Summit Facilities Hazard Tree Removal (40426) Decision Memo Stanislaus National Forest Summit Ranger District Alpine and Tuolumne Counties, CA This decision memo provides documentation, pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), related to the Summit Facilities Hazard Tree Removal project. The proposed project is located throughout the Summit Ranger District within and adjacent to Forest Service and permitted facilities (portions of T4-6N, R17-21E) in Alpine County and Tuolumne County, California (see project map package). Purpose and Need Forest Service Special Use Permits and Public Safety Guidelines require the removal of known hazards within and adjacent to facilities managed by the agency (e.g. Forest Service Handbook 2332.11; USDA 2011). Forest Service Pest Management professionals developed the Stanislaus National Forest Hazard Tree Identification Guidelines (November 21, 2002) which define a hazardous tree as: “Any dead or live tree likely to fail in the near future, entirely or in part, due to structural decomposition or other factors causing instability of the tree, and is of sufficient size to strike targets.” This project is needed to improve public safety by removing trees that present hazards to users at facilities on the Summit Ranger District. Proposed Action In response to the purpose and need described above, the Proposed Action would perform hazard reduction, using the Stanislaus National Forest Hazard Tree Identification Guidelines, by removing only dead or dying trees that present hazards at the facilities listed below. Facilities on the Summit Ranger District Cabin Tracts: Pinecrest, Bumblebee, Leland, Cow Creek, Cascade Creek, Mill Creek, Niagara Creek, Wagner, Riverside, Brightman, Bone Springs, Twin Buttes, Buena Vista, Cedar Grove, West Douglas, East Douglas, Baker Station and Deadman. Campgrounds: Pinecrest, Meadowview, Pioneer Group, Cascade Creek, Mill Creek, Niagara Creek, Niagara OHV, Boulder Flat, Brightman Flat, Dardanelle, Clark Fork, Fence Creek, Pigeon Flat, Baker, Beardsley Dam, Clark Fork Horse Camp, Deadman, Eureka Valley, Herring Creek, Herring Reservoir, Sand Flat, Pine Valley Horse Camp, Kerrick Horse Camp, Black Oak Flat, Eagle Meadow Horse Camp. Trailheads: Kennedy Meadows, Crabtree. Day Use Sites: China Flat, Cottonwood, Donnell Vista, Highway 108 Sno-Park, Beardsley, Douglas Flat, Pinecrest. Administrative Sites: Brightman Station, Summit District Office, Dry Meadow Fire Station, Strawberry Work Center. Other Permitted Sites: Dardanelle Resort, Dodge Ridge Ski Resort, Aspen Pack Station, Donnell Powerhouse, Camp Blue and Gold, Camp Blue and Gold Maintenance Building, Camp OSKI, Camp Sylvester, Pinecrest Wastewater Treatment Plant, Pinecrest Chalet, Camp Chinquapin, Pinecrest Fire Station, Beardsley Powerhouse, Camp Jack Hazard, Camp Liahona, Camp Peaceful Pines, Pinecrest Lake Resort, Baker Station, Strawberry Communication site, Double Dome Communication site, CDF&W permitted cabin, Transfer Station, Pinecrest water tanks and associated treatment facilities, Pinecrest community center. 1 Decision Memo Although the project area includes about 1,694 acres, the actual facilities (buildings, parking lots, ski runs, etc.) cover most of the area rather than forested land. Within the project area, estimates show less than 850 acres with trees present and less than 10 percent of those acres would have hazard trees removed. The project would be accomplished by means of commercial timber sales where possible to offset costs. For facilities under special use permit, all removals would be initiated and completed by the permit holder after approval by the Forest Service. To prevent the spread of root disease and to help decrease the amount of dead trees within these areas, freshly cut stumps of all conifers greater than 3 inches diameter would be treated with a borate compound. Decision My decision is to implement the proposed action as described above, including the project design elements described below. The treatments would start in summer 2013. This action falls within a category of actions that are excluded from documentation in an Environmental Assessment (EA) or an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and no extraordinary circumstances1 would preclude use of the following categories; “Repair and maintenance of administrative sites“ [36 CFR 220.6(d)(3)] and “Repair and maintenance of recreation sites and facilities” [36 CFR 220.6(d)(5)]. These categories do not require a project file or decision memo2. Appendix A contains a “Review of Extraordinary Circumstances” supporting my determination that no extraordinary circumstances exist. Resource specialists input covering botany, fuels, heritage, hydrology, recreation and wildlife are included in the