CHAPTER 4. CONSULTATION AND COORDINATION. 4.1 Consultation and Coordination Introduction Public Involvement

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1 CHAPTER 4. CONSULTATION AND COORDINATION 4.1 Consultation and Coordination Introduction This chapter describes the FS s public involvement activities and its consultation and coordination with State and Federal agencies and private organizations during the planning and preparation of the DEIS. The FEIS was prepared by an interdisciplinary team of specialists from the SNF and the PSW. The document was prepared in consultation and coordination with various federal, State, and local agencies, organizations, and individuals. Agency consultation and public participation have been accomplished through a variety of formal and informal methods, including scoping meetings, responses to s, meetings with individual public agencies and interest groups. This section summarizes these activities Public Involvement The FS published a Notice of Intent to prepare a DEIS in the Federal Register on October 9, The KREW DEIS has been developed pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (Public Law ). The intent of this planning process is to prepare a comprehensive review of the environmental effects of forest health and fire and fuels treatments and research in the proposed management units on the SNF. Through scoping and the public comment review process on the DEIS, the planning process is being conducted in consultation with affected federal agencies, State and local governments, tribal groups, and interested organizations and individuals. The Notice of Availability of the DEIS was published in the Federal Register on December 23, 2010 allowing a 45 day public comment period. Additionally letters were sent to interested and affected parties informing them of the DEIS availability and offering copies in various formats. The DEIS was also posted on the FS website. Twenty seven comment letters were received. Please see Section1.7 for additional information Public Meetings The FS hosted two public scoping meetings to discuss the proposed activities in the KREW Project. The meetings were both held on October 14, 2009; one in the SNF Supervisor s Office and one at the HSRD Office. The proposed project activities were discussed in two coupled components: Component 1, management treatments and Component 2, research to examine ecosystem response to those treatments. Several comments were received at the public meetings and during the scoping period. Comments were determined to be significant or non-significant issues for the proposed project. Significant issues included the affect of large tree removal on the ecological viability of the forest and to viability and habitat of a number of wildlife species (Issue Analysis 2009). All comments were considered during the preparation of this FEIS. Chapter 4 4-1

2 4.1.3 Consultation and Coordination Cooperating Agencies FS biologists coordinated with the U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). California red-legged frog has had both formal and informal consultation provided by the USFWS since it was listed as federally threatened in 1996 (61 FR 25813). In 2000, two site surveys for California redlegged frog were sent to USFWS for review and comment. On September 12, 2002 (67 FR 57830; USDI USFWS 2002) the final recovery plan for the California red-legged frog was made available. The Sierra National Forest is a part of the recovery unit Sierra Nevada Foothill and Central Valley. However, the Sierra National Forest was not listed as critical habitat for the species, nor were any recovery elements established for the species on the Sierra National Forest. In 2006 the Sierra National Forest requested review (technical assistance) by the USFWS on the potential effects of the KRP on the fisher (Martes pennanti) and Yosemite toad. USFWS made recommendations to the FS to avoid or minimize adverse effects to these species. For specific information on cooperation with USFWS refer to the Biological Assessment/Biological Evaluation for wildlife and aquatics. Monitoring of Yosemite toad populations and habitat, and radio-telemetry tracking of adults are part of the PSW research and R5 monitoring at the Bull Unit Government Agencies Project information was communicated to the following Federal, State, and local government entities: California Department of Fish and Game California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection California Department of Water Resources Central Valley Regional Water Authority Coarsegold Resource Conservation District Congressman Devin Nunes Congressman Jim Costa County of Fresno County of Madera Fresno County Board of Supervisors Fresno County Water Advisory Committee Friant Water Authority Natural Resource Conservation Services North Fork Fire Department Pacific Southwest Research Station San Joaquin Air Pollution Control District Senator Barbara Boxer Senator Dianne Feinstein Shaver Lake Fire Department Supervisor Debbie Poochigian U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Chapter 4 4-2

3 Tribes A Tribal Forum was held on November 16, 2010 at the High Sierra Ranger District Office. During this meeting Dr. Carolyn Hunsaker made a presentation on the KREW Project. Scoping information was also communicated to the following tribes and tribal interests: American Indian Council of Mariposa County Big Sandy Rancheria Chaushilha Yokuts Cold Springs Rancheria Dumna Tribe Mono Nation North Fork Mono Rancheria North Fork Mono Tribe Picayune Rancheria Sierra Mono Museum Sierra Nevada Native American Research Collaborators Many universities and organizations are collaborating with or have invested in the Kings River Experimental Watersheds study over the years including: The University of California at Davis, Berkeley, Merced, Irvine, and Santa Barbara The University of Nevada, Reno The University of Wyoming Colorado State University U.S. Geological Survey, Sacramento Office California State Water Resources Control Board, Proposition 50 (the Water Security, Clean Drinking Water, Coastal and Beach Protection Act of 2002) Federal Joint Fire Sciences Program (Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management) Federal National Fire Plan National Science Foundation, Southern Sierra Critical Zone Observatory (EAR ) Organizations and Members of the Public Project information was communicated to interested parties representing the following organizations: Alternatives to Toxics American Forest Resource Council California Native Plant Society California State University, Fresno California Water Institute Chowchilla Redtop Dogwood Homeowners Association Earth Justice Eastern Madera County Fire Safe Council Fresno Flyfishers for Conservation Highway 168 Fire Safe Council Chapter 4 4-3

4 Huntington Lake Association Intermountain Nursery John Muir Project Lassen Forest Preservation Group Musick Creek Homeowners Association Oakhurst River Parkway Pacific Gas and Electric Pacific Rivers Council Pineridge Property Owners Association Revive the San Joaquin River Tree Volunteers San Joaquin Valley Resource Conservation & Development Council Santa Fe Forest Watch Sequoia Riverlands Trust Shaver Lake Chamber of Commerce Shaver Lake Citizens Advisory Council Shaver Lake Civic League Shaver Lake Community Shaver Lakes Heights Property Association Sierra and Foothill Citizens Alliance Sierra Club Sierra Hydrographics Sierra Nevada Adaptive Management Project Sierra Nevada Alliance Sierra Nevada Conservancy Sierra Nevada FPC Society of American Foresters Southern California Edison Terra Bella Mill The Nature Conservancy Van Vleet Properties List of Preparers Frank Aebly, Hydrologist, Sierra National Forest Carolyn Ballard, Fuels Specialist, High Sierra Ranger District, Sierra National Forest Darcy Brown, Special Uses Assistant, High Sierra Ranger District, Sierra National Forest Alan Gallegos, Geologist, Stanislaus, Sierra and Sequoia National Forests Carolyn Hunsaker, Ecologist, Sierra Nevada Research Center, Pacific Southwest Research Station Steve Marsh, Archaeologist, High Sierra Ranger District, Sierra National Forest Mike Price, Timber Management Officer, Sierra National Forest Ramiro Rojas, Silviculturist, High Sierra Ranger District, Sierra National Forest Chapter 4 4-4

5 Greg Schroer, Wildlife Biologist, Sierra National Forest Phil Strand, Fisheries Biologist; Aquatics-Riparian Analysis, Sierra National Forest Judi Tapia, Environmental Coordinator, Sierra National Forest Jamie Tuitele-Lewis, Assistant Forest Botanist, Sierra National Forest Chapter 4 4-5