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Colville River Special Area Management Plan Environmental Assessment

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Colville River Special Area Management Plan Environmental Assessment Colville River Special Area Management Plan Environmental Assessment July 2008 Bureau of Land Management Arctic Field Office Fairbanks, Alaska Table of Contents 1. Introduction...............................................................................................................................1 1.1. Background..............................................................................................................................1 1.2. Purpose and Need for Action...................................................................................................3 1.3. Public Involvement and Issues.................................................................................................3 2. Proposed Action and Alternatives...........................................................................................4 2.1. Description of the Proposed Action.........................................................................................4 2.2. Description of the No Action Alternative................................................................................5 2.3. Alternatives Considered but Not Analyzed in Detail ............................................................13 2.3.1. Consider Making Decisions in the CRSA for Purposes Other than Protection of Arctic Peregrine Falcon........................................................................................................................13 2.3.2. Establish a Bird Conservation Area ...............................................................................13 2.3.3. Consider Wild and Scenic River Designation for the Colville River ............................13 2.3.4 Extend Setback along Colville River and Tributaries from One to Two miles ...............14 3. Affected Environment ............................................................................................................15 3.1. Introduction............................................................................................................................15 3.2. Potentially Affected Resources (Environmental Elements) ..................................................15 3.2.1. Arctic Peregrine Falcon..................................................................................................16 3.2.1.1 Population Trends and Monitoring .........................................................................16 3.2.1.2 Habitat Use and Ecology.........................................................................................18 3.2.1.3 Management and Conservation...............................................................................18 3.2.2. Birds (Excluding Peregrine Falcon)...............................................................................19 3.2.2.1 Bird Surveys............................................................................................................19 3.2.2.2 Bird Hunting............................................................................................................20 3.2.3. Moose, Moose Surveys, and Moose Hunting ................................................................20 3.2.3.1 Moose Surveys ........................................................................................................20 3.2.3.2 Moose Hunting........................................................................................................21 3.2.4. Fish and Fish Habitat, and Fish Surveys........................................................................21 3.2.4.1 Fish and Fish Habitat...............................................................................................21 3.2.4.2 Fish Surveys ............................................................................................................22 3.2.5. Subsistence.....................................................................................................................22 3.2.5.1 Subsistence Use.......................................................................................................22 3.2.5.2 Subsistence Resource Activities..............................................................................23 3.2.6. Environmental Justice ....................................................................................................24 3.2.7. Paleontological and Cultural Resource Activities..........................................................25 3.2.7.1 Paleontological and Cultural Resources Excavations .............................................25 3.2.8. Recreation Activities......................................................................................................26 3.2.8.1 Setting......................................................................................................................26 3.2.8.2 Recreation Activities...............................................................................................26 4. Environmental Consequences................................................................................................28 4.1. Introduction............................................................................................................................28 4.2. Direct and Indirect Effects.....................................................................................................28 4.2.1. Arctic Peregrine Falcon..................................................................................................28 4.2.1.1. Proposed Action .....................................................................................................28 4.2.1.2. No Action ...............................................................................................................29 4.2.2. Birds, Bird Surveys, and Bird Hunting ..........................................................................30 4.2.2.1. Proposed Action .....................................................................................................30 4.2.2.2. No Action ...............................................................................................................31 4.2.3. Moose, Moose Surveys and Moose Hunting .................................................................31 4.2.3.1. Proposed Action .....................................................................................................31 4.2.3.2. No Action ...............................................................................................................32 4.2.4. Fish, Fish Habitat and Fish Surveys...............................................................................32 4.2.4.1. Proposed Action .....................................................................................................32 4.2.4.2. No Action ...............................................................................................................33 4.2.5. Subsistence.....................................................................................................................33 4.2.5.1. Proposed Action .....................................................................................................34 4.2.5.2. No Action ...............................................................................................................34 4.2.6. Environmental Justice ....................................................................................................35 4.2.6.1. Proposed Action .....................................................................................................35 4.2.6.2. No Action ...............................................................................................................35 4.2.7. Paleontological and Cultural Resources Activities........................................................35 4.2.7.1. Proposed Action .....................................................................................................35 4.2.7.2. No Action ...............................................................................................................36 4.2.8. Recreational Activities...................................................................................................36 4.2.8.1. Proposed Action .....................................................................................................36 4.2.8.2. No Action ...............................................................................................................37 4.3. Cumulative Effects.................................................................................................................37 4.3.1. Arctic Peregrine Falcon..................................................................................................40 4.3.2. Other Affected Resources (and Associated Activities)..................................................43 5. Tribes, Individuals, Organizations, and Agencies Consulted.............................................44 6. List of Preparers .....................................................................................................................45 7. References Cited......................................................................................................................46 Appendices APPENDIX A Agency and Other Correspondence APPENDIX B Essential Fish Habitat Assessment Appendices (continued) APPENDIX C ANILCA Section 810 Analysis APPENDIX D Characteristics of Cultural Resources Sites along the Colville River APPENDIX E Response to Comments Received regarding CRSAMP and CRSA EA 5 Colville River Special Area Management Plan Environmental Assessment 1. Introduction
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