Stukel Gates EA
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
STUKEL GATES ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT (EA) #DOI-BLM-OR-L040-2009-0004-EA UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT LAKEVIEW DISTRICT - Klamath Falls Resource Area ABSTRACT: This environmental assessment examines the effects of repairing existing road closure structures and installing new road closure structures on Stukel Mountain approximately 10 miles S.E. of Klamath Falls, Oregon. This project is intended to allow the physical closure of an area already legally and administratively closed seasonally to off-highway vehicles (OHVs). This seasonal closure was established to protect a variety of resource values including natural surface roads, riparian /watershed, and wildlife habitat. This assessment is NOT intended to revisit the decision to close the area seasonally to vehicles, but rather to assess the impacts of the work necessary to physically close the area and enforce the closure. A proposed action and a no action alternative are analyzed. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Klamath Falls Resource Area, BLM 2795 Anderson Avenue, Bldg. 25 Klamath Falls, OR 97603 541-883-6916 FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT AND RESPONDENT’S PERSONAL PRIVACY INTERESTS: The Bureau of Land Management is soliciting comments on this Environmental Assessment. Comments, including names and street addresses of respondents, will be available for public review at the above address during regular business hours. Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment – including your personal identifying information – may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. All submissions from organizations or businesses, and from individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or businesses, will be made available for public inspection in their entirety. Table of Contents CHAPTER 1 – INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................... 2 Purpose and Need for Action ............................................................................................................................ 2 Location ............................................................................................................................................................ 2 Management Direction and Conformance with Existing Plans ........................................................................ 2 Public Input Summary and Issue Development ................................................................................................ 3 CHAPTER 2 – PROPOSED ACTION AND ALTERNATIVES ........................................................................ 3 Proposed Action ................................................................................................................................................ 3 No Action Alternative ....................................................................................................................................... 4 CHAPTER 3 – AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT & ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES ........................... 4 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................................... 4 Project/Analysis Area ....................................................................................................................................... 5 Cumulative Actions Considered ....................................................................................................................... 5 Vegetation - Affected Environment .................................................................................................................. 6 Vegetation - Environmental Consequences ...................................................................................................... 6 Terrestrial Wildlife Species – Affected Environment ....................................................................................... 6 Terrestrial Wildlife Species – Environmental Consequences ........................................................................... 7 Soils - Affected Environment ........................................................................................................................... 7 Soils - Environmental Consequences ................................................................................................................ 7 Roads - Affected Environment ......................................................................................................................... 7 Roads - Environmental Consequences .............................................................................................................. 8 Hydrology - Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences ........................................................... 8 Aquatic Species and Habitat – Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences .............................. 8 Grazing Management - Affected Environment ................................................................................................. 8 Grazing Management - Environmental Consequences ..................................................................................... 8 Cultural Resources – Affected Environment .................................................................................................... 8 Cultural Resources – Environmental Consequences......................................................................................... 9 Recreation Resources - Affected Environment ................................................................................................. 9 Recreation Resources - Environmental Consequences ..................................................................................... 9 Visual Resources - Affected Environment ...................................................................................................... 10 Visual Resources - Environmental Consequences .......................................................................................... 10 CHAPTER 4 – CONSULTATION .................................................................................................................... 10 Endangered Species Act (ESA) Consultation ................................................................................................. 10 CHAPTER 5 – LIST OF PREPARERS ............................................................................................................. 10 CHAPTER 6 – Mitigation measures ................................................................................................................... 10 Noxious Weeds ............................................................................................................................................... 10 Cultural Resources .......................................................................................................................................... 11 Appendix A – Bibliography ................................................................................................................................ 12 Appendix B – Maps ............................................................................................................................................ 13 List of Tables Table 1: Proposed Location of Gate Construction or Repair on BLM-administered Lands ................................ 2 Table 2: Additional Treatments Currently Proposed on BLM lands in the Project Area .................................... 5 List of Figures Figure 1: Proposed New Location of the Webber Road Gate ............................................................................ 13 Figure 2: Location Map of Three New Gates .................................................................................................... 14 Figure 3: Location Map of Hill Road Gate Replacement .................................................................................. 15 Stukel Gates Environmental Assessment (#DOI-BLM-OR-L040-2009-0004-EA) Page 1 CHAPTER 1 – INTRODUCTION Purpose and Need for Action Purpose This project is intended to allow the seasonal physical closure of an area already legally and administratively closed to off-highway vehicles (OHVs) from November 1 through April 15 by the Record of Decision for the 1995 Klamath Falls Resource Area Resource Management Plan (1995 RMP ROD pg. 51-52), and Federal Register (Vol. 63, No.113, pg. 32244 - 32245). This seasonal closure was established to protect a variety of resource values including natural surface roads, riparian /watershed, and wildlife habitat. This assessment is NOT intended to revisit the decision to close the area seasonally, but rather to assess the impacts of the work necessary to physically close the area and enforce the closure. Need This project is needed because the current system of closure structures is ineffective at keeping unauthorized motorized vehicles out of the designated closure area during the designated closure period. A combination of factors contributing to the ineffectiveness of the existing structures include: vandalism of closure structures, difficulty in keeping up with repair/maintenance needs, increased technological ability of closure violators