Environmental Assessment Juneau Ranger District Trail of Time

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Environmental Assessment Juneau Ranger District Trail of Time Environmental Assessment Juneau Ranger District United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service Trail of Time, Adjacent Area Trails, Tongass National and Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Forest Alaska Region Center Improvements Project Juneau Ranger District, Tongass National Forest, Alaska February 2010 ACRONYMS & ABBREVIATIONS ACMP Alaska Coastal Management Plan ADF&G Alaska Department of Fish and Game ANILCA Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act BMP Best Management Practice CEQ Council on Environmental Quality CFR Code of Federal Regulations CZMA Coastal Zone Management Act EA Environmental Assessment EFH Essential Fish Habitat EIS Environmental Impact Statement Forest Plan Tongass Land and Resource Management Plan FSH Forest Service Handbook FSM Forest Service Manual GIS Geographic Information System LUD Land Use Designation MIS Management Indicator Species NEPA National Environmental Policy Act NFS National Forest System USDA United States Department of Agriculture WAA Wildlife Analysis Area 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. Chapter 1, Purpose and Need Background This Environmental Assessment (EA) describes and analyzes the effects of the Juneau Ranger District proposal to reconstruct the Trail of Time, Steep Creek Dike, and upper Powerline Trails to provide a fully accessible trail corridor, correct safety hazards, minimize resource damage, improve and upgrade interpretive information, and provide additional interpretive and trail opportunities. It also includes installation of elevated walkways on the Photo Point and Nugget Falls Trails and installation of handrail fencing to reduce bear/human encounters around portions of the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center (MGVC) complex. The Juneau Ranger District began Trail of Time planning in the 1990’s. Design Narratives were produced in 1994 and 2002. Additional drawings to improve the Trail of Time were submitted in 2008. Some of the described work in those plans has been completed. Present planning efforts have incorporated ideas from previous proposals, and include new ideas to keep pace with changes to the physical and human environment of the area. This project will complete the objectives of the past planning efforts. In this EA the Forest Service will analyze the effects of the proposed plans on resources and people. The decision on how this project will proceed will be made by the Juneau District Ranger in February 2010. Project Area Description The project area for this EA is bounded by Mendenhall Lake, Glacier Spur Road, and the eastern boundary of the Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area (MGRA) on the Juneau Ranger District of the Tongass National Forest (see Figures 1 and 2 at the end of the EA). The project area includes the MGVC, Trail of Time, Nugget Falls, and Photo Point Trails and encompasses approximately 35 acres. The surrounding MGRA was established in 1947, and encompasses 5,815 acres. This area is located at the head of the Mendenhall Valley, approximately 12 miles from downtown Juneau, Alaska. Elevations through much of the area are less than 100 feet above sea level. On both sides of the area, mountains rise abruptly to over 4,000 feet. The Mendenhall Glacier is currently retreating between Mount McGinnis on the west and Mount Bullard on the east, and may soon retreat up and out of Mendenhall Lake, its current terminus. The glacier’s source originates approximately twelve miles up in the Juneau Icefield. The MGRA includes parts of Mount McGinnis, the terminus of the Mendenhall Glacier, Mount Bullard, Mendenhall Lake, the beginning of the Mendenhall River, and the uplands bordering the lake. In 1962 the MGVC was completed and dedicated to the furtherance of the “understanding and enjoyment of glacial phenomena.” Area trails were first established by gold seekers at the turn of the century, and over time have been improved and expanded for recreational use. The Mendenhall Glacier is the primary tourist attraction for the City of Juneau, Alaska. Juneau Ranger District 1 Trail of Time-Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center Improvements Project Purpose and Need In 2009, the MGVC complex received over 400,000 visitors during May through September. Over 3,000 visitors a day use the Photo Point Trail during the summer season. A large percentage of visitors are older people, many of whom have restricted mobility. There has been increased interest in providing more recreation opportunities that are fully accessible in the vicinity of this heavily visited site. The Trail of Time has been the focus of these planning efforts because of its proximity to the MGVC and because it offers many interpretive opportunities. With glacial retreat vegetation has advanced, and runs of sockeye and silver salmon have become established in Steep Creek next to the MGVC. As a result, the MGVC complex now also includes a fish and black bear viewing component. Each year approximately a dozen adult black bears use the complex for foraging from mid-April through mid-November. These bears wander throughout the complex and require active management by center