PRELIMINARY ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS PORTAGE CURVE MULTIMODAL CONNECTOR U.S. FOREST SERVICE GLACIER RANGER DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY OF ANCHORAGE AND KENAI PENINSULA BOROUGH, ALASKA JULY 2018
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CONTENTS Chapter 1 Need for the Proposed Action ...... 1 Introduction ...... 1 Background and Location ...... 1 Purpose and Need for Action ...... 2 Issues ...... 3 Chapter 2 Proposed Action and Alternatives ...... 4 Proposed Action ...... 4 Alternatives Considered but Not Analyzed in Detail ...... 7 Chapter 3 Environmental Effects...... 7 Wetlands ...... 8 Project Elements Adjacent to Seward Highway ...... 9 Project Elements not Adjacent to the Seward Highway ...... 11 Cumulative Effects ...... 12 Fisheries ...... 13 Project Elements Adjacent to Seward Highway ...... 13 Project Elements not Adjacent to the Seward Highway ...... 14 Cumulative Effects ...... 14 Wildlife ...... 15 Project Elements Adjacent to Seward Highway ...... 16 Project Elements not Adjacent to the Seward Highway ...... 22 Cumulative Effects ...... 23 Plants ...... 24 Project Elements Adjacent to Seward Highway ...... 24 Project Elements not Adjacent to the Seward Highway ...... 25 Cumulative Effects ...... 26 Recreation ...... 26 Project Elements Adjacent to Seward Highway ...... 26 Project Elements not Adjacent to the Seward Highway ...... 27 Cumulative Effects ...... 27 Heritage Resources ...... 28 Project Elements Adjacent to Seward Highway ...... 28 Project Elements not Adjacent to the Seward Highway ...... 28 Cumulative Effects ...... 29 Agencies and Persons Consulted ...... 29 Federal ...... 29 Tribal ...... 29 State ...... 29 Local ...... 29 Local Businesses and Nov-governmental Organizations...... 30 Finding of No Significant Impact ...... 31 Context ...... 31 Intensity ...... 32 References ...... 36
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CHAPTER 1 NEED FOR THE PROPOSED ACTION
Introduction The Forest Service prepared this environmental analysis to determine whether significant effects upon the human environment may result from construction and operation of the Portage Curve Multimodal Connector – multi-use pathways and related trailhead facilities. For this project, the responsible official is the District Ranger of the Glacier Ranger District.
Background and Location The Portage Curve Multimodal Connector is located primarily along the Seward Highway between Ingram Creek and north of the Twentymile River, essentially from Seward Highway milepost 74.5 to just north of milepost 82 (see figure 1 for a project location map). There are two additional trail segments not adjacent to the highway: Twentymile Valley Trail and the connection to Moose Flats Day Use Area. The Forest Service is working in conjunction with the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities’ (ADOT&PF) to design and construct this project alongside ADOT&PF’s Seward Highway Milepost 75 to 90 Road and Bridge Rehabilitation Project, herein after called “the Seward Highway 75 to 90 Project.” There are elements of the project that will be constructed as part of the Seward Highway 75-90 Project, including all five major river crossings, and two pedestrian tubes. This environmental analysis relies upon, and incorporates by reference, ADOT&PF’s Revised Environmental Assessment for the Seward Highway Milepost 75 to 90 Road and Bridge Rehabilitation Project (2017). The ADOT&PF’s Revised Environmental Assessment for the Seward Highway Milepost 75 to 90 Road and Bridge Rehabilitation Project is hereafter called “the Seward Highway 75 to 90 EA.” The effects of the proposed project are incremental to those of the Seward Highway 75 to 90 Project along the primary path, and only fall outside of the corridor for smaller segments. This clearly splits the analysis into two subsections: elements adjacent to the highway, and elements not adjacent to the highway. Pursuant to 36 CFR 218.7(a)(2), this proposed project implements the Chugach National Forest Revised Land and Resource Management Plan (USDA Forest Service 2002) and is subject to §218 subparts A and B. Individuals who submit specific, written comments, as defined by §218.2, during a noticed comment period will have standing to issue a pre-decisional objection to the draft Decision Notice that will be issued for 45-day review.
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Figure 1. Location Map
Purpose and Need for Action The Forest Service is proposing this project to provide safe multimodal (i.e., multiple modes of transportation, including pedestrian, bicycling, snowmobiling, and others) access along the Seward Highway right-of-way between Ingram Creek and the hooligan fishing parking area proposed by DOT&PF north of the Twentymile River. The project would provide grade separated crossings of the Seward Highway, as needed. In addition to providing a recreational pathway along the Seward Highway, the proposed project would connect: • proposed future segments of the Iditarod National Historic Trail at each end; • the Trail of Blue Ice segment of the Iditarod National Historic Trail via the Moose Flats Day Use Area; • the Alaska Railroad Corporation Portage Station; • the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center; and
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• ADOT&PF’s proposed parking area that would serve the subsistence hooligan fishery north of Twentymile River. There is a need for safe, multimodal access through the project area, due to its popularity for a variety of recreation activities. These include: • accessing the Alaska Railroad Corporation’s Portage Station; • visiting the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center; • fishing and boating; • hiking; • bicycling; • cross country skiing; • snowmachining; and • hunting. Access to these activities is currently disconnected, limited, and inefficient. No continuous path separated from the road shoulder exists, so recreationists are exposed to high speed traffic on the Seward Highway with no safe crossing options within the project corridor. The project would address these needs by providing a safe multipurpose path and trail spurs linking recreation sites. A secondary purpose of this proposed action is to provide access to private properties surrounded by the Chugach National Forest, consistent with Title XI, Section 1110 (b) of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA).
Issues Issues are expressed as cause and effect relationships that arise from the proposed action. Issues drive effects analysis, inform the decision maker and public, and may also suggest alternative development. During scoping, public and private stakeholders raised the following issues related to the proposed action: 1. Process for future improvements to the Seward Highway – the State of Alaska ANILCA Program Coordinator commented that if the Portage Curve Multimodal Connector is considered a segment of the Iditarod National Historic Trail, it would have Conservation System Unit status under ANILCA. Future upgrades to the Seward Highway, such as lane additions, that would require moving the pathway would trigger a lengthy and complex permitting process under Title XI of ANILCA.
The Forest Service has reviewed the following documents to understand the historic routes, intent of the historic trail designation and interagency recommendations for Iditarod National Historic Trail management: a. The National Trails System Act (P.L. 90-543, as amended)
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b. 1986 Interagency Comprehensive Management Plan (1986 ICMP) for the Iditarod National Historic Trail (INHT) c. 1987 Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the BLM and all federal agencies for management of the INHT d. 1987 MOA between the BLM and the State of Alaska for management of the INHT. The primary route of the Iditarod National Historic Trail through the project area includes the Alaska Railroad Company tracks from Twentymile River to the Portage town site. Two historic connecting trail routes include the existing Seward Highway alignment from the Portage town site to Ingram Creek, and a route north of Portage Creek 1 between the Seward Highway and Portage Lake. Based on review of interagency agreements listed above and the management intent described in the 1986 ICMP, no portion of the Portage Curve Multimodal Connector located within the highway right of way will be considered for inclusion as part of the national historic trail system in the future. Therefore, no conflict with future improvements to the Seward Highway would occur. Additional information is available in the project record and available for public review at the Glacier Ranger District office or by request to the interdisciplinary team leader. 2. Increased trespass – private property owners expressed concern that the trail would draw additional recreationists close to their properties, and that increased incidence of trespass would result. 3. Adequacy of parking and other facilities – some commenters suggested that the proposed trailheads and parking lots would draw attention to area amenities and result in demand exceeding their capacities. 4. Adverse effects to fragile natural communities – commenters questioned whether sensitive natural resources near the project site could bear the additional pressure of increased public use that new trails and facilities would foster. 5. Several owners of private property near the project area expressed a desire to obtain improved property access through the project. The project interdisciplinary team reviewed these issues and determined none would lead to developing new alternatives. The issues did focus the team’s analysis of project environmental effects.
