Environmental Assessment
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ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF THE MICHIGAN KARNER BLUE BUTTERFLY HABITAT CONSERVATION PLAN AND INCIDENTAL TAKE PERMIT Prepared by: Michigan Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Division Stevens T. Mason Building P.O. Box 30444 Lansing, MI 48909 for: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service East Lansing Field Office 2651 Coolidge Road, Suite 101 East Lansing, Michigan 48823 January 15, 2009 January 15, 2009 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. PURPOSE AND NEED .................................................................................................... 6 1.1 Purpose................................................................................................................... 6 1.2 Need........................................................................................................................ 6 1.3 Decisions that Need To Be Made ......................................................................... 7 1.4 Background ........................................................................................................... 7 2. ALTERNATIVES AND ASSOCIATED TAKE ACTIONS, INCLUDING THE PROPOSED ACTION .......................................................................................... 10 2.1 Alternatives Not Considered for Detailed Analysis......................................... 10 2.1.1 Mitigation Banking ................................................................................... 10 2.1.2 Provision of Refuges................................................................................. 11 2.1.3 Zoning Restrictions................................................................................... 11 2.2 Alternatives Carried forward for Detailed Analysis ....................................... 11 2.2.1 Alternative A: Comprehensive HCP (Proposed Action) ......................... 12 2.2.2 Alternative B: No Action......................................................................... 25 2.2.3 Alternative C: Reduced-scope HCP......................................................... 32 2.3 Summary of Alternative Actions Table ............................................................ 34 3. AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT ..................................................................................... 35 3.1 Physical Characteristics ..................................................................................... 35 3.1.1 Climate...................................................................................................... 35 3.1.2 Topography and Soils ............................................................................... 36 3.1.3 Hydrology ................................................................................................. 36 3.1.4 Water Quality............................................................................................ 37 3.1.5 Air Quality ................................................................................................ 37 3.2 Biological Environment...................................................................................... 37 3.2.1 Habitat and Vegetation ............................................................................. 37 3.2.2 Listed, Proposed and Candidate Species .................................................. 43 3.2.3 Other Wildlife Species.............................................................................. 55 3.3 Land Use .............................................................................................................. 58 3.3.1 Statewide................................................................................................... 58 3.3.2 Oak Savannas............................................................................................ 59 3.4 Cultural/Paleontological Resources .................................................................. 60 3.5 Local Socio-economic Conditions...................................................................... 60 4. ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES.................................................................... 61 4.1 Alternative A: Comprehensive HCP (Proposed Action)................................ 61 4.1.1 Physical Impacts ....................................................................................... 61 4.1.2 Biological Impacts .................................................................................... 68 4.1.3 Listed, Proposed and Candidate Species .................................................. 71 4.1.4 Cultural Resources.................................................................................... 77 4.1.5 Environmental Justice............................................................................... 77 4.1.6 Cumulative Impacts .................................................................................. 77 4.2 Alternative B: No Action................................................................................... 80 4.2.1 Physical Impacts ....................................................................................... 81 4.2.2 Biological Impacts .................................................................................... 82 4.2.3 Listed, Proposed and Candidate Species .................................................. 84 January 15, 2009 3 4.2.4 Cultural Resources.................................................................................... 88 4.2.5 Environmental Justice............................................................................... 88 4.2.6 Cumulative Impacts .................................................................................. 88 4.3 Alternative C: Reduced-scope HCP................................................................. 90 4.3.1 Physical Impacts ....................................................................................... 90 4.3.2 Biological Impacts .................................................................................... 92 4.3.3 Listed, Proposed and Candidate Species .................................................. 94 4.3.4 Cultural Resources.................................................................................... 98 4.3.5 Environmental Justice............................................................................... 99 4.3.6 Cumulative Impacts .................................................................................. 99 4.4 Summary of Environmental Consequences by Alternative.......................... 101 5. CONSULTATION AND COORDINATION WITH THE PUBLIC AND OTHERS........................................................................................................................ 106 6. PUBLIC COMMENT ON DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND RESPONSE.......................................................................................................... 108 7. REFERENCES CITED................................................................................................ 110 January 15, 2009 4 LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Acres of occupied Karner blue butterfly habitat currently known to occur on public and non-public land within each Recovery Unit.................................................... 10 Table 2. Summary of the alternative actions carried forward for detailed analysis. ................... 34 Table 3. Physical aspects of the Oak Savanna Ecosystem within each Recovery Unit (adapted from Albert 1995). ............................................................................................. 36 Table 4. Nectar plant species reported to be used by KBB (reproduced from USFWS 2003a). Scientific names follow Ownby and Morley (1991), Gleason and Cronquist (1991) or Swink and Wilhelm (1994). ............................................................. 39 Table 5. Wildlife species classified as threatened or endangered under Michigan law that potentially occur in or near occupied KBB habitat........................................................... 47 Table 6. Plant species classified as threatened or endangered under Michigan law that potentially occur in or near occupied KBB habitat........................................................... 51 Table 7. Species of Greatest Conservation Need associated with savannas in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan (adapted from Eagle et al. 2005).................................................. 55 Table 8. Summary of environmental consequences by alternative............................................ 101 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Townships in Michigan with known occurrences of Karner blue butterfly (adapted from Fettinger 2005). ........................................................................................... 8 Figure 2. Karner blue butterfly Recovery Units, Recovery Unit Annexes, and Potential Recovery Units in Michigan. .............................................................................................. 9 January 15, 2009 5 1. PURPOSE AND NEED 1.1 Purpose The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has developed the Michigan Karner Blue Butterfly Habitat Conservation Plan (hereafter, Comprehensive HCP; Michigan DNR 2007) to facilitate the conservation of the Oak Savanna Ecosystem, Karner blue butterfly (Lycaeides melissa samuelis; KBB) and other associated species of concern on non-federal land in Michigan. It outlines activities that will be conducted to maintain the early-successional habitat conditions necessary to support savanna species and communities. It also integrates diverse land uses with conservation objectives by outlining measures to avoid, minimize and mitigate take of KBB and other species that could be