BLM Environmental Assessment for Wilkins Peak Bike Trail System Sign
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BLM BLM Environmental Assessment for Wilkins Peak Bike Trail System Sign Project WY-040-EA11-39 High Desert D i str i ct - Rock Springs Bureau of Land Management Rock Springs Field Office Field Office Wyoming June 2011 The BLM’s multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands. WY-040-EA11-39 Environmental Assessment for Wilkins Peak Bike Trail System Sign Project Prepared by Bureau of Land Management (Lead Agency) High Desert District Rock Springs Field Office Rock Springs, Wyoming and USDA Forest Service (Cooperating Agency) Flaming Gorge Ranger District Ashley National Forest Manila, Utah WY-040-EA11-39 June 2011 1.0 INTRODUCTION Title and Type of project: Sign placement project for Wilkins Peak Bike Trail System Location of proposal: T 18 N, R 106 W Sec 32 (BLM administered lands) and T 17 N, R 106 W, Sec 6 (USDA Forest Service administered lands) Case file number: NA Applicant Name: City of Green River 1.1 Background The Wilkins Peak Bike Trail System (WPBTS) has been in use for many years. In an effort to direct the bike riders on the trails, directional signs are proposed to be installed approximately every ¼ mile along the trails and at intersections in the area. The WPBTS contains 10 interconnected trails and covers 8.6 miles within Section 32 of BLM administered land and approximately 1 mile within Section 6 of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Ashley National Forest administered land near Green River, Wyoming. Adjacent sections are controlled by the Rock Springs Grazing Association and the city of Green River. 1.2 Purpose and Need for the Proposed Action The placement of the signs will improve the bike rider‟s situational awareness as to their location and the associated hazards along the bike trail. By designating and signing existing bike trails, it is hoped that impacts from such use will be confined so as to avoid adverse impacts to existing resources in the area. Existing signs need replacement due to condition and additional signage is needed on the bike trails in many locations. The need for this action is established by BLM responsibilities under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) to provide outdoor recreational opportunities on public lands. Decisions to be Made: The BLM will decide whether or not to grant permission to install additional signs on the BLM administered lands. In the reviewing process terms and conditions of the action will be determined along with any stipulations. The USDA Forest Service will decide whether or not to grant permission to install additional signs on the Ashley National Forest administered lands. In the reviewing process terms and conditions of the action will be determined along with any stipulations. 1.3 Relationship to Statutes, Regulations, Plans or Other Environmental Analyses This proposed action is subject to the Green River Resource Management Plan (GRRMP) approved August 1997. This plan has been reviewed to determine if the proposed action conforms to the land use plan terms and conditions as required by 43 CFR 1610.5. The existing trail is consistent with management actions for casual use on public lands, as defined in the GRRMP. The proposed action is in conformance with the objective to ensure the continued availability of outdoor recreational opportunities and to manage recreation sites to assure public health and safety (GRRMP p. 16). 1.4 Scoping, Public Involvement and Issues The BLM and USDA Forest Service interdisciplinary teams identified the following resource issues during internal scoping: Paleontology, Recreation, Invasive Species, Special Status Plants, Wildlife and Cultural. Bureau of Land Management | WY-040-EA11-39 Page 1 2.0 PROPOSED ACTION AND ALTERNATIVES 2.1 Alternative I – No Action Alternative The no action alternative is to deny the proposal. If the proposal is denied, the proponent would not have permission to install signs on public lands within the bike trail. 2.2 Alternative II – Proposed Action The City of Green River in conjunction with Sweetwater Mountain Bike Association (SMBA) requests to install carsonite trail markers on the proposed Wilkins Peak Bike Trail System. The trails are already existing trails that are currently being used by mountain bike groups and individuals for recreational trail ride experiences. The proposed activity will take place on a mix of BLM, US Forest Service and privately managed lands near the City of Green River. The BLM managed lands involved are entirely within Township 18 North, Range 106 West, section 32. Approximately 40 markers would be placed using a hand operated post pounder at all intersections and approximately ¼ mile intervals along the proposed routes. A total of 8.6 miles are in the BLM section. The one mile section of bike trail called “Pick Your Poison” lies within land administered by the Ashley National Forest. This segment of trail is located within Section 6, T17N, R 106W and is within the Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area (FGNRA). 