Environmental Assessment
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Forest Service National Park Service U.S. Department of Agriculture U.S. Department of the Interior Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests Rocky Mountain National Park and Pawnee National Grassland Highway 7 Recreation Improvements Plan Environmental Assessment June 2009 The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Department of the Interior (USDI) 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. Highway 7 Recreation Improvements Plan ii Summary The Boulder Ranger District of the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National Grassland (ARP or the “Forest”) and Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP or the “Park”) have teamed up to develop and propose a variety of recreation improvement projects to address operational concerns, public concerns and improve the recreation experience along the Highway 7 corridor on National Forest and National Park System lands in Boulder and Larimer Counties, Colorado. The project activities include the enhancement and development of facilities at the Lily Lake area and at the Longs Peak Trailhead in the Park and at the Meeker Park Campground and Picnic Site on the Forest. In the Lily Lake area, improvements are needed to accommodate the increasing number of visitors. Inadequate parking and visitor services have resulted in an unsafe situation with visitors crossing the busy highway to access the many trails on the west side of Highway 7. The existing Lily Lake Visitor Center has been unused since late 2004 when an operations review by the Park concluded that the visitor center was no longer needed due to its proximity to other RMNP visitor centers, its proximity to the Estes Park Visitor Center, and due to inadequate funding. A decision needs to be made regarding the future of the visitor center and whether it should be retained for some other use or removed and the land returned to a more natural setting. At the Longs Peak Trailhead, adequate parking has been a challenge for the visitors that come to climb the majestic peak. Climbers and hikers usually arrive in the dark predawn hours to begin their ascent only to find that the parking lot is full. During the summer, parking occurs along Larimer County Road 2H (Longs Peak Road) outside the park boundary creating a line of parked vehicles that can be a mile or more away from the actual trailhead on busy weekends. This off-site parking impacts nearby private landowners and creates a safety issue for motorists and pedestrians on the road. The Longs Peak Campground is available on a first-come first-served basis only (there are no reserved campsites). This 26 site tent-only campground, originally intended for climbers, is attractive to a variety of users including non-climbers. This mix has resulted in use conflicts when climbers wake before dawn to prepare for their ascent. Use conflicts have also arisen with the adjacent Camp Timberline, a private sports camp whose only access is through the Longs Peak Campground. Action is needed to improve the parking situation and pedestrian safety, and to create a visitor use facility that is compatible with surrounding uses and the adjacent private properties. The Meeker “Overflow” Campground and Picnic Site is on National Forest System lands and is located about 3.25 miles from the Longs Peak Trailhead via Longs Peak Road and Highway 7. This campground offers a rustic experience for campers when other more developed sites are filled. The existing design and facilities at the campground are no longer sufficient to handle the increasing demand and use of the facility. The Meeker Park Picnic Site, located on the east side of Highway 7 across from the campground, occupies a small corner of public land that is bordered on two sides Highway 7 Recreation Improvements Plan iii by private lands and dwellings. User conflicts occur as a result of this location. Visitors using the picnic site often wander across the boundary towards a private lake near the site. In the vicinity of the Meeker Park Campground, many trails have been created by users seeking day hiking opportunities. These user created trails have resulted in impacts to scenic quality and wildlife habitat, and have created recreation management challenges. Improvements are needed to address the long-term management objectives and to move the area towards the more sustainable desired conditions identified in the Forest Plan. Action is needed to bring the facilities of this campground up to current Forest Service standards. The USDA Forest Service (USFS) and the USDI National Park Service (NPS) have prepared this Environmental Assessment (EA) in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 and other applicable federal and state laws and regulations. This EA discloses the direct, indirect and cumulative environmental impacts that may result from the implementation of the proposed action and alternatives analyzed for this project within the predetermined project area boundary. The purpose and need for action and the key public issues define the scope of this analysis and document. Public Comment We welcome your comments on this Environmental Assessment. Your comments must be received in writing by close of business on June 30, 2009. If you have Internet access, the preferred method for submitting comments is to use the National Park Service Planning, Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) website: http://parkplanning.nps.gov. From this site, use the drop down menu to select Rocky Mountain National Park. A list of current planning projects will be displayed and you can select the Highway 7 Recreation Improvements Plan Environmental Assessment. Review comments can be submitted online. If you do not have Internet access, you can submit your comments to us in the following ways: • By Mail: Superintendent, Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Park, Colorado 80517 • By Fax: (970) 586-1397 • By Express Delivery: Superintendent, Rocky Mountain National Park, 1000 Highway 36, Estes Park, Colorado 80517 • Hand Delivery: Rocky Mountain National Park Headquarters, 1000 Highway 36, Estes Park, Colorado or to Kawuneeche Visitor Center, Rocky Mountain National Park, 16018 Highway 34, Grand Lake, Colorado Highway 7 Recreation Improvements Plan iv You do not need to send or deliver comments to both agencies. Comments will be reviewed by both agencies after the close of the comment period. Before including your address, telephone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment – including your personal identifying information – may be made publicly available at any time. While you may request that any personal information be withheld from public review, we cannot guarantee that we can do so. All public comments will be carefully reviewed, and a determination will be made whether to approve a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) or additional NEPA compliance is required. The USFS and the NPS will be making separate decisions. The decision affecting the Lily Lake area and the Longs Peak Trailhead will be made by the Director, Intermountain Region of the NPS. The decision affecting the Meeker Park Picnic Site and Meeker Park Campground will be made by the Boulder District Ranger of the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National Grassland. Boulder District Ranger Superintendent Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests Rocky Mountain National Park and Pawnee National Grassland Estes Park, CO 80517 2140 Yarmouth Ave Boulder, CO 80301 Highway 7 Recreation Improvements Plan v TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1 - PURPOSE AND NEED FOR ACTION .......................................................... 1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................... 1 BACKGROUND ............................................................................................................ 2 PROJECT LOCATION ................................................................................................... 3 PURPOSE AND NEED FOR ACTION ............................................................................. 5 RELATIONSHIP TO NATIONAL FOREST PLANS........................................................... 8 RELATIONSHIP TO NATIONAL PARK PLANS .............................................................. 8 DESIRED CONDITIONS ................................................................................................ 8 Roosevelt National Forest ...................................................................................... 8 Rocky Mountain National Park .............................................................................. 9 PROJECT OBJECTIVES ..............................................................................................