Gypsy Moth Management in the United States: a cooperative approach Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement Volume II of IV Chapters 1-8 and Appendixes A-E United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Newtown Square, PA NA-MR-01-08 June 2008 Contents Volume II Chapter 1. Purpose of and Need for Action Chapter 2. Alternatives Including the Preferred Alternative Chapter 3. Affected Environment Chapter 4. Environmental Consequences Chapter 5. Preparers and Contributors Chapter 6. Mailing List Chapter 7. Glossary Chapter 8. References Appendix A. Gypsy Moth Treatments and Application Technology Appendix B. Gypsy Moth Management Program Appendix C. Public Involvement and Issues Appendix D. Plant List Appendix E. Biology, History, and Control Efforts for the Gypsy Moth Gypsy Moth Management in the United States: a cooperative approach Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement The complete Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, Gypsy Moth Management in the United States: a cooperative approach, consists of four volumes: Volume I Summary Volume II Chapters 1-8 and Appendixes A, B, C, D, E Volume III Appendixes F, G, H, I Volume IV Appendixes J, K, L, M Lead Agency: Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Responsible Official: James R. Hubbard, Deputy Chief for State and Private Forestry Sidney R. Yates Federal Building 201 14th Street, SW Washington, DC 20250 For More Information: Bill Oldland, SEIS Team Leader 180 Canfield Street Morgantown, WV 26505 Joint Lead Agency: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), USDA Responsible Official: Richard L. Dunkle, Deputy Administrator for Plant Protection and Quarantine 4700 River Road Riverdale, MD 20737-1236 For More Information: Weyman P. Fussell, Ph.D., Gypsy Moth Program Coordinator Emergency and Domestic Programs, APHIS 4700 River Road, Unit 134 Riverdale, MD 20737-1236 Abstract: The USDA Forest Service and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service are proposing an addition to the gypsy moth management program that was described in the 1995 Environmental Impact Statement--Gypsy Moth Management in the United States: a cooperative approach--and chosen in the 1996 Record of Decision. The agencies are proposing these new treatment options: adding the insecticide tebufenozide, or adding the insecticide tebufenozide and other new treatment(s) that may become available in the future to manage gypsy moths, provided that the other treatment(s) poses no greater risk to human health and nontarget organisms than are disclosed in this Draft SEIS for the currently approved treatments and tebufenozide. Commenting on this Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement: Reviewers should provide the Forest Service with their comments during the review period of this draft supplemental environmental impact statement. Timely comments will enable the Forest Service to analyze and respond to all of the comments at one time and to use information acquired in the preparation of the final supplemental environmental impact statement, thus avoiding undue delay in the decision making process. Furthermore, the more specific and substantive the comments, the better for reviewers and the agencies alike. Reviewers have an obligation to structure their participation in the National Environmental Policy Act process so that it is meaningful and alerts the agency to the reviewer’s position and contentions (Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519, 553, 1978). Environmental objections that could have been raised at the draft stage may therefore be forfeited, if not raised until after completion of the final environmental impact statement (Department ofT ransportation v. Public Citizen, 541 U.S. 752, 764 (2004). Comments on this draft supplemental environmental impact statement should be specific and should address the adequacy of the statement and the merits of the alternatives discussed (40 CFR 1503.3). Web Site for Draft SEIS: The Draft SEIS is available for viewing at www.na.fs.fed.us/wv/eis Send Comments to: Bill Oldland, SEIS Team Leader USDA Forest Service 180 Canfield Street Morgantown, WV 26505 304-285-1585 Date Comments Must Be Received: See cover letter for the date that comments are due in Morgantown, WV. Photo Credits Figure 1-1. (UGA1398104) USDA Forest Service, Northeastern Area Archives, www.forestryimages.org Figure 1-2. (UGA1929085) USDA Forest Service Archives, www.forestryimages.org Figure 1-3. (UGA0488025) John H. Ghent, USDA Forest Service, www.forestryimages.org Figure 1-4. Left (UGA1241014) and Right (UGA1241013) John H. Ghent, USDA Forest Service, www.forestryimages.org Figure 1-5 (UGA3948096) William M. Ciesla, Forest Health Management International, www.forestryimages.org