Cattle Fever Tick Eradication Program – Tick Control Barrier
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United States Department of Agriculture Cattle Fever Tick Marketing and Regulatory Programs Eradication Program – Animal and Plant Health Tick Control Barrier Inspection Service Maverick, Starr, Webb, and Zapata Counties, Texas Draft Environmental Impact Statement—June 2013 Cattle Fever Tick Eradication Program – Tick Control Barrier Maverick, Starr, Webb, and Zapata Counties, Texas Draft Environmental Impact Statement— June 2013 Agency Contact: Matthew T. Messenger Staff Entomologist Cattle Fever Tick Eradication Program Manager Veterinary Services Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service U.S. Department of Agriculture 4700 River Road, Unit 43 Riverdale, MD 20737 Non-Discrimination Policy The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination against its customers, employees, and applicants for employment on the bases of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity, religion, reprisal, and where applicable, political beliefs, marital status, familial or parental status, sexual orientation, or all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program, or protected genetic information in employment or in any program or activity conducted or funded by the Department. (Not all prohibited bases will apply to all programs and/or employment activities.) 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Table of Contents Page Legal Authorities......................................................................................................................viii List of Abbreviations and Acronyms ................................................................................... xi Executive Summary .............................................................................................................xiii Chapter 1 I. Purpose and Need ............................................................................................................ 1 A. Federal Agency Mission and Relation to the Proposed Action Examined in This Document ...................................................................................... 1 B. National Environmental Policy Act and the Proposed Action Examined in This Document ...................................................................................... 1 Why did APHIS prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS)? ............................. 1 How was the public involved in the scoping process for this draft EIS? ........................ 3 How and why is APHIS making the Draft EIS available for public comment?................ 4 C. Background Information Related to the Proposed Action ...................................... 5 What is the proposed action and why is the action being proposed? ............................ 5 Why are the ticks a concern? ....................................................................................... 5 What is the history of U.S. efforts taken against these ticks? ........................................ 8 What has changed? .................................................................................................... 14 White-tailed Deer .................................................................................................. 14 Success of Fencing .............................................................................................. 14 Hunter Involvement ............................................................................................... 15 Cattle Fever Tick Infestations ............................................................................... 17 What are the factors related to the control of cattle fever ticks? .................................. 19 Wildlife .................................................................................................................. 19 Climate and Weather ............................................................................................ 24 Cattle Fever Ticks and Acaricide Resistance ........................................................ 25 Funding ................................................................................................................ 26 Cost of Cattle Fever Tick Spread .......................................................................... 26 II. Purpose and Need for the Proposed Action ................................................................. 27 Chapter 2 II. Alternatives .................................................................................................................... 31 A. No Action: Continue to conduct current program operations without installing game fencing .............................................................................. 31 1. Livestock Program Activities in the Permanent Tick Quarantine Zone .................. 31 2. Treatment of White-tailed Deer and Exotic Ungulates on Infested Premises......... 35 3. Treatment of Imported Cattle from Mexico ............................................................ 36 i B. Proposed Action: Provide funding assistance to install game fencing in areas of need ........................................................................................... 36 1. General Location of Game Fencing ...................................................................... 36 2. Specific Placement of Game Fencing ................................................................... 38 3. Details of Game Fence Installation ....................................................................... 40 4. Maintenance of Game Fencing ............................................................................. 42 C. Other Alternatives Considered but Dismissed ....................................................... 42 1. Provide funding for game fencing in contiguous placement along the TAHC Quarantine Line ......................................................................................... 43 2. Provide game fencing along the entire 500 miles of the Permanent Tick Quarantine Line ............................................................................................. 44 3. Locate the proposed tick control barrier game fencing in the right-of-way in the proposed locations along U.S. Hwy 83 versus on privately owned land ........................................................................................................... 44 4. Use other tick control measures or technologies in addition to game fencing ........................................................................................................ 44 5. Coordinate game fencing efforts with other agencies ............................................ 45 6. Coordinate tick control barrier game fencing effort with CBP efforts ..................... 46 7. Work with Federal and State agencies in Mexico .................................................. 46 8. Implement white-tailed deer and exotic deer population control with a vaccine ....................................................................................................... 46 Chapter 3 III. Affected Environment