Summary Final Environmental Impact Statement SUMMARY Of The FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT For The BOISE NATIONAL FOREST, PAYETTE NATIONAL FOREST, And SAWTOOTH NATIONAL FOREST FOREST PLAN REVISION Ada, Adams, Blaine, Boise, Camas, Canyon, Cassia, Custer, Elmore, Gem, Gooding, Idaho, Jerome, Lincoln, Minidoka, Owyhee, Payette, Twin Falls, Valley, and Washington Counties, Idaho; Malheur County, Oregon; and Box Elder County, Utah Lead Agency: USDA Forest Service: Boise National Forest Payette National Forest Sawtooth National Forest 1249 South Vinnell Way, 800 W. Lakeside Avenue 2647 Kimberly Road East Suite 200 P.O. Box 1026 Twin Falls, ID 83301 Boise, ID 83709 McCall, ID 83638 208-737-3200 208-373-4100 208-634-0700 Responsible Official: Jack Troyer, Regional Forester Intermountain Region USDA Forest Service 324 25th Street Ogden, UT 84401 801-625-5605 For Further Information Contact: Richard Smith, Forest Supervisor Mark Madrid, Forest Supervisor Ruth Monahan, Boise National Forest Payette National Forest Forest Supervisor 1249 South Vinnell Way, Suite 200 800 W. Lakeside Avenue Sawtooth National Forest Boise, ID 83709 P.O. Box 1026 2647 Kimberly Road East 208-373-4100 McCall, ID 83638 Twin Falls, ID 83301 208-634-0700 208-737-3200 S - 1 Summary Final Environmental Impact Statement ABSTRACT: This Final Environmental Impact Statement Summary documents the analysis of seven alternatives, which were developed for possible management of the 2.2 million acres administered by the Boise National Forest in Idaho; 2.3 million acres administered by the Payette National Forest in Idaho; and 2.1 million acres administered by the Sawtooth National Forest in Idaho and Utah. Alternatives developed in detail are identified as 1B, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7. Alternative 1B (the No Action Alternative) continues management direction from the current Forest Plans as amended by Pacfish and Infish and as adjusted to include the terms of the Biological Opinions for fish species listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act. Alternative 2 (modified Proposed Action) provides for a mix of uses and restoration activities. Alternative 3 emphasizes watershed and vegetation restoration to achieve or approach historical range of variation for the biophysical resources. Alternative 4 reduces risks to species viability and ecological integrity by minimizing human-caused disturbance over the short term. Alternative 5 emphasizes production of goods and services within the sustainable limits of the ecosystem. Alternative 6 reduces human-caused risks to the ecological values of Inventoried Roadless Areas and unroaded areas by minimizing management activities and eliminating incompatible uses. Alternative 7 was developed between the Draft and Final EIS to address a number of comments on the Draft EIS that identified key issues and concerns, including listed species protection, watershed and aquatic restoration priority, roadless area conservation, National Fire Plan and Healthy Forests Initiative, and timber commodity production. The Selected Alternative will guide all natural resource management activities on the Forests; address changed conditions and direction that have occurred since the original plans were released; and meet the objectives of federal laws, regulations, and policies. The Selected Alternative is identified and described in the Records of Decision for this Final EIS. The policy of the United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, religion, sex, or disability, familial status, or political affiliation. Persons believing they have been discriminated against in any Forest Service related activity should write to: Chief, Forest Service USDA, P.O. Box 96090 Washington, DC 20090-6090 S - 2 Summary Final Environmental Impact Statement TABLE OF CONTENTS Page No. The Proposed Action....................................................................................................................S-3 Purpose and Need for the Proposed Action.................................................................................S-3 Purpose of the Proposed Action..............................................................................................S-3 Need for the Proposed Action.................................................................................................S-3 Changes from DEIS to FEIS...................................................................................................S-8 The Southwest Idaho Ecogroup ..............................................................................................S-9 Decisions To Be Made...............................................................................................................S-10 Issues..........................................................................................................................................S-11 Issue Identification................................................................................................................S-11 Significant Issues ..................................................................................................................S-12 Preliminary Issues Not Addressed in Detail .........................................................................S-25 National and Regional Issues................................................................................................S-27 Development of the Reasonable Range of Alternatives ............................................................S-31 Alternatives Considered but Eliminated from Detailed Study..................................................S-32 Group 1: Alternatives Refined To Better Reflect Alternative Emphasis..............................S-32 Group 2: Alternatives That Did Not Meet Purpose and Need For Change and/or Did Not Address A Significant Issue to Drive Alternative Development ............................S-34 Group 3: Alternatives Already Represented within the Range of Alternatives Considered in Detail..............................................................................................................S-38 Alternatives Considered in Detail..............................................................................................S-39 Elements Common to All Alternatives .................................................................................S-39 Alternative 1B.......................................................................................................................S-45 Alternative 2..........................................................................................................................S-47 Alternative 3..........................................................................................................................S-51 Alternative 4..........................................................................................................................S-53 Alternative 5..........................................................................................................................S-56 Alternative 6..........................................................................................................................S-58 Alternative 7..........................................................................................................................S-61 Comparison of Alternatives .......................................................................................................S-65 Selected Outcomes and Activities by Alternative ................................................................S-65 Comparison of Alternative Effects on Resource Issues and Indicators................................S-67 The Preferred Alternative Identified in the DEIS ....................................................................S-128 S - 3 Summary Final Environmental Impact Statement THE PROPOSED ACTION The Forest Service proposes to revise the Land and Resource Management Plans (hereafter referred to as “Forest Plans”) for the Sawtooth, Payette, and Boise National Forests. These revisions are proposed to meet legal and regulatory requirements, and to address changes, issues, and concerns that have arisen since the Forest Plans were originally released for the Sawtooth National Forest (1987), Payette National Forest (1988), and the Boise National Forest (1990). The area covered under this revision includes the National Forests in the Southwest Idaho Ecogroup, shown in Figure 1-1. The Notice of Intent to revise the Boise and Payette Forest Plans, and amend the Sawtooth Forest Plan was published in the Federal Register on April 24, 1998. A revised Notice of Intent to revise all three Forest Plans was published in the Federal Register on May 17, 1999. The Federal Register was also used to announce the release of the Draft and Final Environmental Impact Statements and the Records of Decision. PURPOSE AND NEED FOR THE PROPOSED ACTION Purpose of the Proposed Action The purpose of the Proposed Action is to provide revised Boise, Payette, and Sawtooth Forest Plans that will: (1) guide all natural resource management activities on the Forests, (2) address changed conditions and direction that have occurred since the original plans were released, and (3) meet the objectives of federal laws, regulations, and policies. This purpose will be met by selecting a management strategy that best achieves a combination of the following goals: · Maintain or restore long-term ecosystem health