Miller West Fisher Northern Region
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United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service Miller West Fisher Northern Region August 2017 Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement Kootenai National Forest Libby Ranger District Lincoln County, Montana In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident. 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Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: [email protected]. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender. MILLER WEST FISHER PROJECT Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement Kootenai National Forest Libby Ranger District Lincoln County, Montana Lead Agency: USDA Forest Service Responsible Official: Chris Savage, Forest Supervisor 31374 US Hwy 2 Libby MT 59923 For Information Contact: Nathan Gassmann, Libby District Ranger 12557 US Hwy 37 Libby MT 59923 406-293-7773 Send Comments to: Stacy Thornbrugh 12557 US Hwy 37 Libby MT 59923 406-293-7773 Miller West Fisher Final SEIS Contents Contents Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 1 Preferred Alternative Description ................................................................................................ 1 Changes to Alternative 6-Modified ......................................................................................... 1 Alternative 6-Modified ............................................................................................................ 2 Addressing the 5 Counts Identified During Litigation ................................................................ 3 Count I: Provide Further Explanation for Why Helicopter Logging Would Not Cause Harm to Grizzly Bear ........................................................................................................................ 4 Count III: Discuss the Limitations in the Wakkinen Study (Wakkinen and Kasworm 1997) . 4 Grizzly Bear Analysis .............................................................................................................. 6 Count IV: Explain the Appropriateness of Assessing Cumulative Effects at the Bear Management Unit Level Bounds of Analysis Geographic Scale ............................................ 9 Count VI. Demonstrate compliance with the Forest Plan, showing that the project is compatible with grizzly bear needs. — ................................................................................. 22 Analysis for the Western Pearlshell Mussel .............................................................................. 32 Distribution and Abundance .................................................................................................. 33 Habitat Associations .............................................................................................................. 33 Population within the Silverfish Planning Subunit ............................................................... 33 Direct, Indirect, and Cumulative Effects ............................................................................... 33 Additional Cumulative Effects Analysis for Alt 6-Modified – Silverbutte Bugs Project ......... 33 Forest Vegetation ................................................................................................................... 34 Hydrology .............................................................................................................................. 35 Soils ....................................................................................................................................... 37 Fisheries ................................................................................................................................ 38 Fire and Fuels ........................................................................................................................ 38 Air Quality ............................................................................................................................. 39 Scenic/Recreation/Roadless Resources ................................................................................. 39 Invasive Plant Species ........................................................................................................... 40 Proposed, Threatened, Endangered and Sensitive (PTES) Plants ......................................... 41 Wildlife .................................................................................................................................. 41 Cultural Resources ................................................................................................................ 47 Analysis to Support 2015 Forest Plan Consistency Determination ........................................... 52 Winter Harvesting Effects on Ungulate Winter Range Mapped Under the 2015 Forest Plan 52 Public Involvement .................................................................................................................... 54 Public Involvement Summary ............................................................................................... 54 DSEIS Response to Comments ............................................................................................. 54 Appendix A— Motorized Access Management Direction, KNF .................... 58 Appendix B— Chronology of Grizzly Bear Management Since 1993 Recovery Plan ................................................................................................... 63 Appendix C— Limitations of the Wakkinen Study ......................................... 65 Appendix D —Miller West Fisher Project Design Features ........................... 71 Miller West Fisher Final SEIS Contents Trails and Roads ........................................................................................................................ 71 Proposed, Threatened, Endangered and Sensitive Plants and Wildlife ..................................... 71 Noxious Weeds .......................................................................................................................... 71 Soil and Water ........................................................................................................................... 73 Fish, including Bull Trout ......................................................................................................... 73 Forest Vegetation ....................................................................................................................... 73 Wildlife ...................................................................................................................................... 74 Cultural Resources ..................................................................................................................... 75 Appendix E—Bull Trout Proposed Critical Habitat & Primary Constituent Elements (PCE) ................................................................................................. 77 Appendix F—Proposed Vegetation Treatments ............................................. 79 Appendix G— Silverbutte Bugs Project Information ..................................... 83 Appendix H—2015 Forest Plan Consistency .................................................. 85 Appendix I—Distribution List......................................................................... 199 Distribution of the Environmental Impact Statement .............................................................. 199 References ...................................................................................................... 200 Appendix J—Maps .......................................................................................... 203 Miller West Fisher Final SEIS Introduction This Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (FSEIS) responds to comments on the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact statement (DSEIS 2014). The Miller West Fisher (MWF) Draft Supplemental