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ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT REDUCING BIRD DAMAGE IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK In cooperation with: United States Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Bureau of Wildlife New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation City of New York, Department of Environmental Protection Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Prepared by: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE WILDLIFE SERVICES November 2019 Executive summary Page i Executive Summary The United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services (WS) prepared this Environmental Assessment (EA) to facilitate planning, interagency coordination and the streamlining of program management, and to clearly communicate with the public the analysis of individual and cumulative impacts in managing bird damage across the State of New York. The EA describes the need for bird damage management to reduce and prevent damage associated with birds in New York, including damage to property, agriculture, and natural resources, and risks to human health and safety. The proposed bird damage management activities could be conducted on public and private property when the property owner or manager requests assistance and/or when assistance is requested by an appropriate state, federal, tribal or local government agency. This EA analyzes the potential environmental impacts of three alternatives for WS’ response to bird damage. Actions proposed in the EA could be conducted on public and private property when the resource owner (property owner) or manager requests assistance, a need for action is confirmed, and agreements specifying the nature and duration of the bird damage management activities to be conducted are completed. This analysis is prepared in cooperation with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation; the U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service; New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation; City of New York, Department of Environmental Protection; and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Alternatives examined in the EA include an alternative in which WS continues the current bird damage management approach (the “no action” alternative and proposed action alternative); an alternative in which WS provides nonlethal bird damage management only; and an alternative in which no bird damage management is conducted by WS. The first alternative, the preferred alternative, evaluates continuation of an integrated bird damage management approach that includes use of the full range of nonlethal and lethal bird damage management techniques (Appendix B). WS would use an Integrated Wildlife Damage Management approach including the WS Decision Model to select and apply these techniques, singly or in combination, to meet requester needs to reduce conflicts with birds. Cooperators requesting assistance would be provided with recommendations and information regarding the use of effective nonlethal and lethal techniques. Nonlethal methods recommended and used by WS may include resource management, physical exclusion, human behavior modification, habitat modification, repellents, reproductive control, frightening devices, lure crops, trap and translocation, and other deterrents. Lethal methods recommended and used by WS may include the use of shooting, live capture and euthanasia, avicides, the recommendation of permitted hunter harvest during hunting seasons, and nest/egg destruction (see Appendix B for a complete list and description of potential methods). All WS activities would continue to be conducted in accordance with applicable state, federal, and local laws and regulations. The EA provides a detailed analysis of the impacts of each alternative on target bird populations; non-target species including state and federally threatened and endangered species; human health and safety; and the aesthetic value of birds. An overview of the purpose and need for action related to damage birds could cause to New York’s resources are described in Chapter 1. Issues which may affect the implementation of a management approach involving federal resources, as well as detailed descriptions of the specific management alternatives are provided in Chapter 2. Environmental consequences for issues analyzed in detail, including direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts, are provided in Chapter 3. Executive summary Page ii TABLE OF CONTENTS ACRONYMS ............................................................................................................................................... 4 CHAPTER 1: NEED FOR ACTION AND SCOPE OF ANALYSIS 1.1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 5 1.2 NEED FOR ACTION ..................................................................................................................... 7 1.3 NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT AND WS DECISION-MAKING ................. 20 1.4 DECISIONS TO BE MADE ......................................................................................................... 21 1.5 SCOPE OF ANALYSIS ................................................................................................................ 21 1.6 AUTHORITY AND ROLE OF FEDERAL AND STATE AGENCIES INVOLVED IN THIS EA ........................................................................................................................................ 22 1.7 DOCUMENTS RELATED TO THIS EA ..................................................................................... 25 1.8 SUMMARY OF PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT ................................................................................ 26 1.9 RATIONALE FOR PREPARING AN EA RATHER THAN AN EA .......................................... 27 1.10 COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS AND STATUTES ....................................................................... 27 CHAPTER 2: ISSUES AND ALTERNATIVES 2.1 ISSUES USED TO DEVELOP ALTERNATIVES ...................................................................... 33 2.2 DAMAGE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES AVAILABLE FOR INCLUSION IN THE ALTERNATVIES .......................................................................................................................... 36 2.3 STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES FOR BIRD DAMAGE MANAGEMENT ............ 38 2.4 ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED IN DETAIL ........................................................................... 41 2.5 ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED BUT NOT ANALYZED IN DETAIL .................................. 42 CHAPTER 3: ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS 3.1 ISSUES CONSIDERED IN DETAIL AND THEIR ASSOCIATED IMPACTS BY ALTERNATIVE ............................................................................................................................ 45 3.2 ISSUES NOT CONSIDERED FOR COMPARATVE ANALYSIS ............................................. 91 3.3 SUMMARY OF IMPACTS .......................................................................................................... 95 CHAPTER 4: LIST OF PREPARERS AND PERSONS/AGENCIES CONSULTED 4.1 LIST OF PREPARERS AND REVIEWERS ................................................................................ 96 4.2 LIST OF COOPERATING AGENCIES ....................................................................................... 96 4.3 LIST OF PERSONS OR AGENCIES CONSULTED ................................................................... 96 LIST OF APPENDICES APPENDIX A LITERATURE CITED ..................................................................................................... 97 APPENDIX B BIRD DAMAGE MANAGEMENT METHODS AVAILABLE FOR USE ................. 113 APPENDIX C FEDERALLY LISTED THREATENED AND ENDANGERED SPECIES WITH USFWS CONSULTATION ........................................................................................... 120 APPENDIX D STATE LISTED THREATENED AND ENDANGERED SPECIES WITH NYSDEC CONSULTATION ......................................................................................... 136 APPENDIX E HISTORIC AND CULTURAL RESOURCE CONSULTATION WITH NYS PARKS, RECREATION, AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION .......................... 139 APPENDIX F COASTAL ZONE RESOURCES CONSULTATION WITH STATE OF NEW YORK DEPARTMENT OF STATE .................................................................... 140 Table of contents Page 3 ACRONYMS APHIS Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service AVMA American Veterinary Medical Association BBS Breeding Bird Survey BDM Bird Damage Management CEQ Council on Environmental Quality CFR Code of Federal Regulations DSNY New York City Department of Sanitation EA Environmental Assessment ECOFRAM Ecological Committee on FIFRA Risk Assessment EIS Environmental Impact Statement EPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ESA Endangered Species Act FAA Federal Aviation Administration FDA Food and Drug Administration FIFRA Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act FONSI Finding of No Significant Impact FY Fiscal Year MBTA Migratory Bird Treaty Act MOU Memorandum of Understanding NAS National Audubon Society NASS National Agricultural Statistics Service NEPA National Environmental Policy Act NHPA National Historic Preservation Act NPS National Park Service NWRC National Wildlife Research Center NYCDOC New York City Department of Correction NYCDEP New York City Department of Environmental Protection NYSDAM New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets

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