Environmental Assessment Agricultural Management Plan Umatilla Indian Reservation Umatilla County, Oregon August 2015 Lead Agency: USDI Bureau of Indian Affairs Umatilla Agency P.O. Box 520 Pendleton, OR 97801 Cooperating Agency: Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation 46411 Timine Way Pendleton, OR 97801 Responsible Official: MICHAEL JACKSON, Superintendent Umatilla Agency Pendleton, OR 97801 (541)278-3786 For Further Information Contact: Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation 46411 Timine Way Pendleton, OR 97801 (541)276-3447 Prepared by: Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation Department of Natural Resources Range, Agriculture and Forestry Program 46411 Timine Way Pendleton, OR 97801 Draft Agricultural Management Environmental Assessment 9/21/20158/10/2015 1 This page left blank intentionally. Draft Agricultural Management Environmental Assessment 9/21/20158/10/2015 2 Table of Contents Figure 1: Reservation Map .................................................................................................................................. 8 Chapter One: Purpose and Need ................................................................................................................................. 10 1.1 Background Information ................................................................................................................................10 1.2 Purpose and Need .....................................................................................................................................16 1.3 Nature of Decision .....................................................................................................................................16 1.4 Primary Issues and Concerns .....................................................................................................................16 1.4.1 Soil Quality and Erosion ..........................................................................................................................17 1.4.2 Water Quality ..........................................................................................................................................18 1.4.3 Wildlife and Fish Habitat ........................................................................................................................19 1.4.4 Air Quality ..............................................................................................................................................20 1.4.5 Monitoring and Evaluation .....................................................................................................................21 1.4.6 Weed Control ..........................................................................................................................................21 1.4.7 Idle lands .................................................................................................................................................22 1.5 Other Issues and Concerns .........................................................................................................................23 1.5.1 Threatened and Endangered Species .......................................................................................................23 1.5.2 Implementation Costs ..............................................................................................................................24 1.5.3 Cost/Benefit Analysis .............................................................................................................................24 1.5.4 Cultural Resources and Traditional Uses ................................................................................................25 1.5.5 Transportation .........................................................................................................................................26 1.5.6 Tribal, Public, and Inter-Governmental Relationships ............................................................................26 1.5.7 Lease Compliance ...................................................................................................................................27 Chapter Two: Alternatives Including Proposed Action ............................................................................................ 28 2.1 Permits Required to Implement Alternatives .............................................................................................28 2.2 Goals and Objectives ..................................................................................................................................28 2.2.1 Element 1 Soil Quality and Erosion ........................................................................................................28 2.2.2 Element 2 Water Quality .........................................................................................................................28 2.2.3 Element 3 Wildlife and Fish Habitat ......................................................................................................28 2.2.4 Element 4 Air Quality ............................................................................................................................29 2.2.5 Element 5 Monitoring and Evaluation ....................................................................................................29 2.2.6 Element 6 Weed Control .........................................................................................................................29 2.2.7 Element 7 Idle Lands ..............................................................................................................................30 2.2.8 Element 8 Threatened and Endangered Species .....................................................................................30 2.2.9 Element 9 Implementation Costs ............................................................................................................30 2.2.10 Element 10 Cost/Benefit Analysis .....................................................................................................31 2.2.11 Element 11 Cultural Resources and Traditional Uses .......................................................................31 2.2.12 Element 12 Transportation ................................................................................................................31 2.2.13 Element 13 Tribal, Public, and Inter-Governmental Relationships ........................................................31 2.2.14 Element 14 Lease Compliance ...................................................................................................32 2.3 Standards and Guidelines ..................................................................................................................................32 2.3.1 Soil Quality and Erosion ..........................................................................................................................33 2.3.2 Water Quality ..........................................................................................................................................36 2.3.3 Wildlife and Fish Habitat .........................................................................................................................39 2.3.4 Air Quality ..............................................................................................................................................41 2.3.5 Monitoring and Evaluation ..................................................................................................................4243 2.3.6 Weed Control ..........................................................................................................................................43 2.3.7 Idle Lands ...............................................................................................................................................43 2.3.8 Threatened and Endangered Species .......................................................................................................45 2.3.9 Cultural Resources and Traditional Uses ................................................................................................46 2.3.10 Transportation .........................................................................................................................................47 2.3.11 Tribal, Public, and Inter-Governmental Relationships ............................................................................47 2.3.12 Lease Compliance ....................................................................................................................................48 2.4 Management Alternatives...........................................................................................................................48 2.4.2 ALTERNATIVE A – NO ACTION, MAINTAIN CURRENT MANAGENT PRACTICES .................50 Draft Agricultural Management Environmental Assessment 9/21/20158/10/2015 3 2.4.3 ALTERNATIVE B– ZERO OR POSITIVE SCI TRENDS AND A VOLUNTARY ONE-QUARTER (1/4) OF THE RMZ USED FOR THE INNER ZONE FOR 10 YEARS, THEN MANDATORY ONE-QUARTER (¼) OF THE RMZ USED FOR THE INNER ZONE THEREAFTER ......................................................................51 2.4.4 ALTERNATIVE C–ZERO OR POSITIVE SCI TRENDS AND A VOLUNTARY ONE-QUARTER (1/4) OF THE RMZ USED FOR THE INNER ZONE ................................................................................................53 2.5 Alternatives Analyzed but not Considered…………………………………………………………………..49