Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest Madison Ranger District

Transcription

1 United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest Madison Ranger District 5 Forest Service Road Ennis, MT File Code: 1950 Date: April 4, 2012 Dear Planning Participant: The Madison Ranger District is publishing the East Fork Blacktail Trail Reroute project for a 30-day public comment period. Please see the How to Comment section on page 5. The East Fork Blacktail Trail #6069 is a mainline trail in the Snowcrest Mountains. The Two Meadows Trail #6074 is a secondary trail that junctions with Trail #6069. Both trails are non-motorized routes. Poor trail condition and location is contributing to erosion, sediment in the stream and unsafe conditions for hikers. The project is within the Snowcrest Mountain Recommended Wilderness Management Area in the Gravelly Landscape. There are two sections in T12S, R5W, Sections 34 and 35 which involve BLM lands. There is one section of State DNRC land, T12S R5W Section 36. Purpose and Need The project will construct approximately five miles of new trail to replace approximately four miles of poorly located or eroded trail. Sections of the trail are too steep and deep ruts have developed along steep pitches. Other parts of the trail are too close to the creek. The upper end of the Two Meadows trail is no longer defined on the ground and needs to be marked so people can find it. The project will improve trail safety and utility for hikers and horseback visitors Proposed Action This project would involve approximately four miles of new, relocated trail on the East Fork of the Blacktail-Deer Creek Trail #6069 and three quarters of a mile of new relocated trail along the Two Meadows Trail #6074. The portions old trail rerouted around will be closed and rehabilitated by proper drainage to reduce, control and mitigate erosion. Finished trail tread in the new sections will be wide, with dips and water bars installed along constructed and reconstructed reaches of the trail. One hiker bridge may be constructed across the East Fork of Blacktail Deer Creek on Bureau of Land Management lands where there is presently a ford. Construction will be accomplished with a trail building machine. Along the upper end of the Two Meadows trail, from the junction with the Snowcrest Trail #6004 for a distance of about ½ mile, cairns will be constructed or treated posts installed to mark the route as a substitute for tread construction. Mitigation and Design Features Required for This Project: Heritage If currently unknown cultural resources are discovered during project implementation, operations affecting that discovery will be curtailed until the site is evaluated by a Forest archaeologist. Identified sites will be avoided, if feasible, but if sites cannot be avoided, site-specific mitigation will be developed to ensure sites are not adversely impacted. Site mitigation will be developed in consultation with the State Historic Preservation Office prior to project implementation. 1

2 Recreation/ Scenery: Public notice should be placed in local newspapers and other appropriate media to inform recreation users of the project and activities. Signs should be placed on roads and trails entering the project area to notify users of activities or potential hazards and to post any necessary instructions. Locate the trail to take advantage of screening of vegetation where feasible, including sagebrush, to minimize visibility of linear features associated with the trail. Use a meandering trail layout and construction and avoid long linear trail segments that are incompatible with the surrounding natural environment. Consider views from other trails during layout and construction activities. Minimize impacts associated with construction by using methods which do not result in ground disturbance outside that required for trail construction. Maximum tread width shall be 30". Conserve topsoil and existing vegetation, and replace stem-side up on cut and fill slopes that are visible from area trails. Reseed cut and fill slopes that do not revegetate naturally in 3 years. Sensitive Plants: Due to the potential for sensitive plants them to occur in the project area, field surveys will be conducted prior to project implementation. Vegetation: Noxious weeds will be controlled following procedures in the Noxious Weed Control Program ROD (2002) for the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest. Reasons for Categorically Excluding the Proposed Action An action may be categorically excluded from further analysis and documentation in an environmental impact statement (EIS) or environmental assessment (EA) if it is within one of the categories identified by the USDA in 7 CFR part 1b.3 or 7 CFR part 1b.3 or 36 CFR 220.6(d) or (e), and there are no extraordinary circumstances related to the decision that may result in a significant individual or cumulative effect on the quality of the human environment. This project has been reviewed in accordance with FSH Chapter 30. I have determined the project fits the following category: 36 CFR 220.6(e)(1): Constructing or reconstructing a trail. My decision is based on a review of the project record that shows a thorough review of relevant scientific information, a consideration of responsible opposing views, and the acknowledgement of incomplete or unavailable information. The record includes the following resource specialist reports: Biological Assessments and Evaluations for Wildlife and Aquatics Tribal and Heritage Resource findings Soils Report Hydrology Report Aquatics/Amphibian Report Recreation Report Scenery Report 2

