Southwestern Region United States Department of Agriculture Publication No. MB-R3-12-03 Forest Service August 2014 Preliminary Environmental Assessment for Authorization of Helicopter Landings in Wilderness Tonto National Forest, Gila, Maricopa, Pinal, and Yavapai Counties, Arizona The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TTY). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Printed on recycled paper – August 2014 Contents Chapter 1. Purpose of and Need for Action ................................................................. 1 Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 1 Location and Description of Project Area ............................................................................... 1 History of Arizona’s Bighorn Sheep Population Management ............................................... 3 Existing Condition ....................................................................................................................... 7 Desired Future Condition ............................................................................................................ 9 Purpose of and Need for Project .................................................................................................. 9 Proposed Action ........................................................................................................................ 11 Decision Framework ................................................................................................................. 11 Public Involvement .................................................................................................................... 11 Tribal Involvement .................................................................................................................... 11 Issues and Concerns Raised During Scoping ............................................................................ 12 Chapter 2. Alternatives ................................................................................................ 15 Development of Alternatives ..................................................................................................... 15 Alternatives Considered in Detail.............................................................................................. 15 Alternative 1 (No Action) ...................................................................................................... 15 Proposed Action .................................................................................................................... 15 Monitoring Captures.............................................................................................................. 21 Translocation Captures .......................................................................................................... 21 Mitigation Measures and Design Features ............................................................................ 23 Alternatives Considered But Eliminated ................................................................................... 24 Non-motorized, Ground-Based Capture Alternative ............................................................. 24 Comparison of Alternatives ....................................................................................................... 26 Chapter 3. Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences ................... 29 Cumulative Effects .................................................................................................................... 29 Past Actions ........................................................................................................................... 29 Current Actions ..................................................................................................................... 30 Reasonably Foreseeable Future Actions ................................................................................ 31 Legal and Regulatory Compliance ............................................................................................ 31 Plant and Wildlife Habitat Resources ........................................................................................ 31 Affected Environment ........................................................................................................... 32 Environmental Effects ........................................................................................................... 39 Bighorn Sheep Management ..................................................................................................... 41 Affected Environment ........................................................................................................... 41 Environmental Effects ........................................................................................................... 43 Visitor Experiences and Recreation Opportunities.................................................................... 47 Affected Environment ........................................................................................................... 47 Environmental Effects ........................................................................................................... 48 Wilderness Characteristics ........................................................................................................ 49 Affected Environment ........................................................................................................... 49 Environmental Effects ........................................................................................................... 50 Socioeconomics Associated with Big Horn Sheep Management .............................................. 60 Affected Environment ........................................................................................................... 60 Environmental Effects ........................................................................................................... 65 Chapter 4. Consultation and Coordination ............................................................... 69 Preparers and Contributors ........................................................................................................ 69 Agencies and Persons Consulted ............................................................................................... 69 Tribes ..................................................................................................................................... 69 Agencies ................................................................................................................................ 69 Preliminary Environmental Assessment for Authorization of Helicopter Landings in Wilderness i Chapter 1-Introduction Organizations......................................................................................................................... 69 References ........................................................................................................................ 71 Appendix A: Laws, Regulations, and Policies .............................................................. 77 Tonto National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan .................................................. 78 Forest Service Manual ............................................................................................................... 78 Arizona Game and Fish Department Bighorn Sheep Management Guidelines ........................ 85 Tables Table 1: Occupied Bighorn Sheep Habitat within Tonto National Forest ................................. 8 Table 2: Percent of Bighorn Sheep Survey Locations (GPS) within Designated Wilderness ... 9 Table 3: Maximum Number of Helicopter Landings and Days for Both Monitoring and Translocation Captures of Bighorn Sheep within Wilderness Areas .............................. 16 Table 4: Comparison of Alternatives by Effects on Wilderness Character Indicators ............ 26 Table 5: Comparison of Alternatives by Bighorn Sheep Indicators ........................................ 27 Table 6: Endangered, Threatened, Candidate, and Proposed Species within the Project Area 32 Table 7: Critical Habitat for Federally Listed Species within the Project Area ...................... 33 Table 8: Species of Greatest Conservation Need within the Project Area .............................. 33 Table 9: Species Determinations within Action Area ............................................................. 41 Table 10: Terminology used in Wilderness Characteristics Analysis ...................................... 51 Table 11: Summary of Effects from the No Action................................................................