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Lower Joseph Creek Restoration Project Draft Environmental Impact Statement

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Lower Joseph Creek Restoration Project Draft Environmental Impact Statement United States Department of Agriculture Lower Joseph Creek Restoration Project Draft Environmental Impact Statement Wallowa-Whitman Wallowa Valley Forest Service National Forest Ranger District October 2014 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 SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Lower Joseph Creek Restoration Project Lower Joseph Creek Restoration Project Draft Environmental Impact Statement Wallowa County, Oregon Lead Agency: USDA Forest Service Cooperating Agency: Wallowa County Responsible Official: TOM MONTOYA, FOREST SUPERVISOR 1550 Dewey Ave. Baker City, OR 97850 For Information Contact: AYN SHLISKY, TEAM LEAD 72510 Coyote Rd. Pendleton, OR 97801 541-278-3762 Abstract: This analysis addresses the impacts from implementing the Lower Joseph Creek Restoration Project (LJCRP). Action alternatives included the Modified Proposed Action, where thinning and mechanical fuel treatments across approximately 16,700 acres would encourage the development of landscape resilience, including large tree structure, understory plant diversity, forage productivity, characteristic fire and insect and pathogen disturbances, and provide income and opportunities for local communities to experience natural resource-dependent lifestyles. Thinning of largely younger trees across an additional 5,500 acres, which are in the process of recovery after stand replacement disturbance, would encourage the development of spatial heterogeneity and increase the proportion of early seral tree species toward a more resilient condition, consistent with historical reference conditions. Prescribed burning on up to 90,000 acres would reduce both natural fuel accumulations and those resulting from thinning, increase understory productivity and diversity, allow fire to perform its natural ecological role, and increase resilience to disturbance. The Modified Proposed Action and one additional alternative respond to issues related to the transportation system and vegetation treatments within designated old growth management areas, inventoried roadless areas, and Category 4 riparian habitat conservation areas. Send Comments to: Ayn Shlisky Blue Mountains Restoration Team Lead 72510 Coyote Rd. Pendleton, OR 97801 iii Wallowa-Whitman National Forest Draft Environmental Impact Statement Summary The Lower Joseph Creek Restoration Project aims to achieve desired conditions as expressed by overarching agency plans and policies, tribes, cooperating governments, collaborative groups, and the public. The purpose of the Lower Joseph Creek Restoration Project (LJCRP) is to restore, maintain, and enhance forest and rangeland resiliency to natural disturbances, protect natural resources at risk to uncharacteristic wildfires and insect and disease outbreaks, contribute to local economic and social vitality, modify fire behavior potential, and improve future forest, range, and fire management opportunities. Internal and external scoping for opportunities, issues, and concerns revealed three significant issues requiring detailed analysis and resolution. Specifically, the LJCRP aims to resolve issues regarding: 1) the best network of roads that will allow for recreation, harvesting forest products, fire management, accessing private inholdings, administration, and other uses, while also reducing or eliminating the adverse impacts that roads may have on forest and riparian resources; 2) the best vegetation treatments to restore forest structure and composition toward the historic range of variation (HRV; particularly regarding the size and species of trees to retain or harvest), and 3) the types of forest management that is needed in designated old growth management areas (Management Area 15), inventoried roadless areas, and riparian habitat conservation areas to move toward HRV. This DEIS assesses the range of effects of three alternatives, the no action, and two alternative active approaches to achieve the project purpose, and resolve, to the degree possible, the three significant planning issues. The alternatives range in the extent of upland forest thinning from 0 to 22,100 acres, including 0 to 800 acres in old forest management allocations; 0 to 2,600 acres in riparian habitat conservation areas; and 0 to 5,500 acres in inventoried roadless areas. The alternatives range in the extent of burning from 0 to 90,000 acres (through both planned and unplanned fire), and in the length of the road network from 363 to 406 open and closed miles. The EIS also assesses the effects of restoration and related activities (connected actions) common to all action alternatives. This DEIS discloses the beneficial and adverse effects of alternative management approaches for the project area, as justification for the responsible official’s preferred alternative. It also describes the assumptions we needed to make where adequate understanding was uncertain. To accomplish restoration goals, non-significant forest plan amendments are proposed. Alternative 2 is the preferred alternative. Acronyms AQI - Air Quality Index ATV – All Terrain Vehicle BA – Biological Assessment BE – Biological Evaluation BMP – Best Management Practice BO – Biological Opinion CEQ – Council on Environmental Quality CFR – Code of Federal Regulations CWPP - County Wildfire Protection Plan DSC – Detrimental Soil Conditions DBH – diameter breast height DCH – Designated Critical Habitat DecAID - Decayed Wood Advisor DEIS – Draft Environmental Impact Statement DOGMA – Dedicated Old Growth Management Area Wallowa-Whitman National Forest iv Lower Joseph Creek Restoration Project DSC – Detrimental Soil Conditions EIS – Environmental Impact Statement ENSO - El Nino Southern Oscillation EPA – Environmental Protection Agency ERS – Eastside Restoration Strategy ESA – Endangered Species Act FEIS – Final Environmental Impact Statement FRCC – Fire Regime Condition Class FSH – Forest Service Handbook GHG – Green House Gas GIS – Geographic Information System HEI – Habitat Effectiveness Index HRV – Historic Range Of Variability ICBEMP –Interior Columbia Basin Ecosystem Management Project IPCC - Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change IRA – Inventoried Roadless Area LJCRP – Lower Joseph Creek Restoration Project LOS - Late-Old Structural Stages LRMP – Land and Resources Management Plan LWD – Large Woody Debris MA – Management Area MCR -Middle Columbia River MIS – Management Indicator Species MVUM – Motor Vehicle Use Map NAAQS - National Ambient Air Quality Standards NEPA – National Environmental Policy Act NHPA - National Historic Preservation Act NFMA – National Forest Management Act NTMBS - Neotropical Migratory Bird Species NOI – Notice of Intent NFS – National Forest System OFMS - Old Forest Multi-Strata OFSS - Old Forest Single Strata OHV – Off-Highway Vehicle PCE - Primary Cavity Excavators PVG – Potential Vegetation Group PWA - Potential Wilderness Area RACR - Roadless Area Conservation Rule RHCA – Riparian Habitat Conservation Area RMO - Riparian Management Objectives RNA – Research Natural Area ROD – Record of Decision ROS – Recreational Opportunity Spectrum RV – Range of variability TES – Threatened and endangered species USDA – United States Department of Agriculture USFWS – US Fish and Wildlife Service WEPP -Water Erosion Prediction Project WUI -Wildland Urban Interface WWNF – Wallowa-Whitman National Forest v Wallowa-Whitman National Forest Draft Environmental Impact Statement How This Document is Organized The format of this DEIS follows the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) recommended format (40 CFR 1502.10). The document is organized into five chapters: Chapter 1 Purpose and Need for Action This chapter includes information about the history of the project proposal, the purpose of and need for the project, and the agency’s proposal for achieving that purpose and need. This section also details how the Forest Service informed the public of the proposal and how the public responded. Chapter 2 Alternatives, including the Proposed Action This chapter provides a more detailed description of the agency’s proposed action as well as alternative methods for achieving the stated purpose. These alternatives were developed based on significant issues raised by the public, Tribes, the Forest Service and other agencies. Finally, this section provides summary comparison tables of the activities associated with each alternative, and how well the alternatives respond to the purpose and need. Chapter 3 Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences This chapter describes the affected environment and the environmental effects of implementing the proposed action and other alternatives. This analysis is organized by resource area. Chapter 4 Consultation and Coordination This chapter provides a list
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