CHAPTER 2 PROPOSED ACTION AND ALTERNATIVES
Proposed Action The Forest Service proposes to construct a universally accessible paved pathway along the new alignment of the Seward Highway in coordination with ADOT&PF. The primary pathway along the Seward Highway would have an 8-foot wide paved surface and 2-foot wide gravel shoulders. It would be approximately 7 miles long, running from the vicinity of Milepost 75 at the Ingram Creek Trailhead to the vicinity of Milepost 82 north of Twentymile River. The project would include crossings of Placer River Overflow, Placer River, Portage Creek 1, Portage Creek 2, and Twentymile River on new bridges to be constructed by ADOT&PF as part of Phase II of their
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Seward Hwy MP 75-90 project. For reference in this document, the side of the Seward Highway adjacent to Turnagain Arm is called “the inlet side,” while the side of the Seward Highway opposite Turnagain Arm is called “the mountain side.” The majority of the path would be located on the mountain side of the Seward Highway, with two exceptions, a reach between Placer River and Portage Creek 2, where the path would be located on the inlet side to avoid traffic conflicts at the Seward Highway’s intersection with the Portage Glacier Road; and the northerly terminal segment from Twentymile River to the Hooligan fishing parking lot. The path would cross to the inlet side of the Seward Highway in the vicinity of Placer River, using an underpass of the Placer River Bridge. It would cross back to the mountain side of the highway north of the Portage Creek 1, via a pedestrian tube located beneath the highway. Finally, the path would cross back to the inlet side via a pedestrian tube crossing under the highway north of the Twentymile River Bridge. • In addition to constructing the primary path parallel to the Seward Highway, the project would include construction of five trailhead parking areas, a small section of the Twentymile Valley trail, and a path connecting the primary pathway to the Moose Flats Day Use Area in the Portage Valley (see Figure 2). A new connection between the primary path and the Trail of Blue Ice at the Moose Flats Day Use Area would allow continuous trail connections between the Portage Curve area, two Chugach National Forest campgrounds, fish viewing platforms, and the Begich, Boggs Visitor Center at Portage Lake. The northern end of the primary path would provide a connection to the planned Twentymile Valley Trail segment of the Iditarod National Historic Trail, which will eventually connect to the Winner Creek Trail. The southern end of the primary path would provide connection to the planned Ingram Creek Trail segment of the
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Iditarod National Historic Trail.
Figure 2. Project Overview Each of the five proposed trailheads is described below. • Ingram Creek: Parking for approximately 8 vehicles in a former Seward Highway alignment near Ingram Creek on the mountain side of the Seward Highway, and access to the planned Ingram Creek segment of the Iditarod National Historic Trail. • Placer River: Parking for approximately 7 vehicles, with additional parallel parking along access road. Existing boater access would be retained. Trailhead would be located on inlet side of new highway alignment and bridge. • Portage 2: Parking for approximately 24 vehicles would be developed with access off of the existing Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center driveway. Existing parking off of highway would be removed, and proposed trailhead would provide safer parking and boater access to Portage Creek 2.
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• ARRC Portage Station: Parking for approximately 86 passenger vehicles and 3 buses would be developed. This facility would be developed in cooperation with the Alaska Railroad Corporation’s planned upgrade of facilities at Portage Station as a separate construction project. • Twentymile Valley: Parking for approximately 6 vehicles would be provided north of Twentymile River, as well as a pathway to cross the railroad at a previously determined diagnostic study location. The pathway at this location would provide connection to the planned Twentymile Valley Trail segment of the Iditarod National Historic Trail, and access to private lands consistent with requirements of ANILCA Section 1110 (b). The Forest Service also proposes to permit use of an existing, closed, forest road to provide access to a private property on the north bank of Portage Creek 1. Current access to this property from the Seward Highway would be eliminated by ADOT&PF’s Seward Highway Milepost 75 to 90 project. The new access would cross approximately 900 feet of Chugach National Forest land via an existing road bed located approximately one half mile east of the Alaska Railroad Corporation crossing of Portage Glacier Road (see figure 2). The portion of the access route crossing the National Forest would remain closed to public use. Provision of such private property access is consistent with ANILCA.
Alternatives Considered but Not Analyzed in Detail The project team considered various configurations of the primary pathway adjacent to the Seward Highway, including an alignment entirely on the mountain side of the highway and alignments that crossed the highway at different locations. All of these alternatives were dismissed due to a variety of challenges including; land ownership, tidal influence, and economic feasibility. The team also considered locating the trail spur for a connection to the future Twentymile Valley Trail segment of the Iditarod National Historic Trail immediately north of Twentymile River. This alignment would relieve trespass concerns stated by some area property owners related to the proposed, more northerly alignment that would connect with the planned Twentymile Trail. The trail location adjacent to the north bank of Twentymile River was eliminated from consideration due to insufficient vertical space between the seasonal high water elevation and the underside of the Alaska Railroad Corporation Twentymile River Bridge.
CHAPTER 3 ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS This chapter summarizes the potential environmental effects, both adverse and beneficial, of implementing the proposed action, as analyzed by an interdisciplinary team of Chugach National Forest and Glacier Ranger District resource specialists. Only resources that would be measurably affected by the proposed project are included in this chapter. The effects that would result from construction of the segments of the pathway that are adjacent to the highway are incremental to those of the Seward Highway 75 to 90 Project. This analysis relies upon, and incorporates by reference, the Seward Highway 75 to 90 EA. This analysis focuses on the additional incremental effects of the pathway and associated trailheads, user parking, and connections. For all project elements adjacent to the Seward Highway, the consequences of taking no action would be the consequences identified in the Seward Highway 75 to 90 EA. — Preliminary Environmental Analysis for 30-Day Comment — Page 7 of 39
New analyses have been performed for elements of the proposed project that extend beyond the Seward Highway, primarily the connection to the Trail of Blue Ice and the trailhead and ANILCA-access parking facility and pedestrian path linking to the future Twentymile Valley Trail segment of the Iditarod National Historic Trail north of Twentymile River. Analyses documented in the project record were completed to support the Responsible Official’s decisions and to ensure compliance with laws and regulations such as the Endangered Species Act, the National Historic Preservation Act, the Clean Water Act, and the National Forest Management Act. Those analyses and associated references are part of the project record and available for public review at the Glacier Ranger District office or by request to the interdisciplinary team leader. The interdisciplinary team analyzed direct effects, indirect effects, and cumulative effects of the proposed action and contrasted those with the effects of taking no action. Direct effects occur at the same time and place in which the activity is implemented. Indirect effects occur at a later time or a distance from the site of the activity. Cumulative effects are those impacts that result from the combined effects of the proposed action in addition to any effects of past, present, or reasonably foreseeable future activities. Past and current activities and events include natural disturbances such as the 1964 earthquake, fire, and climate change. Past and current resource management activities include prescribed fires, other timber treatments, recreation facility management, and ADOT&PF road maintenance. Recreation activities include dispersed camping, hunting, outfitter/guide use, snowmachine use, and unauthorized route creation for river access. Future effects may come from the Portage Valley Waterfowl and Fish Habitat Improvement Project, the Freestone Gravel Pit and Pond Development Plan, the Alaska Railroad Corporation’s development of the Portage Station, development on adjacent private land, climate change, and continued recreation uses. The current condition of the project area serves as a proxy for the impacts of past actions in understanding the contribution of past actions to the cumulative effects analysis for this project. Analyses are based on a variety of information sources including field surveys, aerial photographs, topographic maps, forest geographic information system data, forest resource information databases, relevant available scientific literature, and professional judgment. Analyses assume that all project elements and design features will be implemented as described.
Wetlands For the purposes of this analysis direct impacts to wetlands include displacement of wetlands through the placement fill for trail embankments, parking lots or other structures related to the proposed action. Indirect impacts to wetlands include changes to wetland water quantity or quality that would result from project actions. Examples include, but are not limited to, restrictions in natural streamflow through installation of culverts and changes in water quality through introduction of sediments eroded from areas disturbed by project activities. Cumulative effects are the effects of the proposed action in combination with the effects of other recent, current, or reasonably foreseeable future actions occurring within 2 miles of the project area.
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The project minimizes direct effects to wetlands through avoiding wetlands to the extent practical. Given the prevalence of wetlands in the project area and the linear nature of the pathway project, avoidance of all wetlands is not feasible (see figure 3 for project wetland fill). The project addresses indirect effects to wetlands through use of construction-phase best management practices that limit deposition of eroded sediments in water and design features such as appropriately sized culverts that do not restrict flows sufficiently to change area hydrology. Project cumulative effects are disclosed in the context of the project area.
