United States Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management DOI-BLM-ID-B000-2016-0002-EA
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United States Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT DOI-BLM-ID-B000-2016-0002-EA BOISE DISTRICT NOXIOUS WEED AND INVASIVE PLANT MANAGEMENT U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management Boise District Office 3948 Development Avenue Boise, ID 83705 June 2018 Boise District Noxious Weed and Invasive Plant Management Environmental Assessment TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1 – INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................. 1 1.1 PURPOSE AND NEED FOR ACTION ................................................................................................ 1 1.2 CONFORMANCE WITH LAND USE PLANS ....................................................................................... 2 1.3 RELATIONSHIP TO STATUTES, REGULATIONS OR OTHER PLANS .......................................................... 3 1.4 TIERING AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE ................................................................................ 4 1.5 SCOPING, PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT, AND ISSUES ................................................................................ 4 CHAPTER 2 – PROPOSED ACTION AND ALTERNATIVES ............................................................. 5 2.1 COMMON TO ALL ALTERNATIVES ................................................................................................. 6 2.2 ALTERNATIVE A - NO ACTION ALTERNATIVE: CONTINUE CURRENT INTEGRATED WEED MANAGEMENT … ... 9 2.3 ALTERNATIVE B - PROPOSED ACTION – ADDITION OF 3 ACTIVE INGREDIENTS ..................................... 13 2.4 ALTERNATIVE C - NO AERIAL APPLICATION OF HERBICIDES ............................................................. 15 2.5 ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED BUT NOT ANALYZED IN DETAIL .................................................... 15 2.6 MONITORING ........................................................................................................................ 15 CHAPTER 3 – AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES ................. 16 3.1 ASSUMPTIONS FOR THE ANALYSIS .............................................................................................. 16 3.2 VEGETATION (INCLUDING SPECIAL STATUS SPECIES) ...................................................................... 18 3.3 WILDLIFE (INCLUDING SPECIAL STATUS SPECIES) .......................................................................... 23 3.4 FISH AND AQUATIC SPECIES (INCLUDING SPECIAL STATUS SPECIES) .................................................. 27 3.5 CULTURAL RESOURCES ............................................................................................................ 31 CHAPTER 4 – CUMULATIVE EFFECTS ...................................................................................... 33 4.1 PAST, PRESENT AND REASONABLY FORESEEABLE FUTURE PROJECTS .................................................. 33 4.2 CUMULATIVE EFFECTS OF INTEGRATED WEED MANAGEMENT ......................................................... 36 CHAPTER 5 – CONSULTATION AND COORDINATION .............................................................. 37 LIST OF PREPARERS ......................................................................................................................... 38 CHAPTER 6 - REFERENCES ...................................................................................................... 39 APPENDIX A - STATE OF IDAHO NOXIOUS WEEDS AND BOISE DISTRICT INVASIVE PLANTS LIST TO DATE .......................................................................................................... 43 APPENDIX B - BIOLOGICAL CONTROL AGENTS AVAILABLE FOR USE ON BLM LANDS .............. 48 APPENDIX C - HERBICIDES AND ADJUVANTS APPROVED FOR USE ON BLM LANDS ................ 52 APPENDIX D – REQUIRED DESIGN FEATURES, BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES, AND STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES ............................................................ 68 APPENDIX E - SPECIAL STATUS SPECIES .................................................................................. 88 APPENDIX F - MIGRATORY BIRD SPECIES OF CONSERVATION CONCERN IN THE GREAT BASIN ....................................................................................................................... 99 APPENDIX G – ARMPA CONFORMANCE REVIEW ................................................................. 