staff. Black bears are creatures of habit and year after year use the same routes to access food sources in the complex. Some of these routes cross heavily used pedestrian trails. Black bears cross the Photo Point Trail at its junction with Nugget Falls Trail, and both trails are interconnected with the Trail of Time. When a bear crosses at this location staff must actively direct people out of this location to allow bears to get across the trail while providing for visitor safety. Platforms have been used successfully at this site in other locations; currently the Steep Creek viewing platforms and elevated walkways have handrail fences around them which allow visitors to view salmon and bears safely at close distances while enabling bears to move through their habitat freely. There is a need for enhanced accessibility and safety, increased visitor capacity, and additional interpretation on and along the trails and other developments at the MGVC because of the changing uses and conditions in this area. The purpose of this project is to provide accessible parking, a fully accessible trail corridor, correct safety hazards, minimize resource damage, improve and upgrade existing interpretive information facilities, and provide additional interpretive and trail opportunities at MGVC. Proposed Action The Proposed Action (Alternative 2) is divided into two components: Trail of Time and adjacent trails improvements, and the Photo Point/ Nugget Falls trails elevated walkway and MGVC handrail fencing components (see Figure 3). The first component is reconstruction of the Trail of Time, Steep Creek Dike, and upper Powerline Trails and associated facilities. The first component would include: constructing a 4-5 vehicle parking lot; improving accessibility of trails as well as constructing accessible trail; constructing small sections of trail to provide access to interpretive sites; adding railings and fixing bridges; restoring the Cobble Shelter; paving about 940 feet of trail; and construction/reconstruction and new signing at interpretive sites. Reconstruction activities would take place along the entire length of the existing trail with portions of the trail needing removal of rock by blasting or drilling and adding or removing fill. The total length of trail improvement for the first component is 6,030 feet. Juneau Ranger District 2 Trail of Time-Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center Improvements Project The second component involves installation of elevated walkways at the intersection of the Photo Point and the new Nugget Falls Trails, and installation of handrail fencing to reduce bear/human encounters around portions of the MGVC complex. A full description of the Proposed Action is included in Chapter 2 of this EA. Regulatory Framework This proposal is consistent with the direction in the Tongass National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan - USDA Forest Service 2008). The MGVC and associated trails and developments are located in a Special Interest Area Land Use Designation (LUD). The objective of this LUD is to preserve areas with unique archaeological, historical, scenic, geological, botanical, or zoological values. This proposal is consistent with direction given in the Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area 1996 Management Plan (USDA Forest Service April 1996). This plan outlines “Approved developments not yet constructed” that include completing the rehabilitation of the Cobble Shelter and to complete interpretation of the Trail of Time. The plan’s objective is also: to emphasize environmental education programs and ethical wildlife
Recommended publications
  • Trapping Regulations You May Trap Wildlife for Subsistence Uses Only Within the Seasons and Harvest Limits in These Unit Trapping Regulations
    Trapping Regulations You may trap wildlife for subsistence uses only within the seasons and harvest limits in these unit trapping regulations. Trapping wildlife out of season or in excess of harvest limits for subsistence uses is illegal and prohibited. However, you may trap unclassified wildlife (such as all squirrel and marmot species) in all units, without harvest limits, from July 1, 2014 through June 30, 2016. Subsistence Trapping Restrictions When taking wildlife for subsistence purposes, ● Take (or assist in the taking of) furbearers by firearm trappers may not: before 3:00 a.m. on the day following the day on which airborne travel occurred. This does not apply to a ● Disturb or destroy a den (except any muskrat pushup trapper using a firearm to dispatch furbearers caught in or feeding house that may be disturbed in the course of a trap or snare. trapping). ● Use a net or fish trap (except a blackfish or fyke trap). ● Disturb or destroy any beaver house. ● Use a firearm other than a shotgun, muzzle-loaded ● Take beaver by any means other than a steel trap or rifle, rifle or pistol using center-firing cartridges, for the snare, except certain times of the year when firearms taking of a wolf or wolverine, except that: may be used to take beaver in Units 9, 12, 17, 18, 20E, ■ You may use a firearm that shoots rimfire 21E, 22 and 23. See Unit-specific regulations. cartridges to take wolf and wolverine under a ● Under a trapping license, take a free-ranging furbearer trapping license. You may sell the raw fur or tanned with a firearm on NPS lands.