Project Elements Adjacent to Seward Highway
The proposed project would occur at the head of Turnagain Arm in the lowest reaches of the Placer River, Portage Creek, and Twentymile River watersheds. Wetlands are prolific in all three valleys due to steep transitions from high to low topographic relief, abundant precipitation and glacial melt, large tidal fluxes, beaver activity, and thick layers of sand and gravel deposited by glaciers and rivers. In the Seward Highway 75 to 90 EA, ADOT&PF reports that of approximately 1,044 acres mapped in the project area, about 31 percent was determined to be wetlands, another 30 percent was determined to be waters or mudflats below the mean high water elevation in Turnagain Arm and the remaining 39 percent was uplands (HDR 2017, pp 4- 47 and 4-48). Given this prevalence of wetlands and other waters, neither the Seward Highway 75 to 90 Project nor the Portage Curve Multimodal Connector Project was able to avoid all impacts to wetlands and waters. Wetland effects of the Seward Highway 75 to 90 Project are discussed in the Cumulative Effects Section below.
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Figure 3. Wetland Fill The Portage Curve Multimodal Connector project’s direct impacts to wetlands within the area adjacent to the Seward Highway would result primarily from the project’s widening of the highway embankment to accommodate the pathway, as well some minor enlargement of existing parking areas within or immediately adjacent to the right-of-way. For this reason, the impacts should be considered incremental additions to the ADOT&PF project impacts. The proposed project’s direct impacts to wetlands adjacent to the Seward Highway would total approximately 7.9 acres, broken out by wetland type as shown in Table 1 below. These direct effects to wetlands are unavoidable given project location constraints. Wetland impacts will be mitigated by the Chugach National Forest through restoration of wetlands elsewhere in the watershed or as otherwise negotiated with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
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Table 1. Wetlands Impact of Portage Curve Multimodal Connector adjacent to the Seward Highway
Wetland Type Portage Curve Wetland Type in Multimodal Area Mapped by Impacts on Wetland Connector Project ADOT&PF Type in Area Impacts (Acres) (%) (Acres) Emergent Wetlands 1.0 190.0 0.5% Scrub-Shrub Wetlands 2.9 140.3 2.1% Aquatic Beds, Ponds, 67.1 3.1 4.6% and Lakes Estuarine Shorelines 237.2 0.9 0.4% and Waters All Wetland Types 7.9 634.6 1.2% As is discussed in the Seward Highway 75 to 90 EA (HDR 2017, pp. 4-48 through 4-50), the functional values of the wetlands directly impacted by the project are limited by their position at the edge of the highway or parking areas. The project would result in displacement of a linear edge of fill slope area and reestablishment of a similar edge adjacent to an extension of the existing fill. Indirect effects to wetlands from the project activities, such as deposition of sediment away from the project site, would be avoided through the implementation of construction best management practices for erosion and sedimentation control, prevention of contamination, and site stabilization at the end of construction. The proposed project would implement the design features and best management practices described in the Seward Highway 75 to 90 EA (HDR 2017, pp. 4-53 through 4-55).
Project Elements not Adjacent to the Seward Highway
Project elements not adjacent to the Seward Highway include the Twentymile Valley Trailhead and trail segment and the connector pathway to the Trail of Blue Ice at the Moose Flats Day Use area. The extent and types of wetlands in the footprint of each of these project elements were estimated using National Wetlands Inventory mapping and site investigations conducted in 2017. The proposed project’s direct impacts to wetlands not adjacent to the Seward Highway would total approximately 3.1 acres. The direct impacts, broken down by wetland type, is summarized in Table 2, below. A total project area beyond the area mapped by ADOT&PF for the Seward Highway 75 to 90 Project was not defined. There are thus no percentages of wetlands affected shown in Table 2.
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Table 2. Wetlands Impact of Portage Curve Multimodal Connector Not Adjacent to the Seward Highway
Wetland Type Portage Curve Multimodal Connector Project Impacts (acres) Emergent Wetlands 1.7 Scrub-Shrub Wetlands 1.1 Estuarine Shorelines and Waters 0.3 TOTAL 3.1 As stated above, indirect impacts to wetlands would be avoided through the implementation of construction best management practices for erosion and sedimentation control, prevention of contamination, and site stabilization at the end of construction.
Cumulative Effects
Cumulative effects to wetlands would include impacts of ADOT&PF’s Seward Highway 75 to 90 Project. Approximately 58.5 acres of wetlands and waters, or about 9 percent of the total present in the project area, would be directly impacted by ADOT&PFs proposed action. The Seward Highway 75 to 90 EA summarizes total direct impacts to wetlands and waters as follows: 13.0 acres of emergent wetlands; 17.3 acres of scrub-shrub wetlands; 2.1 acres of aquatic beds, ponds, and lakes; and 26.1 acres of estuarine shorelines and waters (p. 4-51). Wetlands are prolific in the upper Turnagain Arm area and these losses are not anticipated to impair ecosystem services or functions. The wetland losses from the highway project and 7.9 acres of the direct wetland effect from the proposed action would occur immediately adjacent to the existing road and railway, minimizing the magnitude of disturbance. ADOT&PF has committed to purchase mitigation credits as required by Army Corps of Engineers, restoring an equivalent extent of wetland area in the greater Anchorage area. Other cumulative effects would include improvement in the project area’s wetland condition and function resulting from two Chugach National Forest projects. The Freestone Gravel Pit project is anticipated create 15 to 26 acres of ponds in Portage Valley, benefitting wetland processes. The Portage Valley Waterfowl and Fish Habitat Improvement Project is a vegetation improvement project on up to 1,417 acres in Portage Valley. The wetland value of gravel pit ponds within this area would be enhanced through bank sloping and by stabilizing areas prone to erosion. Despite the presence of culverts and bridges, the present alignment of the Seward Highway and the Alaska Railroad impede the natural movement of water, sediment, and nutrients, increasing the prevalence of wetland conditions immediately upstream from the roadway and the railway (HDR Alaska, Inc. 2008). This existing condition will continue, potentially increasing wetland prevalence and reducing tidal influence in wetland areas on the mountain side of the highway and railway.
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The proposed project would add only minor incremental adverse cumulative effects to wetlands in association with other past, present, and reasonably foreseeable actions.
Fisheries The primary fishery concern in the project area is maintenance of essential fish habitat for resident salmon species. The measurement indicators include sediment loading; which affects clarity, oxygen content and overall productivity; chemical contaminants; and habitat connectivity. Indirect effects to fisheries may occur 100 feet downstream of any project activity.
Project Elements Adjacent to Seward Highway
All five bridged rivers and creeks within the project area; Placer River, Placer River Overflow, Portage Creek 1, Portage Creek 2, and Twentymile River; are anadromous salmon-bearing water bodies (ADF&G 2017). All five species of Pacific salmon are present. A provision of the Magnuson-Stevens Act requires that Fisheries Management Councils identify and protect essential fish habitat for every species managed by a Fishery Management Plan (USC 1853 (a)(7)). Managed species that occur in the project area include Chinook, chum, Coho, sockeye, and pink salmon. Essential fish habitat is the water and substrate necessary for fish spawning, breeding, feeding, or growth to maturity. Freshwater essential fish habitat includes streams, rivers, lakes, ponds, wetlands and other bodies of water currently and historically accessible to salmon. Marine essential fish habitat in Alaska includes estuarine and marine areas from tidally submerged habitat to the 200-mile exclusive economic zone. As described in the previous section, wetlands are abundant in the project area adjacent to the Seward Highway. Approximately 7.9 acres of wetlands and ponds would be filled to construct a 12-ft. wide pedestrian path adjacent to the highway. Fill deposition along the new Seward Highway alignment would permanently decrease ponded acres for rearing salmon by approximately 1 percent. Pink and chum salmon freshwater rearing is very brief, and sockeye salmon are generally associated more with lake systems. Permanently reducing ponding acres is not likely to result in measurable negative effects to these salmon species because ponded areas are not currently used by them. Juvenile Chinook and Coho salmon spend the most time in freshwater and estuarine habitats and are more likely to be adversely affected. Short term affects would be potential loss of some prey items due to increased turbidity during construction and potential displacement of individual fish. These are transient effects and would not last beyond the construction phase. Long-term effects are associated with permanent loss of approximately 5 acres, or less than 1 percent of ponded wetland habitat mapped within the area adjacent to the Seward Highway analyzed for the Seward Highway 75 to 90 EA. This loss is considered too small to be meaningful in the context of the abundant wetlands and ponds throughout the project area. The remaining 2.9 acres to be permanently filled adjacent to the Seward Highway is largely alder scrub with a sparsely interspersed drainage network that ebbs and floods with the tidal cycle. Filling these areas would not result in a measurable increase in negative effects to fish and fish
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habitat beyond that already addressed in the Seward Highway 75 to 90 EA (HDR 2017, pp 4-67 to 4-72). Loose soils may temporarily increase pond turbidity during construction, potentially reducing primary productivity and feeding opportunities. Such indirect effects to fish habitat would be minimized through the implementation of construction best management practices for erosion and sedimentation control, prevention of contamination, and site stabilization at the end of construction.
