DECISION MEMO TONGASS NATIONAL FOREST SITKA RANGER DISTRICT FINGER MOUNTAIN FAA COMMUNICATION SITE DECISION It is my decision to authorize the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to reconstruct, operate and maintain a communication site on Finger Mountain. Authorization will occur through issuance of a special use permit to the FAA for a period of 20 years. The site is approximately 45 miles north of Sitka. It is located in the Copper River Meridian, Township 48 South, Range 61 East, section 26. The latitude and longitude of the site is 57 41' 09" Nand 135 31' 55" W at about 2600 feet above sea level. The facilities will occupy approximately 75 feet by 65 feet or 0.1 acres. This activity falls within a category of actions which normally do not individually or cumulatively have a significant effect on the quality of the human environment and, therefore, may be categorically excluded from documentation in an environmental impact statement or environmental assessment. This category of actions is identified in 36 CFR 220.6 (e)(3) as: Approval, modification, or continuation of minor special uses of NFS lands that require less than five contiguous acres of land. No extraordinary circumstances exist which would result in additional impacts. No irreversible or irretrievable commitment of resources is anticipated. PROJECT DESCRIPTION The following presents the key elements of the work. 1. Removal of existing infrastructure by helicopter. 2. Establish camp, identify hazard areas, and mark off boundaries for safe travel, staging, and installation of equipment. 3. Preparation of site grounds to include clearing of encroaching vegetation or small boulders and minor grading and/or leveling as required. Work will be done using hand tools, small engine-power tools, and a mini-excavator. No vegetation will be burned. Rocks will be moved to the perimeter of the project area or crushed and used as fill to level areas around the building and towers. 4. A total of one pre-fabricated equipment-building, a nominal 7' by 9' and matte grey in color, will be installed onsite to house FAA communication and power generation/storage electronics. This building requires the excavation, installation, backfill, and compaction of four 18" diameter concrete pier foundations to support the building. Reinforcing steel and embedded support materials will be installed; concrete piers will be sucured to existing bedrock as required using high strength epoxy and rock anchors. A nominal 4' by 5' aluminum deck will be mounted to the building frame, with stairs and a handrail for safe 1
access. 5. A total of three new RADIAN SSG antenna towers will be installed on site for aircraft communications and solar power generation. The top of each tower must be at the same height as the others to avoid radio interference. Based on the steep terrain, one tower will be approximately 26' above the ground and the other two towers will be approximately 32' above ground. Each tower requires one 18" diameter concrete pier foundation and three guy-wire anchors for secure support against wind and icing. Guy-wire anchors wil be constructed using rock anchors, soil anchors, and concrete piers based on the soil conditions at each anchor point. Reinforcing steel and embedded support material will be installed; concrete piers will be secured to existing bedrock as required, using high strength epoxy and rock anchors. Each tower will be guyed using 5/16" diameter, tensioned cable guy-wires to provide tower support. 6. A total of one bi-directional satellite dish will be installed onsite. The satellite dish will be mounted on a 9' tall pedestal. The dish pedestal requires on 24" diameter concrete pier foundation. As required, reinforcing steel and embedded support materials will be installed; concrete piers will be secured to existing bedrock with high strength epoxy and rock anchors. 7. A total of seven %" diameter by I0' long copper grounding rods or seven 24" by 24" copper ground plates will be installed along with approximately 300' bare 4/0 cable to a depth of approximately 2' below ground to create the grounding counterpoise loop. Warning tape will be placed in the trench before it is backfilled and compacted. All connections to the grounding counterpoise will be made using exothermic welds or appropriate metallic clamp connections in accordance with FAA-STDF-19E for Grounding and Bonding. 8. Batteries will be positioned and installed inside equipment building per FAA design requirements. Rigid cable conduit will be installed between the building and towers and supported on all-weather wood cribbing at the base of each tower. Conductors for the radio antennas, weather sensors, and solar panels will be pulled through the conduit and terminated inside the building per FAA design requirements. All electronics equipment will be tested onsite by FAA installers, then certified for operation by FAA technicians responsible for ownership and maintenance of the site. 9. Any required remedial work will be conducted at the completion of construction. A final clean up of the site will be performed; all tools, equipment, old shelter/building and foundation materials, old batteries, leftover matrials, trash, and waste will be packaged for transport and demobilized from the site to Anchorage or other approved, specified location. Work is estimated to be completed within one month and occur between June and August 2014. A six to eight person crew will live on-site in wall tents during project installation. All waste will be containerized and removed from site on a weekly basis, or as required. Crews are familiar with high site installations and receive safety training to include safe work, travel, and habitation in bear country. PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT On August 1, 2011 a letter providing information and seeking comment was sent to Central Council Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska, Sitka Tribe of Alaska, Angoon Community Association, Sealaska Corporation, Shee Atika Incorporated, and Kootznoowoo, Inc. No comments were received. 2