    [Show full text]
  • Alaska Range
    Alaska Range Introduction The heavily glacierized Alaska Range consists of a number of adjacent and discrete mountain ranges that extend in an arc more than 750 km long (figs. 1, 381). From east to west, named ranges include the Nutzotin, Mentas- ta, Amphitheater, Clearwater, Tokosha, Kichatna, Teocalli, Tordrillo, Terra Cotta, and Revelation Mountains. This arcuate mountain massif spans the area from the White River, just east of the Canadian Border, to Merrill Pass on the western side of Cook Inlet southwest of Anchorage. Many of the indi- Figure 381.—Index map of vidual ranges support glaciers. The total glacier area of the Alaska Range is the Alaska Range showing 2 approximately 13,900 km (Post and Meier, 1980, p. 45). Its several thousand the glacierized areas. Index glaciers range in size from tiny unnamed cirque glaciers with areas of less map modified from Field than 1 km2 to very large valley glaciers with lengths up to 76 km (Denton (1975a). Figure 382.—Enlargement of NOAA Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) image mosaic of the Alaska Range in summer 1995. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration image mosaic from Mike Fleming, Alaska Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Anchorage, Alaska. The numbers 1–5 indicate the seg- ments of the Alaska Range discussed in the text. K406 SATELLITE IMAGE ATLAS OF GLACIERS OF THE WORLD and Field, 1975a, p. 575) and areas of greater than 500 km2. Alaska Range glaciers extend in elevation from above 6,000 m, near the summit of Mount McKinley, to slightly more than 100 m above sea level at Capps and Triumvi- rate Glaciers in the southwestern part of the range.
    [Show full text]
  • Steve Mccutcheon Collection, B1990.014
    REFERENCE CODE: AkAMH REPOSITORY NAME: Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center Bob and Evangeline Atwood Alaska Resource Center 625 C Street Anchorage, AK 99501 Phone: 907-929-9235 Fax: 907-929-9233 Email: [email protected] Guide prepared by: Sara Piasecki, Archivist TITLE: Steve McCutcheon Collection COLLECTION NUMBER: B1990.014 OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION Dates: circa 1890-1990 Extent: approximately 180 linear feet Language and Scripts: The collection is in English. Name of creator(s): Steve McCutcheon, P.S. Hunt, Sydney Laurence, Lomen Brothers, Don C. Knudsen, Dolores Roguszka, Phyllis Mithassel, Alyeska Pipeline Services Co., Frank Flavin, Jim Cacia, Randy Smith, Don Horter Administrative/Biographical History: Stephen Douglas McCutcheon was born in the small town of Cordova, AK, in 1911, just three years after the first city lots were sold at auction. In 1915, the family relocated to Anchorage, which was then just a tent city thrown up to house workers on the Alaska Railroad. McCutcheon began taking photographs as a young boy, but it wasn’t until he found himself in the small town of Curry, AK, working as a night roundhouse foreman for the railroad that he set out to teach himself the art and science of photography. As a Deputy U.S. Marshall in Valdez in 1940-1941, McCutcheon honed his skills as an evidential photographer; as assistant commissioner in the state’s new Dept. of Labor, McCutcheon documented the cannery industry in Unalaska. From 1942 to 1944, he worked as district manager for the federal Office of Price Administration in Fairbanks, taking photographs of trading stations, communities and residents of northern Alaska; he sent an album of these photos to Washington, D.C., “to show them,” he said, “that things that applied in the South 48 didn’t necessarily apply to Alaska.” 1 1 Emanuel, Richard P.
