Final Environmental Impact Statement

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Vestal Final Environmental Impact Statement Chapter 3 brings with it numerous risks and effects. Homes in the path of a wildfire are perhaps the most immediately recognized value at risk, however, severe wildfires put the numerous other important values at risk including: critical infrastructure, critical fish and wildlife habitat, firefighter and public health and safety, soil productivity, clean air, and functional fire-adapted ecosystems (Graham et al. 2004). Some of these values are also threatened by the secondary effects of wildfire, such as landslides, soil erosion, and the spread of exotic species (Graham et al. 2004). The proposed action alternative is expected to have positive long term cumulative effects. The proposed treatment combined with foreseeable future projects, including anticipated fuel reductions on non-Forest Service lands, would decrease the potential for large-scale, high intensity wildfire as well as decrease fuel loading moving the project area to a more desirable condition. The proposed treatments would reduce stand density and canopy closure bringing the forest back to a more historical type condition. These treatments on private lands combined with the treatments proposed in Vestal would decrease the hazardous fuels much more efficiently for longer periods of time. Air Quality The smoke and other emissions that may be generated by activities planned under the selected alternative may contribute to local and regional pollutant loading. The cumulative effect of prescribed fire activities or other planned land management activities would be short-lived and once smoke and/or dust has dissipated, the impact is over and would have no further overlap in time or space with other pollutants that are generated by non-Forest Service activities. As a result, planned land management activities (including prescribed fire) are not expected to have long term or significant impacts to National Ambient Air Quality Standards throughout all alternatives and should not contribute to significant future impairments of visibility in Class 1 Airsheds. Approved prescribed burn plans use design criteria approved in NEPA project decisions. These design criteria have proven effective over the last ten years in maintaining smoke emissions at acceptable levels, as demonstrated by State monitoring which has shown only one temporary violation of PM2.5 standards at the monitoring site in Rapid City that may have resulted from prescribed fire activity on the Black Hills National Forest. The Forest Service believes these design criteria have been shown to be effective and the same criteria can be expected to be effective under the selected alternative for this project. Botany, Rangeland, and Noxious Weeds Affected Environment Botany A comprehensive botanical survey was completed in 2006 exclusively for the Vestal project area to collect information related to plant communities, identify rare plant species habitat, and locate rare species. The term “rare” will be used to describe species uncommon in the Black Hills, the State of South Dakota, or the Rocky Mountain Region. These species include plant species listed on the Regional Forester’s sensitive list (see Vestal Botany Biological Assessment and Evaluation), Black Hills National Forest 122
Vestal Final Environmental Impact Statement Chapter 3 Species of Local Concern (SOLC), species having insufficient information to make listing determinations, as well as species tracked by the South Dakota Natural Heritage Program. Subsequent surveys were completed in 2010 and 2011 as a result of long-term rangeland monitoring for the livestock grazing program and general plant surveys of the area. Surveys would be ongoing in the project area. Rare plant species habitats include; riparian areas, moist spruce forests, hardwood forests, granite outcrops, grasslands and meadows, open areas. The project area includes all of these types of habitats. South Dakota State Listed Plant Species and Species of Insufficient Information: Forest Service Manual 2670.32 directs us to “Assist states in achieving their goals for conservation of endemic species”. These species are tracked by the South Dakota Natural Heritage Program and have been identified as rare or lack sufficient information in the State of South Dakota. The following tracked species are known to occur in the project area as a result of plant surveys. Table 45. Known State Listed and Species of Insufficient Information Scientific Name Common Name Target Type Adoxa moschatellina musk-root State-Listed Botrychium michiganense Michigan moonwort BKF Tracked Botrychium pallidum pale moonwort State-Listed Botrychium simplex least grapefern State-Listed Carex canescens silvery sedge State-Listed Carex intumescens swollen sedge State-Listed Hierochloe odorata sweetgrass BKF Tracked Muhlenbergia glomerata bristly muhly State-Listed Scirpus cyperinus woolgrass BKF Tracked Symphyotrichum boreale northern bog aster BKF Tracked Species of Local Concern (SOLC) There are no known occurrences of SOLC within the project area; however, suitable habitat is present in the project area for 4 species. Suitable habitat for species not known to occur within the project area was based upon general habitat characteristics, proximity to known populations, and professional judgment. The project area contains a significant amount of habitat that was altered during post-settlement times (e.g. mining, hay fields, homesteads, etc.). Species of Local Concern plants which may have habitat in the project area include: • leathery grapefern (Botrychium multifidum) • southwestern showy sedge (Carex bella) • alpine mountainsorrel (Oxyria digyna) • arrowleaf sweet coltsfoot (Petasites frigidus var. sagittatus) Region 2 (R2) Sensitive Species A pre-field review was conducted of available information to assemble occurrence records, describe habitat needs and ecological requirements, and determine whether field reconnaissance is needed to complete the analysis. Sources of information included 123
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Final Environmental Impact Statement

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