Project Elements not Adjacent to the Seward Highway
Implementing the proposed action should not result in any measurable direct impacts to fish or essential fish habitat not adjacent to the Seward Highway. The Moose Flats Trail Connection could indirectly affect Portage Creek 1 where it crosses a marsh near its intersection with the Trail of Blue Ice. The pathway is to be either earthen fill or an elevated boardwalk or a combination of both. Approximately 200 linear feet of trail will cross in or near the marsh. Neither types of trail construction would pose significant short- or long term adverse effects to fish. Loose fill material and the installation of a bridge or culvert may temporarily increase turbidity during construction. These effects, however, would be transitory; no long-term measurable adverse effects should occur. Additionally use of treated wood for a board walk could raise the potential of copper (in the case of metal treated wood) or volatile organic compounds (in the case of creosote treated wood) leaching from the walkway into the water. For a waterbody with sufficient dilution, studies indicate that this should not be problematic and the potential impacts to salmonids and essential fish habitat would not likely be meaningfully measured, detected or evaluated. However, extra caution may be warranted if boardwalk construction is proposed over a low flow stream, where significant dilution is not a given. Best management practices to minimize leaching (such as coatings, shading and maintenance requirements) and that minimize potential exposure would be used near any waterbodies, and should prevent impacting salmonids and degrading habitat (NOAA 2009). Construction of the Twentymile Valley trailhead would have no measurable effects to fish or essential fish habitat because the area is not directly connected to a stream network. The proposed connecting trail would be constructed with bridges or culverts over waterways thus there would be no loss of connectivity between the ponds and the Twentymile River. Fill material for trails tends to have a high percentage of course rock. Any fine material lost from the path would likely be trapped and retained close to the path. No measurable adverse effects to fish or fish habitat are anticipated as a result of constructing the trailhead and trail in the Twentymile Valley (Lang 2018).
Cumulative Effects
As no measurable adverse effects to fish or essential fish habitat should result from the proposed action, there would be no cumulative effects.
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Wildlife The species of interest for the project were identified by analyzing potential project effects on wildlife falling into one of the following four categories. 1. Species listed as federally endangered or threatened, or proposed for such listing, under the Federal Endangered Species Act; 2. Species designated as Sensitive by the Forest Service Alaska Regional Forester; 3. Management Indicator Species as designated by the Chugach National Forest Revised Land and Resource Management Plan (USDA Forest Service 2002, pp. 3-13 and 3-14); and 4. Species of Special Interest as designated by the Chugach National Forest Revised Land and Resource Management Plan (USFS Forest Service 2002, p. 3-27). Based on Chugach National Forest geographic information system data, project level field surveys, and literature in the species information files (USDA Forest Service, 2012), the following species were analyzed in detail: • the Cook Inlet beluga whale - federally endangered species;, • Aleutian tern and Kittlitz’s murrelet - Alaska Region sensitive species; • brown bear and moose - management indicator species. Bald eagle, migratory birds, waterfowl and shorebirds were analyzed for forest plan compliance. Direct effects are measured as acres of habitat that would be lost to construction of the pathways and parking areas. Indirect effects are measured as acreage within 330 feet of the trails or parking areas. This buffer represents the distance from trails that numerous studies have shown bears and other wildlife may alter their behavior due to disturbance (Warner, 1987), (Borgmann, n.d.), (Knight, 1995), (Dahlgren, 1992). Cumulative effects are measured at the home range scale for species analyzed (within 2 miles of the project). Impacts from all direct, indirect and cumulative effects are summarized using an impact scale shown in Table 3 below.
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Table 3. Intensity of Impact to Wildlife in the Project Area
Level of Impact Description of Effects • Negligible No species of concern present, OR • Impacts are temporary and animals can relocate to similar or higher quality habitat easily • Low Non-breeders of species of concern present in low numbers, AND • Habitat is not critical for reproduction or survival and animals can relocate to similar or higher quality habitat, AND • No serious concerned expressed by State of Federal fish and wildlife officials • Moderate Breeding animals of species of concern are present or present for critical life stages or both, AND • Mortality or interference with activities necessary for survival are likely to occur occasionally, AND • Mortality or interference is not expected to threaten the continued existence of the species in the area • High Breeding animals are present in high numbers or during critical life stages or both, AND • Project area has history of use during critical life stages, AND • Habitat is limited and animals cannot relocate to avoid impacts
Project Elements Adjacent to Seward Highway
Construction of the twelve-foot wide pathway adjacent to the Seward Highway would result in the direct loss of approximately 5 acres of emergent herbaceous or woody wetlands and estuarine shorelines, 4 acres with low intensity developed or open areas, 1 acre of mixed or evergreen forest and 1 acre of shrub/scrub habitat. Indirect effects resulting from potential disturbance to wildlife within 330 feet of the trail encompasses 535 acres (see figures 4, 5, and 6). This is comprised of primary herbaceous or woody wetlands (337 acres, followed by developed areas already experiencing disturbance (109 acres), forested habitat (51 acres) and shrub/scrub (38 acres).
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Figure 4. Habitats within 330 Feet of Primary Pathway, Ingram Creek Trailhead to Placer River
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Figure 5. Habitats within 330 Feet of Primary Pathway, Placer River to Twentymile River
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Figure 6. Habitats within 330 Feet of Primary Pathway, North of Twentymile River Federally Threatened or Endangered Species Although critical habitat for Cook Inlet beluga whale occurs where the Portage Curve Multimodal Connector crosses Twentymile and Placer Rivers, and along the Seward Highway near Ingram Creek, no adverse effects to this endangered species should occur. These areas are within the highway corridor, and effects to Cook Inlet beluga whale and its designated critical habitat were analyzed in the Seward Highway 75 to 90 EA (HDR 2017, pp. 4-86 through 4-97). The finding of no significant impact prepared for the Seward Highway 75 to 90 project indicates that project would not likely adversely affect the Cook Inlet beluga whale or its designated critical habitat. The Portage Curve Multimodal Connector pathway would not have any impacts on the Cook Inlet beluga whale or designated critical habitat, as sufficient bridge width to accommodate the pathway was included in that project’s design and the pathway would be on the mountain side of the highway in the vicinity of Ingram Creek. Recreational use of the pathways would not measurably increase the levels of noise and activity related to operation of the Seward Highway. Alaska Region Sensitive Species
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Potential habitat for two Alaska Region Sensitive Species, the Aleutian tern and the Kittlitz’s murrelet, occurs near the Seward Highway (see figure 5). The US Fish and Wildlife Service identified a seabird colony which could support Aleutian tern in the project area near the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center (USDI Fish and Wildlife Service, 2006). This colony is outside the construction zone of the trail and parking areas. No Aleutian terns have been observed at this nesting colony for several years, so no effects to the species are anticipated. Mitigation of potential impacts to seabird colonies would include avoiding habitat destruction or disturbance of seabird colonies within and along the zone of the trail during the breeding season from mid-April through October. If construction must occur during the breeding season, pre- construction surveys and avoidance would occur and if any nesting seabird colonies were found, trail construction would halt until nesting season is over in the planned alignment. With implementation of these mitigation measures, no direct, indirect or cumulative effects should occur. Impacts to Aleutian Terns or other seabirds are expected to be negligible. BirdLife International’s Bird Species Distribution Maps of the World show the entire project area to be within the breeding range of Kittlitz’s murrelet (2018). No potential habitat exists within the footprint of the trails or parking areas. A few small areas of potential breeding habitat occur within 330 feet of the trail, (see figure 5). These areas and the trail alignment will be surveyed for Kittlitz’s murrelets before construction. In the event that any nesting Kittlitz’s murrelets are found, trail construction would halt until the nesting season is over in the planned alignment. With these design mitigations, there should be negligible effects on Kittlitz’s murrelets. Management Indicator Species and Species of Special Interest as designated by the Chugach National Forest Revised Land and Resource Management Plan Project development would result in a direct effect of permanent loss of potential brown bear foraging habitat on 13 acres. Project indirect effects upon brown bear would include both short term and long term disturbance or displacement from human activity along the pathways and parking areas on an additional 551 acres. This area has already been indirectly affected by existing use of the Seward Highway. Project impacts would be incremental to ongoing disturbance from highway use. Indirect impacts include potential habituation and increases in bears killed in defense of life or property. Overall effects to brown bear and habitat are low. Breeding animals may be present in or near some of the areas where trails or parking areas will be constructed. Mortality, from bears killed in defense of life or property, or interference with activities necessary for survival could occur. Direct impacts of project implementation on moose would include a permanent loss of foraging and cover habitat of 13 acres. Project indirect impacts upon moose would include disturbance or displacement from human activity along the trail and parking areas of 369 acres. As in the case of indirect effects to bear, these effects would occur in area already affected by existence and use of the Seward Highway. Trail project impacts would be incremental to those of the highway. All forms of recreation can displace animals to less desirable habitat or increase animals habituation and tolerance of the activity (Canfield et al. 1999). Degree of effect depends on the predictability
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of the recreational activities. Individual moose may occasionally be disturbed in their summer range and during calving. Overall effects to moose and habitat are low. Breeding animals may be present in or near some of the areas where trails or parking areas will be constructed. Mortality, from moose killed in defense of life or property, or interference with activities necessary for survival could occur.
