Onaqui Mountain Herd Management Area Fertility Control
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
United States Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Environmental Assessment DOI-BLM-UT-W010-2014-0021-EA May 2015 Onaqui Mountain Herd Management Area Fertility Control Location: Townships 5 to 10 South, Range 5 to 9 West, various sections, Tooele County, Utah Applicant/Address: Not Applicable Salt Lake Field Office 2370 South Decker Lake Boulevard West Valley City, Utah 84119 Phone: (801) 977-4300 Fax: (801) 977-4397 May 2015 Table of Contents 1 PURPOSE & NEED ................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Background ......................................................................................................... 1 1.3 Purpose and Need ................................................................................................ 2 1.4 Conformance with BLM Land Use Plan(s)......................................................... 3 1.5 Relationship to Statutes, Regulations, or Other Plans ......................................... 3 1.6 Identification of Issues ........................................................................................ 4 1.7 Issues Considered but Eliminated from Further Analysis ................................... 4 1.8 Summary ............................................................................................................. 4 2 DESCRIPTION OF ALTERNATIVES ..................................................................... 5 2.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................... 5 2.2 Alternative A – Proposed Action ........................................................................ 5 2.2.1 Horse Identification ..................................................................................... 7 2.2.2 Record Keeping ........................................................................................... 8 2.2.3 Regulatory Authorization............................................................................. 8 2.3 Alternative B – No Action .................................................................................. 8 2.4 Alternatives Considered, but Eliminated from Further Analysis ........................ 8 2.4.1 Helicopter Capture, Treat and Release Wild Horses ................................... 8 2.4.2 Bait Trapping with Selective Removal ........................................................ 8 2.4.3 Change AML Numbers and Decrease Livestock Grazing ........................... 8 2.5 Summary ............................................................................................................. 9 3 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT .................................................................................. 9 3.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................... 9 3.2 General Setting .................................................................................................... 9 3.3 Wild Horses ......................................................................................................... 9 4 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS ............................................................................. 11 4.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................... 11 4.2 General Analysis Assumptions and Guidelines ................................................ 11 4.3 Direct and Indirect Impacts ............................................................................... 11 4.3.1 Alternative A – Proposed Action ............................................................... 11 4.3.1.1 Wild Horses ........................................................................................ 11 4.3.1.2 Protective Measures ............................................................................ 13 4.3.1.3 Residual Impacts................................................................................. 13 4.3.1.4 Monitoring and/or Compliance .......................................................... 14 4.3.2 Alternative B – No Action ......................................................................... 15 4.3.2.1 Wild Horses ........................................................................................ 15 4.3.2.2 Protective Measures ............................................................................ 15 4.3.2.3 Residual Impacts................................................................................. 15 4.3.2.4 Monitoring and/or Compliance .......................................................... 15 4.4 Cumulative Impacts Analysis............................................................................ 15 4.4.1 Wild Horses ............................................................................................... 15 5 CONSULTATION AND COORDINATION .......................................................... 16 5.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................... 16 5.2 Persons, Groups, and Agencies Consulted ........................................................ 17 5.3 Preparers ............................................................................................................ 17 i May 2015 5.4 Public Participation ........................................................................................... 18 5.4.1 Modifications Based on Public Comment and Internal Review ................ 18 5.4.2 Response to Public Comment .................................................................... 20 5.5 Summary ........................................................................................................... 50 6 REFERENCES AND APPENDICES ...................................................................... 51 6.1 References Cited ............................................................................................... 51 6.2 Appendices ........................................................................................................ 54 Appendix A, Map............................................................................................................. 55 Appendix B, Interdisciplinary Team Checklist ............................................................... 56 Appendix C, Standard Operating and Post-Treatment Monitoring Procedures .............. 60 Appendix D, PZP Mixing Procedures ............................................................................. 64 Appendix E, Data Sheet ................................................................................................... 65 List of Tables Table 1 Monitoring data collected at HMA gathers. ......................................................... 9 Table 2 People, agencies and organizations consulted/coordinated. ............................... 17 Table 3 List of preparers. ................................................................................................. 17 Table 4 Response to comments........................................................................................ 21 ii May 2015 Onaqui Mountain Herd Management Area Fertility Control Environmental Assessment DOI-BLM-UT-W010-2014-0021-EA 1 PURPOSE & NEED 1.1 Introduction This Environmental Assessment (EA) has been prepared to disclose and analyze the environmental consequences of the Onaqui Mountain Herd Management Area Fertility Control project as proposed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Salt Lake Field Office (SLFO). This EA is a site-specific analysis of potential impacts that could result with the implementation of a proposed action or alternatives to the proposed action. The EA assists the BLM in project planning and ensuring compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and in making a determination as to whether any “significant” impacts could result from the analyzed actions. “Significance” is defined by NEPA and is found in regulation 40 CFR 1508.27. An EA provides evidence for determining whether to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) or a statement of “Finding of No Significant Impact” (FONSI). If the decision maker determines that this project has “significant” impacts following the analysis in the EA, then an EIS would be prepared for the project. If not, a Decision Record (DR) may be signed for the EA approving the selected alternative, whether the proposed action or another alternative. A DR, including a FONSI statement, documents the reasons why implementation of the selected alternative would not result in “significant” environmental impacts (effects) beyond those already addressed in Pony Express Resource Management Plan (January 1990), as amended. 1.2 Background The SLFO proposes to treat mares within the Onaqui Herd Management Area (HMA) with the fertility control drug ZonaStat-H which is the liquid native Porcine Zona Pellucida (PZP). This drug is federally approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and registered under the number 86833–1. PZP is a naturally occurring pig protein which degrades quickly in the environment. If eaten, it is digested like any other protein and cannot pass through the food chain (Kirkpatrick et al. 2006). The analysis area is located in Townships 5 to 10 South, Ranges 5 to 9 West, various sections, Salt Lake Meridian, Tooele County, Utah (Map, Appendix A). 1 May 2015 Additional information