DECISION NOTICE FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT USDA FOREST SERVICE TONGASS NATIONAL FOREST WRANGELL RANGER DISTRICT MIDDLE RIDGE CABIN CONSTRUCTION

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1 DECISION NOTICE FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT USDA FOREST SERVICE TONGASS NATIONAL FOREST WRANGELL RANGER DISTRICT MIDDLE RIDGE CABIN CONSTRUCTION This Decision Notice contains a brief summary of the environmental analysis completed for this project as well as my decision regarding which alternative to implement and the rationale for my decision. It also contains certain findings required by various laws, and information concerning the right to Administrative Review of this decision. The Environmental Assessment (EA) completed for this project is incorporated by reference in this decision document. This Decision Notice documents my decision concerning the Middle Ridge Recreation Cabin construction. The project site is located on Wrangell Island near the end of Forest Road 50060, approximately 20 miles from downtown Wrangell. DECISION Based on the EA completed for this project it is my decision to select Alternative 2 for implementation including all project design elements described in the EA. The Proposed Action (Alternative 2) is to construct an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible recreation cabin on Wrangell Island. The cabin will be named the Middle Ridge Cabin and will be located on Forest Road 50060, which is locally known as the Midpoint or Middle Road. The cabin will be built using logs and will be based on a Region-10 design. It will be a 15 x 17 structure with a loft and have an eight person capacity. To accommodate the area necessary to provide parking and associated structures, the existing gravel pad will require sculpting to fit the site plan. Associated structures will include a woodshed, fire ring, and an accessible outhouse. A trail will be built as part of the recreation site, accessing the small, unnamed lake which the cabin will overlook. A small landing/dock will be constructed at the lakeshore for use by visitors. The EA provides additional information about the proposed action. RATIONALE FOR THE DECISION The purpose of this initiative is to provide a recreation cabin on the Wrangell Island road system while demonstrating the suitability of second growth timber for log home building in southeast Alaska. This action is needed to help fulfill the desire for an ADA accessible recreation cabin that can be accessed from the Wrangell Island road system. In planning for recreation projects, the Tongass National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan) standards and guidelines (pg4-43) direct the Wrangell Ranger District to 1) provide opportunities that are

2 appropriate to the Forest environment, dependent upon natural settings, and help participants experience nature, 2) provide recreation opportunities in concert with, and supplemental to, those opportunities that are located on lands under other ownership, and 3) participate with local communities and user groups when implementing recreation development projects. In proposing construction of new recreation facilities, the Forest Plan standards and guides (pg 4-47) direct us to A) provide development facilities appropriate to the Recreation Opportunity Spectrum (ROS) setting as long as the facilities don t compete with the private sector, B) maintain cost-effective developed recreation facilities appropriate to the communities affected, and C) provide barrier-free, accessible facilities appropriate to the site development level and area ROS setting. There are no public recreation cabins currently accessible from the Wrangell Island road system. Over the past years, the recreating public in Wrangell has expressed a desire to have a cabin available to them that can be used year-round and is accessible by the road system, eliminating the need to boat or fly to a cabin site on the Wrangell Ranger District. The cabin will be constructed of second growth Sitka spruce harvested from the Starrigavan Valley near Sitka, Alaska. The project is designed to test and demonstrate the suitability of second growth timber for log home building in Southeast Alaska, and is the second of its kind on the Tongass National Forest. The first cabin built with this program is the Starrigavan Cabin on the Sitka Ranger District. Biological Evaluations were completed for both sensitive plants and animals. No sensitive species will experience impacts that would cause or contribute to a trend towards federal listing or cause a loss of viability to the population or species. ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED Concerns raised during public involvement were considered in the development of the action alternative. Therefore, only one action alternative (Alternative 2 - the Proposed Action) was considered. Alternative 1 (No Action) - Under the No Action alternative, the Middle Ridge Cabin would not be constructed. No National Forest recreation cabins would be accessible from the Wrangell Island road system. Alternative 2 (Proposed Action) - The proposed action is to construct an ADA accessible recreation cabin on an existing gravel pad near the end of Forest Road on Wrangell Island. The cabin will be built using logs and will be based on a Region-10 standard design. It will be a 15 x 17 structure with a loft and have an eight person capacity. An approximately 120 trail with a lakeshore landing will be built as part of the recreation site. The trail will provide lakeshore access from the cabin site.