Species of Special Interest Project implementation could result in direct loss of approximately 8 acres of potential nesting habitat for Bald Eagle. Indirect impacts of disturbance would occur on approximately 434 acres of potential Bald Eagle nesting habitat within the 330 foot disturbance zone adjacent to the project area. Although this indirect effect area is also impacted by the presence of traffic on the Seward Highway, response of nesting eagles to vehicles differs from that to pedestrians or cyclists. Human activity near nest sites, roost sites, and foraging areas can be harmful to bald eagles, although specific sensitivity (to distance, duration, and extent of disturbance) varies between individual bald eagle pairs (USDI Fish and Wildlife Service, 2007). Most cottonwoods in the project are unsuitable for nesting due to small size. No nests are known to occur within the area proposed for project development or within the 330-foot disturbance zone adjacent to the proposed project area. Trail construction would avoid cutting large trees over 18 inches in diameter when feasible. Large trees have been identified and avoided to the degree possible during project design. Prior to construction during the nesting season, the project footprint will be surveyed for Bald Eagle nests. Should nests be located, a 330-foot no- construction buffer zone would be provided during the nesting season to reduce disturbance to nesting birds. With these design features and mitigations, impacts to Bald Eagle should be negligible. Direct impacts on neotropical migratory birds, waterfowl, and shorebirds would include a permanent loss of 13 acres of nesting, foraging and resting habitat for a variety of species for trail and parking area construction, potential mortality during construction, and short and long term disturbance or displacement on up to 551 acres due to construction activities and human activity associated with trail and parking area use. Vegetation removal during the breeding season can also destroy nests and young. Vegetation clearing, site preparation, or other vegetation removal activities that may result in the destruction of active bird nests or nestlings during the breeding season of migratory birds will be avoided from May 1 through July 15 (USDA Forest Service and USDI Fish and Wildlife Service, 2008). If construction is planned during the migratory bird breeding season, pre-construction nesting surveys would be required to avoid active nests. If the survey finds no nesting birds, then vegetation can be cleared within the surveyed area. This would reduce disturbance of active nests and young, although some nests would likely be missed during surveys, due to the difficulty of locating nests. Given proposed mitigations, overall impacts to migratory birds, waterfowl, and shorebirds are expected to be low.
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Project Elements not Adjacent to the Seward Highway
Construction of the Twentymile trailhead and ANILCA access parking area, and the spur trail for future connection to the planned Twentymile Valley segment of the Iditarod National Historic Trail would result in a direct loss of less than 1 acre of deciduous (cottonwood) forest, shrub/scrub (willow and alder) and emergent herbaceous wetland (see figure 6). Approximately 21 acres of wetlands, cottonwood forest and shrub/scrub habitat fall within the 330-foot buffer of the facilities where wildlife may be disturbed or displaced. Construction of the Moose Flats Trail Connection would directly result in the loss of approximately 3 acres of primarily woody wetlands interspersed with emergent herbaceous wetlands as shown in figure 5. Approximately 131 acres would be within the 330-foot disturbance zone adjacent to the trail. The area is mainly cottonwood forest with smaller cottonwoods in the over story and an understory of cottonwood, willow and alder.
Management Indicator Species Project development in these areas would result in permanent loss of potential brown bear foraging habitat on 3 acres. Short term and long term disturbance or displacement from human activity would occur along the pathways and parking areas on an additional 152 acres. Indirect impacts include potential habituation and increases in bears killed in defense of life or property. Direct impacts of project implementation on moose would include a permanent loss of foraging and cover habitat of 3 acres, and disturbance or displacement from human activity along the trail and parking areas of 152 acres. All forms of recreation can displace animals to less desirable habitat or increase animals habituation and tolerance of the activity (Canfield et al. 1999). Degree of effect depends on the predictability of the recreational activities. Individual moose may occasionally be disturbed in their summer range and during calving. Species of Special Interest Project implementation could result in direct loss of approximately 3 acres of potential nesting habitat for Bald Eagle. Approximately 138 acres of potential Bald Eagle nesting habitat occurs in the 330-foot disturbance zone adjacent to the project area. Eagles nesting within this area could be adversely affected by disturbance. Human activity near nest sites, roost sites, and foraging areas can be harmful to bald eagles, although specific sensitivity (to distance, duration, and extent of disturbance) varies between individual bald eagle pairs (USDI Fish and Wildlife Service, 2007). Most cottonwoods in the project are unsuitable for nesting due to small size. No nests are known occur within the area proposed for project development or within the 330-foot disturbance zone adjacent to the proposed project area. Trail construction would avoid cutting large trees over 18 inches in diameter when feasible. Large trees have been identified and avoided to the degree possible during project design. Prior to construction during the nesting season, the project footprint will be surveyed for Bald Eagle nests. Should nests be located, a 330-foot no- construction buffer zone would be provided during the nesting season to reduce disturbance to
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nesting birds. With these design features and mitigations, impacts to Bald Eagle should be negligible. Direct impacts on neotropical migratory birds, waterfowl, and shorebirds would include a permanent loss of nesting, foraging and resting habitat for a variety of species for trail and parking area construction on 3 acres, potential mortality during construction, and short and long term disturbance or displacement on up to 152 acres. Vegetation removal during the breeding season can destroy nests and young. Vegetation clearing, site preparation, or other vegetation removal activities that may result in the destruction of active bird nests or nestlings will be avoided during the breeding season of migratory birds, May 1 through July 15 (USDA Forest Service and USDI Fish and Wildlife Service, 2008). If construction is planned during the migratory bird breeding season, pre-construction nesting surveys would be required to avoid active nests. If the survey finds no nesting birds, then vegetation can be cleared within the surveyed area. This would reduce disturbance of active nests and young, although some nests would likely be missed during surveys, due to the difficulty of locating nests.
Cumulative Effects
Habitat Destruction The Seward Highway Milepost 75-90 Road and Rehabilitation Project will directly affect an additional 86 acres of wildlife habitat (HDR 2017). Fill in wetlands during the Seward Highway Mile 75 to 90 project may affect their values and functions, potentially affecting resident and anadromous fish and fish habitat. This in turn may affect foraging habitat for bears, eagles, waterfowl and other wildlife. Historic gravel mining operations in Portage Valley have caused long-term habitat alterations, disturbance, and displacement of wildlife species from suitable habitat. The Portage Valley Fish and Wildlife Habitat Restoration Project will help restore some of this habitat, but will cause temporary habitat destruction and disturbance to wildlife over the next 20 years during restoration work. The Chugach Electric Association’s Quartz Creek Transmission Line Reconstruction may cause additional habitat destruction and disturbance to wildlife during reconstruction. The Freestone Gravel Pit is currently in operation and gravel extraction is planned for the next four years or until depletion of material source. After gravel extraction is completed, the pit will be reclaimed, and with additional work should improve habitat for fish and wildlife over time. Overall, the Proposed Action would contribute a small additional area of direct loss of wildlife habitat to that proposed in the Seward Highway 75 to 90 Project. Indirect impacts to wildlife would occur primarily in areas already affected by the presence of high speed traffic on the Seward Highway. Human Disturbance
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Additional cumulative impacts are identified in the environmental assessment for the Seward Highway Milepost 75 to 90 project (HDR 2017, p. 232). The continued presence of the Alaska Railroad Corporation, the Seward Highway corridor, the Chugach Electric Association transmission line and the associated maintenance, as well as recreation attracted by the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center continue to be a barrier to wildlife movement through the project area and continue to influence overall human use and thus disturbance of wildlife in the area. The cumulative effects of the proposed project and other past, present, and reasonably foreseeable related actions on wildlife should be low.