    [Show full text]
  • The Power and Scale of Wild Alaska
    Alaska HUMBLED BY THE POWER AND SCALE OF wild Alaska Exploring a mesmerizing icy world in southeast Alaska is an adventure of a lifetime. By Yvonne Gordon GETTY IMAGES: 80 | asta.org Alaska Humpback whale, Inside Passage; Sawyer Glacier black shape glides through the the silvery patches of the Herbert Glacier the ice. We soon come face to face with a water near us and suddenly there’s a Eagle Glaciers, part of the 1,500sq-mile huge bright white-and-blue wall — the south A pfwoossh. It’s a large whale expelling Juneau Icefield. Sawyer Glacier. air through its blowhole, which forms a Back on shore, after a thrilling trip, Suddenly, a piece of ice crashes to large cloud of vapor. The whale disappears curiosity about the glaciers leads me to book the water below with a large splash, and underwater but seconds later, its magnificent another day trip, an early-morning departure there’s a thundering rumble. Glaciers are tail rises out of the water and high in the air. bound for Tracy Arm Fjord. As we leave the constantly moving, regularly calving icebergs AND SCALE OF Then it disappears, plunging down into the dock, the water is calm and a big bank of low that float down the fjord. This explains where depths and leaving just a few ripples on clouds stretches across the hills, appearing all the icebergs we saw from the boat have the surface. black in the morning light. come from. “The tail is called a fluke, and on the As we pass Admiralty Island, our guide tells As we return to land along the Stephens underside, the markings are unique,” says us about the wildlife regularly seen here — in Passage, we spot more whales and motor Luke, our guide.
    [Show full text]
  • CVTS: Alaska Survey Report
    Collaborative Visitor Transportation Survey: Results from Summer 2016 Alaska Survey Peter J Fix1, Alisa Wedin1, Jasmine Shaw1, Karen Petersen1, Margaret Petrella2 March 1, 2018 1School of Natural Resources and Extension, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska. 2Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, US Department of Transportation. i | P a g e Acknowledgements We would like to thank all the federal lands managers who took the time to assist us with developing a sampling schedule and accommodating our onsite needs. The survey crew deserves special thanks for sticking with the sampling for the summer, regardless of weather conditions. Charly McConaghy and Joshua Benson conducted the sampling in Southeast Alaska; Morgan Piper and John Pullman surveyed in Southcentral Alaska; and Trisha Levasseur, Rachel Garcia, and Kendall Elifrits sampled the sites in Interior Alaska. Rachel Garcia was critical in designing the iPad survey and assisting with various other tasks such as formatting results and coding open-ended responses. Rachel provided valuable assistance in editing the report. Tara Callear also provided assistance in editing. Trisha Levasseur was a reliable assistant for mailing surveys, entering data, coding open-ended comments, conducting a quality check on data entry, and other miscellaneous tasks. Finally, we would like to thank the federal lands visitors who took the time to complete the survey. Funding provided by Assistance Agreement No. L15AC00209: BLM-AK CESU Alaska Collaborative Visitor Transportation Survey. For additional information contact: Paul Schrooten, National Park Service, [email protected] Randy Goodwin, Bureau of Land Management, [email protected] Amy Thomas, United States Forest Service, [email protected] David Morton, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, [email protected] Roxanne Bash, Western Federal Lands Highway Division, Federal Highway Administration, [email protected] Suggested Citation: Fix, P.