Figure 2-1. (UGA1275077) USDA Forest Service Archives, www.forestryimages.org Figure 3-1. (UGA1275033) USDA Forest Service Archives; www.forestryimages.org Figure 3-3. USDA Agricultural Research Service, www.ars.usda.gov/is/kids/suburb/story2/microscope.htm Figure 4-1. (UGA1275042) USDA Forest Service Archives, www.forestryimages.org Figure 5-1. (UGA1275050) USDA Forest Service Archives, www.forestryimages.org Figure 6-1. (UGA1275044) USDA Forest Service Archives, www.forestryimages.org Figure 7-1. (UGA1275010) USDA Forest Service Archives, www.forestryimages.org Figure 8-1. (UGA1275053) USDA Forest Service Archives, www.forestryimages.org Figure A-1. (UGA1275013) USDA Forest Service Archives, www.forestryimages.org Figure A-2. Derek Handley Figure A-3. (UGA1301021) Joseph O’Brien, USDA Forest Service, www.forestryimages.org Figure A-4. (UGA2652048) USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Plant Protection and Quarantine Archives, www.forestryimages.org Figure A-5. (UGA2652042) USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Plant Protection and Quarantine Archives, www.forestryimages.org Figure A-6. (UGA1335028) John H. Ghent, USDA Forest Service, www.forestryimages.org Figure A-7. (UGA2253091) Bill Antrobius, USDA Forest Service, www.forestryimages.org Figure A-8. (UGA5022085) Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Forestry Archives, www.insectimages.org Figure B-1. (UGA1275058) USDA Forest Service Archives, www.forestryimages.org Figure C-1. (UGA1275037) USDA Forest Service Archives, www.forestryimages.org Figure D-1. (UGA1275020) USDA Forest Service Archives, www.forestryimages.org Figure E-1. (UGA1275016) USDA Forest Service Archives, www.forestryimages.org Figure E-3. (UGA1929072) USDA Forest Service Archives, www.insectimages.org Figure E-4. (UGA0886002) Tim Tigner, Virginia Department of Forestry, www.insectimages.org Figure E-5. (UGA2652066) USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Plant Protection and Quarantine Archives, www.forestryimages.org Figure E-6. (UGA2652079) USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Plant Protection and Quarantine Archives, www.forestryimages.org Chapter 1 Purpose of and Need for Action Figure 1-1. In 1892, workers attempted to control gypsy moth by hand picking egg masses. Chapter 1 Purpose of and Need for Action Contents 1.1 Proposed Action.......................................................................................1 1.2 Public Involvement and Issues................................................................1 1.3 Background.............................................................................................2 1.4 Purpose of and Need for Action...............................................................3 1.5 Decision Framework................................................................................4 1.6 Scope of This Document and NEPA Requirements.................................5 1.7 Consultations...........................................................................................6 Figures and Tables Figure 1-1. In 1892, workers attempted to control gypsy moths by hand picking egg masses ..................................................................Cover Figure 1-2. Feeding by gypsy moth caterpillars (larvae) causes defoliation ..........................................................................................2 Figure 1-3. European gypsy moths (male on left and female on right) are found in the United States .......................................................................2 Figure 1-4. This Asian gypsy moth male (left) and female (right) are from Mongolia. As of this writing, the Asian gypsy moth is not found in the United States .............................................................................3 Figure 1-5. People unknowingly spread gypsy moths by moving objects on which egg masses were deposited ...............................................3 Figure 1-6. In 2006, the European gypsy moth was established in all or part of 19 states and the District of Columbia .....................................4 Table 1-1. Acres treated in suppression projects, by treatment, 2002-2006 .....................................................................................................5 Table 1-2. Acres treated in eradication projects, by treatment, 2002-2006 .....................................................................................................5 Table 1-3. Acres treated in slow-the-spread projects by treatment, 2002-2006 .....................................................................................................5 Purpose of and Need for Action The management of gypsy moth in the United States information about the use and effectiveness of