U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Anchorage Field Office 6881 Elmore Road Anchorage, Alaska 99507 http://www.blm.gov/ak/st/en/fo/ado.html _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Environmental Assessment Applicant: Tesoro Iron Dog Snowmobile Race “Tesoro Iron Dog” Case File No.: AA-057131 Applicant: Bill Merchant d/b/a Alaska Ultra Sport “Alaska Ultra Sport” Case File No.: AA-083492 Applicant: Iditarod Trail Committee, Inc. “Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race” Case File No.: AA-060380 Location: Bureau of Land Management lands traversed by the above winter, specialized recreational uses. & Campbell Tract, Anchorage, Alaska Prepared By: Bureau of Land Management, Anchorage Field Office February, 2008 AA-060380 AA-083492 AA-057131 AK-010-08-EA-012 Table of Contents Chapter 1 1.0. INTRODUCTION …………………………………………………………………………...6 1.1. Land Status........................................................................................................................................7 1.1.1. Campbell Tract, (Maps 1, 2 & 3, Appendix A).................................................................................7 1.1.2. Rohn Air Navigation Site, (Map 5, Appendix A) .............................................................................7 1.1.3. Post Glacier/Buffalo Tunnels, (Map 5, Appendix A) .......................................................................8 1.1.4. Farewell Burn, (Map 5, Appendix A) ...............................................................................................8 1.1.5. East McGrath, (Map 5, Appendix A)................................................................................................9 1.1.6. West McGrath, (Map 6, Appendix A)...............................................................................................9 1.1.7. Southern Race Route East of Anvik, (Map 7, Appendix A) ...........................................................10 1.1.8. Kaltag Portage, (Map 8, Appendix A) ............................................................................................10 1.1.9. South Shaktoolik, (Map 8, Appendix A).........................................................................................10 1.1.10. North Shaktoolik, (Map 9, Appendix A).........................................................................................11 1.1.11. West Koyuk, (Map 9, Appendix A) ................................................................................................11 1.1.12. Kwiktalik Mountains, (Map 9, Appendix A) ..................................................................................11 1.1.13. Klokerblok Hills, (Map 10, Appendix A) .......................................................................................11 1.1.14. Solomon East, (Map 10, Appendix A)............................................................................................12 1.1.17. Summary of route miles traversing BLM lands ..............................................................................13 1.2. Relationship to Statutes, Regulations, Policies, Plans or Other Environmental Analyses ..............14 1.2.1. Statutory and Regulatory Authority ................................................................................................14 1.2.2. Executive Orders 11644 and 11989 ................................................................................................15 1.2.3. Plans................................................................................................................................................16 1.2.3.1. Management Framework Plans.......................................................................................................16 1.2.3.2. Other Pertinent Plans ......................................................................................................................17 1.2.4. Environmental Analysis..................................................................................................................17 1.3. Plan Conformance...........................................................................................................................18 1.3.1. Management Framework Plans.......................................................................................................18 1.3.1.1. Southcentral Management Framework Plan ...................................................................................18 1.3.1.2. Southwest Management Framework Plan.......................................................................................19 1.3.1.3. Northwest Management Framework Plan.......................................................................................19 1.3.2. Other Pertinent Plans ......................................................................................................................20 1.3.2.1. Campbell Tract Facility Management Plan.....................................................................................20 1.3.2.2. River Management Plan for the Unalakleet National Wild River...................................................20 1.3.2.3. Central Yukon Resource Management Plan ...................................................................................21 1.3.2.4. Iditarod National Historic Trail Comprehensive Management Plan...............................................21 1.4. Purpose and Need for the Proposed Action ....................................................................................22 1.4.1. Need for the Proposed Action.........................................................................................................22 1.4.1.1. Environmental.................................................................................................................................22 1.4.1.2. Statutory..........................................................................................................................................24 1.4.1.3. Plans................................................................................................................................................24 1.4.2. Purpose of the Proposed Action......................................................................................................24 2 AA-060380 AA-083492 AA-057131 AK-010-08-EA-012 Chapter 2 2.0. PROPOSED ACTION AND ALTERNATIVES............................................................................25 2.1. Proposed Action – continuance of prior authorizations with increases in visits and visitor days...25 2.1.1. Route...............................................................................................................................................25 2.1.1.1. Generally.........................................................................................................................................25 2.1.1.1.1. Route segments established solely for the purpose of running the races ........................................27 2.1.1.1.2. Pre-existing winter trails and race route segments..........................................................................27 2.1.2. Specialized recreational uses – the races........................................................................................28 2.1.2.1. Tesoro Iron Dog..............................................................................................................................28 2.1.2.2. Poker Run........................................................................................................................................29 2.1.2.3. Ultra Sport.......................................................................................................................................29 2.1.2.4. The Iditarod Sled Dog Race............................................................................................................30 2.1.3. Staging ............................................................................................................................................31 2.1.3.1. Campbell Tract (Maps 1, 2, & 3, Appendix A)...............................................................................31 2.1.3.2. The Rohn Air Navigation Site.........................................................................................................35 2.1.3.3. Public shelter cabins........................................................................................................................37 2.1.5. Checkpoints.....................................................................................................................................38 2.1.4. Commercial Filming .......................................................................................................................38 2.1.5. Support............................................................................................................................................39 2.1.6. Spectators and media ......................................................................................................................40 2.1.7. Clean-up..........................................................................................................................................41 2.1.8. Preliminary summary......................................................................................................................41 2.1.9. Table of projected Recreational Activity & Visitor Use of BLM Lands ........................................44 2.1.10. Reasonably foreseeable winter, specialized recreational