White Chuck Road Repair Revised Environmental Assessment
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United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service White Chuck Road Repair Pacific Northwest September 2009 Revised Environmental Assessment Darrington Ranger District Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest For Information Contact: District Ranger Darrington Ranger District 1405 N. Emens Street Darrington, WA 98241 (360) 436-1155, ext. 216 USDA Non-Discrimination Statement Revised 6/8/2005 “The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202)720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.” TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1 Introduction 1 White Chuck Road 23 History 2 Need for Proposed Action 2 Proposed Action 4 Project Scope 13 Process of Determining Project Scope 14 Decision Framework 14 Relationship to the Forest Plan 15 The Forest Plan 15 Other Relevant Laws and Regulations 19 Endangered Species Act 19 Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act 19 National Historic Preservation Act 19 Clean Air Act 20 Clean Water Act 20 Executive Orders 11988 (Floodplains) and 11990 (Wetlands) 20 Public Involvement 21 2004 Scoping Comments 22 2008 Scoping Comments 22 Tribal Consultation 22 Significant Issues 23 Public Comments on the April 2009 EA 24 Chapter 2 Alternatives 25 Alternatives Considered but Eliminated from Further Study 25 Alternative 1. Reroute Road 23 to the North Side of White Chuck River 25 Alternative 2. Reroute at Site #1 (MP 1.9) by Using Road 2088 26 Alternative 3. Reroute at Site #1 (MP 1.9) by Using Road 2090 27 Alternative 4. Reroute at Site #1 (MP 1.9) Upslope Using Newly Constructed Road 28 Alternative 5. Repair Road 23 In-Place at Sites #1, #2, #3, and #4 29 Alternative 6. Access the White Chuck Drainage by Road 27 (Rat Trap Pass) 30 Alternative 7. Close Road 23 Permanently and Build a Trail 31 Alternatives Considered in Detail 33 Alternative A – No Action 33 Alternative B – Restore Road 23 to MP 5.6 and Decommission the Remaining Part of the Road (Proposed Action) 34 White Chuck Road Repair EA iii Table of Contents Alternative C – Restore Road 23 to MP 5.8 and put the Remaining Part of the Road in Storage 41 Alternative D – Repair all of Road 23 43 Standard Management Practices and Mitigation Measures 45 Comparison of Alternatives 55 Chapter 3 Environmental Consequences 63 Access and Road Management Affected Environment 63 Roads Analysis Findings, Maintenance Level 63 Past Flood Damage 64 Access and Road Management Environmental Consequences 65 Alternative A 65 Alternative B 67 Alternative C 69 Alternative D 70 Access and Road Management Cumulative Effects 71 Consistency with the Forest Plan 72 Timber and Vegetation Management Affected Environment 72 Environmental Consequences 73 Alternative A 73 Alternatives B and C 73 Alternative D 74 Timber and Vegetation Management Cumulative Effects 74 Past Actions 74 Ongoing and Foreseeable Actions 74 Consistency with the Forest Plan 75 Recreation Affected Environment 75 Trails 75 Outfitter/Guide Use 80 Wilderness 80 Dispersed Recreation 80 Recreation Environmental Consequences 81 Trails 81 Outfitter/Guide Use 83 Wilderness 84 Dispersed Recreation 85 Recreation Cumulative Effects 87 Trails 87 Outfitter/Guide Use 89 White Chuck Road Repair EA iv Table of Contents Wilderness 89 Dispersed Recreation 90 Consistency with the Forest Plan 90 Recommended Wild and Scenic River Affected Environment 90 Scenic 91 Recreation 91 Fisheries 91 Wildlife 91 Recommended Wild and Scenic River Environmental Consequences 92 Alternative A 92 Alternative B 93 Alternative C 93 Alternative D 93 Recommended Wild and Scenic River Cumulative Effects 93 Consistency with the Forest Plan 93 Geology, Soils, and Hydrology Affected Environment 93 White Chuck River 93 Geology, Soils, and Hydrology Environmental Consequences 105 Alternative A 105 Alternative B 106 Alternative C 113 Alternative D 115 Geology, Soils, and Hydrology Cumulative Effects 121 Assumptions: 121 Cumulative Effects Analysis 122 Climate Change 126 Consistency with the Forest Plan 127 Fisheries Affected Environment 127 Fish Species of Interest 128 Fish Habitat Watershed-Scale Assessment 130 Fish Habitat Project Area 131 Watershed and Fish Habitat Restoration 134 Recreation and Fisheries 135 Fisheries Environmental Consequences 135 ESA Consultation 135 Alternative A 136 Alternative B 138 Alternative C 143 White Chuck Road Repair EA v Table of