Environmental Assessment (EA) in Compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
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United States Environmental Department of Agriculture Assessment Forest Service Telephone Hollow Timber Sale and Fuels May 2007 Treatment Heber Ranger District Uinta National Forest Wasatch County, Utah Township 6S Range 6E, SLM, Sections 10 and 15; Township 2S Range 12W, USM, Sections 9, 16, 21 For Information Contact: Stephen Penny, Forester Heber Ranger District Uinta National Forest 2460 South Highway 40 Heber City, Utah 84032 435-654-0470 The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status. (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 USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Chapter 1 - Summary...................................................................................................................... 1 Background................................................................................................................................. 1 Existing Condition ...................................................................................................................... 1 Table 1 - Acres by Vegetation Type....................................................................................... 1 Figure 1 – Project Area Vegetation Types.............................................................................. 2 Table 2 - Stand Characteristics ............................................................................................... 3 Table 3 - Current Douglas-fir Beetle Ratings for Telephone Hollow Project Area ............... 4 Table 4 - Current Mountain Pine Beetle Ratings for Telephone Hollow Project Area .......... 4 Desired Condition ....................................................................................................................... 5 Purpose and Need for Action...................................................................................................... 6 Proposed Action.......................................................................................................................... 6 Decision Framework................................................................................................................... 6 Public Involvement ..................................................................................................................... 6 Chapter 2 – Issues and Alternatives, Including the Proposed Action............................................. 8 Issues........................................................................................................................................... 8 Alternatives................................................................................................................................. 9 Proposed Action.......................................................................................................................... 9 Figure 2 - Map of the Proposed Action ................................................................................ 11 Table 5 - Prescription Group Site Characteristics................................................................. 12 No Action.................................................................................................................................. 15 Comparison of Alternatives ...................................................................................................... 16 Table 6 - Alternatives Compared.......................................................................................... 16 Alternatives Considered But Eliminated From Detailed Analysis ........................................... 16 Chapter 3 – Affected Environment / Consequences..................................................................... 17 Issues Effects Summary Discussion ......................................................................................... 17 Forested Vegetation Structure And Composition..................................................................... 17 Forest Insect And Disease Populations..................................................................................... 19 Table 7 - Post Harvest Mountain Pine Beetle Ratings for Telephone Hollow Project Area 20 Fuels Accumulations, Increased Fire Hazard/Intensity ............................................................ 20 Table 8 - Pre-treatment output variables at various wind speeds ......................................... 22 Table 9 - Post-treatment output variables at various wind speeds........................................ 23 Visual Landscape...................................................................................................................... 24 Sensitive/Invasive Plants/Noxious Weeds................................................................................ 26 Heritage Resources ................................................................................................................... 28 Wildlife Resources.................................................................................................................... 30 Soils Impacts And Productivity ................................................................................................ 40 Hydrology / Water Quality ....................................................................................................... 42 Grazing Management................................................................................................................ 52 Recreation Resources................................................................................................................ 53 Fisheries .................................................................................................................................... 54 Old Growth ............................................................................................................................... 62 Cumulative Effects.................................................................................................................... 64 Consultation and Coordination ..................................................................................................... 80 References..................................................................................................................................... 84 APPENDIX A - Response to Comments for Telephone Hollow ................................................. 91 Telephone Hollow Project Area Vicinity Map PROJECT AREA MAP The Forest Service is preparing this Environmental Assessment (EA) in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). This document discloses the results of scoping, formulation of issues and alternatives, and details the proposed action and its analyzed alternative. Additional documentation, including more detailed analyses of project-area resources, can be found in the project planning record located at the Heber Ranger District Office in Heber City, Utah. Contact Stephen Penny, Forester, at (435) 654-0470 for further information. CHAPTER 1 - SUMMARY Background __________________________________________________________________ The Telephone Hollow project area is located near the northwest corner of Strawberry Reservoir in the Strawberry and Daniels drainages. The project area is approximately 18 miles southeast of Heber City, Utah and is adjacent to Daniels Summit, identified as an “urban wildland interface community within the vicinity of Federal lands” (Federal Register, Vol. 66, No. 160, p. 43423, 8/17/01). The Telephone Hollow area represents the most western and southern extent of the native range of lodgepole pine in the state of Utah. Endemic levels of tree mortality caused by the mountain pine beetle has been occurring in lodgepole pine stands in the project area for the past 4 years, and is at epidemic levels on the Wasatch-Cache National Forest, approximately 25 miles north of the area. Evidence gathered from stand examinations and reconnaissance suggests a stand replacing disturbance event, most likely a wildland fire occurred approximately 110 years ago in the area, which established the current predominant lodgepole pine and aspen stands. The stands to be treated are actively being replaced by less fire resistant, shade tolerant conifer species which are out-competing lodgepole pine and aspen. Existing Condition___________________________________________________ The project area for this study is in the Upper Strawberry River and Daniels Creek – Provo River watersheds and is approximately 1,790 acres. Table 1 shows the acreage within the area in each of the major vegetation types, and Figure 1 shows their distribution across the project area. Table 1 Acres by Vegetation Type Vegetation Type Acres Aspen (<10% canopy cover of conifer) 969 Aspen ( 35% - ~70% conifer canopy cover) 39 Douglas-Fir (crown density 15-59%) 14 Lodgepole Pine (crown density 60-100%) 241 Oak 2 Spruce-Fir (crown density 15-59%) 16 Spruce-Fir (crown density 60-100%) 31 Silver Sage (Artemisia cana) 51