3 By definition, categorical exclusions do not individually or cumulatively have significant effects on the human environment (40 CFR ). Resource specialists considered direct and indirect effects from the proposed action coupled with past, present, and reasonably foreseeable actions. I have examined the proposed action and the effects analyses disclosed in the resource specialist reports listed above and have concluded that without notable individual effects from the proposed action, there would be no discernible cumulative effects. The interdisciplinary team reviewed the resource conditions listed in FSH Chapter 30 (31.2) and other concerns applicable to this project to determine whether any extraordinary circumstances exist. The mere presence of one or more of the resource conditions listed below does not preclude the use of a categorical exclusion. 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 potential effect of a proposed action on these resource conditions that determine whether extraordinary circumstances exist. The resource specialist reports have provided the necessary information to make a determination on the cause-effect relationship between the proposed action and the potential effect on the resource conditions listed below and thus the presence of extraordinary circumstances, as summarized below: RESOURCE CONDITION Federally listed threatened or endangered species or designated critical habitat, species proposed for Federal listing or proposed critical habitat, or Forest Service sensitive species. Grizzly Bear Threatened; Grey Wolf Endangered Non-essential; Sensitive Species - Greater Sage Grouse; Trumpeter Swan; Peregrine falcon; Harlequin duck; Flammulated Owl; Bald Eagle; Blackbacked woodpecker; Great Basin pocket mouse; Western big eared-bat; Spotted bat; Northern bog lemming; Pygmy Rabbit; North American wolverine; Fisher. Floodplains, wetlands, or municipal watersheds Congressionally designated areas, such as wilderness, wilderness study areas, or national recreation areas. Inventoried Roadless Areas Research Natural Areas American Indians and Alaska Native religious or cultural sites. Archaeological sites, or historic properties or areas. POTENTIAL EFFECT Threatened or Endangered Species: There would be no effect to the threatened grizzly bear or to endangered grey wolves. Sensitive Species: Limited impact to Sage grouse habitat, but area is not likely to be occupied by this species. No impacts to any other sensitive wildlife species. No Impact all other Sensitive terrestrial, aquatic, and plant species. No negative impacts to the municipal watershed, floodplains, or wetlands are projected. No congressionally designated areas occur in or near the project; therefore no negative impacts to any congressionally designated areas are projected. The project is within the Snowcrest Mountain Inventoried Roadless Area #1-025A. The sights and sounds of motors may have a temporary negative impact to visitors. Construction will occur during the summer and outside of the heavy use period, which is the fall hunting season. Therefore, no negative impacts to IRAs are projected. There are no research natural areas within the project area. Therefore, no negative impacts to any research natural areas are projected. The design features listed above to prevent potential adverse impacts to religious, cultural, or archaeological sites, or historic properties or areas. Therefore negative impacts are not anticipated. 3