    [Show full text]
  • Alaska's Capital City, Juneau Is Nestled in a Spectacular Wilderness
    JUNEAU PRIVATE SHORE EXCURSIONS Alaska’s Capital City, Juneau is nestled in a spectacular wilderness of mountains rising from the sea. An extraordinary population of whales and other marine mammals frolic and feed in the sea nearby, and offshore wilderness islands are everywhere, complete with their resident wildlife. High above it all is the Juneau Icefield a sea of ice covering nearly 3500 square miles! Almost anywhere you look you can catch a glimpse of one of the dozens of massive glaciers that pour from the icefield into the valleys below. It is truly the perfect base for an adventure in the Alaska wilderness! GUIDED BROWN BEAR VIEWING AT PACK CREEK 6 HOURS ALPINE ZIPLINE ADVENTURE 3.75 HOURS The Pack Creek Brown Bear Sanctuary is located 30 air miles outside of Juneau on On this unique Zipline Tour set in the mountains of a sub-alpine rainforest, you will Admiralty Island. Accessed by floatplane, the native Tlingit people call this impressive experience seven ziplines and cross a 150-foot suspension bridge that hovers above island “Kootznoowoo,” meaning “Fortress of the Bear.” Indeed, Admiralty Island is home the headwaters of a salmon spawning stream. Your Certified Green Zipline Tour will to the highest concentration of brown bears in the world; more than all the lower 48 see you fly through the trees as your guides lead you through a series of themed states combined. On this excursion, you’ll enjoy the Pack Creek Brown Bear Sanctuary tree houses, the highest of which is 90 feet above the ground. Once the Zipline Tour under the expertise of your private guide.
    [Show full text]
  • Elegant Ms Zuiderdam
    7-DAY INSIDE PASSAGE CRUISE Round Trip Vancouver August 10 - 17, 2022 Wednesday - Wednesday This is the classic Alaska cruise, sailing round trip from Vancouver, threading through the Inside Passage where fir forests slip by seemingly close enough to touch. Experience the frontier towns, sheltered waterways and calving glaciers on this Inside Passage Cruise, aboard the elegant ms Zuiderdam. Alaska “The land of the Midnight Sun” is truly a unique state, and a must see for everyone. Tracy Arm with the Glacier Bay Nat’l Park, presents a spellbinding glacier-viewing experience, witnessing the astonishing crash of mighty icebergs or the utter silence of crystalline fjords. Be sure to have your camera handy as you will see and experience sights that will amaze you, as you listen for the “white thunder,” a glacier calving into the sea. Explore Juneau the State’s Capital, then visit Skagway, the Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park which boasts restored buildings, wooden boardwalks and swinging door saloons. The final port is the village of Ketchikan, famous for its Totem Poles. You arrive at the port of Vancouver where you will transfer for your return flight home. DAY PORT ARRIVE DEPART Wed Vancouver, British Columbia 4:30 pm Thur At Sea Inside Passage Fri Tracy Arm Scenic Cruising Fri Juneau, Alaska 1:00 pm 10:00 pm Sat Skagway, Alaska 7:00 am 9:00 pm Sun Glacier Bay Scenic Cruising 7:00 am 4:00 pm Mon Ketchikan, Alaska 10:00 am 6:00 pm Tue At Sea Scenic cruising Inside Passage Wed Vancouver, British Columbia 7:00 am Dock Tracy Arm Scenic Cruising, only Alaska can surround you on three sides with flowing rivers of ice.
