San Juan Landscape Rangeland Environmental Assessment, March
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
United States Department of Agriculture Environmental Forest Service Assessment March 2009 San Juan Landscape Rangeland Assessment Ouray Ranger District and Gunnison Ranger District Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forests Ouray, Gunnison, Hinsdale Counties, Colorado Cover photo: Box Factory Park courtesy of Barry Johnston 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 individuals 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, DC 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Environmental Assessment San Juan Landscape Rangeland Assessment San Juan Landscape Rangeland Assessment Environmental Assessment Ouray, Gunnison, Hinsdale Counties, Colorado Lead Agency: USDA Forest Service Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests Responsible Officials: Tamera Randall-Parker, District Ranger Ouray Ranger District 2505 South Townsend Montrose, CO 81401 James Dawson, District Ranger Gunnison Ranger District 216 North Colorado St. Gunnison, CO 81230 Charles Richmond, Forest Supervisor Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre & Gunnison NF 2250 Hwy 50 Delta, CO 81504 For Information Contact: Kelley Liston, Range Conservationist 2505 South Townsend Montrose, CO 81401 970-240-5408 [email protected] Abstract: This Environmental Assessment discloses the effects of three alternatives related to livestock grazing on twenty-three range allotments on the Ouray and Gunnison Ranger Districts on the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests. The three alternatives analyzed include No Permitted Livestock Grazing, Existing Condition (“No Action”) and Proposed Action which includes combining and closing individual allotments to better allow adaptive management to meet forest and national goals. This Environmental Assessment (EA) is a public document that provides sufficient evidence and analysis for determining whether to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) or a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI). It reveals the direct, indirect, and cumulative effects of a proposed action and alternative actions for permitted domestic livestock grazing management within the San Juan Landscape analysis area. This document follows the format established in the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations (40 Code of Federal Regulations {CFR} §1500-1508). It includes a discussion of the need for the proposal; alternatives to the proposal; the physical, biological, social and economic impacts of the proposed action and alternatives; and a listing of agencies and persons consulted. It is tiered to the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) and Record of Decision (ROD) for the 1986 Revised Land and Resource Management Plan, as amended (Forest Plan) for the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forests. i San Juan Landscape Rangeland Assessment Environmental Assessment ii Environmental Assessment San Juan Landscape Rangeland Assessment Table of Contents Chapter 1. Purpose of and Need for Action ........................................................................ 3 1.0 Document Structure .............................................................................................................. 3 1.1 Background ........................................................................................................................... 3 1.2 Purpose of and Need for Action............................................................................................ 4 1.3 Summary of the Proposed Action ......................................................................................... 5 1.4 Authorizing Actions.............................................................................................................. 5 1.4.1 Laws and Acts.......................................................................................................... 6 1.4.2 Forest Service Manual (FSM) and Forest Service Handbook (FSH) ...................... 7 1.4.3 Permits, Plans and Instructions (FSM and FSH) ..................................................... 8 1.5 Decision Framework ............................................................................................................. 9 1.6 Public Involvement ............................................................................................................... 9 1.6 Conformance with Forest Plan............................................................................................ 10 1.7 Issues................................................................................................................................... 12 1.7.1 Key Issues .............................................................................................................. 12 1.7.2 Non-key Issues....................................................................................................... 14 Chapter 2. Alternatives, Including the proposed action .................................................... 17 2.0 Introduction......................................................................................................................... 17 2.1 Alternatives Considered in Detail ....................................................................................... 17 2.1.1 No Permitted Livestock Grazing (No Grazing) Alternative.................................. 17 2.1.2 Existing Condition (“No Action”) Alternative ...................................................... 18 2.1.3 Proposed Action Alternative (Adaptive Management).......................................... 19 2.1.4 Proposed Design Criteria ....................................................................................... 24 2.1.5 Proposed Monitoring Requirements ...................................................................... 36 2.1.6 Summary of Alternatives ....................................................................................... 39 2.2 Alternatives Considered but Eliminated from Detailed Study............................................ 46 2.2.1 Convert Active Sheep Allotments to Cattle Allotments........................................ 47 2.2.2 Middle Fork Livestock Driveway Use................................................................... 47 2.2.3 Closing Sheep Allotments in Wilderness .............................................................. 47 2.2.4 Reallocation of use on the Bear Creek Allotment ................................................. 48 2.3 Comparison of Alternatives ................................................................................................ 48 Chapter 3. Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences ............................... 55 3.0 General Affected Environment Information ....................................................................... 55 3.0.1 Current Allotment Status ....................................................................................... 55 3.0.2 Activities that Affect Ground Conditions.............................................................. 56 3.1 Air Quality .......................................................................................................................... 57 3.1.1 Affected Environment............................................................................................ 57 3.1.2 No Grazing Alternative Environmental Consequences ......................................... 59 3.1.3 Existing Condition & Proposed Action Alternatives Environmental Consequences ......................................................................................................................................... 60 3.1.4 Cumulative Effects................................................................................................. 60 3.2 Soils & Geology.................................................................................................................. 60 3.2.1 Affected Environment............................................................................................ 60 3.2.2 No Grazing Alternative Environmental Consequences ......................................... 61 3.2.3 Existing Condition Alternative Environmental Consequences.............................. 61 3.2.4 Proposed Action Alternative Environmental Consequences ................................. 62 3.2.5 Cumulative Effects................................................................................................. 62 iii San Juan Landscape Rangeland Assessment Environmental Assessment 3.2.6 Mitigation and Monitoring..................................................................................... 62 3.3 Watershed Resources...........................................................................................................63 3.3.1 Affected Environment...........................................................................................