Rico-West Dolores Roads and Trails (Travel Management) Project Supplement to the Draft Environmental Impact Statement
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United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service Rico-West Dolores Roads and Trails (Travel Management) Project Supplement to the Draft Environmental Impact Statement Dolores District, San Juan National Forest, Dolores and Montezuma Counties, Colorado July, 2017 For More Information Contact: Derek Padilla, Dolores District Ranger Dolores District 29211 Hwy. 184 Dolores, CO 81323 970-882-7296 [email protected] FAX: 970-882-6841 1 RWD SDEIS In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, office, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: [email protected] . USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender. 2 RWD SDEIS Note to Reader, The Rico West Dolores Roads and Trails (Travel Management) Project Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) published May 6, 2016 described analysis of the physical, biological, social, and economic effects of the proposed changes to the designated system of roads and trails open to over- ground travel by motor vehicles, and proposed physical changes to the road and trail system (decommissioning, structural developments, maintenance levels, trail class). The public comment period revealed that it would be helpful to clarify that the Forest Service intends to include identification of the Minimum Road System (MRS) for the Rico West Dolores project area in its decision on this project. This Supplement to the Draft Environmental Impact Statement was developed to include the clarification and provide an additional 45-day opportunity for public comment. The minimum road system is described as the system needed for safe and efficient travel and for administration, utilization, and protection of National Forest System lands. The minimum system is the road system determined to be needed to meet resource and other management objectives adopted in the relevant land and resource management plan, to meet applicable statutory and regulatory requirements, to reflect long-term funding expectations, to ensure that the identified system minimizes adverse environmental impacts associated with road construction, reconstruction, decommissioning, and maintenance. This SDEIS clarifies that once a decision is made, the road system will become the minimum road system for the Rico West Dolores area. This procedural clarification does not require any changes to the descriptions of the five alternatives presented in the original Draft EIS. Even though the five alternatives do not change, the Forest Service took this opportunity to improve the analysis of environmental and social effects. Per 36 CFR 1502, agencies should prepare supplements to either draft or final environmental impact statements if there are significant new circumstances or information relevant to environmental concerns and bearing on the proposed action or its impacts, or when the agency determines the purposes of the Act will be furthered by doing so. This Supplement to the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS) includes additional information and analysis. Chapter 1 – Information from previously published Proposed Action for Scoping document was added to Section 1.1 Background. Section 1.2 Purpose and Need and section 1.3 Decision Framework have been clarified to include identification of the Minimum Road System. To improve readability, the list of laws, regulations, policies and past management decisions was moved to Appendix J and all excerpts from the Forest Plan are now included in Appendix F. Also to improve readability, Trail Class definitions were moved to Section 3.12 Recreation in Chapter 3. Chapter 2 – Alternative descriptions by Subarea have been moved to Appendix C. Chapter 2 now displays alternatives in table format and reference to the maps in Appendix A. Additional information for clarification has been added to Section 2.1 How the Alternatives Were Developed. In addition, Table 2-8 Specific Trail Actions Other than Maintenance, by Alternative was changed to clarify trail which implementation measures apply to which alternative, and to provide more details. Based on a review of past meeting notes, two additional items were added to the Section 2.3 Alternatives Considered but Not Carried Forward for Detailed Study. The Actions Common to All Alternatives in the previous DEIS has been split into two parts, Section 2.2.3 Additional Actions Common to All Alternatives and Section 2.2.4 Design Features. The Design Features previously listed in Appendix B have been brought forward into 3 RWD SDEIS the body of the SDEIS either in the Design Features section or in Table 2-8. Additional information has been added to some of the Design Features. Chapter 3 – Various sections of Chapter 3 were updated as described below. Throughout Chapter 3, where effects related to the road system are described, reference to the Minimum Road System is now included. Section 3.1.1 Assumptions for this Analysis – this section was edited to more clearly state the analytical assumptions. Information about staff observations and also standard practices described in Forest Service Handbooks and Technical Guides was added. Table 3-1 Location of Information Related to General Criteria (36CFR212.5) now includes reference to the Minimum Road System. Section 3.2 Watershed, Riparian and Water Resources – Maps and Tables to illustrate information provided in the text were added to this section and also to Appendix H. The source of wetland and fen data was described in more detail and new information from 2016 field work was added. This changed conclusions about effects at some locations. Section 3.3 Fisheries – The Affected Environment section was updated to include recent inventory information for greenback lineage cutthroat. The effects of the alternatives was also updated. Section 3.4 – Geology/Soils –Minor edits for readability were made. Section 3.5 – Rare Plants - the rare plant evaluations for species in fens and wetlands were clarified using the updated information from the Watershed, Riparian and Water Resources section. Section 3.6 - Terrestrial Wildlife – the analysis process that was used to describe impacts to habitat effectiveness for elk was updated to provide additional step by step process descriptions. Forest Plan standards and guidelines were converted from table to text format. References were updated or clarified. Section 3.7 – Air Quality – Minor edits for readability Section 3.8 – Cultural Resources – Information from the Cultural Resource reports was incorporated into this section. Section 3.9 – Rangeland and Weed Management – Minor edits for readability Section 3.10 – Forest Management – Minor edits for readability Section 3.11 – Climate Change – This section was added to briefly describe potential impacts of large precipitation events or forest health issues related to drought. Section 3.12 – Recreation - This section is re-organized with an expanded affected environment section, and additional analysis of motor vehicle conflicts with recreation uses, compatibility with adjacent populated areas, recreation and trail management, Forest Plan direction, and recreation settings. Section 3.13 – Socio-economic Considerations – Some of the information from this section was moved to the affected environment portion of the Recreation section. Section 3.14 – Local Government Plans – Minor edits for readability 4 RWD SDEIS Section 3.15 – Colorado Roadless Area Characteristics – Minor edits for readability Section 16 Road Maintenance and Administration – This section is now labeled Transportation and includes additional descriptions of the benefits of roads proposed to be part of the Minimum Road System. Appendix A - Maps – Maps 1 through 7 are the same as those published in the first DEIS. As before, the orange highlighted trails designated for motorcycle use are different across the five trails focus maps (Maps 3 through 7). Maps 8 through 12 have been updated to correct errors. Map 13 is new and displays Roadless Areas. Map 14 and 15 are the same as the first DEIS. Map 16 was moved from the text of the DEIS to the Appendix but