Aquatic Rodent Damage Management in Alabama
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ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT (FINAL) AQUATIC RODENT DAMAGE MANAGEMENT IN ALABAMA Prepared by: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE WILDLIFE SERVICES In cooperation with: TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY August 2016 TABLE OF CONTENTS ACRONYMS .............................................................................................................................................. iii CHAPTER 1: PURPOSE AND NEED FOR ACTION 1.1 PURPOSE ....................................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 NEED FOR ACTION ...................................................................................................................... 2 1.3 SCOPE OF THIS ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT ............................................................. 14 1.4 RELATIONSHIP OF THIS EA TO OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENTS ................... 17 1.5 AUTHORITY OF FEDERAL AND STATE AGENCIES ........................................................... 17 1.6 COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS AND STATUTES ....................................................................... 18 1.7 DECISIONS TO BE MADE ......................................................................................................... 23 CHAPTER 2: AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT AND ISSUES 2.1 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT ..................................................................................................... 24 2.2 ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH AQUATIC RODENT DAMAGE MANAGEMENT................. 26 2.3 ISSUES CONSIDERED BUT NOT IN DETAIL WITH RATIONALE ...................................... 33 CHAPTER 3: ALTERNATIVES 3.1 DESCRIPTION OF THE ALTERNATIVES ................................................................................ 37 3.2 ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED BUT NOT ANALYZED IN DETAIL .................................. 45 3.3 STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES FOR DAMAGE MANAGEMENT ...................... 50 3.4 ADDITIONAL STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES SPECIFIC TO THE ISSUES ...... 51 CHAPTER 4: ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES 4.1 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES FOR ISSUES ANALYZED IN DETAIL .................. 54 4.2 CUMULATIVE IMPACTS OF ALTERNATIVE 1 BY ISSUE .................................................. 96 CHAPTER 5: LIST OF PREPARERS, REVIEWERS, AND PERSONS CONSULTED 5.1 LIST OF PREPARERS................................................................................................................ 104 5.2 LIST OF REVIEWERS AND PERSONS CONSULTED .......................................................... 104 LIST OF APPENDICES: APPENDIX A – LITERATURE CITED .................................................................................................. A-1 APPENDIX B – METHODS AVAILABLE FOR RESOLVING OR PREVENTING AQUATIC RODENT DAMAGE IN ALABAMA .......................................................................... B-1 APPENDIX C – FEDERAL LIST OF THREATENED, ENDANGERED, AND CANDIDATE SPECIES IN ALABAMA ............................................................................................. C-1 APPENDIX D - CRITERIA FOR BEAVER DAM BREACHING/REMOVAL .................................... D-1 ii ACRONYMS ADAI Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries ADCNR Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources AMDUCA Animal Medicinal Drug Use Clarification Act APHIS Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service CDC Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CEQ Council on Environmental Quality CFR Code of Federal Regulations CWA Clean Water Act CWCS Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy EA Environmental Assessment EIS Environmental Impact Statement EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency ESA Endangered Species Act FIFRA Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act FR Federal Register FY Federal Fiscal Year IC Intracardiac IV Intravenous MOU Memorandum of Understanding NEPA National Environmental Policy Act NHPA National Historic Preservation Act NRP Natural Resource Plan NWP Nationwide Permit NWRC National Wildlife Research Center PL Public Law SOP Standard Operating Procedure T&E Threatened and Endangered TVA Tennessee Valley Authority USC United States Code USDA United States Department of Agriculture USFWS United States Fish and Wildlife Services WS Wildlife Services iii CHAPTER 1: PURPOSE AND NEED FOR ACTION 1.1 PURPOSE The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Wildlife Services (WS)1 program in Alabama continues to receive requests for assistance or anticipates receiving requests for assistance to resolve or prevent damage associated with beaver (Castor canadensis), muskrats (Ondatra zibethicus), and nutria (Myocastor coypus). This document will collectively refer to those mammal species as aquatic rodents. The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) also continues to experience damage and threats of damage associated with aquatic rodents at facilities or properties they own or manage in Alabama. The TVA could request the assistance of WS to manage damage or threats of damage at those facilities and properties. Individual damage management projects conducted by the WS program could be categorically excluded from further analysis under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), in accordance with APHIS implementing regulations for the NEPA (7 CFR 372.5(c), 60 FR 6000-6003). The purpose of this Environmental Assessment (EA) is to evaluate the cumulative effects of WS’ actions conducted to manage damage and threats to agricultural resources, property, natural resources, and people caused by aquatic rodent species, including those activities that the TVA could request. This EA will evaluate previous and anticipated future actions taken by WS to address damage caused by aquatic rodents in order to determine if those cumulative actions could have a significant impact on the human environment. Actions taken by WS would be a part of a program coordinated between WS, the TVA, and the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR). WS would base those actions on the goals and directives2 of the program. Proposed actions by WS would only occur when other entities request assistance and would be subject to the constraints of available funding and workforce. Since aquatic rodent species could occur statewide in Alabama and are present in the State throughout the year, the proposed approaches to managing damage and threats of damage may occur in any location across the State of Alabama at any time of the year. The EA evaluates the need for action to manage damage associated with aquatic rodents in the State, the potential issues associated with managing damage, and the environmental consequences of conducting different alternative approaches to meet the need for action while addressing the identified issues. WS and the TVA initially developed the issues and alternative approaches associated with managing damage caused by aquatic rodents in consultation with the ADCNR. The ADCNR has regulatory authority to manage populations of aquatic rodent species in the State. To assist with identifying additional issues and alternatives to managing damage associated with aquatic rodents in Alabama, WS and the TVA will make this EA available to the public for review and comment prior to the issuance of a Decision3. WS previously developed an EA that addressed WS’ activities to manage damage associated with aquatic rodents, including areas managed and owned by the TVA (USDA 2002). Based on the analyses in that EA, WS signed a Decision and Finding of No Significant Impact for the proposed action alternative. The proposed action alternative implemented a program that integrates the use of a variety of methods. WS and the TVA are preparing this EA to: 1) facilitate planning, 2) promote interagency coordination, 3) 1The WS program is authorized to protect agriculture and other resources from damage caused by wildlife through the Act of March 2, 1931 (46 Stat. 1468; 7 USC 426-426b) as amended, and the Act of December 22, 1987 (101 Stat. 1329-331, 7 USC 426c). 2At the time of preparation, WS’ Directives occurred at the following web address: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/wildlife_damage/ws_directives.shtml. 3After the development of the EA by WS and the TVA and after public involvement in identifying new issues and alternatives, WS will issue a Decision. Based on the analyses in the EA after public involvement, either WS will make a decision to publish a Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement or WS will issue a Finding of No Significant Impact notice to the public in accordance to the NEPA and the Council of Environmental Quality regulations. 1 streamline program management, 4) clearly communicate to the public the analysis of individual and cumulative impacts of proposed activities, and 5) determine if there would be any potentially significant or cumulative effects from the alternative approaches developed to meet the need for action. Since this EA will re-evaluate activities conducted under the previous EA, this analysis and the outcome of the Decision issued based on the analyses in this EA will supersede the previous EA that addressed managing damage caused by aquatic rodents. The analyses contained in this EA are based on information derived from WS’ Management Information System, published documents (see Appendix A), interagency consultations, and public involvement. This EA will analyze several alternative approaches to address the need for action and assist in determining if the proposed