Plants This section addresses potential project impacts on the spread of exotic and invasive plant species, and plant species designated as sensitive species by the Alaska Regional Forester of the USDA Forest Service. A separate Biological Evaluation analyzing potential project effects to sensitive plants in more detail has been completed and is available in the project record. Mitigation/design features specific to invasive species are taken directly from the Seward Highway 75 to 90 EA (HDR 2017, pp. 4-61 and 4-62) as those same measures would apply to this project, both within and outside of the Seward Highway right-of-way. These design features are: • Eradicate existing infestations prior to construction. • Wash and clean construction vehicles, equipment, and tools prior to entering/exiting the site or moving to another site. • Minimize clearing and grading. • Clear areas in winter to minimize spreading of invasive weed seeds and vegetative propagules (i.e., a bud or other offshoot that aids in dispersal of the species). • Clear with a hydroaxe to minimize soil disturbance. • Locally produced invasive-free mulches, topsoil, or seed products would be used to minimize potential importation of new weed propagules from outside Alaska. • Use only Alaska native plant species for landscaping per Alaska Plant Materials Center publication “A Coastal Revegetation & Erosion Control Guide” (May 2013) for reseeding and vegetating disturbed areas. • Sequence reseeding efforts to begin with areas un-infested by invasive plant species and work toward areas infested by invasive plant species to minimize spread of invasive species. • Educate workers about management practices to reduce the spread of weeds.
Project Elements Adjacent to Seward Highway
Implementing the proposed alternative would likely lead to an increase in introduction and spread of non-native species. The conditions for introduction and spread depend on existing or introduced seed sources and suitable habitat. This analysis incorporates the analysis conducted in the Seward Highway 75 to 90 EA for activities within the Seward Highway right-of-way (HDR 2017, p. 4-61). The Seward Highway 75 to 90 EA states that sites disturbed during construction
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activities would likely be susceptible to invasion and colonization by invasive species until open soil is covered with construction fill or revegetated. It also states that invasive species could be introduced with fill and other construction materials brought from other locations where invasive species are present. Invasive species or seeds or both could easily be transported by construction equipment. White sweet clover and reed canary grass are the invasive plant species of greatest concern for spread into sites that would be disturbed during construction of the Portage Curve Multimodal Connector and associated parking areas. These plants are highly invasive and already occur within the project corridor along the Seward Highway right-of-way. An extensive seed bank of white sweet clover likely exists within area soils. Reed canary grass likely has a less established seed bank, as project area infestations have been treated in the recent past. Site reconnaissance in 2017 showed very little infestation remaining in the project area (Charnon 2018, p. 8). Orange hawkweed, another highly invasive plant species, does not occur in the project area, but it does occur at milepost 72.4 Seward Highway, approximately 2.6 miles from the southerly terminus of the proposed action. This species is a concern due to its wind dispersed seeds, which can travel greater distances. Once established, this species can only be controlled and eradicated using chemical methods. The existing infestation has been chemically treated and is scheduled to be treated again in 2018. As this infestation has been there for many years, it will likely take several more years of chemical treatments before control or eradication has been achieved. Implementing the proposed action would create ideal seed beds for orange hawkweed and potential for this species to spread to the project area exists. With the existing population being controlled and with the mitigation measures cited above, impacts from orange hawkweed would be limited. Given implementation of mitigation and design features cited above, the overall effect of the proposed action on spread of invasive species is not expected to be large. The proposed action would only add about 20 more acres of ground disturbance beyond what has already been analyzed in the Seward Highway 75 to 90 EA. More importantly, the entire project area is closely tied to the Highway and areas with heavy human use and human disturbance, which are places where invasive species already exist. Invasive plants are extremely rare in natural communities on the Chugach National Forest (DeVelice et al. 2005), and are not expected to spread to natural communities to a measurable extent within the watershed. Implementing the proposed action would not affect sensitive species within the Seward Highway right-of-way, as no sensitive species are found in the project area.
Project Elements not Adjacent to the Seward Highway
Bird vetch, another highly invasive species, occurs in the Moose Flats area. These infestations have been chemically controlled and although they have not been completely eradicated, they have been drastically reduced in size. Implementing the proposed alternative would increase potential for introduction and spread of this species by transporting contaminated material and by creating ideal seed beds. Mitigation measures cited above would limit the impacts of this species.
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Cumulative Effects
The Seward Highway 75 to 90 project would disturb approximately 60 acres that are currently vegetated (HDR 2017, p. 4-60). All proposed ground disturbance proposed for construction of the Portage Curve Multimodal Connector Project would total 24 acres. Much of this, however would occur adjacent to the existing Seward Highway in areas with existing disturbed conditions. New ground disturbance for the Portage Curve Multimodal Connector Project would primarily occur in the Moose Flat and 20-Mile areas and is estimated at less than 4 acres. In addition, direct effects are essentially negligible and indirect effects are very low. Across the Kenai Peninsula portion of the Chugach National Forest, there are vast acres of potential habitat (over one million acres). Cumulatively, the impacts from this project would not make a measurable effect to sensitive plants or the spread of invasive plants, given the large reservoir of unaffected habitat.
Recreation This section addresses potential project impacts on recreation. Impact measures include public access to recreation, safety of the recreating public, and capacity of existing and proposed recreational infrastructure to meet projected demand.
Project Elements Adjacent to Seward Highway
Current recreational access to the Chugach National Forest is limited and sometimes unsafe through the portion of the project area within and adjacent to the Seward Highway right-of-way. There are limited parking opportunities, no pedestrian crossings, and no pathway system, despite an abundance of recreational opportunities in this area. A growing population and technological advances in recreational equipment has led to increased activity year-round in the Portage, Placer and Twentymile River Valleys. Recently, in March of 2018, existing parking areas (Placer River, Placer River overflow and Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center) were full to capacity with vehicles parked along the Seward Highway and on adjacent private property. Use in the winter and spring is spread across the spectrum from snowmachining to fat-tire biking and cross-country skiing. Empirical evidence suggests that the demand for recreational opportunities within the project area is increasing (Predeger 2018, p. 8). The project area possesses exceptional scenic quality. A motorist or National Forest visitor can view several active glaciers, multiple creeks and rivers, soaring peaks of two distinct mountain ranges (Kenai and Chugach mountains) and the pulsing inter-tidal zone of eastern Turnagain Arm. The Seward Highway’s designations as an “All-American Road” (Federal Highway Administration), “National Forest Scenic Byway” (USFS) and “Alaska State Scenic Byway” (DOT&PF) reflect the high value of the area’s scenery. Direct effects of implementing the proposed alternative would include reduction in motorist – recreationist conflicts along the Seward Highway between mileposts 75 and 82, increased parking capacity in the same area, and improved trail connections between the Alaska Railroad Corporation Portage Station and the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. The proposed action
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would create approximately 7 miles of multimodal pathways separated from the Seward Highway between Ingram Creek and Twentymile River. Most bicycle traffic, the bulk of winter snowmachine traffic, and virtually all pedestrians would be removed from the highway shoulder. This would benefit motorists on the highway and recreationists using other modes of transport in the project area. The proposed project would also develop grade separated bicycle and pedestrian crossings under the Seward Highway at Placer River Bridge, just east of the Seward Highway and Portage Glacier Road intersection, between the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center and Portage Creek 1, and just north of Twentymile River. These crossings should reduce the numbers of pedestrians and bicyclists who cross the Seward Highway at grade, thus reducing conflict with high speed highway traffic. The proposed alternative would also add approximately 100 additional dedicated parking spaces for fishing, boating, trail access and other recreation. This, along with an additional parking lot proposed by ADOT&PF to serve the hooligan fishery just north of the northerly limit of the project, would greatly increase area parking capacity, and should meet recreational demands for the majority of the year over the project 20 year timeframe. Some parking shortages may still occur during time when hooligan fishing is peaking and spring trail use increasing, primarily during the month of May (Predeger 2018). Indirect impacts of the proposed action on recreation could include attracting additional recreationists and activity to the area through the development of facilities that increase the visibility of, and access to area recreational amenities. This would result in greater operation and maintenance cost of existing and new recreation facilities.
Project Elements not Adjacent to the Seward Highway
The primary direct impact upon recreation of implementing the proposed action not adjacent to the Seward Highway would be increased trail and pathway connectivity between the Seward Highway corridor and the Moose Flats Day Use Area. The proposed trailhead parking and trail spur in the Twentymile River Valley at the northerly end of the project would have little direct short term effect on recreation, as the short trail, less than one mile total, would not be contiguous with any other existing trail and would not access any recreational opportunities prior to future construction of the Twentymile River Valley segment of the Iditarod National Historic Trail.
