Environmental Assessment Table of Contents
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United States Department of Environmental Agriculture Forest Assessment Service March 20, 2006 (Corrected) Trout Vegetation Management Project Republic Ranger District, Colville National Forest Ferry County, Washington T37N, R32E Sections 1-2; 5-8; 11-12; 17-18 T38N, R32E Sections 2-22; 27-35 T38N, R33E, Section 7 T39N, R32E Section 31 For Information Contact: Joe Alexander, District Ranger Republic Ranger District 650 East Delaware Republic WA 99166 (509) 775-7400 “The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) 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, DC 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.” Trout Vegetation Management Project Environmental Assessment Table of Contents Chapter 1—Purpose And Need ....................................................................................... 1 PROPOSED ACTION ..................................................................................................... 1 PROJECT LOCATION ................................................................................................... 2 PURPOSE AND NEED................................................................................................... 2 DECISION FRAMEWORK ............................................................................................. 8 MANAGEMENT DIRECTION........................................................................................ 8 Forest Plan................................................................................................................... 8 Management Requirements for Viable Populations of Existing Native Vertebrate Species ................................................................................................................................... 11 Forest Plan Amendments .......................................................................................... 12 ROADS ANALYSIS........................................................................................................ 12 PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT............................................................................................. 16 ISSUES ..........................................................................................................................17 Significant Issues ...................................................................................................... 17 Other Issues............................................................................................................... 19 Chapter 2—Alternatives................................................................................................. 23 Description of Alternatives, including the Proposed Action......................................... 23 Alternative A............................................................................................................. 23 Alternative B ............................................................................................................. 23 Alternative C ............................................................................................................. 29 Project Design Elements Common to all Action Alternatives.................................. 34 Project Design Elements for Alternative C............................................................... 44 Monitoring .................................................................................................................... 44 Sale Area Improvement Opportunities.......................................................................... 46 Alternatives Not Considered in Detail .......................................................................... 47 Comparison of Alternatives .......................................................................................... 47 Chapter 3--Environmental Consequences .................................................................... 54 Cumulative Effects Discussion...................................................................................... 54 Environmental Consequences by Resource or Topic.................................................... 58 Timber Vegetation .................................................................................................... 58 Forest Fuels ............................................................................................................... 64 Economics................................................................................................................. 71 Water......................................................................................................................... 73 Wildlife ..................................................................................................................... 79 Fisheries .................................................................................................................. 109 Soils......................................................................................................................... 115 Noxious Weeds ....................................................................................................... 131 Air ........................................................................................................................... 138 i Trout Vegetation Management Project Environmental Assessment Heritage................................................................................................................... 139 Range ...................................................................................................................... 140 Recreation ............................................................................................................... 145 Sensitive Plants ....................................................................................................... 155 Visual Quality ......................................................................................................... 157 Other Required Analyses ............................................................................................ 162 Effects on Consumers, Civil Rights, Minority Groups and Women (Includes Environmental Justice Analysis)............................................................................. 162 Effects on Farmland, Rangeland and Forestland .................................................... 163 Effects on Wetlands and Floodplains ..................................................................... 163 Short-term Use vs. Maintenance and Enhancement of Long-term Productivity.... 164 Adverse Effects that Cannot be Avoided................................................................ 164 Conflicts with Objectives of Other Land Management Plans, Policies, and Controls165 Public Health & Safety ........................................................................................... 165 Unique Characteristics of the Geographic Area ..................................................... 167 The Degree to which the Effects are Highly Uncertain or Involve Unique or Unknown Risks........................................................................................................................ 167 The Degree to which the Action may Establish a Precedent for Future Actions with Significant Effects................................................................................................... 167 Chapter 4--Consultation And Coordination .............................................................. 168 Interdisciplinary Team Members (Colville National Forest Employees)................... 168 Interdisciplinary Team Support (Colville National Forest Employees)..................... 168 Federal, State, and Local Agencies ............................................................................ 168 Tribes .......................................................................................................................... 169 Others.......................................................................................................................... 169 Bibliography .................................................................................................................. 171 Chapter 1 .................................................................................................................... 171 Chapter 2 .................................................................................................................... 172 Chapter 3 .................................................................................................................... 172 Cumulative Effects Discussion............................................................................... 172 Timber Vegetation .................................................................................................. 172