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Environmental Assessment in Compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Other Relevant Federal and State Laws and Regulations

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Environmental Assessment in Compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Other Relevant Federal and State Laws and Regulations Environmental United States Department of Agriculture Assessment Forest Service Turnpike Pit Medusahead Control March 2005 Paulina Ranger District, Ochoco National Forest Grant County Oregon Township 15 South, Range 26 East, Section 31, NE1/4, SE1/4 For Information Contact: Debra Mafera 7803 Beaver Creek Road Paulina, OR (541) 477-6900 or visit the web site: www.fs.fed.us/r6/centraloregon The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status. (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 USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. ii Table of Contents Summary……………………………………………………………………….…….iv Chapter 1 Document Structure……………………………………………………………………….1 Background………………………………………………………………………………..1 Purpose and Need for Action……………………………………………………………...3 Proposed Action…………………………………………………………………………...3 Management Direction…………………………………………………………………….4 Decision Framework………………………………………………………………………7 Public Involvement………………………………………………………………………..7 Issues………………………………………………………………………………………7 Chapter 2 Alternatives, including the Proposed Action………………………………………………9 Alternatives Considered but Eliminated from Detailed Analysis………………………...12 Comparison of Alternatives………………………………………………………………12 Chapter 3 Issue 1: Effects to Native Vegetation……………………………………………………..14 Issue 2: Human Health Risk………………………………………………………………16 Issue 3: Cost of Treatment………………………………………………………………...21 Issue 4: Treatment Effectiveness………………………………………………………….24 Other Issues: Water Quality………………………………………………………………………………27 Proposed, Endangered, Threatened and Sensitive Species…………………………….......29 Heritage Resources………………………………………………………………………...36 Management Indicator Species…………………………………………………………….37 Land Birds, Including Migratory Species………………………………………………….40 Soil Productivity……………………………………………………………………………41 Other Effects and Disclosures……………………………………………………………...44 Consultation and Coordination……………………………………………………………..46 Appendices Appendix A - Biological Evaluation Summary Table……………………………………52 iii SUMMARY The Ochoco National Forest proposes to control an infestation of medusahead rye, an Oregon State listed noxious weed, using herbicide. The project area is located at the Turnpike Pit Material Source within Grant County, on the Paulina Ranger District, Ochoco National Forest, and approximately 80 air miles east of Prineville, Oregon. The action is needed because Federal Agencies are required by law to treat noxious weed infestations, and authority to treat this infestation under the National Environmental Policy Act is not currently in place The proposed action is expected to immediately reduce the potential for weed spread, currently three acres is size, and is expected to control the medusahead population within four years. In addition to the proposed action, the Forest Service also evaluated the following alternatives: • No Control • Manual Control Based upon the effects of the alternatives, the responsible official will decide whether or not to control the noxious weed infestation within the Turnpike Pit. If the decision is for control, then the responsible official will decide which method will be used. iv CHAPTER ONE Document Structure__________________________________________________ The Forest Service has prepared this Environmental Assessment in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and other relevant Federal and State laws and regulations. This Environmental Assessment (EA) discloses the direct, indirect, and cumulative environmental impacts that would result from the proposed action and alternatives. The document is organized into the following parts: • Introduction: The section includes information on the history of the project proposal, the purpose of and need for the project, and the agency’s proposal for achieving that purpose and need. This section also details how the Forest Service informed the public of the proposal and how the public responded. • Comparison of Alternatives, including the Proposed Action: This section provides a more detailed description of the agency’s proposed action as well as alternative methods for achieving the stated purpose. These alternatives were developed based on significant issues raised by the public, Forest Service personnel, and other agencies. This discussion also includes possible mitigation measures. Finally, this section provides a summary table of the environmental consequences associated with each alternative. • Environmental Consequences: This section describes the environmental effects of implementing the proposed action and other alternatives. This analysis is organized by significant issues. Within each section, the affected environment is described first, followed by the effects of the No Action Alternative that provides a baseline for evaluation and comparison of the other alternatives that follow. • Agencies and Persons Consulted: This section provides a list of preparers and agencies consulted during the development of the environmental assessment. • Appendices: The appendices provide more detailed information to support the analyses presented in the environmental assessment. Additional documentation, including more detailed analyses of project-area resources, may be found in the project planning record located at the Paulina Ranger District Office in Paulina Oregon. Background____________________________________________________ Medusahead (Taerniatherum caput-medusae subsp. asperum) is an annual grass introduced from Europe or Asia into southwestern Oregon in the late 19th century. It is a highly successful invader of native plant communities, especially those occupying sites that have high clay content soils. It competes aggressively with other plants and is a low-value forage species for both livestock and wildlife. This weed is rated by the Oregon Department of Agriculture as a class B weed, which is a weed of economic importance which is regionally abundant, but may have limited distribution in some counties. Medusahead is likely to have been introduced to the Turnpike Pit during the 747 Fire, see Figure 1 for the location of the pit. The 747 Fire camp was located at the pit where crews and heavy equipment were staged for the duration of the fire activity and rehabilitation efforts. The camp area was monitored for weed invasion as part of the Burned Area Emergency Rehabilitation effort starting in the fall of 2002. In the spring of 2003 a few plants were observed and manually removed, however the infestation quickly increased. Overall, there is very little medusahead on the Paulina Ranger District. This three-acre site at the Turnpike Pit is the largest concentration on the District. - 1 - - 1 - - 2 - Biology and Ecology of Medusahead Medusahead germinates in fall, winter, or spring. Root growth occurs during the winter with a downward extension of roots up to 40 inches in good soil, thus having a competitive advantage over native plants when aboveground growth occurs in the spring. Medusahead exhibits prolific seed production. In uncrowded conditions the plant can produce six or more seedheads per plant, which contain more the 20 seeds per head. In an ideal situation medusahead can produce 4,000 to 10,000 seeds per square meter (Sheley 1999). The seed germinates quickly, within hours after moistening. Seed germination of viable three-year-old seed can be as much as 90%, however seed viability decreases annually. The seed has an awn with small barbs that attaches to animals, clothing and machinery. The seedheads are also readily dispersed by wind. Medusahead litter is very slow to decompose due to high silica content, and often builds a litter layer up to 4 inches thick. This inhibits the growth of desirable native vegetation through shading and preventing seed from reaching the ground, however with its own survival strategy, medusahead seed can germinate within this litter layer. Favorable environmental factors for medusahead growth include soils with high clay content, and water run- off from adjacent sites. Medusahead is likely to invade areas where native vegetation has been weakened by intense fires, mechanical disturbance or overgrazing. It is also capable of establishing itself in relatively undisturbed, diverse communities of native plants. Infestations primarily grow in sagebrush-grass communities with annual precipitation of 10 to 40 inches, where the moisture falls in the winter and spring. Because it grows in the winter and spring, a lack of summer moisture favors medusahead over longer growing perennial grasses. Purpose and Need for Action______________________________________ The purpose of the proposed action is to control the medusahead population within the Turnpike Pit before it spreads to adjacent grasslands. The need for the project being proposed stems from the following existing conditions: • Monitoring of this infestation has shown it is currently spreading at a rapid rate. • The area adjacent to the site is dominated by an open, dry, sagebrush-bunchgrass
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