United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service Wildcat Fuels Reduction and Vegetation Management Project Environmental Assessment Mt. Hough Ranger District, Plumas National Forest, Plumas County, California November 2015 Thompson Peak as seen from Wildcat Ridge with the Wildcat Project in the foreground (photo taken by Kelby Gardiner, 2009). For More Information Contact: Daniel Lovato, Acting Forest Supervisor c/o: Maurice Huynh, Project Leader Plumas National Forest Mt. Hough Ranger District 39696 Highway 70 Quincy, California 95971 Phone: (530) 283-7653 Email: [email protected] Project specific website: http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=43435 USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. 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Hough Ranger District, Plumas National Forest Contents Contents ........................................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 7 Background ................................................................................................................................. 9 Purpose and Need for the Proposal ............................................................................................... 12 Purpose ...................................................................................................................................... 12 Needs ......................................................................................................................................... 12 Reduce hazardous fuel accumulations ................................................................................... 12 Improve Forest Health ........................................................................................................... 13 Control invasive plants .......................................................................................................... 14 Enhance watershed conditions including water quality and habitat for riparian and aquatic species ................................................................................................................................... 15 Principle Laws and Regulations That Influence the Scope of This EA ........................................ 16 Forest Plans ............................................................................................................................... 16 Plumas National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (PNF LRMP) (USDA 1988a) as amended by the Sierra Nevada Forest Plan Amendment (SNFPA) Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (FSEIS) and Record of Decision (ROD) (USDA 2004a, 2004b). ................................................................................................................................... 16 Travel Management .................................................................................................................. 19 2005 Travel Management Rule (36 CFR 212, 251, 261 and 295) ........................................ 19 Forest Service Manual Chapter 7710 .................................................................................... 19 Other Relevant Assessments ..................................................................................................... 19 Moonlight Fire Restoration Strategy (USDA 2013, version 1.0; August 17, 2013) ............. 19 Diamond Landscape Assessment (USDA 2012) ................................................................... 20 Decision Framework ..................................................................................................................... 20 Public Involvement and Tribal Consultation ................................................................................. 20 Issues ......................................................................................................................................... 21 Alternatives Considered in Detail ................................................................................................. 21 Alternative A - Proposed Action ............................................................................................... 21 Fuels Reduction and Forest Health Treatments ..................................................................... 22 Invasive Plant Species Treatments ........................................................................................ 28 Watershed Enhancement Treatments .................................................................................... 32 Alternative B: No-Action .......................................................................................................... 39 Alternatives Considered but Eliminated from Detailed Study ...................................................... 39 Enhance Outdoor Recreation .................................................................................................... 39 Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action and No-Action Alternative ................................ 40 Past, Present and Reasonably Foreseeable Actions .................................................................. 41 Fire and Fuels ............................................................................................................................ 42 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 42 Affected Environment ........................................................................................................... 44 Environmental Consequences ............................................................................................... 49 Compliance with the Forest Plan and Other Direction .......................................................... 53 Air Quality ................................................................................................................................ 55 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 55 Affected Environment ........................................................................................................... 56 Environmental Consequences ............................................................................................... 57 Forest Vegetation ...................................................................................................................... 60 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 60 Affected Environment ........................................................................................................... 67 1 Wildcat Fuels Reduction and Vegetation Management Project Environmental Consequences ............................................................................................... 76 Compliance with the Forest Plan and Other Direction ........................................................ 103 Economics ............................................................................................................................... 104 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 104 Effects Analysis Methodology ............................................................................................ 104 Environmental Consequences ............................................................................................. 110 Recreation, Lands and Scenic Resources ................................................................................ 114 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 114 Affected Environment ......................................................................................................... 115 Environmental Consequences ............................................................................................. 118 Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Resources ............................................................................ 123 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 123 Affected Environment ......................................................................................................... 131 Environmental Consequences ............................................................................................. 144 Compliance with the Forest Plan and Other Direction ........................................................ 186 Hydrology and Soils ................................................................................................................ 187 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 187 Affected Environment ......................................................................................................... 189 Environmental Consequences