Heavenly Mountain Resort 2010 Capital Projects Environmental Assessment
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HEAVENLY MOUNTAIN RESORT 2010 CAPITAL PROJECTS ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT MAY 2010 USDA FOREST SERVICE LAKE TAHOE BASIN MANAGEMENT UNIT 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. Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. PURPOSE AND NEED ................................................................................................................................. 1-1 A. SUMMARY ....................................................................................................................................................... 1-1 B. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................... 1-1 Document Structure ......................................................................................................................................... 1-1 Background ...................................................................................................................................................... 1-2 2007 Master Plan Amendment ......................................................................................................................... 1-3 C. PURPOSE AND NEED FOR ACTION ................................................................................................................... 1-4 D. PROPOSED ACTION ......................................................................................................................................... 1-7 E. MANAGEMENT DIRECTION ............................................................................................................................. 1-7 1988 LTBMU Land and Resource Management Plan Direction ..................................................................... 1-7 F. DECISION FRAMEWORK .................................................................................................................................. 1-8 Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit ............................................................................................................... 1-8 Tahoe Regional Planning Agency .................................................................................................................... 1-8 G. PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT .................................................................................................................................... 1-9 H. ANALYSIS FRAMEWORK ............................................................................................................................... 1-10 Recreation/Guest Experience ......................................................................................................................... 1-10 Scenery Resources .......................................................................................................................................... 1-11 Cultural Resources ......................................................................................................................................... 1-11 Wildlife and Fish ............................................................................................................................................ 1-11 Vegetation ...................................................................................................................................................... 1-12 Watershed and Soils ....................................................................................................................................... 1-12 Resources Considered but Not Analyzed in Detail in this Final EA .............................................................. 1-12 Other Laws, Regulations or Policy ................................................................................................................ 1-18 2. ALTERNATIVES, INCLUDING THE PROPOSED ACTION ................................................................ 2-1 A. ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED IN DETAIL ......................................................................................................... 2-1 Alternative 1 – No Action ................................................................................................................................. 2-1 Alternative 2 – The Proposed Action ............................................................................................................... 2-3 B. COMPARISON OF ALTERNATIVES .................................................................................................................... 2-9 C. PROJECT DESIGN FEATURES & BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES .................................................................. 2-17 3. AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES .................................... 3-1 A. RECREATION AND MOUNTAIN OPERATIONS ................................................................................................... 3-5 Scope of the Analysis ........................................................................................................................................ 3-5 Affected Environment ....................................................................................................................................... 3-5 Direct and Indirect Environmental Consequences ......................................................................................... 3-12 Cumulative Effects ......................................................................................................................................... 3-17 B. SCENERY RESOURCES ................................................................................................................................... 3-19 Scope of the Analysis ...................................................................................................................................... 3-19 Forest Service Direction ................................................................................................................................ 3-19 Affected Environment ..................................................................................................................................... 3-21 Direct and Indirect Environmental Consequences ......................................................................................... 3-23 Cumulative Effects ......................................................................................................................................... 3-26 C. CULTURAL, ARCHAEOLOGICAL, AND HERITAGE RESOURCES ....................................................................... 3-28 Scope of the Analysis ...................................................................................................................................... 3-28 Affected Environment ..................................................................................................................................... 3-28 Direct and Indirect Environmental Consequences ......................................................................................... 3-30 Cumulative Effects ......................................................................................................................................... 3-32 D. WILDLIFE ...................................................................................................................................................... 3-33 Scope of the Analysis ...................................................................................................................................... 3-33 Affected Environment ..................................................................................................................................... 3-33 Special Status Wildlife Species ....................................................................................................................... 3-34 Direct, Indirect, and Cumulative Environmental Consequences ................................................................... 3-49 Heavenly Mountain Resort 2010 Capital Projects Environmental Assessment i Table of Contents Cumulative Impacts ........................................................................................................................................ 3-55 E. VEGETATION ................................................................................................................................................. 3-57 Scope of the Analysis ...................................................................................................................................... 3-57 Affected Environment ....................................................................................................................................