    [Show full text]
  • Alaska Region New Employee Orientation Front Cover Shows Employees Working in Various Ways Around the Region
    Forest Service UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Alaska Region | September 2021 Alaska Region New Employee Orientation Front cover shows employees working in various ways around the region. Alaska Region New Employee Orientation R10-UN-017 September 2021 Juneau’s typically temperate, wet weather is influenced by the Japanese Current and results in about 300 days a year with rain or moisture. Average rainfall is 92 inches in the downtown area and 54 inches ten miles away at the airport. Summer temperatures range between 45 °F and 65 °F (7 °C and 18 °C), and in the winter between 25 °F and 35 °F (-4 °C and -2 °C). On average, the driest months of the year are April and May and the wettest is October, with the warmest being July and the coldest January and February. Table of Contents National Forest System Overview ............................................i Regional Office .................................................................. 26 Regional Forester’s Welcome ..................................................1 Regional Leadership Team ........................................... 26 Alaska Region Organization ....................................................2 Acquisitions Management ............................................ 26 Regional Leadership Team (RLT) ............................................3 Civil Rights ................................................................... 26 Common Place Names .............................................................4 Ecosystems Planning and Budget ................................
    [Show full text]
  • Public-Data File 88-21 GROUND-WATER-QUALITY
    Public-data File 88-21 GROUND-WATER-QUALITY MONITORING NETWORKS IN ALASKA 1 Danita L. Maynard Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys July 1988 THIS REPORT HAS NOT BEEN REVIEWED FOR TECHNICAL CONTENT (EXCEPT AS NOTED IN TEXT) OR FOR CONFORMITY TO THE EDITORIAL STANDARDS OF DGGS. 794 University Avenue, Suite 200 Fairbanks, Alaska 99709-3645 'DGGS, 18225 Fish Hatchery Road, P.O. Box 772116, Eagle River, Alaska 99577. Table of Contents PAGE Introduction............................. 1 Northern Region Ambient Trend ~onitorik~ U.S. Geological Survey .................... 2 Site Monitoring U.S.DepartmentofDefense .................. 2 Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation........ 3 Alaska Department o'f Natural Resources ............ 6 University of Alaska ..................... 6 Public Water System (PWS) Monitoring Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation ........ 7 Alaska Department of Fish and Game .............. 16 Southcentral Region Ambient Trend Monitoring Alaska Department of Natural Resources ............ 18 Municipality of Anchorage .................. 18 Site Monitoring U.S. Department of Defense .................. 19 Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation ........ 20 Public Water System (PWS) ~onitoring Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation ........ 41 Alaska Department of Fish and Game .............. 64 Southeast Region Public Water System (PWS) Monitoring Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation ........ 66 CURRENT AND RECENT GROUND-WATER QUALITY MONITORING NETWORKS IN ALASKA INTRODUCTION This report contains data supplemental to Maynard (1988), an evaluation of ground-water quality monitoring in Alaska. Ground-water quality monitoring is necessary to assess trends in ground-water quality, detect or assess ground-water contamination, assess remediation efforts, and assure potability of public-water systems (PWS) using ground-water supplies. The monitoring networks included here are administered by federal, state, or local agencies within Alaska.
    [Show full text]
  • Ring of Fire Proposed RMP and Final EIS- Volume 1 Cover Page
    U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management N T OF M E TH T E R A IN P T E E D R . I O S R . U M 9 AR 8 4 C H 3, 1 Ring of Fire FINAL Proposed Resource Management Plan and Final Environmental Impact Statement and Final Environmental Impact Statement and Final Environmental Management Plan Resource Proposed Ring of Fire Volume 1: Chapters 1-3 July 2006 Anchorage Field Office, Alaska July 200 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMMENT 6 Volume 1 The Bureau of Land Management Today Our Vision To enhance the quality of life for all citizens through the balanced stewardship of America’s public lands and resources. Our Mission To sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. BLM/AK/PL-06/022+1610+040 BLM File Photos: 1. Aerial view of the Chilligan River north of Chakachamna Lake in the northern portion of Neacola Block 2. OHV users on Knik River gravel bar 3. Mountain goat 1 4. Helicopter and raft at Tsirku River 2 3 4 U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Ring of Fire Proposed Resource Management Plan and Final Environmental Impact Statement Prepared By: Anchorage Field Office July 2006 United States Department of the Interior BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT Alaska State Office 222 West Seventh Avenue, #13 Anchorage, Alaska 995 13-7599 http://www.ak.blm.gov Dear Reader: Enclosed for your review is the Proposed Resource Management Plan and Final Environmental Impact Statement (Proposed RMPIFinal EIS) for the lands administered in the Ring of Fire by the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM's) Anchorage Field Office (AFO).
