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Table of Contents ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FERAL SWINE DAMAGE MANAGEMENT BY THE TEXAS WILDLIFE SERVICES PROGRAM Prepared By: United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Wildlife Services In Cooperation With: Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service of The Texas A&M University System March 2014 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 ............................................................. 10 1.4 RELATIONSHIP OF THIS EA TO OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENTS ................... 13 1.5 AUTHORITY OF FEDERAL AND STATE AGENCIES ........................................................... 14 1.6 COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS AND STATUTES ....................................................................... 16 1.7 DECISIONS TO BE MADE ......................................................................................................... 20 CHAPTER 2: AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT AND ISSUES 2.1 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT ..................................................................................................... 20 2.2 ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH FERAL SWINE DAMAGE MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES .. 22 2.3 ISSUES CONSIDERED BUT NOT IN DETAIL WITH RATIONALE ...................................... 26 CHAPTER 3: ALTERNATIVES 3.1 DESCRIPTION OF THE ALTERNATIVES ................................................................................ 34 3.2 ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED BUT NOT ANALYZED IN DETAIL .................................. 41 3.3 STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES ............................................................................... 44 3.4 ADDITIONAL STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES SPECIFIC TO THE ISSUES ...... 45 CHAPTER 4: ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES 4.1 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES FOR ISSUES ANALYZED IN DETAIL .................. 48 4.2 CUMULATIVE IMPACTS OF THE PROPOSED ACTION BY ISSUE .................................... 75 CHAPTER 5: LIST OF PREPARERS, REVIEWERS, AND PERSONS CONSULTED 5.1 LIST OF PREPARERS.................................................................................................................. 81 5.2 LIST OF PERSONS CONSULTED .............................................................................................. 81 5.3 LIST OF REVIEWERS ................................................................................................................. 81 LIST OF APPENDICES: APPENDIX A – LITERATURE CITED .................................................................................................. A-1 APPENDIX B – FERAL SWINE DAMAGE MANAGEMENT METHODS AVAILABLE FOR USE .............................................................................................................................. B-1 APPENDIX C - THREATENED, ENDANGERED, AND CANDIDATE SPECIES IN TEXAS .......... C-1 ii ACRONYMS AGL Above Ground Level AMDUCA Animal Medicinal Drug Use Clarification Act APHIS Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service CEQ Council on Environmental Quality CFR Code of Federal Regulations EA Environmental Assessment EIS Environmental Impact Statement EPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ESA Endangered Species Act FAR Federal Aviation Regulation FIFRA Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act FLIR Forward Looking Infrared FR Federal Register FSIS Food Safety and Inspection Services FY Fiscal Year MOU Memorandum of Understanding NEPA National Environmental Policy Act NHPA National Historic Preservation Act NWRC National Wildlife Research Center PL Public Law SOP Standard Operating Procedure T&E Threatened and Endangered TAHC Texas Animal Health Commission TDA Texas Department of Agriculture TDSHS Texas Department of State Health Services TPWD Texas Parks and Wildlife Department TWDMA Texas Wildlife Damage Management Association TWSP Texas Wildlife Services Program USC United States Code USDA United States Department of Agriculture USFWS United States Fish and Wildlife Service VTCA Vernon’s Texas Codes Annotated 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) program, in cooperation with the Texas A&M University System, through the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, continue to receive requests for assistance to resolve or prevent damage or threats of damage associated with feral swine (Sus scrofa). The WS1 program is the federal agency responsible for providing federal leadership with managing conflicts with animals. Pursuant to the Texas Health and Safety Code, the Texas A&M University System, through the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and the WS program have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)2 to conduct a cooperative program to alleviate damage caused by predators, including feral swine. In addition, the Texas Wildlife Damage Management Association (TWDMA), which consists of local cooperative groups, including county governments, private associations, and/or individuals, also signed the MOU. This document will refer to the cooperative program created by the MOU as the Texas Wildlife Services Program (TWSP), which includes the federal WS program, the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, and the TWDMA. The purpose of this Environmental Assessment (EA) is to evaluate cumulatively the individual projects that could be conducted by the TWSP to manage damage and threats to agricultural resources, property, natural resources, and threats to people caused by feral swine. This EA will assist in determining if the proposed cumulative management of damage could have a significant impact on the human environment based on previous activities conducted by the TWSP and based on the anticipation of conducting additional efforts to manage damage caused by feral swine. The goal of the TWSP would be to conduct a coordinated program to alleviate damage in accordance with plans, goals, and objectives developed to reduce damage pursuant to the MOU. The TWSP is preparing this EA pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to: 1) facilitate planning, 2) promote interagency coordination, 3) streamline program management, 4) clearly communicate to the public the analysis of individual and cumulative impacts of proposed activities; and 5) evaluate and determine if there would be any potentially significant or cumulative effects from the alternative approaches developed to meet the need for action. 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. The EA evaluates the need for action to manage damage associated with feral swine in the State, the potential issues associated with managing damage caused by feral swine, and the environmental consequences of conducting different alternatives to meet the need for action while addressing the identified issues. The TWSP initially developed the issues and alternatives associated with managing damage. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) has regulatory authority to manage populations of most native wildlife species in the State. This EA will be made available to the public for review and comment to assist with identifying additional issues and alternatives to managing damage associated with feral swine prior to the issuance of a Decision3. 1 The WS program is authorized to protect agriculture and other resources from damage caused by animals 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). 2 The MOU also allows for the sharing of direct operating costs between the entities associated with providing assistance. 3 After the development of the EA by the TWSP and after public involvement in identifying new issues and alternatives, the TWSP will issue a Decision. Based on the analyses in the EA after public involvement, a decision will be made to publish a Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement or a Finding of No Significant Impact will be noticed to the public in accordance to the NEPA and the Council of Environmental Quality regulations. 1 The TWSP previously developed EAs that addressed activities to manage damage associated with feral swine across nine districts in the State. Based on the analyses in those EAs, a Decision and Finding of No Significant Impact were signed selecting the proposed action alternative. The proposed action alternative implemented a damage management program using a variety of methods in an integrated approach. Changes in the need for action and the affected environment have prompted the TWSP to initiate this new analysis to address damage caused by feral swine. Additionally, this EA discusses the implementation of new Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that would be incorporated into all alternatives, as applicable. This EA will address more recently identified changes and will assess the potential environmental impacts of program alternatives based on those changes. In addition, this EA will: (1) assist
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