Mark Twain National Forest Has Completed the Analysis of a Forest-Wide Integrate
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
USDA United States Forest Mark Twain National Forest 401 Fairgrounds Road z-z-;=;; Department of Service Rolla, Missouri 65401 Agriculture (573) 364-4621 FAX (573) 364-6844 File Code: 1950 Date: February 16, 2012 Dear Sir or Madam: Mark Twain National Forest has completed the analysis of a Forest-wide integrated management strategy to control the spread of non-native invasive plant species (NNIP) within the National Forest over the next 10 years; or until circumstances change to the point that the analysis is no longer valid. There are 32 NNIP species currently inventoried and mapped (1,966 sites) which infest approximately 32,428 acres of Mark Twain National Forest. Enclosed is a copy of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for this project. Three alternatives are analyzed in the EIS. Under Alternative 1, no manual, mechanical, chemical, or biological treatment of existing or future NNIP populations would occur. Alternative 2 (Preferred Alternative) would implement an integrated program for the prevention, suppression, reduction, and eradication of existing and future NNIP infestations on the forest. Control methods would include various combinations of manual, mechanical, chemical, cultural, and biological treatments. Herbicide is proposed on 0.2% of the acres dispersed across Mark Twain National Forest. Alternative 3 would allow only manual, mechanical, and cultural treatments, and limited use of specific biological agents; no herbicides would be allowed. On February 14,2012, I signed a Record of Decision (ROD) approving the Integrated Non- native Invasive Plant (NNIP) Control Project. Alternative 2, the selected alternative, authorizes the control ofNNIP using a combination of manual, mechanical, biological, and chemical methods. A copy of the ROD is also enclosed. This decision is subject to appeal pursuant to 36 CFR Part 215. Appeals and any attachments must be filed with the Regional Forester (Appeal Reviewing Officer) within 45 days following the publication of the legal notice in the Rolla Daily News. The publication date of the legal notice in the Rolla Daily News (newspaper of record) is the exclusive means for calculating the time to file an appeal (§ 215.15(a)). Those wishing to appeal should not rely upon dates or timeframe information provided by any other source. Appeals may be mailed to: Regional Forester Charles Myers Appeal Deciding Officer Attn: Appeals & Litigation USDA-Forest Service, Eastern Region 626 E. Wisconsin Avenue Milwaukee, WI 53202 Appeals may also be hand-delivered to this address during normal business hours, 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. CT, Monday-Friday; faxed to: (414) 944-3963, Attn: Appeals & Litigation, USDA- Forest Service, Eastern Region; or submitted via email to: <appeals-eastern-regional- [email protected]>. Electronic appeals should be in TXT, RTF, DOC, PDF, or other Microsoft Office-compatible formats. #I!-. Caring for the Land and Serving People Printed on Recycled Paper ", Sir or Madam 2 Electronic copies of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (ElS) and ROD for the Integrated NNIP Control Project are available at http://www.fs.fed.us/nepa/fs-usda-pop.php/?project=30341 For additional information, please contact Brian K Davidson at (573) 341-7414. aSincerely,· DAVID C. WHITTEKIEND Forest Supervisor Enclosures (2) United States Department of Agriculture Final Environmental Forest Service Impact Statement February 2012 Integrated Non-native Invasive Plant Control Project Mark Twain National Forest lands in portions of Barry, Bollinger, Boone, Butler, Callaway, Carter, Christian, Crawford, Dent, Douglas, Howell, Iron, Laclede, Madison, Oregon, Ozark, Phelps, Pulaski, Reynolds, Ripley, Shannon, Ste. Genevieve, St. Francois, Stone, Taney, Texas, Washington, Wayne, and Wright Counties, Missouri. 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. Final Environmental Impact Statement Integrated Non-native Invasive Plant Control Integrated Non-native Invasive Plant Control Project Final Environmental Impact Statement Mark Twain National Forest Lead Agency: USDA Forest Service Cooperating Agencies: Missouri Department of Conservation Responsible Official: David Whittekiend, Forest Supervisor Mark Twain National Forest 401 Fairgrounds Road Rolla, MO 65401 For Information Contact: Brian Davidson Interdisciplinary Team Leader 401 Fairgrounds Road 573-341-7414 Abstract: The Mark Twain National Forest proposes a Forest-wide integrated management strategy to control the spread of non-native invasive plant species (NNIP) within the National Forest over the next 10 years, or until circumstances change to the point that the analysis is no longer valid. There are 32 NNIP species currently inventoried and mapped (1,966 sites) which infest approximately 32,428 acres on the Mark Twain National Forest. Three alternatives are analyzed in this EIS. Under alternative 1, no manual, mechanical, chemical, or biological treatment of existing or future NNIP populations would occur. Alternative 2 (Preferred Alternative) would implement an integrated program for the prevention, suppression, reduction, and eradication of existing and future NNIP infestations on the forest. Control methods would include various combinations of manual, mechanical, chemical, cultural, and biological treatments. Herbicide is proposed on 0.2 % of the acres dispersed across the Mark Twain NF. Alternative 3 would allow only manual, mechanical, and cultural treatments, and limited use of specific biological agents. No herbicides would be allowed. i Final Environmental Impact Statement Integrated Non-native Invasive Plant Control ii Final Environmental Impact Statement Integrated Non-native Invasive Plant Control TABLE OF CONTENTS SUMMARY ................................................................................................................................. S-1 Introduction .............................................................................................................................. S-1 Forest profile ............................................................................................................................ S-1 Summary of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) ............................................. S-1 Purpose and Need ................................................................................................................ S-1 Desired Condition ................................................................................................................ S-2 Proposed Action ................................................................................................................... S-2 Issues.................................................................................................................................... S-4 Alternatives Considered ....................................................................................................... S-4 Comparison of Alternatives ................................................................................................. S-7 Chapter 1 Purpose of and Need for Action .................................................................................. 1 Document Structure .....................................................................................................................1 Background ..................................................................................................................................1 Location .......................................................................................................................................2 Purpose and Need for Action .......................................................................................................2 Desired Condition ....................................................................................................................3 Existing Condition ...................................................................................................................3 Proposed Action ...........................................................................................................................4 Decision Framework ....................................................................................................................6 Public Involvement ......................................................................................................................6 Issues ............................................................................................................................................7 Other Related Efforts ...................................................................................................................8