3 PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT This project was first proposed as a Capital Investment Project in 2003 and has appeared on the Tongass National Forest Schedule of Proposed Actions (SOPA) since that time. When it became clear that funding for the project would not materialize in the near future, the project remained on the SOPA but was in an on hold status. In the Fall of 2008, the Forest had an opportunity to build on the success of the Starrigavan Cabin project, and offered to support the construction of another log cabin in partnership with the University of Alaska, Sitka Campus. The Middle Ridge cabin site was selected due to the continued support for the cabin from the local community. With this change in status, the listing on the SOPA for the project was changed to active. The Legal Notice for the 30-day comment period was printed in the Wrangell Sentinel, the Wrangell Ranger District s newspaper of record on December 4, In April of 2009, the district sent out a public scoping letter to agencies, tribes, and interested individuals. No comments concerning the proposed action were received. The Friends of the Tongass Cabins organization took an interest in the project, and in partnership with the Southeast Alaska Guidance Association (SAGA), created an Americorp Connections position in Wrangell to promote the organization, with the focus being building support for this project, in hopes of building on that success in future years and on other Tongass districts. The Americorp volunteer arrived in Wrangell on May 3, 2009 and has worked to build awareness of the project in the community, while seeking partnerships from local businesses and individuals to make the cabin a reality for Wrangell. Public interest articles focusing on the Middle Ridge Cabin project have appeared in three issues of the Wrangell Sentinel since May. Additionally, the volunteer has contacted members of community to highlight the project at our Friday potlucks hosted by the Wrangell Island Volunteer hosts; been interviewed by Wrangell s local radio station (KSTK) to highlight the project; presented the project and highlighted opportunities for the community to support the project at one Wrangell Borough meeting; and attended a meeting of the Stikine Sportsman to generate interest in their support of the project. Once the cabin construction is underway, this volunteer will continue to highlight the project in the Wrangell Sentinel and on KSTK, along with other public outreach efforts, to build support for partnerships within the community that can help reduce the costs of maintenance of the facility to the district. FINDINGS REQUIRED BY OTHER LAWS National Forest Management Act All project alternatives fully comply with the Forest Plan. This project incorporates all applicable Forest Plan standards and guidelines and management area prescriptions as they apply to the project area and complies with Forest Plan goals and objectives. All required interagency review and coordination has been accomplished; new or revised measures resulting from this review have been incorporated. The Forest Plan complies with all resource integration and management requirements of 36 CFR 219 ( through ).

4 2008 Tongass Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan) This decision is consistent with the Forest Plan. The project is located within an area identified in the Forest Plan as having a Land Use Designation (LUD) of Modified Landscape. The Modified Landscape LUD is a development LUD that provides for timber harvest, while taking care to minimize the visibility of such activities when possible. Forest Plan objectives for this LUD include providing a spectrum of recreation and tourism opportunities consistent with the capabilities of the LUD. Forest Plan standards and guidelines for recreation management throughout the Tongass National Forest are discussed above in the rationale for the decision section of this document. ANILCA Section 810, Subsistence Evaluation and Finding The effects of this project have been evaluated to determine potential effects on subsistence opportunities and resources. There is no documented or reported subsistence use that would be restricted as a result of this decision. For this reason, none of the alternatives would result in a significant possibility of a significant restriction of subsistence use of wildlife, fish, or other resources. ANILCA Section 811, Subsistence Evaluation and Finding Completing this action has been evaluated to determine potential effects on reasonable access to subsistence resources on National Forest System Lands. There is no documented or reported access that would be restricted as a result of this decision. For this reason, this action would not result in a significant possibility of a significant restriction of subsistence users having reasonable access to subsistence resources on National Forest System Lands. Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, as Amended The Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) requires that the Forest Service, when conducting or authorizing activities or development, be consistent with the approved Alaska Coastal Management Program (ACMP) to the maximum extent practicable. Section 202.B of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the State of Alaska and the USDA Forest Service, Alaska Region on ACMP Consistency Reviews lists Forest Service activities which require documentation in an EA or EIS, and may affect the coastal zone, and therefore normally require a consistency determination or a negative determination. The Forest Service must determine whether there are effects to the coastal zone. Upon review of all input and comments relating to effects on the coastal resources, review of the ACMP, the environmental assessment for the Middle Ridge Cabin Construction, the requirements of the MOU, and all applicable standards and guidelines, I find that this project is consistent with the ACMP to the maximum extent practicable. Endangered Species Act of 1973 None of the alternatives is anticipated to have a direct, indirect, or cumulative effect on any threatened or endangered species in or outside the project area. A complete Biological Evaluation (BE) is included in the planning record.

