NEPA--Environmental Assessment

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Silverton Landscape Grazing Analysis Environmental Assessment Table of Contents Table of Contents........................................................................................................................ ii List of Tables.............................................................................................................................. iii List of Figures ............................................................................................................................ iii Summary...................................................................................................................................... 1 Chapter 1 - Introduction ............................................................................................................. 3 Document Structure.................................................................................................................................. 3 Background............................................................................................................................................... 3 Compliance with Administrative Framework ........................................................................................13 Desired Conditions ................................................................................................................................. 19 Existing Conditions ................................................................................................................................ 20 Purpose and Need for Action.................................................................................................................. 21 Proposed Action ..................................................................................................................................... 25 Decision Framework............................................................................................................................... 25 Public Involvement................................................................................................................................. 25 Issues ...................................................................................................................................................... 26 Chapter 2 - Alternatives............................................................................................................ 28 Alternative 1 – No Action ...................................................................................................................... 28 Design Criteria for Alternatives 2 and 3................................................................................................. 28 Alternative 2 – Current Management ..................................................................................................... 38 Alternative 3 – Adaptive Management/Proposed Action....................................................................... 38 Alternatives Considered but Eliminated from Further Analysis ............................................................ 47 Comparison of Alternatives.................................................................................................................... 50 Chapter 3 - Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences............................... 51 Water Quality ......................................................................................................................................... 52 Vegetation & Soils.................................................................................................................................. 55 Recreation............................................................................................................................................... 63 Wildlife – Threatened and Endangered Species..................................................................................... 68 Wildlife – Sensitive Species ................................................................................................................... 73 Wildlife – Management Indicator Species ............................................................................................. 86 Wildlife – Migratory Birds..................................................................................................................... 92 Socioeconomics...................................................................................................................................... 96 Cultural Resources.................................................................................................................................. 99 Chapter 4 - Consultation and Coordination.......................................................................... 104 Appendix A - Acronyms and Glossary ................................................................................. 105 Appendix B - Citations and References................................................................................ 106 Appendix C - Wildlife Species Lists ...................................................................................... 111 Appendix D – Bighorn Risk Assessment ............................................................................. 120 ii
Silverton Landscape Grazing Analysis Environmental Assessment List of Tables Table 2-1. Project Design Criteria for General Management of Permitted Domestic Sheep .......29 Table 2-2. Project Design Criteria to minimize contact between Bighorn and Domestic Sheep ..34 Table 2-3. Current Grazing Management by Allotment...............................................................38 Table 2-4. Potential Adaptive Options – Livestock Grazing Management Actions....................43 Table 2-5. Comparison of Alternatives Based on Significant Issues.............................................50 Table 3-1. Forest-wide habitat and population trends for MIS......................................................88 Table 3-2. Acres of habitat affected for MIS.................................................................................89 Table C-1. Federally Listed Species for the San Juan Public Lands. .........................................111 Table C-2. FS Region 2 and Colorado BLM Sensitive Species. .................................................111 Table C-3. Forest Plan MIS species for the SJNF .......................................................................115 Table C-4. Migratory Bird Species List.......................................................................................117 List of Figures Figure 1-1. Project Analysis Area................................................................................................. 12 Figure 1-2. Suitable Sheep Grazing Acres.................................................................................... 17 Figure 1-3. Management Emphasis Areas.................................................................................... 18 Figure 1-4. 2008 Data Collection Points....................................................................................... 22 Figure 1-5. Bighorn Overlap......................................................................................................... 23 Figure 1-6. Wilderness Overlap.................................................................................................... 24 Figure 2-1. Proposed Action - Avoidance Areas.......................................................................... 42 Figure 3-1. Proposed Action - Bighorn Overlap........................................................................... 83 iii
Page 1: United States Department of Agricul
Page 5 and 6: These issues led the agency to deve
Page 7 and 8: administered with shared facilities
Page 9 and 10: Engine Creek/Deer Creek Allotment T
Page 11 and 12: Gladstone Allotment This allotment
Page 13 and 14: Gulch. In 1956, the numbers decreas
Page 15 and 16: Figure 1-1. Project Analysis Area 1
Page 17 and 18: Specific Management Emphasis Areas
Page 19 and 20: Livestock Grazing Permits Livestock
Page 21 and 22: Figure 1-3. Management Emphasis Are
Page 23 and 24: Desired Conditions for Bighorn: Red
Page 25 and 26: Figure 1-4. 2008 Data Collection Po
Page 27 and 28: Figure 1-6. Wilderness Overlap 24
Page 29 and 30: Issues ____________________________
Page 31 and 32: CHAPTER 2 - ALTERNATIVES This chapt
Page 33 and 34: Alternative Livestock Bedding 2 3 S
Page 35 and 36: Alternative Noxious Plants/Invasive
Page 37 and 38: Table 2-2. Project Design Criteria
Page 39 and 40: Alternative Minimization of Threat
Page 41 and 42: Alternative 2 - Current Management_
Page 43 and 44: Elk Creek Allot • Do not use the
Page 45 and 46: Figure 2-1. Proposed Action - Avoid
Page 47 and 48: Monitoring for Alternative 3 Monito
Page 49 and 50: • Photographs and Photo-points: P
Page 51 and 52: years in an emergency situation, su
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Comparison of Alternatives ________
Page 55 and 56:
Water Quality _____________________
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ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES Alternat
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from water or bedgrounds (Arnold an
Page 61 and 62:
2008). It differs from the wetland
Page 63 and 64:
Red Mountain Allotment Yellow toadf
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unlikely that any of these species
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Recreation Special Use Permits for
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livestock management would not chan
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Concurrent to this grazing analysis
Page 73 and 74:
Alternative 2 Habitat conditions fo
Page 75 and 76:
intensity on alpine plants appeared
Page 77 and 78:
the other two species due to the co
Page 79 and 80:
lack bighorn sheep escape cover. Th
Page 81 and 82:
trailing route, and lack of bighorn
Page 83 and 84:
Similar to Alternative 2, selecting
Page 85 and 86:
ptarmigan is expected under Alterna
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CUMULATIVE IMPACTS Global warming i
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Wildlife - Management Indicator Spe
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and it will not be discussed in det
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Selecting Alternative 2 would have
Page 95 and 96:
for MIS in the landscape. Wildlife
Page 97 and 98:
The alpine tundra group would benef
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species of conservation concern as
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management options, while others ma
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prior to evaluating them for the NR
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present state. In general, where un
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CHAPTER 4 - CONSULTATION AND COORDI
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APPENDIX B - CITATIONS AND REFERENC
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Martin, K.D., T.J. Schommer, and V.
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Regional Office, Durango, CO. Weste
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Species Habitat Present In the Spec
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Species Mammals (13) Allen’s big-
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MIS Species Preferred Habitat Broug
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Likelihood of Species Status* Prefe
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APPENDIX D - BIGHORN RISK ASSESSMEN
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Silverton Grazing Risk Assessment T
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Silverton Grazing Risk Assessment a
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Silverton Grazing Risk Assessment b
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Silverton Grazing Risk Assessment N
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Silverton Grazing Risk Assessment i
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Silverton Grazing Risk Assessment M
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Silverton Grazing Risk Assessment A
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Silverton Grazing Risk Assessment R
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Silverton Grazing Risk Assessment m
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Silverton Grazing Risk Assessment H
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Silverton Grazing Risk Assessment F
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Silverton Grazing Risk Assessment F
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NEPA--Environmental Assessment

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