FINAL PROGRAMMATIC ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CONSERVATION RESERVE ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM FOR VERMONT US Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency June 2005 Programmatic Environmental Assessment for Implementation of the Vermont Final Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program Agreement EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA) describes the potential environmental consequences resulting from the proposed implementation of Vermont’s Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) Agreement (Vt CREP , 2005). The environmental analysis process is designed: to ensure the public is involved in the process and informed about the potential environmental effects of the proposed action; and to help decision makers take environmental factors into consideratio n when making decisions related to the proposed action. This PEA has been prepared by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Farm Service Agency (FSA) in accordance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, the Council on Environmental Quality regulations implementing NEPA, and 7 CFR 799 Environmental Quality and Related Environmental Concerns – Compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act. Purpose and Need for the Proposed Action The purpose of the proposed action is to implement Vermont’s CREP agreement. Under the agreement, eligible farmland in the State that drains into Lake Champlain and the Connecticut River would be voluntarily removed from production and approved conservation practices, such as installation of filter strips, riparian buffers, grassed waterways, and wetland restoration, would be implemented. Landowners would receive annual rental payments and would be eligible for one-time payments to support the implementation of approved conservation practices. The Vermont CREP agreement is needed to assist the State in meeting the following conservation goals: · Improve water quality, · Protect drinking water, · Protect threatened and endangered species · Improve wildlife habitat, and · Assist the State in complying with environmental regulations that are related to agriculture. Proposed Action and Alternatives The proposed action would implement Vermont’s CREP agreement. Under this agreement, 7,500 acres of eligible farmland within the all of the counties in Vermont would be enrolled in CREP: Addison, Bennington, Caledonia, Chittenden, Essex, Franklin, Grand Isle, Lamoille, Orange, Orleans, Rutland, Washington, Windham, and Windsor. The State has identified the watersheds in the Lake Champlain Basin , the Connecticut River Basin , Lake Memphremagog Basin, and the Hudson River Basin for treatment under this CREP agreement. The tributaries of Lake Champlain are the Lamoille, LaPlatte, Mettawee, Missisquoi, Poultney and Winooski Rivers, and Otter Creek. The main tributaries of the Connecticut River Basin are the Black, Connecticut, Deerfield, Ompompanoosuc, Ottaquechee, Passumpsic, Saxtons, Stevens, Waits, Wells, West, White and Williams Rivers. Landowners would enroll eligible farmland by entering into 10-year minimum contracts with FSA, not to exceed 15 years. Approved conservation practices would be established and maintained on enrolled lands for the contract duration. Landowners would receive annual rental payments for the duration of the contracts as well as financial and technical support for implementing and maintaining the practices. For lands enrolled in CREP, annual rental payments would be the sum of the base soil rental rate, an incentive payment, and an annual maintenance rate. This PEA documents the analysis of the Proposed Action and the No Action Alternative. Under the No Action Alternative, no lands would be enrolled in CREP. None of the conservation practices or rental payments described above would be implemented. ES-1 Programmatic Environmental Assessment for Implementation of the Vermont Final Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program Agreement Summary of Environmental Consequences Below in Table ES-1 is a summary of the potential impacts identified in this PEA. Table ES-1: Executive Summary Impacts Table Resource Proposed Action No Action Alternative The proposed action is expected to contribute to vegetation and wildlife Continued degradation of terrestrial Biological Resources diversity. Positive impacts to threatened and and aquatic habitats; potential for endangered species, species of concern, and invasion by exotic species. their habitats are expected. There is high potential for encountering archaeological resources. Site specific archaeological and historic architectural No major impacts are expected, though surveys and coordination with SHPO are negative impacts to cultural resources recommended prior to the installation of Cultural Resources could result from changes in existing approved conservation practices. farming practices or the disturbance of Consultation with several tribes that have previously undisturbed land. traditional ties to the Vermont areas affected may be required once sites are selected and could delay program enrollment. Significant long-term positive impacts to surface and groundwater quality are Continued degradation of surface and expected. Wetlands acreages are expected to groundwater and wetlands is expected increase as a result of the proposed to result if the proposed action is not implemented. The surface drainage Water Resources conservation practices. Temporary minor adverse impacts to systems would continue to receive existing wetlands and localized surface sediment from eroded soils and water quality may result from runoff during potential contaminants from activities associated with the installation of agricultural wastes. the proposed conservation practices. Continued erosion is expected to result in susceptible areas that are not Positive impacts to localized topography and vegetated, have unrestricted surface Earth Resources soils are expected to result from flow, or have unimproved channels if implementation of the proposed action. the proposed action is not implemented. No impacts to attainment status or violations of State Implementation Plan standards would result from the proposed action. However, localized temporary adverse No change from current conditions is Air Quality minor impacts to air quality may result from expected. ground disturbing activities and the use of heavy equipment during the installation of approved conservation practices. ES-2 Programmatic Environmental Assessment for Implementation of the Vermont Final Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program Agreement Table ES-1: Executive Summary Impacts Table(continued) Resource Proposed Action No Action Alternative Positive long term effects on recreational resources where proposed approved No change from current land-based conservation practices are expected to recreational opportunities is expected; Recreational Resources increase habitat for game and non-game however, continued water quality species. Water quality improvements degradation may affect game fish or would result in better recreation fishing other water related recreation. and other water-related recreation. Increased land values and a loss of farm labor jobs and expenditures are expected to result from the implementation of the No changes in current trends in proposed action. The project area is not Socioeconomics and socioeconomic conditions are considered an area of concentrated Environmental Justice expected. minority population, no significant impacts to Environmental Justice is expected. ES-3 Programmatic Environmental Assessment for Implementation of the Vermont Final Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program Agreement Table of Contents 1.0 PURPOSE AND NEED FOR THE PROPOSED ACTION............................................ 1 1.1 INTRODUCTION.........................................................................................................1 1.2 BACKGROUND...........................................................................................................1 1.3 PURPOSE AND NEED FOR THE ACTION ..................................................................2 1.4 REGULATORY COMPLIANCE...................................................................................3 1.5 ORGANIZATION OF THE PEA...................................................................................3 2.0 DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED ACTION AND ALTERNATIVES ............................ 5 2.1 PROPOSED ACTION ...................................................................................................5 2.1.1 Eligible Lands ........................................................................................................5 2.1.2 Established Conservation Practices ..........................................................................5 2.1.3 Provide Financial Support to Producers....................................................................6 2.2 Additional environmental evaluation requirements..........................................................7 2.3 Alternatives...................................................................................................................7 3.0 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT...................................................................................... 8 3.1 BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES........................................................................................8 3.1.1 Definition of Resource ............................................................................................8 3.1.2 Region of Influence.................................................................................................8