Cumulative Effects
The ADOT&PF 75-90 project will develop an approximately 100 vehicle parking lot just north of the northern end of the Portage Curve Multimodal Connector project to address parking needs of the season hooligan fishery. The USFS is working with the Alaska Railroad Corporation to plan and construct improvements to the Portage Station. These should yield a gain of parking capacity at the Portage Station, which will also serve as a trail access point for the Portage Curve Multimodal Connector.
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Heritage Resources Heritage resources are historic or prehistoric structures, trails, or other artifacts that can provide insight on past human use to the project area. This document does not disclose the location or nature of known heritage resources due to their sensitivity and potential to be looted. Impact measures include the presence of heritage resources in the project area and the likelihood of their disturbance by project activities or use.
Project Elements Adjacent to Seward Highway
Cultural resource surveys of the project area adjacent to the Seward Highway have been completed. Several historic resources exist within this corridor, although their location and nature is not disclosed here. Alignment of the pathway avoids cultural resources and provides a suitable buffer around each. The Chugach National Forest determined a suitable buffer for each resource on a case by case basis. Prior to construction, the contractor will erect fencing around cultural resources and buffers to avoid construction phase impacts. If any cultural resources are discovered during project implementation, all work would be halted, and Chugach National Forest heritage program managers would evaluate the resources. Work would resume after approved plans are established to avoid and protect the newly identified cultural resources. The Chugach National Forest heritage program managers will develop a monitoring plan to be implemented during the construction and during the first two to five years of public use to document initial conditions and identify any indirect impacts to cultural resources. Should any adverse impacts to cultural resources from use of the trail be discovered, the Chugach National Forest will develop further protective measures. The protective measures and monitoring described above should assure that implementing the proposed action would not result in any adverse effects to culture resources (Hall 2018, p. 12).
Project Elements not Adjacent to the Seward Highway
The Chugach National Forest heritage program staff is currently conducting surveys for cultural resources along the elements of the proposed project not adjacent to the Seward Highway. These surveys will be complete prior to the initiation of project implementation. No cultural resources have been located or are anticipated to occur along the project footprint. Should any such resources be discovered, they would be protected through avoidance, buffering, construction phase fencing, and post-construction monitoring. Any previously unknown cultural resources discovered during project implementation would be protected as described above under Project Elements Adjacent to Seward Highway. The protective measures and monitoring described should assure that implementing the proposed action would not result in any adverse effects to culture resources (Hall 2018, p. 12).
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Cumulative Effects
As no adverse effect to heritage resources are anticipated to result from project implementation, there would be no cumulative effects.
AGENCIES AND PERSONS CONSULTED
Federal Honorable Lisa Murkowski, United States Senate Honorable Daniel Sullivan, United States Senate Honorable Donald Young, United States House of Representatives Federal Highway Administration, Alaska Division National Marine Fisheries Service, Alaska Regional Headquarters U.S. Army Corps of Engineers US Fish and Wildlife Service
Tribal Cook Inlet Region, Inc. Ninilchik Native Association, Inc. Nyren Kenaitze Indian Tribe (IRA) Ninilchik Traditional Council
State Mike Chenault, Representative, Alaska State Legislature Kurt Olson, Representative, Alaska State Legislature Paul Seaton, Representative, Alaska State Legislature Thomas Wagoner, Senator, Alaska State Legislature Alaska Department of Natural Resources Alaska Department of Fish and Game Alaska Department of Public Safety Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority Alaska State Troopers
Local Ethan Berkowitz, Mayor, Municipality of Anchorage Chris Birch, Anchorage Assembly Jennifer Johnston, Anchorage Assembly James Hornaday, Mayor, City of Homer Pat Porter, Mayor, City of Kenai
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Willard Dunham, Mayor, City of Seward Peter Micciche, Mayor, City of Soldotna Lester Lunceford, Mayor, City of Whittier Thede Tobish, Municipality of Anchorage, Community Development Alan Czajkowski, Municipality of Anchorage, Maintenance and Operations Jerry Hansen, Municipality of Anchorage, Management and Engineering Jerry Weaver, Municipality of Anchorage, Office of Community Development and Planning Ron Thompson, Municipality of Anchorage, Traffic Division Steve Mendive, Portage Valley Community Council Pat Athely, Turnagain Arm Community Council
Local Businesses and Nov-governmental Organizations Andy Morrison, Alaska Backcountry Access Alaska Center for the Environment Tom Brooks, Alaska Railroad Corporation Alaska Recreation Management Alaska Services Trust, LLC Kelly Miller, Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center Derek Ruckel, Alaska Wild Guides Chugach Adventures Brad Evans, Chugach Electric Association, Inc. Eye Com, Inc. Julie Jones, Four Valleys Community School Girdwood 2020 Girdwood Trails Committee Chris Roberts, Glacier City Snowmobile Tours Juliann Hanson, HDR Julie Jessen, HDR Barbara Wright, Hope Fishing Charters Redmond Development, LLC Skyline Fri 7, LP Sourdough Development Union Oil Company of California Universal Financing
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FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT As the responsible official, I am responsible for evaluating the effects of the project relative to the definition of significance established by the Council for Environmental Quality Regulations (40 CFR 1508.13). I have reviewed and considered the environmental analysis and documentation included in the project record, and I have determined that the Portage Curve Multimodal Connector Project Proposed Action would not have a significant effect on the quality of the human environment. As a result, no environmental impact statement will be prepared. My rationale for this finding is as follows, organized by sub-section of the Council for Environmental Quality definition of significance cited above.
The following is a summary of the project analysis to determine significance, as defined by Forest Service Handbook 1909.15_05. “Significant” as used in the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations requires consideration of both context and intensity of the expected project effects.
• Context means that the significance of an action must be analyzed in several contexts (i.e. local regional, worldwide), and over short and long time frames. For site-specific actions, significance usually depends upon the effects in the local environment rather than in the world as a whole.
• Intensity refers to the severity of the expected project impacts and is defined by the 10 points below.
Context The context for direct impacts of the proposed action is the actual footprint of the project activities. This is essentially the actual footprint of the project activities within the Seward Highway right-of-way between mileposts 75 and just north 82, as well as approximately 1 mile of pathway to be constructed between the primary pathway along the Seward Highway and the Moose Flats Day Use Area and the Twentymile Valley trailhead parking area and trail spur. The context for indirect effects to wildlife is the area within 330 feet of any element of the project. The context for indirect effects to fisheries and wetlands is the area 100 feet downstream of project activities where sediments eroded from activity areas may be deposited. The context for cumulative effects varies for resource. For wetlands, floodplains, and coastal waters, the cumulative effects context is the five sixth-level, twelve digit HUC watersheds potentially impacted by the project. For fisheries the cumulative effects context is the coastal water of Turnagain Arm within two miles of project elements. For wildlife, the cumulative effects context is home range species occurring with two miles of project elements. For plants, recreation, and heritage resources, the cumulative effects context is the area within 2 miles of project elements.
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Intensity Intensity is a measure of the severity, extent, or quantity of effects, and is based on information from the effects analysis of this environmental analysis and the references in the project record. The effects of this project have been appropriately and thoroughly considered with an analysis that is responsive to concerns and issues raised by the public. The Chugach National Forest has taken a hard look at the environmental effects using relevant scientific information and knowledge of site-specific conditions gained from field visits. My finding of no significant impact is based on the context of the project and intensity of effects using the 10 factors identified in 40 CFR 1508.27(b).
1. Impacts that may be both beneficial and adverse. A significant effect may exist even if the Federal agency believes that on balance the effect will be beneficial.
The interdisciplinary team analyzed the direct, indirect, and cumulative effects of the proposed action on biological, physical, and cultural resources in and around the Portage Curve Multimodal Connector project area. Due to concerns expressed by public commenters, particular attention was paid to effects on wetlands, wildlife habitat, fishery habitat and recreation. The analyses documented in the Environmental Impacts chapter of the environmental analysis (pages 7 through 29) state that some direct, indirect, and cumulative effects are expected in the short term in the context of the analysis area. Design features have been agreed upon by the interdisciplinary team to ensure that impacts to these resources will not be significant.
2. The degree to which the proposed action affects public health or safety.
The proposed action and alternatives are not expected to significantly affect public health or safety. Provision of dedicated multimodal pathways separate from the Seward Highway, as well as grade-separated pathway crossings to connect recreational amenities on either side of the Seward Highway should reduce hazards associated with current pedestrian and bicyclist use of the shoulders of a high-speed, high capacity roadway. These effects of the project are described on pages 26 and 27 of this environmental analysis. Provision of safe multimodal transport access along the Seward Highway and adjacent areas is the primary purpose of this project (see pages 2 and 3).