project file. I considered their recommendations in making this decision. Specific findings and project design elements included in this decision are described below. Project Design Elements Cultural Resources - Flag all known cultural resource sites within the area of potential effect prior to implementing the project and avoid during operations. - Notify the District Archaeologist in the event that any new sites are discovered during implementation. Flag and avoid new sites during the remaining implementation. Fuels - Pile and burn or remove from Forest Service land all slash. Within permitted sites, the permittee is responsible for the completion of this standard. - Construct piles that are reasonably compact and free of soil to facilitate burning and promote consumption. - Locate piles in areas that will minimize damage to residual trees from burning at a distance of at least twice their height in feet from the outer edge of tree crowns. - Do not construct piles that are greater than 10 feet in height. - Trim all material that extends three feet or more outside the edge of a pile. - Do not locate piles on stumps. 1 The mere presence of one or more of these resource conditions does not preclude use of a categorical exclusion (CE). It is the existence of a cause-effect relationship between a proposed action and the potential effect on these resource conditions and if such a relationship exists, the degree of the potential effect of a proposed action on these resource conditions that determine whether extraordinary circumstances exist. (36 CFR 220.6(b)) 2 Forest Service Handbook 1909.15 – National Environmental Policy Act Handbook, Chapter 32.12 – Categories of Actions for Which a Project or Case File and Decision Memo are Not Required. 2 Summit Facilities Hazard Tree Removal (40426) - Around machine piles, construct a fuel break that is eight feet wide and cleared of all but fine fuels (less than ¼ inch) with a fireline that is 18 inches wide and is cleared to mineral soil. - Around hand piles, construct a fireline that is three feet wide and cleared to mineral soil. - In areas where there is potential for burning material to roll, trench firelines on the downhill side of piles to prevent rollout. Noxious Weeds - All heavy equipment that leaves roads must be free of soil, mud (wet or dried), seeds, vegetative matter or other debris that could contain seeds in order to prevent new infestations of noxious weeds in the project area. Dust or very light dirt which would not contain weed seed is not a concern. Recreation - All activities performed in areas under a special use permit will be initiated and facilitated by the permittee. - All activities within developed recreation sites will work around recreation visitor use and avoid disruptions in service and/or availability. Visual Resources - Low cut all stumps, maximum stump height of 4 inches on the high side, within 50 feet of all Forest Service roads and adjacent to buildings (all those within sight of facility users). Wildlife - Coordinate with qualified biologist prior to hazard abatement in the following locations for the reasons shown: Beardsley Day Use (Bald Eagle); Pinecrest South Shore (Bald Eagle); Pinecrest North Shore Storage (Lomatium stebinsii); West Douglas Tract (Eriogonum luteolum var. saltuarium). Public Involvement The Forest Service first listed this project in the Stanislaus National Forest Schedule of Proposed Actions (SOPA) in May 2013. The Forest distributes the SOPA to about 160 parties and it is available on the internet [http://www.fs.fed.us/sopa/forest-level.php?110516]. A legal notice, announcing the 30-day Opportunity to Comment on the draft decision memo appeared in the Union Democrat on June 18, 2013. The comment period, provided pursuant to the March 19, 2012 U.S. District Court order (1:11-CV-00679-LJO-DLB), allows an opportunity for interested or affected parties to make their concerns known before the Responsible Official makes a final decision. The 30-day comment period ended on July 18, 2013. No comments were submitted during the comment period. Findings Required by Other Laws This action is consistent with the Forest Plan; the National Historic Preservation Act; and all other applicable laws and regulations (see Appendix A). Implementation Date Implementation of the decision may begin immediately following the publication date of the legal notice of this decision in the Union Democrat (36 CFR 215.9(c)). 3 Decision Memo Administrative Review or Appeal Opportunities Since no comments or only supportive comments were received during the 30-day comment period (36 CFR 215.6), this decision is not subject to appeal (36 CFR 215.12). Contact Person For additional information about this project, contact Maria Benech, Resource Management Program