Environmental Assessment United States Department of Agriculture Special Use Permit Amendment Forest Service For the use of select herbicides along an February 2013 existing pipeline right-of-way Kinder Morgan / Southern Natural Gas

Shoal Creek Ranger District, Talladega National Forest Calhoun and Cleburne Counties,

Responsible Official: Steven Lohr Forest Supervisor 2946 Chestnut Street Montgomery, AL 36107

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Table of Contents

Contents 1.0 Introduction ...... 5 1.1 Project Area Description ...... 5 1.2 Decision to be Made ...... 5 1.3 History and Background ...... 6 1.4 Proposed Action Summary ...... 6 1.5 Purpose and Need for Action ...... 6 Decisions leading to proposed action: ...... 7 1.6 Public Involvement ...... 8 1.7 Issues ...... 8 2.1 Introduction ...... 9 2.2 Alternatives Considered in Detail...... 9 2.2.1 Alternative #1 - No Action: ...... 9 2.2.2 Alternative #2 - Proposed Action: ...... 9 Table 2-1 Comparison of Alternatives...... 10 Figure 2-1 ...... 11 3.1 Introduction ...... 12 3.2 Environmental Consequences: Public Health and Safety ...... 12 3.3 Environmental Consequences: Soil Productivity ...... 14 3.5 Environmental Consequences: Vegetation Resources ...... 21 3.6 Environmental Consequences: Wildlife Resources ...... 23 3.7 Visual Resources ...... 25 3.8 Consistency with Forest Plan ...... 26 3.9 Civil Rights and Environmental Justice ...... 27 Literature Cited: ...... 30 Appendix A Biological Evaluation ...... 32 I. Introduction ...... 32 A. Objectives...... 32 B. Location ...... 33 II. Consultation History & References ...... 33 III. Purpose and Need ...... 34 IV. Proposed Management Actions ...... 34 V. Considered and Evaluated ...... 34 VI. Evaluated Species Survey Information ...... 34 VI. Summary of effects determinations for species considered in BE...... 35 VII. Determination of Effect and Rationale for PET’s and Candidate Species. .... 36

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Table A-1-1. Threatened, Endangered, Proposed, and Candidate Species Considered and Included/Excluded from Analysis in CE/BE– Talladega Division. (List derived from Final EIS, Revised Land and Resource Management Plan PET Species List, NFA, 2004) ...... 52 Appendix B Biological Assessment...... 54 Introduction ...... 54 Objectives ...... 54 Location ...... 55 Purpose and Need ...... 55 Proposed Management Actions ...... 55 Consultation History & References ...... 56 Species Considered & Evaluated ...... 56 Evaluated Species Survey Information ...... 56 Appendix C ...... 65 Public Comment ...... 65

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Chapter 1 1.0 Introduction.0 INTRODUCTION This Environmental Assessment (EA) documents the results of a study of the potential environmental impacts of actions proposed by the Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, to modify the existing special use permit currently held by the Kinder Morgan / Southern Natural Gas Corporation (SNG) to allow the application of select herbicides along 1.6 miles (15 acres) of pipeline right-