Loon Mountain South Peak Learning Center Project Town of Lincoln Grafton County, NH
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Loon Mountain South Peak Learning Center Project Town of Lincoln Grafton County, NH Environmental Assessment April, 2014 For Information Contact: Joe Gill Eastern Region Winter Sports Team White Mountain National Forest 300 Glen Road Gorham, NH 03581 Phone: 603-466-2713 x221 Fax: 603-466-2856; Attn: Joe Gill Email: [email protected] http://www.fs.usda.gov/whitemountain/l andmanagement/projects Environmental Assessment This document is available in large print. Contact the White Mountain National Forest 603-466-2713 x221 TTY 603-466-2856 The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) 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Printed on Recycled Paper Loon Mountain Ski Resort South Peak Learning Center Project Table of Contents List of Tables ..................................................................................................................... v List of Figures .................................................................................................................. vi 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Document Structure ................................................................................. 1 1.2 Project Introduction .................................................................................. 2 1.3 Project Area................................................................................................ 3 1.4 Forest Service Authority, Policy and Management Direction ........... 6 1.5 Purpose and Need for the Proposed Action ......................................... 9 1.6 Decision Framework .............................................................................. 13 1.7 Public Involvement ................................................................................. 14 2 Description of Alternatives and Issues for Analysis ......................................... 15 2.1 Introduction ............................................................................................. 15 2.2 Proposed Action and Alternatives ....................................................... 15 2.3 Issues Identification ................................................................................ 20 2.4 Resources Not Analyzed in Detailed ................................................... 21 2.5 Comparison of Alternatives .................................................................. 22 3 Existing Conditions and Environmental Effects ................................................ 25 3.1 Water Resources ...................................................................................... 26 3.2 Soil Resources .......................................................................................... 45 3.3 Fisheries and Aquatic Resources .......................................................... 52 3.4 Vegetation Resources and Non-Native Invasive Species ................. 56 3.5 Wildlife Resources .................................................................................. 64 3.6 Threatened, Endangered and Proposed Species (TEPS) and Regional Forester Sensitive Species (RFSS) ......................................... 70 3.7 Visuals ...................................................................................................... 81 iii Environmental Assessment 3.8 Recreation Resources .............................................................................. 97 3.9 Socioeconomic ....................................................................................... 102 3.10 Traffic ...................................................................................................... 110 4 Consultation or Coordination ............................................................................. 116 4.1 USDA Forest Service Participation .................................................... 116 4.2 Other Governmental Agencies Contacted ........................................ 116 5 References .............................................................................................................. 117 6 Abbreviations and Acronyms ............................................................................. 124 iv Loon Mountain Ski Resort South Peak Learning Center Project List of Tables Table 1.5-1. Existing (Permitted) Terrain Ability Breakdown......................................... 10 Table 2.2-1. Loon Mountain Terrain Ability Breakdown ................................................. 18 Table 2.5-1 Summary of Alternatives Analysis ................................................................ 23 Table 3.1-1. Snowmaking Demand under Existing and Proposed Conditions ............ 36 Table 3.1-2. Wetland Resource Impacts for the Proposed South Peak Learning Center ................................................................................................................. 39 Table 3.1-3. Past, Present and Foreseeable Future Projects within or near the Analysis Area considered for Cumulative Effects ....................................... 42 Table 3.2-1. Ecological Land Types1 mapped within the South Peak Learning Center project area............................................................................................ 46 Table 3.2-2. ELT1 Soil Substrata ........................................................................................... 46 Table 3.3-1. East Branch Pemigewasset Fish Stocking 2012 ............................................ 53 Table 3.6-1. Likelihood of Occurrence of TEPS and RFSS Plant Species and/or Habitat within the South Peak Learning Center Project Area. .................. 72 Table 3.6-2. Likelihood of Occurrence of TEPS and RFSS Animals and/or Habitat for the Project Area ........................................................................................... 75 Table 3.9-1. State, County and Town Population Estimates ......................................... 104 Table 3.9-2. Housing Supply Characteristics 2000-2009 ................................................ 104 Table 3.9-3. Employment and Wage Data ........................................................................ 105 Table 3.9-4. Quarterly Unemployment Rates for 2012 ................................................... 106 Table 3.9-5. Regional Employment Derived From Loon Mountain Ski Resort, 2012-13 .............................................................................................................. 107 Table 3.9-6. Summary of Estimated Socioeconomic Effects to Grafton County and Local Communities ................................................................................. 108 v Environmental Assessment List of Figures Figure 1.3-1. Loon Mountain Ski Resort Location Map. ...................................................... 4 Figure 1.3-2 Loon Mountain Special Use Permit and Proposed Project Area ................. 5 Figure 1.3-3. South Peak Learning Center Project Area....................................................... 7 Figure 3.1-1. Watershed Area Map ....................................................................................... 27 Figure 3.1-2. Analysis Area Water Resources Map ............................................................ 28 Figure 3.1-3. South Peak Learning Center Wetlands and Surface Waters. ..................... 34 Figure 3.1-4. South Peak Learning Center Effects to Wetlands and Surface Waters. .... 41 Figure 3.2-1. ELTs and NRCS soil types within the South Peak Learning Center Project Area. ...................................................................................................... 49 Figure 3.4-1. South Peak Learning Center Vegetation Communities .............................. 59 Figure 3.7-1. South Peak Learning Center Viewpoint Location Map. ............................. 84 Figure 3.7-2. Viewpoint 1– South Kinsman Mountain....................................................... 88 Figure 3.7-3. Viewpoint 4 – Mt Moosilauke......................................................................... 91 Figure 3.7.4. Town of Lincoln Typical View Positions ...................................................... 93 Figure 3.10-1 Selected Lincoln Roadways Assessed for Potential Traffic Impacts ....... 111 vi Loon Mountain Ski Resort South Peak Learning Center Project 1 Introduction 1.1 Document Structure The USDA Forest Service has prepared this Environmental Assessment (EA) in response to CLP Loon Mountain, LLC’s (Loon Mountain) proposal for the South Peak Learning Center Project in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and other relevant Federal and State laws and regulations. This EA discloses the analysis for the direct, indirect, and cumulative environmental effects that may result from the Proposed Action and alternatives. The document is organized into six chapters to support the analysis. 1. Introduction: This chapter