Wildlife Specialist report

Table 51: Mexican spotted owl federally listed species and critical habitat
determinations by alternative
Federally
Listed Species
Rationale for
critical habitat
determination
Alt. B
Existing
Condition
Determination by Alternative
Alt. C Alt. D Alt. E Alt. F Alt. G
habitat, and don’t increase, but rather decrease disturbance in occupied
habitat; therefore, a determination of “may affect, not likely to
adversely affect” is made for these two alternatives. Alternatives F, and
G add closed and currently unauthorized routes to Mexican spotted
owl protected activity centers, and critical habitat providing for the
potential for new direct and disturbance effects. Alternative C adds
closed and currently unauthorized routes to Mexican spotted owl
protected activity centers, critical habitat, and restricted/mixed conifer
habitat providing for the potential for new direct and disturbance
effects. Again, alternative C is the only alternative that allows for an
actual increase in miles of routes above the existing condition. Even
though alternatives C, F, and G would have long-term beneficial
effects to the Mexican spotted owl and its habitat, the adding of routes
can cause adverse effects, requiring that a “may affect likely to
adversely affect” determination be made for these three action
alternatives. Additionally, alternatives F and C continue to allow big
game retrieval in a greater proportion of the analysis areas than the
other action alternatives. The relative risk of affecting the primary
constituent elements in critical habitat and causing direct effects to the
habitat is greater under these two alternatives.
Alternatives E and D don’t add any closed roads in protected activity
centers and do not change the primary constituent elements of
designated critical habitat, and they don’t affect mixed conifer habitat.
Alternatives F, and G add closed and currently unauthorized routes to
Mexican spotted owl protected activity centers, and critical habitat
providing for the potential for new direct and disturbance effects.
Alternative C adds closed and currently unauthorized routes to
Mexican spotted owl protected activity centers, critical habitat, and
restricted/mixed conifer habitat providing for the potential for new
direct and disturbance effects. Again, alternative C is the only
alternative that allows for an actual increase in miles of routes above
the existing condition. Alterantives E and D don’t change the primary
constituent elements in critical habitat, therefore a determination of
“may affect, not likely to adversely affect “ is made for these two
alternatives. Alternatives C, F, and G add routes to designated critical
habitat which can affect the primary constituent elements; therefore a
determination of “may affect, likely to adversely affect;” is made for
these three alternatives.
*MALAA - May affect likely to adversely affect determination
**MANLAA - May affect not likely to adversely affect determination
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