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3. Unique characteristics of the geographic area such as the proximity to historical or cultural resources, parklands, prime farmlands, wetlands, wild and scenic rivers, or ecologically critical areas.
The analysis area does not include parklands or prime farmlands. Completed and ongoing surveys of cultural resources are compliant with the programmatic agreement between the Alaska State Historic Preservation Office and the USDA Forest Service to ensure compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. Avoidance, buffering, project phase fencing, and post construction monitoring will assure protection of cultural resources found within the project area (see page 28 of this environmental analysis). While approximately 11 acres of wetlands; including streamside riparian areas, and rivers; would be directly affected by implementation of the proposed project, this loss would be mitigated through enhancement of other aquatic habitats in the project area. This level of impact to wetlands is not considered significant, given the location and existing condition of wetlands affected, the abundance of wetlands in the project area, and the continued function of aquatic ecosystems anticipated (see pages 8 through 13). No other unique characteristics have been identified within the proposed treatment areas.
4. The degree to which the effects on the quality of the human environment are likely to be highly controversial.
The facilities proposed (e.g., multimodal pathways, road undercrossings, trailhead parking, and interpretive signage) are common forest visitor service amenities. Standard engineering management practices for the design, construction, maintenance, and operation of such facilities are well established and will be used in design and implementation of the proposed action. The interdisciplinary team has reviewed public comments, met with stakeholders, and confirmed that no unresolved conflicts remain related to the proposed action (see pages 3 and 4).
5. The degree to which the possible effects on the human environment are highly uncertain or involve unique or unknown risks.
The effects analyses documented in the environmental analysis and in the project record incorporated accepted techniques and methods, the best available scientific literature, reliable data, field review, and the judgment of qualified professional resource specialists (see pages 7 through 29). Neither these analyses nor public comments identified highly uncertain effects or unique or unknown risks associated with the proposed action.
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6. The degree to which the action may establish precedent for future actions with significant effects or represents a decision in principle about a future consideration.
The facilities to be developed by the Portage Curve Multimodal Connector project are similar to many that have previously been constructed and will continue to be constructed by the Forest Service, other federal agencies, and state departments of transportation, nationwide. The proposed action is within the scope of the Chugach National Forest Revised Land and Resource Management Plan and is not expected to establish a precedent for future actions.
7. Whether the action is related to other actions with individually insignificant but cumulatively significant impacts. Significance exists if it is reasonable to anticipate a cumulatively significant impact on the environment. Significance cannot be avoided by terming an action temporary or by breaking it down into small component parts.
The analysis completed for the environmental analysis demonstrates that there are no significant cumulative effects on the environment, either when combined with the effects created by past and reasonably foreseeable future projects or the effects from natural changes taking place in the environment (see pages 7 through 29).
8. The degree to which the action may adversely affect districts, sites, highways, structures, or objects listed in or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places or may cause loss or destruction of significant scientific, cultural, or historical resources.
The Portage Curve Multimodal Connector project proposed action includes avoidance, buffering, construction-phase fencing, and post-construction site monitoring to protect known resources eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. The Chugach National Forest will coordinate with the Alaska State Historic Preservation Officer to develop additional site-specific mitigation measures, should any cultural resources be discovered during project development. Given implementation of project design features, no adverse effects to scientific, cultural, or historic resources would occur (see page 28)
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9. The degree to which the action may adversely affect an endangered or threatened species or its habitat that has been determined to be critical under the Endangered Species Act of 1973.
The Portage Curve Multimodal Connector project will have no adverse effect on the Cook Inlet beluga whale, the only threatened or endangered species known to occur in the project area (see page 19).
10. Whether the action threatens a violation of Federal, State, or local law or requirements imposed for the protection of the environment.
The Portage Curve Multimodal Connector project proposed action complies with Federal, State, and local laws and requirements imposed for the protection of the environment. These include the Clean water Act, Wetlands and Floodplains Executive Orders (pages 11 through 15), the Endangered Species Act (page 19), The National Historic Preservation Act (page 28), the National Environmental Policy Act (page 7), and the National Forest Management Act. The proposed action complies with all Forest Plan desired conditions, objectives, standards, and guidelines.
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 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 to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
— Preliminary Environmental Analysis for 30-Day Comment — Page 35 of 39
REFERENCES ADF&G (Alaska Department of Fish and Game). 2017. Anadromous Stream Catalog. Accessed at https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/sf/SARR/AWC/index.cfm?ADFG=main.interactive. Benoit, M.A. 2018. Wildlife Resources Specialist Report. Iditarod National Historic Trail Portage Curve Multimodal Connector Project. Glacier Ranger District, Chugach National Forest, Girdwood, Alaska: 30 pp. BirdLife International (2018) Species factsheet: Brachyramphus brevirostris. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 31/05/2018. Borgmann, K. L. n.d. A Review of Human Disturbance Impacts on Waterbirds. unpublished report, Tiburon, California: Audubon California, Online at http://www.yourwetlands.org/pdf/A%20Review%20of%20Human%20Disturbance%20I mpacts%20on%20Waterbirds.pdf.Canfield, J. E., L. J. Lyon, J. M. Hillis, and M. H. Thompson. 1999. “Ungulates.” Pages 6.1 – 6.25 in G. Joslin and H. Youmans, coordinators, 1999. Effects of recreation on Rocky Mountain wildlife: A review for Montana. Committee on Effects of Recreation on Rocky Mountain Wildlife., s.l.: Committee on Effects of Recreation on Wildlife. Montana Chapter of the Wildlife Society. Charnon, B.H. 2018. Ecology Specialist Report. Iditarod National Historic Trail Portage Curve Multimodal Connector Project. Glacier Ranger District, Chugach National Forest, Girdwood, Alaska: 14pp. Dahlgren, R. B. a. C. E. Korschgen. 1992. Human disturbance to waterfowl: an annotated bibliography. USDI Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington, DC: 62 pp. DeVelice, R.L., B.H. Charnon, E.M. Bella, and M.E. Shephard. 2005. Chugach National Forest Invasive Plant Management Plan. Unpublished Forest Service Report. Hall, H. C. 2018. Cultural Resources Specialist Report. Iditarod National Historic Trail Portage Curve Multimodal Connector Project. Glacier Ranger District, Chugach National Forest, Girdwood, Alaska: 16pp. HDR Alaska Inc. 2017. Seward Highway Milepost 75 to 90 Road and Bridge Rehabilitation Project; Revised Environmental Assessment. Prepared for: Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities 4111 Aviation Drive Anchorage, Alaska 99502: 312 pp. HDR Alaska, Inc. 2015b. Seward Highway Milepost 75 to 90 Road and Bridge Rehabilitation Project Turnagain Arm, Alaska. Essential Fish Habitat. HDR Alaska, Inc. 2008. Final Hydrologic and Hydraulic Assessment Seward Highway MP 75- 90 Road and Bridge Rehabilitation Project. Anchorage, Alaska: 33 pp. HDR Alaska, Inc. 2008b. Seward Highway Milepost 75 to 90 Road and Bridge Rehabilitation Project Turnagain Arm, Alaska. Aquatic Habitat Analysis. Project Number: BR-BH- NH-0A3 (35)/58105.
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Knight, R. L. and K. J. Gutzwiller, eds. 1995. Wildlife and recreationists: coexistence through management and research. Island Press, New York: 372 pp. Lang, J. 2018. Fisheries Resources Specialist Report; Iditarod National Historic Trail Portage Curve Multimodal Connector Project. Glacier Ranger District, Chugach National Forest, Girdwood, Alaska: 9 pp. NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). 2009. The use of treated wood products in aquatic environments: Guidelines to West Coast NOAA Fisheries Staff for Endangered Species Act and Essential Fish Habitat Consultations in the Alaska, Northwest and Southwest Regions. Predeger, G. 2018. Recreation Specialist Report; Iditarod National Historic Trail Portage Curve Multimodal Connector Project. Glacier Ranger District, Chugach National Forest, Girdwood, Alaska: 14 pp. USDI Fish and Wildlife Service, 2007. National Bald Eagle Management Guidelines, s.l.: s.n. USDI Fish and Wildlife Service, 2006. Alaska Seabird Information Series - Aleutian Tern, Anchorage: s.n. USDA Forest Service. 2002. Revised Land and Resource Management Plan for the Chugach National Forest. R10-MB-480c. Alaska Region, Chugach National Forest, Alaska. Warner, S. H., 1987. Visitor impact on brown bears. Admiralty Island, Alaska. Int. Conf. Bear Res. and Manage. 7:377-382.
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