On September 1, 20 I I a letter seeking comment was sent to the following groups: Sitka Field Office, US Army Corps of Engineers Alaska Department of Fish and Game City & Borough of Sitka Kettleson Memorial Library Citizens Advisory Commission on Federal Areas Greenpeace, Sitka Field Office Sitka Conservation Society City & Borough of Sitka asked for additional detail. No comments were received. My intention is to authorize this use as published in the Tongass National Forest Schedule of Proposed Actions (SOPA) beginning July 1,2011. BIOLOGICAL EVALUATION Biological Evaluations were completed for 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. FINDINGS REQUIRED BY OTHER LAWS 2008 Tongass Land and Resource Management Plan This decision is consistent with the 2008 Tongass Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan). The project is located within an area identified in the Forest Plan as having a Land Use Designation of Timber Production. Direction for management of this area is to provide a sawtimber and other wood projects on an even-flow, long-term sustained yield basis. An extensive road system provides access for timber management activities, recreation uses, hunting and fishing, and other public and administrative uses. Although the permanent communication site has existed on Finger Mountain, East of Hoonah Sound, on Chichagof Island since October 1, 1982, the site was inadvertently left off the list of communication sites identified in the 2008 Tongass Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan), Appendix E. An errata was completed to add this site into the list of communication sites in Appendix E. All structures will be made to blend in with the surrounding environment to meet the intent of the scenery objectives as identified in the 2008 Forest Plan. 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, this action would not result in a significant possibility of a significant restriction of subsistence use of wildlife, fish, or other foods. ANILCA Section 811, Access Evaluation and Finding 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 3
of subsistence users having reasonable access to subsistence resources on National Forest System Lands. Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, as Amended The Alaska Coastal Management Program expired under State law on June 30,2011. Consequently, there are no longer any requirements for consistency determinations or reviews under the Coastal Zone Management Act for Forest Service activities in Alaska. Endangered Species Act of 1973 A Biological Evaluation has been completed for this action which indicates that no federally listed threatened or endangered species will be affected by this activity. 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 reviewed this project and made a determination of No Historic Properties Affected in the area of potential effect for the project. Floodplain Management m.o. 11988), Protection of Wetlands (E.O. 11990) This activity will not impact the functional value of any floodplain as defined by Executive Order 11988 and will not have negative impacts on wetlands as defined by Executive Order 11990. Recreational Fisheries (E.O. 12962) 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 determined there will be no effects to fisheries resources within the project area. Therefore, there will be no direct, indirect or cumulative impacts related to this Order. Environmental.Iustice m.o. 12898) I have determined that, in accordance with Executive Order 12898, this project does not have disproportionately high and adverse human health or environmental effects on minority populations and low income populations. 4
f I Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act requires a finding on the effects of this project on Essential Fish Habitat (EFH). The Proposed Action will have "no adverse effects" on EFH because the project will not measurably modify fish habitat in or near the project area. This project will not cause erosion or sedimentation which could reduce quality or quantity of fish habitat in the freshwater or marine environments outside the analysis area. Therefore consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service to review the effects of this project on threatened, endangered and candidate species is not required. IMPLEMENTATION DATE This action falls within a category of actions which are not subject to appeal. Implementation of this decision may occur immediately. r, CONTACT PERSON Clay R. Davis, Lands Specialist Tongass National Forest, Sitka Ranger District 204 Siginaka Way Sitka, AK 99835 907-747A22S clayrdavis@fs.fed.us < ~f11(q~{u/ Forrest Cole FOREST SUPERVISOR Distribution John Louie, Federal Aviation Administration, Anchorage, Alaska ~.'..1 I, 5