101 Table of Contents i Boise District Noxious Weed and Invasive Plant Management Environmental Assessment Table of Contents ii Boise District Noxious Weed and Invasive Plant Management Environmental Assessment CHAPTER 1 – INTRODUCTION The productivity and health of public lands in the Boise District Office (BDO) is being adversely affected by the invasion and spread of invasive and noxious weeds. An invasive species is defined as a species that is 1) non-native (or alien) to the ecosystem under consideration, and 2) whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health (Executive Order 13112). Noxious weeds are invasive species that have been designated “noxious” by state law (Idaho Statute 22). Noxious weeds are highly competitive and persistent. These species typically germinate under a wide variety of conditions and show fast seedling growth; thus they establish quickly and compete with native plants for water and nutrients (USDA and USDI BLM 1997, Chapter 2). Noxious and invasive weeds can displace native plant species, degrade habitat, reduce recreational opportunities, and adversely impact water quality. Other organisms, including endangered species, that depend on plant community diversity may be displaced or eliminated by the competition for critical resources (Wilson & Young 1996). The cost and complexity of managing these weeds and restoring native habitats increases greatly the longer these situations exist. Twenty-eight species of noxious and invasive weeds currently or potentially pose a problem within the Boise District (Appendix A) (Whitson et al. 2002, Prather et al. 2006). This list may change as other invasive weeds are discovered. Although weeds are widely scattered throughout the BDO in varying degrees and densities, many infestations can be controlled and eradication is possible on some smaller weed infestations. The Boise District proposes to update the integrated weed management (IWM) plan on public lands to increase the number of herbicides available for use and to expand upon the types of treatment options available for use to include manual, biological, chemical (including ground and aerial application of herbicides) on localized infestations of less than 50 contiguous acres. 1.1 PURPOSE AND NEED FOR ACTION The purpose of the proposed action is to improve effectiveness of the current BDO IWM program on BLM-administered public lands with the addition of three herbicide active ingredients (hereafter referred to as herbicide), aminopyralid, fluroxypyr, and rimsulfuron (BLM 2016) to the 181 herbicides currently approved (BLM 2007a). The three new chemicals were approved through a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) (BLM 2016) and are in addition to those approved in 2007. Integrated Weed Management strategies include the use of chemical (ground based and aerial applications), manual, and biological control treatments. The proposed action is necessary to incorporate herbicides approved in the 2007 and 2016 PEIs into the BDO’s IWM program and improve weed control effectiveness across the Boise District. The BDO IWM program requires a variety of effective tools for invasive plant management to 1 The 2007 PEIS analyzed and approved the use of 18 herbicides on BLM lands in 17 western states. However, Idaho BLM currently has a moratorium (Instruction Memorandum No.ID-2001-050) that disallows the use of sulfometuron methyl chemical on public lands. Therefore, throughout the document, reference will be made to 17 currently approved herbicides. Purpose and Need 1 Boise District Noxious Weed and Invasive Plant Management Environmental Assessment prevent spread into non-infested areas, restore desirable vegetation in degraded areas, and reduce wildfire risk. Weed treatments in the BDO are also reviewed for effectiveness and treatment methods based on topography, treatment access and presence of sensitive species. In some cases, the most cost- effective manner to treat some infestations may be by aerial herbicide applications. 1.2 CONFORMANCE WITH LAND USE PLANS Noxious weed and invasive plant treatments identified in the Proposed Action are consistent with the following applicable land use plans (LUPs): Bruneau Management Framework Plan (MFP) (BLM, 1983a) Watershed Objective #1 – Maintain stability of 408,300 acres of moderate, high and critical erosion hazard classes by reducing or minimizing wind and water erosion. Range Management Objective (RM-2) – Over the next 15 years, treat 85,600 acres of suitable public land to increase forage production and reduce the acreage of range in poor condition (subject to the following stipulation under RM 2.2) – If pesticides/herbicides spraying techniques are used for treating native rangelands, a buffer zone of 150 feet will be established around perennial streams and riparian habitat zones to ensure no chemicals affect those areas. Kuna MFP (BLM, 1983b) Manage all watersheds to achieve stable or moderate soil surface factor conditions and, where feasible/economical, strive for maintaining or establishing good perennial vegetation cover. Cascade Resource Management Plan (RMP) (BLM, 1988)