Contents Alternative D 144 Fisheries Cumulative Effects 148 Consistency with the Forest Plan 152 Riparian Reserves Affected Environment 152 Riparian Reserves Environmental Consequences 154 Alternative A 154 Alternative B 154 Alternative C 155 Alternative D 155 Riparian Reserves Cumulative Effects 155 Consistency with the Forest Plan 156 Aquatic Conservation Strategy 157 Effects of Implementation 157 Alternative A 159 Alternative B 159 Alternative C 161 Alternative D 161 Consistency with the Forest Plan 162 Wildlife 162 Federal Threatened and Endangered Species and Designated Critical Habitats 162 Regional Forester’s Sensitive Listed Species 165 Management Indicator Species 169 Other Rare and Uncommon Species (Formerly Survey and Manage Species) 171 Executive Order 13186 Migratory Landbirds 171 Protection Buffer Species and Bat Roost Sites 172 Wildlife Environmental Consequences 172 ESA Consultation 172 Effects Common to all Action Alternatives 173 Alternative A 173 Alternative B 175 Alternative C 179 Alternative D 180 Wildlife Cumulative Effects 180 Consistency with the Forest Plan 184 Botany Affected Environment 184 Botany Environmental Consequences 186 Sensitive Species 186 Noxious Weeds 186 White Chuck Road Repair EA vi Table of Contents Botany Cumulative Effects 186 Sensitive species 186 Noxious weeds 187 Consistency with the Forest Plan 187 Visual Resources Affected Environment 187 Visual Resources Environmental Consequences 188 Alternative A 188 Alternative B 188 Alternative C 189 Alternative D 189 Visual Resources Cumulative Effects 189 Consistency with the Forest Plan 190 Heritage Affected Environment 190 Treaty Resources and Reserved Indian Rights 192 Heritage Environmental Consequences 192 Alternative A 192 Alternatives B, C, and D 193 Heritage Cumulative Effects 193 Consistency with the Forest Plan 193 Local Economy/Tourism Affected Environment 194 Local Economy/Tourism Environmental Consequences 195 Alternative A 195 Alternative B 195 Alternative C 196 Alternative D 196 Local Economy/Tourism Cumulative Effects 196 Consistency with the Forest Plan 197 Environmental Justice 197 Other Resources 199 Air Quality Effects 199 Prime Forestland, Prime Farmland, Rangeland, etc. 199 Wetlands and Floodplains Effects 199 Irreversible and Irretrievable Commitment of Resources 200 Potential Conflicts with Plans and Policies of Other Jurisdictions 200 Chapter 4 Agencies and Persons Consulted 201 Federal, State, and Local Agencies 201 ID Team Members, Consultants, and Preparers 201 Forest Service 201 White Chuck Road Repair EA vii Table of Contents Tetra Tech EC Inc. 201 Chapter 5 References 203 APPENDICES Appendix A Flood History Appendix B White Chuck Road Repair Scoping Report, July 2008 Appendix C Cumulative Effects Analysis Process Appendix D Climate Change Appendix E Response to Public Comments on the April 2009 EA White Chuck Road Repair EA viii Table of Contents LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Forest Road Analysis Results: Roads within the White Chuck Watershed Related to this Analysis........................................................................................19 Table 2. Management Requirements and Mitigation Measures.........................................47 Table 3. Comparison of Alternatives..................................................................................57 Table 4. Road 23 Flood Damages ......................................................................................65 Table 5. Alternative A No Action Route............................................................................66 Table 6. Alternative B Route..............................................................................................68 Table 7. Trailheads and Trails Accessed from Road 23.....................................................77 Table 8. Affected Trails......................................................................................................77 Table 9. Roads on the Darrington Ranger District Damaged in the 2003 and 2006 Flood Events.........................................................................................................89 Table 10. Soil Map Units by Site Number and MPs ............................................................96 Table 11. Selected Soil Mapping Interpretations .................................................................97 Table 12. Peak Flows of the South Fork Sauk River ...........................................................98