Prince of Wales United States Department of Outfitter and Guide Agriculture Forest Management Plan Service Tongass National Forest Environmental Assessment R10-MB-743a March 2012 Tongass National Forest Craig and Thorne Bay Ranger Districts Craig and Thorne Bay, Alaska Cover Photo: Reading an interpretive sign on Beaver Falls Trail Prince of Wales Outfitter and Guide Management Plan EA - Key Acronyms and Other Terms ACMP Alaska Coastal Management Plan LUD Land Use Designation Alaska Department of Fish and Native American Graves ADF&G Game NAGPRA Protection and Repatriation Act American Indian Religious National Environmental Policy AIRFA Freedom Act NEPA Act Alaska Native Claims Settlement ANCSA Act NFS National Forest System Alaska National Interest Lands National Historic Preservation ANILCA Conservation Act NHPA Act National Marine Fisheries BMP Best Management Practices NMFS Service National Oceanic and CEQ Council on Environmental Quality NOAA Atmospheric Administration Recreation Opportunity CFR Code of Federal Regulations ROS Spectrum DN Decision Notice SD Service Day State Historic Preservation EA Environmental Assessment SHPO Officer EIS Environmental Impact Statement SOPA Schedule of Proposed Actions ESA Endangered Species Act SUA Special Use Authorization FONSI Finding of No Significant Impact T&E Threatened and Endangered Forest Tongass Land and Resource FSH Forest Service Handbook Plan Management Plan FSM Forest Service Manual TTRA Tongass Timber Reform Act United States Fish and Wildlife IDT Interdisciplinary Team USFWS Service Ketchikan-Misty Fiords Ranger KMRD VCU Value Comparison Unit District LNT Leave No Trace WA Wilderness Area 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 for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should Printed on contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). Recycled Paper To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, or call (800) 795- 3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. This page left blank intentionally. Prince of Wales Outfitter and Guide Management Plan Table of Contents Chapter 1, Purpose and Need ...................................................... 1 Document Structure ....................................................................................................................................... 1 Project Area Description ............................................................................................................................... 1 Background ..................................................................................................................................................... 3 Purpose and Need for Action ........................................................................................................................ 5 Summary of the Proposed Action ................................................................................................................ 6 Outfitter and Guide Permit Conditions ........................................................................................................ 7 Management Direction .................................................................................................................................. 8 Decision Framework ...................................................................................................................................... 8 Public Involvement ........................................................................................................................................ 9 Issues .............................................................................................................................................................. 10 Permits, Licenses, and Certifications ......................................................................................................... 12 Project Record .............................................................................................................................................. 12 Other Related Efforts ................................................................................................................................... 13 Chapter 2, Alternatives, including the Proposed Action ......... 15 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................... 15 Alternatives Considered but Eliminated from Detailed Analysis ........................................................... 15 Elements and Assumptions Common to All Alternatives ....................................................................... 15 Project Elements Common to All Alternatives ............................................................... 15 Project Assumptions Common to All Alternatives ......................................................... 16 Alternative Descriptions .............................................................................................................................. 17 Elements Common to All Action Alternatives ......................................................................................... 19 Project Design and Mitigation Measure .................................................................................................... 20 Adaptive Management ................................................................................................................................ 20 Criteria for Adjusting Guided Use .................................................................................. 20 Implementation ............................................................................................................................................. 22 Project Monitoring ....................................................................................................................................... 23 Comparison of Alternatives ........................................................................................................................ 25 Chapter 3, Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences ............................................................................ 49 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................... 49 Analyzing Effects ......................................................................................................................................... 49 Subsistence Uses .......................................................................................................................................... 51 Affected Environment ..................................................................................................... 51 Environmental Consequences ......................................................................................... 58 Wildlife .......................................................................................................................................................... 65 Affected Environment ..................................................................................................... 65 Environmental Consequences ......................................................................................... 75 Recreation and Wilderness .......................................................................................................................... 85 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................... 85 Affected Environment Recreation and Tourism ............................................................. 86 Affected Environment Wilderness .................................................................................. 87 Environmental Consequences ......................................................................................... 91 Economics ................................................................................................................................................... 101 Index – Page i Prince of Wales Outfitter and Guide Management Plan Affected Environment ................................................................................................... 101 Environmental Consequences ....................................................................................... 102 Fisheries and Hydrology............................................................................................................................ 107 Affected Environment ................................................................................................... 109 Environmental Consequences ....................................................................................... 116 Essential Fish Habitat ...........................................................................................................................