    [Show full text]
  • KEFJ Assessment
    National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Natural Resource Program Center Assessment of Coastal Water Resources and Watershed Conditions Kenai Fjords National Park Natural Resource Report NPS/NRPC/WRD/NRR—2010/192 ON THE COVER Top left: Bear Glacier; top right: Holgate Glacier; bottom left: Nature center at Exit Glacier area; bottom right: Aialik Cape. Photographs by S. Nagorski. ______________________________________________________________________________ Assessment of Coastal Water Resources and Watershed Conditions Kenai Fjords National Park Natural Resource Report NPS/NRPC/WRD/NRR—2010/192 Sonia Nagorski, Eran Hood, and Sanjay Pyare Environmental Science Program University of Alaska Southeast Juneau, AK 99801 Ginny Eckert School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences University of Alaska Fairbanks Juneau, AK 99801 This report was prepared under Task Order J9W88050014 of the Pacific Northwest Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (agreement CA90880008). May 2010 U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service Natural Resource Program Center Fort Collins, Colorado The Natural Resource Publication series addresses natural resource topics that are of interest and applicability to a broad readership in the National Park Service and to others in the management of natural resources, including the scientific community, the public, and the NPS conservation and environmental constituencies. Manuscripts are peer-reviewed to ensure that the information is scientifically credible, technically accurate, appropriately written for the audience, and is designed and published in a professional manner. The Natural Resource Technical Reports series is used to disseminate the peer-reviewed results of scientific studies in the physical, biological, and social sciences for both the advancement of science and the achievement of the National Park Service’s mission.
    [Show full text]
  • Schedule of Proposed Action (SOPA) 01/01/2021 to 03/31/2021 Tongass National Forest This Report Contains the Best Available Information at the Time of Publication
    Schedule of Proposed Action (SOPA) 01/01/2021 to 03/31/2021 Tongass National Forest This report contains the best available information at the time of publication. Questions may be directed to the Project Contact. Expected Project Name Project Purpose Planning Status Decision Implementation Project Contact Projects Occurring Nationwide Locatable Mining Rule - 36 CFR - Regulations, Directives, In Progress: Expected:12/2021 12/2021 Nancy Rusho 228, subpart A. Orders DEIS NOA in Federal Register 202-731-9196 09/13/2018 [email protected] EIS Est. FEIS NOA in Federal Register 11/2021 Description: The U.S. Department of Agriculture proposes revisions to its regulations at 36 CFR 228, Subpart A governing locatable minerals operations on National Forest System lands.A draft EIS & proposed rule should be available for review/comment in late 2020 Web Link: http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=57214 Location: UNIT - All Districts-level Units. STATE - All States. COUNTY - All Counties. LEGAL - Not Applicable. These regulations apply to all NFS lands open to mineral entry under the US mining laws. More Information is available at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/science-technology/geology/minerals/locatable-minerals/current-revisions. R10 - Alaska Region, Regionwide (excluding Projects occurring in more than one Region) 01/01/2021 04:07 am MT Page 1 of 10 Tongass National Forest Expected Project Name Project Purpose Planning Status Decision Implementation Project Contact R10 - Alaska Region, Regionwide (excluding Projects occurring in more than one Region) Alaska Roadless Rulemaking - Regulations, Directives, Completed Actual: 10/28/2020 10/2020 Kenneth Tu EIS Orders 303-275-5156 [email protected] *UPDATED* Description: The proposed state-specific roadless rule would discontinue the existing regulation's prohibitions and instead rely upon existing statutory and management plan direction for managing roadless area characteristics on the Tongass National Forest.
    [Show full text]