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Payson Administrative Facilities Environmental Assessment

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Payson Administrative Facilities Environmental Assessment United States Department of Agriculture Environmental Forest Service Assessment Southwestern Region August 2013 Payson Ranger District Administrative Site Sale and Facilities Tonto National Forest, Gila County 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 of communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TTY). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Table of Contents Summary ......................................................................................................................................... v Chapter 1 – Purpose and Need ........................................................................................................ 1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 1 Background ................................................................................................................................. 1 Purpose and Need for Action ...................................................................................................... 2 Proposed Action .......................................................................................................................... 5 Decision Framework ................................................................................................................... 5 Public Involvement ...................................................................................................................... 5 Issues ........................................................................................................................................... 6 Noise ........................................................................................................................................ 6 Lighting ................................................................................................................................... 7 Land Use and Economics ........................................................................................................ 7 Chapter 2 – Alternatives .................................................................................................................. 9 Alternatives Analyzed in Detail .................................................................................................. 9 No Action ................................................................................................................................ 9 Proposed Action ...................................................................................................................... 9 Project Design Features ............................................................................................................. 16 Summary of Effects ................................................................................................................... 19 Alternatives Considered but Eliminated from Detailed Study .................................................. 21 Public Suggestions for Alternative Components ................................................................... 21 Alternate Sites Considered for Payson Ranger Station Administrative Facilities and Helitack Facility.............................................................................................................. 22 Alternate Sites Considered for a Separate Helitack Facility ................................................. 24 Chapter 3 – Environmental Consequences .................................................................................... 28 Methodology ............................................................................................................................. 28 Key Issues.................................................................................................................................. 29 Noise ...................................................................................................................................... 29 Lighting ................................................................................................................................. 34 Land Use and Socioeconomics .............................................................................................. 35 Non-Key Issues ......................................................................................................................... 43 Minerals ................................................................................................................................. 43 Watershed (soil and water) .................................................................................................... 45 Vegetation ............................................................................................................................. 50 Wildlife and Wildlife Habitat ................................................................................................ 52 Cultural Resources................................................................................................................. 53 Visitor Experience ................................................................................................................. 55 Visual Quality ........................................................................................................................ 57 Management and Operational Efficiency .............................................................................. 60 Air Quality ............................................................................................................................. 62 Climate Change ..................................................................................................................... 64 Chapter 4 – Consultation and Coordination & List of Preparers................................................... 66 Consultation and Coordination .................................................................................................. 66 Federal, State, and City Officials and Agencies .................................................................... 66 Tribes ..................................................................................................................................... 66 Others .................................................................................................................................... 66 List of Preparers ........................................................................................................................ 66 Contributors and Reviewers ...................................................................................................... 67 Chapter 5 – Literature Cited .......................................................................................................... 68 i Reports Used in Preparation of This Document ........................................................................ 68 Literature Cited .......................................................................................................................... 68 Appendix A – Public Scoping Summary ....................................................................................... 73 Appendix B – Relevant Past, Present and Foreseeable Future Actions for use in Cumulative Effects Analysis ............................................................................................................................. 79 Appendix C – Proposed Language for Amending the Forest Plan ................................................ 81 Appendix D – Site Photos and VQO Map ..................................................................................... 83 List of Tables Table 1. Project design features..................................................................................................... 16 Table 2. Summary of effects ......................................................................................................... 19 Table 3. 2010 Population and racial demographics 1 .................................................................... 40 Table 4. Age 60 years and over, below poverty level, disabled, and female head of household populations .................................................................................................................. 40 Table 5. Summary of cultural resources within the project area ................................................... 54 Table 6. National ambient air quality standards ............................................................................ 63 Table A-1. Responses to scoping ................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Table A-2. Public scoping content analysis and responses ............ Error! Bookmark not defined. List of Figures Figure 1. Vicinity map
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