UNITED STATE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service WildlifeAlthoug Services FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT BIRD DAMAGE MANAGEMENT IN WISCONSIN FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT BIRD DAMAGE MANAGEMENT IN WISCONSIN Prepared by: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (USDA) ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE (APHIS) WILDLIFE SERVICES (WS) In Consultation With: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR UNITED STATES FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE (USFWS) WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TRADE AND CONSUMER PROTECTION FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION – BUREAU OF AERONAUTICS WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES BAD RIVER BAND OF LAKE SUPERIOR TRIBE OF CHIPPEWA INDIANS FOREST COUNTY POTAWATOMI COMMUNITY RED CLIFF BAND OF LAKE SUPERIOR TRIBE OF CHIPPEWA INDIANS GREAT LAKES INDIAN FISH AND WILDLIFE COMMISSION March 2015 Table of Contents ACRONYMS USED IN THE EA .............................................................................................................................. III EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...................................................................................................................................... IV CHAPTER 1: PURPOSE OF AND NEED FOR ACTION .............................................................................................. 1 1.1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................................. 1 1.2 USFWS AND WDNR REGULATORY AUTHORITY FOR BIRD DAMAGE MANAGEMENT ......................................... 2 1.3 PURPOSE OF THE EA ........................................................................................................................................... 3 1.4 NEED FOR ACTION .............................................................................................................................................. 4 1.4.1 Need for Bird Damage Management to Protect Agricultural Resources. .................................................. 5 1.4.2 Need for Bird Damage Management to Protect Human Health and Safety ........................................... 10 1.4.3 Property damage. .................................................................................................................................... 12 1.4.4 Natural Resources ................................................................................................................................... 13 1.5 RELATIONSHIP OF THIS EA TO OTHER MANAGEMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENTS ......................... 14 1.5.1 Bird Damage Management in Wisconsin EA. .......................................................................................... 14 1.5.2 Management of Conflicts Associated with Resident Canada Geese in Wisconsin EA. ............................ 14 1.5.3 Reducing Double‐crested Cormorant Damage in Wisconsin EA. ............................................................. 14 1.5.4 Final Environmental Assessment Depredation Permits for the Control and Management of Gulls in the Great Lakes Region. ................................................................................................................................ 14 1.5.5 Executive Order (EO) 13186 and MOU between USFWS and APHIS........................................................ 14 1.5.6 Invasive Species EO 13112. ...................................................................................................................... 14 1.5.7 Proposal to Permit Take as provided under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act Final Environmental Assessment. .................................................................................................................... 14 1.6 DECISION TO BE MADE ..................................................................................................................................... 15 1.7 SCOPE OF THIS ANALYSIS ................................................................................................................................. 15 1.7.1 Actions Analyzed...................................................................................................................................... 15 1.7.2 American Indian Lands and Tribes. .......................................................................................................... 15 1.7.3 Period for which this EA is Valid. ............................................................................................................. 15 1.7.4 Site Specificity. ......................................................................................................................................... 16 1.7.5 Public Involvement/Notification. ............................................................................................................. 16 1.8 PREVIEW OF THE REMAINDER OF THIS EA ....................................................................................................... 17 CHAPTER 2: AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT AND ISSUES .......................................................................................... 18 2.1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................... 18 2.2 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENTS ............................................................................................................................. 18 2.3 ISSUES ANALYZED IN DETAIL ............................................................................................................................ 19 2.3.1 Cumulative Effects of WS Bird Damage Management on Target Species Populations. .......................... 19 2.3.2 Effects of WS Bird Damage Management on Non‐target Species Populations, Including T/E Species. .. 20 2.3.3 Risks Posed by WS Bird Damage Management Methods to the Public and Domestic Pets. ................... 20 2.3.4 Impacts on Stakeholders, Including Impacts on Aesthetics. .................................................................... 21 2.3.5 Humaneness and Animal Welfare Concerns. ........................................................................................... 22 2.4 ISSUES NOT CONSIDERED IN DETAIL WITH RATIONALE ................................................................................... 25 2.4.1 WS’ Impact on Biodiversity. ..................................................................................................................... 25 2.4.2 Bird Damage is a Cost of Doing Business – a “Threshold of Loss” Should Be Established Before Allowing any Lethal Bird Damage Management. .................................................................................................. 25 2.4.3 Bird Damage Management Should Not Occur at Taxpayers’ Expense, but Should Be Fee Based. .......... 25 2.4.4 Impacts of West Nile Virus (WNV) on Bird Populations. .......................................................................... 26 2.4.5 Appropriateness of Preparing an EA (Instead of an EIS) For Such a Large Area. ..................................... 26 2.4.6 Bird Damage Management Should Be Conducted by Private Nuisance Wildlife Control Agents. ........... 27 i CHAPTER 3: ALTERNATIVES .............................................................................................................................. 28 3.1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................... 28 3.2 DESCRIPTION OF THE ALTERNATIVES .............................................................................................................. 28 3.2.1 Alternative 1 – Continue the Current WS Adaptive Integrated Bird Damage Management Program (No Action/Proposed Action) ......................................................................................................................... 28 3.2.2 Alternative 2 – Technical Assistance Only Program ................................................................................ 29 3.2.3 Alternative 3 ‐ Bird Damage Management by WS Using Only Non‐lethal Methods ............................... 29 3.2.4 Alternative 4 ‐ No WS Bird Damage Management Program ................................................................... 30 3.3 BIRD DAMAGE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES AND METHODOLOGIES AVAILABLE TO WS IN WISCONSIN ......... 30 3.3.1 Integrated Wildlife Damage Management. ............................................................................................ 30 3.3.2 The IWDM Strategies Used by WS ........................................................................................................... 31 3.3.3 WS Decision Making ................................................................................................................................ 32 3.4 ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED BUT NOT ANALYZED IN DETAIL WITH RATIONALE ............................................. 33 3.4.1 Compensation for Bird Damage Losses ................................................................................................... 33 3.4.2 Exhaust All Feasible Non‐lethal Methods Before Using Lethal Methods ................................................. 34 3.4.3 Trap and Translocate Birds Only .............................................................................................................. 35 3.5 MINIMIZATION MEASURES AND STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES FOR BIRD DAMAGE