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EAFONSI Template United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service Northeast Portion of Yavapai Ranch: Reciprocal Easements and Improvements Project Draft Environmental Assessment Chino Valley Ranger District, Prescott National Forest, Yavapai County, Arizona March 2014 For More Information Contact: Jim Gilsdorf, District Ranger Chino Valley Ranger District 735 N Hwy 89 Chino Valley, AZ 86323-0485 Phone: 928-777-2200 Email: [email protected] Fax: 928-777-2208 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 for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) please 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, SW., Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720- 6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Chino Valley Ranger District, Prescott National Forest Table of Contents Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 2 Proposed Project Location .......................................................................................................... 2 Need for the Proposal ...................................................................................................................... 4 Public Involvement and Tribal Consultation ................................................................................... 4 Proposed Action and Alternatives ................................................................................................... 5 Alternative 1 - No Action ............................................................................................................ 6 Alternative 2 - The Proposed Action .......................................................................................... 6 Design Criteria ............................................................................................................................ 7 Mitigation Measures ................................................................................................................... 9 Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action and Alternatives................................................. 10 Direct and Indirect Effects ........................................................................................................ 10 Cumulative Effects .................................................................................................................... 10 Table 2. Summary of Proposed Development Communities within Yavapai Ranch ............... 11 Physical Resources .................................................................................................................... 12 Land Use ................................................................................................................................ 13 Air Quality ............................................................................................................................. 15 Groundwater, Surface Water, and Floodplains ..................................................................... 16 Biological Resources ................................................................................................................. 20 Threatened and Endangered Species ..................................................................................... 21 Bald and Golden eagles ......................................................................................................... 21 Migratory Birds ..................................................................................................................... 22 Forest Plan Management Indicator Species ........................................................................... 23 Social and Economic Resources ............................................................................................... 25 Environmental Justice ........................................................................................................... 26 Native American Indian Religious Concerns ........................................................................ 27 Heritage Resources ................................................................................................................ 28 Finding of No Significant Impact ................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Context ....................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Intensity ...................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. References ..................................................................................................................................... 32 Acronyms ...................................................................................................................................... 33 Figures: .......................................................................................................................................... 34 APPENDIX A: ARIZONA GAME & FISH COMMENTS REGARDING YAVAPAI RANCH MINOR PLAN AMENDMENT ................................................................................................... 39 APPENDIX B: SCOPING COMMENT LETTERS .................................................................... 50 1 Northeast Portion of Yavapai Ranch: Reciprocal Easements And Roadway Improvement Project Introduction We are proposing to exchange reciprocal easements with Yavapai Ranch Limited Partnership, on specific roads totaling approximately 260 acres within “checkerboard” portion of the Chino Valley Ranger District, Prescott National Forest. The exchange would also include provisions for Yavapai Ranch to maintain roads and install utilities within the roadbed. This proposal would implement the PNF’s land management plan to grant easements for road and utility access when other practical routes are unavailable. The proposal is not authorized under the Healthy Forest Restoration Act, and is subject to subparts A and B of the objection process described in 36 CFR 218. We prepared this environmental assessment (EA) to determine if the exchange of easements and associated activities may significantly affect the quality of the human environment and thereby require the preparation of an environmental impact statement. By preparing this EA, we are fulfilling agency policy and direction to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). For more details of the proposed action, see the Proposed Action and Alternatives section of this document. Based upon the effects of the Proposed Action, the Responsible Official will decide whether or not to grant and accept the reciprocal easements and whether an environmental impact statement will be prepared. Proposed Project Location The Project area is located approximately 30 miles northwest of Prescott along County Road 5 (Williamson Valley Road), in Townships 19 and 20 North, Ranges 5 and 6 West, Yavapai County, and is within the Chino Valley Ranger District, Prescott National Forest, Arizona (Figure 1). The land is gently rolling with a few low mountains and ravines. It is mainly grassland and piñon-juniper woodland. 2 Chino Valley Ranger District, Prescott National Forest 3 Northeast Portion of Yavapai Ranch: Reciprocal Easements And Roadway Improvement Project Need for the Proposal The Yavapai Ranch Limited Partnership (YRLP, “Proponent”) is the owner of approximately 35,500 discontinuous acres in parcels within a 100,000 acre block of alternating private (Yavapai Ranch) and public (Prescott National Forest; PNF) sections of land known as the “checkerboard” portion of the Chino Valley Ranger District on the PNF (Figure 1). Access to these parcels within the checkerboard of Federal and private lands is needed to allow users of NFS land access across private land to the PNF, and for legal access for YRLP to the private land it owns. Guaranteed legal access will allow YRLP to use and develop its lands without concern for future access. The decision will also allow existing roads to be maintained to at least minimum Forest Service standards for a single-lane fair- weather road by YRLP. The YRLP applied for road easements to assure continued legal access to portions of the private land across portions of the PNF and, if granted, has agreed to grant reciprocal easements to PNF across the private lands. Currently, there are no legal easements or rights-of-way between these entities. All the roads to be covered under the reciprocal agreements are within the Williamson North Management Area of the larger Prescott/Chino/Drake Geographical Area (Draft Revised Prescott National Forest Plan, August 2012, map Appendix A). Public Involvement and Tribal Consultation The proposal was listed in the PNF’s Schedule of Proposed Actions beginning July 01, 2010. The proposal was provided to the public and other agencies for comment
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