4 A categorical exclusion is appropriate in this situation because the proposed action fits within the category described above and there are no extraordinary circumstances present. Scoping and Public Involvement The project was first published on the SOPA on January 2nd The proposal was provided to 72 interested members of the public and other agencies for scoping from December 16, 2010 through January 19, No responses were received. Forest Plan Direction The National Forest Management Act (NFMA) requires the development of long-range land and resource management plans. The Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest Plan was approved in 2009 and provides guidance for all natural resource management activities on the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest. NFMA also requires that all projects and activities be consistent with the plans. The decision is consistent with Forest Plan direction including all applicable standards. Forestwide Goals and Objectives: Recreation and Travel Management Objective for Trails: Maintain motorized and non-motorized trails to standard. Reconstruct trails that do not meet standards based on the following Region One Priorities: a) Safety hazards to users, b) Actual or potential resource damage, especially in key watersheds, and c) Level of Use. (FP pg. 31). Findings Required by Law National Forest Management Act - The Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan) was approved in 2009, as required by this Act. The Forest Plan has been reviewed in consideration of this project and the project meets all applicable management direction found in the 2009 Beaverhead-Deerlodge Forest Plan including consistency with all applicable standards. Endangered Species Act - See the Reasons for Categorically Excluding the Proposed Action Section of this document for a summary of the effects of this project to Endangered, Threatened, or Candidate Species. The summary is based on a more thorough analysis available in the project record. This project is consistent with the requirements of the Endangered Species Act. Sensitive Species (Forest Service Manual 2670) - This direction requires analysis of potential impacts to sensitive species and the Regional Forester approved the sensitive species list on October 28, Our review of the potential effects of this decision upon the sensitive species has been completed and the analysis documented in the project file and Resource Condition Table above. Environmental Justice (Executive Order 12898) - This Order requires consideration of whether projects would disproportionately affect minority or low-income populations in or around the project area. Based on internal review and public scoping, the proposed action did not identify any adversely impacted local minority or low-income populations. Clean Water Act The intent of the Act is to restore and maintain the integrity of waters. The Forest Service complies with this Act through the use of Best Management Practices (BMPs). This decision incorporates Best Management Practices to ensure protection of soil and water resources and complies with the Clean Water Act and State water quality standards. Clean Air Act Under this Act, areas of the country were designated as Class I, II or III airsheds for Prevention of Significant Deterioration purposes. There will be no air quality impacts as a result of this decision. 4

5 The National Historic Preservation Act As discussed earlier in this document and in detail in the project file, impacts to cultural resources are not expected. Migratory Bird Treaty Act There will be no known substantial losses of migratory bird habitat expected from the implementation of this proposal. National Environmental Policy Act - This Act requires public involvement and consideration of potential environmental effects. This document and the project record provide documentation for this decision which supports compliance with this Act (See Section II of this document). Other Laws or Requirements The proposed action is consistent with all other Federal, State, and/or local laws or requirements. How to Comment and Timeline Public comments on this proposal are invited and encouraged. No decision has been made yet. This comment period provides people interested in, or affected by, this proposal an opportunity to make their concerns known prior to a decision by the Responsible Official. Only those who provide timely comments will be eligible to appeal the decision pursuant to 36 CFR part 215 regulations. Comments received in response to this solicitation, including names and addresses of those who comment, will be considered part of the public record and will be available for public inspection. Written, facsimile, hand-delivered, oral, and electronic comments will be accepted for 30 calendar days following publication of the legal notice in the Montana Standard. The publication date in the newspaper of record is the exclusive means for calculating the comment period for this proposal. You should not rely upon dates or timeframe information provided by any other source. For appeal eligibility each individual or representative from each organization submitting comments must either sign the comments or verify identity upon request. Written comments should be mailed to: District Ranger, Madison Ranger District, 5 Forest Service Road, Ennis, MT 59749, Telephone (406) / FAX (406) , your comments to: comments-northern-beaverhead-deerlodge@fs.fed.us and please type East Fork Blacktail in the subject line. For electronically mailed comments, the sender should normally receive an automated electronic acknowledgement from the agency as confirmation of receipt. If the sender does not receive an automated acknowledgement of the receipt of comments, it is the sender s responsibility to ensure timely receipt by other means. Acceptable electronic formats include text (i.e. ASCII text or html) and Word or PDF documents. The district office is open from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM Monday through Friday excluding federal holidays for hand-delivered comments. Comments should include: 1) name, address, phone number and organization represented, if any; 2) title of project to which the comments are being submitted; and 3) specific facts and supporting information for the responsible official, Darin Watschke, Acting District Ranger to consider. If you would like more information, please call Jonathan Klein at the Madison Ranger District (406) or send him an at jklein@fs.fed.us. Sincerely, /s/ Darin A. Watschke Darin A Watschke Acting District Ranger 5