United States Department of Agriculture La Brea Restoration Project Environmental Assessment Forest Service, Los Padres National Forest, Santa Lucia Ranger District August 2019 For More Information Contact: Kyle Kinports 6750 Navigator Way, Suite 150 Goleta, CA 805-961-5710 Cover Photo: Photo of North Fork La Brea Creek after flood damage following the 2009 La Brea Fire on La Brea Canyon Road (NFS Road 10N06.1) at a creek crossing. Photo taken by Melody Fountain. 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Environmental Assessment Contents Introduction ...................................................................................................................................................1 Location of the Project Area .....................................................................................................................1 Need for the Proposal ....................................................................................................................................2 What will be Decided? ..................................................................................................................................5 Proposed Action and Alternatives .................................................................................................................5 Alternative 1: Proposed Action .................................................................................................................6 Alternative 2: No Action ...........................................................................................................................9 Alternative 3 ............................................................................................................................................10 Alternative 4 ............................................................................................................................................12 Alternatives Summary Table...................................................................................................................14 Project Design Features and Mitigation Measures ..................................................................................15 Environmental Consequences .....................................................................................................................16 Past, Present, and Reasonably Foreseeable Activities ............................................................................16 Transportation System ............................................................................................................................17 Project Area Roads and Trails .............................................................................................................18 Road Maintenance Levels ...................................................................................................................19 Recreation ...............................................................................................................................................24 Existing Condition ...............................................................................................................................26 Environmental Consequences .............................................................................................................34 Inventoried Roadless Areas.....................................................................................................................56 Direct and Indirect Effects ...................................................................................................................57 Scenery ....................................................................................................................................................60 Existing Condition ...............................................................................................................................60 Environmental Consequences .............................................................................................................61 Summary of All Alternatives on Scenery ............................................................................................62 Hydrology ...............................................................................................................................................64 Existing Condition ...............................................................................................................................64 Environmental Consequences .............................................................................................................70 Aquatic and Terrestrial Wildlife Species ................................................................................................77 Environmental Consequences .............................................................................................................77 Management Indicator Species ...............................................................................................................82 Existing Condition ...............................................................................................................................83 Environmental Consequences .............................................................................................................84 Migratory Birds .......................................................................................................................................96 Threatened, Endangered, Proposed and Sensitive Plants ........................................................................98 Noxious Weeds .....................................................................................................................................100 Heritage Resources ...............................................................................................................................102 Existing Condition .............................................................................................................................102 Environmental Consequences ...........................................................................................................103 Climate Change .....................................................................................................................................108 Agencies and Persons Consulted ...............................................................................................................110 Federal, State, and Local Agencies .......................................................................................................110 Tribes ....................................................................................................................................................110 Others ....................................................................................................................................................110 References .................................................................................................................................................111 Appendices ................................................................................................................................................115 Los Padres National Forest i La Brea Restoration Project List of Tables Table 1. Activities comparison for each road, trail, and recreation site by alternative ............................... 14 Table 2. Past, present, and reasonably foreseeable activities considered for cumulative effects ............... 16 Table 3. National Forest System roads within the La Brea Restoration project area ................................. 18 Table 4. National Forest