United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service 2015 Southwestern Oregon Mineral Withdrawal Environmental Assessment Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest, Bureau of Land Management Medford and Coos Bay Districts, Curry and Josephine Counties, Oregon Revised July 2016 For More Information Contact: Roy Bergstrom Medford Interagency Office 3040 Biddle Road Medford, OR 97504 Phone: 541-618-2061 Email: [email protected] Title page photographs by Clint Emerson; clockwise from left: Darlingtonia fen; ridge above Baldface Creek in serpentine habitat; serpentine campion (Silene serpentinicola) In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English. To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: [email protected] . USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. Contents Acronyms Used .............................................................................................................................. iii I. Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 1 Background ................................................................................................................................. 1 2015 Legislation ...................................................................................................................... 1 Application for Withdrawal ..................................................................................................... 1 Notice of Proposed Withdrawal .............................................................................................. 1 Project Location .......................................................................................................................... 2 Need for the Proposal .................................................................................................................. 2 Decision Framework ................................................................................................................... 2 Public Comment, Scoping, and Objection .................................................................................. 5 Initial Comment Period Results ............................................................................................... 6 Tribal Consultation ..................................................................................................................... 7 II. Proposed Action and Alternatives ........................................................................................... 8 Proposed Action: 5-year Mineral Withdrawal ............................................................................ 8 Alternative Action: 20-year Mineral Withdrawal ....................................................................... 8 No Action: No Mineral Withdrawal ........................................................................................... 9 Key Issues and Analysis Framework .......................................................................................... 9 III. Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action and Alternatives ................................... 12 Minerals .................................................................................................................................... 12 Affected Environment ........................................................................................................... 12 Environmental Consequences ............................................................................................... 18 Soils ........................................................................................................................................... 19 Affected Environment ........................................................................................................... 19 Environmental Consequences ............................................................................................... 23 Hydrology ................................................................................................................................. 25 Affected Environment ........................................................................................................... 25 Environmental Consequences ............................................................................................... 30 Aquatics .................................................................................................................................... 31 Affected Environment ........................................................................................................... 31 Environmental Consequences ............................................................................................... 37 Botany ....................................................................................................................................... 42 Affected Environment ........................................................................................................... 42 Environmental Consequences ............................................................................................... 51 Wildlife ..................................................................................................................................... 57 Affected Environment ........................................................................................................... 57 Environmental Consequences ............................................................................................... 67 Cultural Resources .................................................................................................................... 71 Affected Environment ........................................................................................................... 72 Environmental Consequences ............................................................................................... 73 Recreation, Wilderness, Wild and Scenic Rivers ...................................................................... 74 Affected Environment ........................................................................................................... 74 Environmental Consequences ............................................................................................... 76 Agencies and Individuals Consulted ......................................................................................... 79 Qualifications of Preparers ........................................................................................................ 80 IV. Literature Cited................................................................................................................. 82 Appendix A: Federal Register Notice of Proposed Withdrawal and Public Comment (including legal land descriptions) ................................................................................................................ A-1 i Appendix B: State Historic Preservation Office Concurrence .................................................... A-1 Appendix C: Response to Comments .......................................................................................... A-5 List of Tables Table 1. Soil series components of general soil map units, indicating inclusions of peridotite/serpentinite ............................................................................................................ 20 Table 2. Watersheds within the proposed SOMW area ................................................................. 25 Table 3. Listed and sensitive aquatic species and habitat on the RRSNF ..................................... 31 Table 4. SONCC coho salmon designated critical habitat within lands in the SOMW area ......... 33 Table 5. Baseline suction dredging activities in the SOMW area ................................................. 38