and pine marten. Neotropical Migratory Birds Neotropical migratory birds occur in the project area. Fisheries No fish or fish habitat is within the project location. Coho salmon are suspected to occupy an unnamed tributary down slope from the project area. Rare Plants and Noxious Weeds Sensitive and Survey and Manage species Surveys for rare plants and noxious weeds occurred on May 28, 2009 and failed to detect any sensitive, survey and manage, or noxious plant species. Heritage Resources Inventories of the area where the Diobsud road would be moved were conducted and no properties potentially eligible for the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) were located. Environmental Effects The environmental consequences of implementing the proposed action are discussed below under each resource area. Cumulative effects are included with direct and indirect effects of the proposed action on each resource. 8

11 Wildlife Federally listed Threatened and Endangered Wildlife Species Diobsud Road Repairs Environmental Assessment The proposed action is not expected to have any impact on gray wolves. Project activities would be limited to the non-nesting season for marbled murrelets to avoid any direct effects to this species. Changes to existing forest habitat may affect, but are not expected to adversely affect grizzly bear, northern spotted owl and marbled murrelet critical habitat. Consultation with U.S. Fish and Wildlife was completed on July 17, Regional Forester s Sensitive and Survey and Manage Wildlife Species Due to a lack of potentially suitable habitat or lack of species presence, the proposed action would have no impact on Cryptomastix devia, Derocerous hesperium, Hemphilia glandulosa, Megomphix hemphilli, Pristiloma wascoense, peregrine falcon, bald eagle, common loon, larch mountain salamander, van dyke s salamander, harlequin duck, Johnson s hairstreak butterfly and wolverine. Road relocation would impact foraging habitat for big-eared bat. Because foraging habitat for this species encompasses a broad range of vegetation types and structures; and because animals forage over large areas, the modification of approximately 0.2 acres of habitat is expected to have no detectable difference in habitat quality or demographic rates of individual animals. As a result, the project may impact individuals or habitat, but will not likely contribute to a trend towards federal listing or cause a loss of viability to the population or species. Management Indicator Species and Neotropical Migratory Birds Habitat for both pine marten and woodpeckers would be impacted by the project, which would remove approximately 0.2 acres of suitable habitat. Because the size of the area affected is small in comparison to the size of animal home ranges, there would be no effects to populations of woodpeckers and martens. No direct effects to bird populations are expected because the removal of forest would not occur during the breeding season. The reduction of approximately 0.2 acres of conifer forest would alter habitats used by many neotropical migratory species. Because the area affected is small and narrow, it is unlikely that changes in habitat would change survival or reproduction rates, and therefore no changes are expected to populations. Fisheries Because no fish are present in the project area no direct effects will occur. Mitigation measures to prevent or minimize sediment and prevent any toxic material from leaving the site will prevent impacts to any downslope fish habitat or fish populations. The proposed action would be consistent with all objectives outlined in the Aquatic Conservation Strategy. Sensitive Plants and Noxious Weeds Project implementation would have no impact on survey and manage or Regional Forester s sensitive plant species. The implementation of mitigation measures are expected to prevent the introduction of new populations of noxious weeds as a result of project activities. 9

12 Heritage Resources Because surveys revealed no heritage resources, no impacts are expected from implementation of the proposed action. If resources that were not detected by surveys are discovered during implementation, the project will be stopped and redesigned to avoid or mitigate any further impacts. Environmental Justice The proposed action would have no effect on human health, wildlife, or fisheries. There is no expectation that the proposed action would disproportionately affect minorities, low-income residents, or Native Americans. Forest Plan Consistency The proposed action will meet the standards and guidelines for affected resources in the Forest Plan, as amended (USDA Forest Service 1990). See the Forest Plan Consistency section of each Specialist Report for specific information: Wildlife Fisheries Botany Heritage Resources Therefore, the proposed action is consistent with the Forest Plan. CHAPTER 4 REFERENCES The following is a list of literature cited in the specialist reports, used in the effects analysis to determine the environmental consequences of the proposed action: USDA Forest Service Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan. Seattle, WA. USDA Forest Service, USDI Bureau of Land Management Record of Decision for Amendments to Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management Planning Documents Within the Range of the Northern Spotted Owl. Portland, OR. USDA, USDI Record of Decision and Standards and Guidelines for Amendments to the Survey and Manage, Protection Buffer, and other Mitigation Measures Standards and Guidelines. USDA Forest Service, USDI Bureau of Land Management, Portland, OR. USDA Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region Invasive Plant Program. Record of Decision for Preventing and Managing Invasive Plants. R6-NR-FHP-PR Portland, Oregon. 10

13 Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Washington State Salmon and Steelhead Stock Inventory 11