5 National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 The Forest Service program for compliance with the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) includes locating, inventorying and evaluating the National Register of Historic Places eligibility of historic and archeological sites that may be directly or indirectly affected by scheduled activities. Regulations (36 CFR 800) implementing Section 106 of the NHPA require Federal agencies to consider the effects of their actions on sites that are determined eligible for inclusion in or are listed in the National Register of Historic Places (termed "historic properties"). A Forest Service archeologist has reviewed this project and we have made a determination of "No Historic Properties Affected" in the area of potential effects for the proposed project. Executive Order E.O directs Federal agencies to provide leadership in preserving, restoring, and maintaining the historic and cultural environment of the nation. Completion of an archaeological survey and testing at the Middle Ridge Cabin site is compliant with the executive order. Floodplain Management (E.O ), Protection of Wetlands (E.O ) This activity will not impact the functional value of any floodplain as defined by Executive Order and will not have negative impacts on wetlands as defined by Executive Order Recreational Fisheries (E.O ) Federal agencies are required, to the extent permitted by law and where practicable, and in cooperation with States and Tribes, to improve the quantity, function, sustainable productivity, and distribution of U.S. aquatic resources for increased recreational fishing opportunities. As required by this Order, I have evaluated the effects of this action on aquatic systems and recreational fisheries and documented those effects relative to the purpose of this order. Since there are no effects to fisheries resources within the project area there will be no direct, indirect or cumulative impacts related to this Order. Environmental Justice (E.O ) I have determined that in accordance with Executive Order this project does not have disproportionately high and adverse human health or environmental effects on minority populations and low-income populations. Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1996 (hereafter referred to as the Act ) requires consultation with the National Marine Fisheries Service on activities that may affect Essential Fish Habitat (EFH). EFH is defined as those waters and substrates necessary to fish for spawning, breeding, feeding, or growth to maturity. EFH for Pacific salmon includes marine waters, intertidal habitats, and freshwater streams accessible to anadromous fish. Marine EFH for the salmon fisheries in Alaska includes all estuarine and marine areas utilized by Pacific salmon of Alaska origin, extending from the influence of tidewater and tidally submerged habitats to the limits of the U.S. exclusive economic zone. The Act promotes the protection of these habitats through review, assessment, and mitigation of activities that may adversely affect these habitats. After

6 reviewing the resource effects of this proposal, I find that the proposed action would not adversely affect EFH. Executive Order (2000) and (1998): Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribal Governments These Orders direct federal agencies to work with tribal governments in policy development and project implementation where significant tribal interests are affected by federal policies or undertakings. The Wrangell District Ranger hosted a consultation meeting with the Wrangell Cooperative Association on January 12, This project was presented, describing the proposal and requesting consultation. No concerns were identified during this process. FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT I have reviewed the Environmental Assessment for this project using criteria identified in implementing regulations for the National Environmental Policy Act (40 CFR ). Based on the Environmental Assessment and the findings displayed above, I have determined that this is not a major action that will have a significant effect on the human environment and therefore does not require the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement. RIGHT TO APPEAL OR ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW As required by Forest Service appeal regulations found at 36 CFR 215.5, a legal notice of the opportunity to comment on the proposed action for a 30-day period was published in the Wrangell Sentinel, the Wrangell Ranger District s newspaper of record, on December 4, Additionally, a public scoping letter was sent to other agencies and interested individuals in April of No comments concerning the proposed action were received. Pursuant to Forest Service appeal regulations at 36 CFR (e)(1) this decision is therefore not subject to appeal. Implementation of this action may occur immediately upon publication of legal notice of this decision in the Wrangell Sentinel newspaper. CONTACT PERSON Dee Galla Wrangell Ranger District P.O. Box 362 Wrangell, AK (907) _/s/ Francisco B. Sanchez FRANCISCO B. SANCHEZ Acting Wrangell District Ranger August 7, 2009 Date