Environmental Assessment Department of Agriculture
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United States Environmental Assessment Department of Agriculture Forest Utility Corridor Vegetation Management Service October 2008 Project areas occur primarily in rural electric cooperatives’ rights-of-way that cross Ozark and Ouachita National Forests in limited portions of the following Arkansas counties: Baxter, Benton, Crawford, Franklin, Johnson, Logan, Madison, Newton, Pope, Sebastian, Scott, Stone, Yell and Washington For Information Contact: Gary Knudsen, Project Planning Officer Ozark-St. Francis National Forest 605 West Main, Russellville, AR 72801 479-964-7200 http://www.fs.fed.us/oonf/ozark/ The US 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, DC 20250- 9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Utility Corridor Vegetation Management Project 2/12/2009 Environmental Assessment TABLE OF CONTENTS SUMMARY ........................................................................................................ 1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................. 1 Document Structure ........................................................................................................................ 1 Background ..................................................................................................................................... 2 Purpose and Need for Action .......................................................................................................... 3 Proposed Action............................................................................................................................... 5 Decision Framework...................................................................................................................... 10 Public Involvement ....................................................................................................................... 12 Issues ............................................................................................................................................. 12 ALTERNATIVES, INCLUDING THE PROPOSED ACTION ................ 14 Alternatives.................................................................................................................................... 19 Mitigation for the Action Alternatives........................................................................................... 23 Comparison of Alternatives 26 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES .................................................... 29 Existing Environment and Foreseeable Effects Geology and Soils............................................................................................................. 31 Hydrology and Water Quality........................................................................................... 37 Climate.............................................................................................................................. 48 Air Quality and Noise ....................................................................................................... 49 Vegetation Communities .................................................................................................. 51 Riparian Areas ............................................................................................................. 60 Fish and Wildlife ............................................................................................................. 65 Proposed, Endangered, Threatened or Sensitive Species (PETS)..................................... 69 Management Indicator Species (MIS) ............................................................................. 76 Cultural Resources............................................................................................................ 93 Socioeconomic Considerations......................................................................................... 94 Recreation and Scenic Integrity ........................................................................................ 96 Human Health and Safety ................................................................................................. 99 CONSULTATION AND COORDINATION ............................................................ 111 Appendices.................................................................................................................................. 112 Appendix 1: References ........................................................................................................ 112 Appendix 2: Glossary............................................................................................................ 126 Appendix 3: Figures.............................................................................................................. 133 Appendix 4: Sampling and Analysis Plan ............................................................................. 134 Appendix 5: Ecoregions........................................................................................................ 139 Appendix 6: Geology and Soils............................................................................................. 153 Appendix 7: Biological Review of Proposed Herbicides ..................................................... 163 Appendix 8: Biological Evaluation/PETS Species................................................................ 166 Summary ii Utility Corridor Vegetation Management Project 2/12/2009 Environmental Assessment List of Tables Table 1 – Proposed Herbicide List 6 Table 2 – Sample Foliage Mixture Spray (100 gallons) 8 Table 3 – Active Ingredient Percentages in Commercial Formulations 8 Table 4 –Active Ingredient Amounts in 100 Gallons of Sample Foliage Mixture 9 Table 5 – Sample Hack and Squirt Mixture (one gallon) with Active Ingredients 10 Table 6 – Analysis Area Measurements 15 Table 7 – Summary of Cumulative, Direct and Indirect Environmental Effects 26 Table 8 – Watersheds, Segments and Basins by County 38 Table 9 – Selected Properties of Proposed Herbicides 46 Table 10: Ecoregion Levels III and IV within the Analysis Area 52 Table 11: Level III and IV Ecoregions and Corresponding AR-GAP Landcover Types 53 Table 12—Project Area Plant Community Types 56 Table 13 - Forest Community Types 63 Table 14 - PETS Species Given Special Consideration within the Analysis Area 70 Table 15 – Analysis Area Management Indicator Species (MIS) 77 Table 16 – Potentially Affected Terrestrial Management Indicator Species 78 Table 17 – Potentially Affected Stream and River Management Indicator Species 85 Table 18 – Potentially Affected Lake and Pond Management Indicator Species 90 Table 19 – Arkansas Counties Socioeconomic Data 94 Table 20 – USDA Forest Service Risk Assessment Data, LD50 Rates 102 McNabb Table 1 - The Relative Toxicity of Commonly Used Silvicultural Herbicides 101 Table A5-1: 1999 USDA Forest Service Ozark-Ouachita Highlands Assessment 147 Table A5-2: Field Survey Plots Where Vegetation Data was Collected 150 Table A8-1 – Endangered, Threatened and Sensitive Species 166 List of Figures Figure 1 – Overview of Participating Cooperatives’ General Service Areas within the National Forests 2 Figure 1A – Overview of Participating Cooperatives' Overlap with National Forests 14 Figure 2 – Analysis Area Map Overview with Forest Service ROWs 16 Figure 3 – Ozark National Forest Analysis Area Overview 17 Figure 3a –Ozark National Forest 17 Figure 3b –Ozark National Forest 18 Figure 3c –Ozark National Forest 18 Figure 4 – Ouachita National Forest Analysis Area Overview 19 Summary iii Utility Corridor Vegetation Management Project 2/12/2009 Environmental Assessment SUMMARY The Ozark and Ouachita National Forests propose to allow the utilization of USDA- approved silvicultural herbicide treatments on target vegetation in four rural electric cooperatives’ rights-of-way (ROWs). The activity area consists of approximately 425 miles of distribution and transmission lines that cross National Forest lands in portions of fourteen counties in north central, northwest and west Arkansas. This Proposed Action Alternative is needed to increase the efficiency, effectiveness and environmental soundness of vegetation management in rural electric cooperatives’ ROWs that cross National Forest lands. The proposed herbicides, currently used by participating rural electric cooperatives on non-Forest Service properties, are proven to be safe, effective, efficient, and environmentally sound when used according to manufacturers’ label directions and when Best Management Practices (BMPs) are employed. The proposed herbicides are registered and approved by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for silvicultural use. EPA-approved herbicides are currently