2.3 Alternatives Considered but not Analyzed in Detail No other alternatives were considered. 3.0 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT The following are not present or were not identified as issues of concern and will not be further analyzed: Air Quality Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) Environmental Justice Prime or Unique Farmlands Flood Plains Hazardous or Solid Wastes Livestock Grazing Hydrology Native American Religious Concerns Soils Water Quality and Prime or Sole Source of Drinking Water Wetlands and Riparian Zones Wild and Scenic Rivers Wild Horses Socioeconomic Range 3.1 Paleontology Potential Fossil Yield Classification (PFYC) is used to classify paleontological resources potential on public lands in order to assess possible resource impacts and mitigation needs for Federal actions. This Bureau of Land Management | WY-040-EA11-39 Page 2 area has a PFYC of class 5- very high: highly fossiliferous geologic units that consistently and predictably produce vertebrate fossils or scientifically significant invertebrate or plant fossils, and that are at risk of human caused adverse impacts or natural degradation. The northeast corner of the project area, locally known as „Brent & Mike‟s area‟, has had previous fossil discoveries. 3.2 Recreation/Wilderness Visual resource management for the area is class III, which requires that actions be designed to partially retain the existing character of the landscape. There are no Wilderness Study Areas in the proposed project area, which consists of an existing recreation area and bike trails. The project exists entirely within the Checkerboard Land Status pattern and does not contain wilderness characteristics. 3.3 Special Status Plants The existing bike trails are not vegetated; however, one sensitive plant species is present in the area: Green River Greenthread (Thelesperma caespitosum). The plant populations are not located adjacent to the current trails and are not within the proposed marker locations. 3.4 Invasive Species The project area contains some small areas with cheatgrass (downy brome grass, Bromus tectorum), an annual grass that invades rangelands, pastures, and other open spaces. Cheatgrass has the potential to completely alter the ecosystems it invades and is therefore considered an invasive species. 3.5 Wildlife Within the project area, the following sage obligate birds are found: Sage thrasher, Loggerhead shrike, Brewer‟s sparrow, and Sage sparrow. Mammals in the area include the White-tailed prairie dog. Wetland birds would include the White faced ibis. The only reptile is the Midget Faded Rattlesnake. 3.6 Cultural In T18N, R106W, Sections 29, 32, and 33 have had no previous cultural resource inventories and there have been no sites previously recorded in these sections. There have been three projects inventoried for cultural resources in T18N, R107W, Section 36. No sites have been previously recorded in this section. There has been one project inventoried for cultural resources in T18N, R107W, Section 31. As a result of this inventory, no sites have been previously recorded in this section. There has been one linear project inventoried for cultural resources going through T18N, R106W, Section 31, and T17N, R106W, Sections 5 and 6. No sites have been previously recorded in section 31. There have been two prehistoric sites and one historic site previously recorded in Section 5. One of the prehistoric sites is recommended as eligible for inclusion within the National Register of Historic Places, and the other is recommended as not eligible. The eligible site is located outside of the project area. The historic site is also partially located in Section 6, and the eligibility for inclusion within the National Register of Historic Places is unknown. There are no additional sites that have been previously recorded in Section 6. This project qualifies for an exemption from cultural resource inventory under the Wyoming State Protocol Agreement between BLM and SHPO. Appendix B.10 states that “installing signs and markers adjacent to existing roads, or placing recreational, special designation or information signs, or visitor registers, unless within known historic properties” qualifies for an exclusion on BLM lands. The Forest Service portion of this project, T17N, R106W, Section 5, was inventoried in April 2011. 4.0 ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS 4.1 Paleontology Bureau of Land Management | WY-040-EA11-39 Page 3 No impacts to paleontological resources are expected with the following mitigation or avoidance measures: Work crew must stay on existing trails only. No new trails or trail construction. No new surface disturbance without paleontological survey. The Brent & Mike‟s area (NE Corner) will need a BLM Monitor for installing markers. 4.2 Recreation/Wilderness The installation of trail markers will provide a benefit for riders for situational awareness and ensuring riders stay on marked trails.