United States Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Biological Assessment for Boise District Noxious Weed and Invasive Plant Management DOI-BLM-ID-B000-2016-0002-EA ESA-Listed Aquatic Invertebrates Bruneau hot springsnail (Pyrgulopsis bruneauensis) ESA-Listed Plants Slickspot peppergrass (Lepidium papilliferum) Table of Contents Chapter 1 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 7 Overview ..................................................................................................................................... 7 Relationship of the Proposed Action to Future Federal Actions ................................................ 8 Consultation History ................................................................................................................... 9 Relationship of Section 7 Consultation for Future Federal Actions of the Proposed Action ..... 9 Species and Critical Habitats .................................................................................................... 10 Chapter 2 – Proposed Action ........................................................................................................ 13 Targeted Plant Communities..................................................................................................... 13 Noxious Weeds ..................................................................................................................... 13 Invasive Plants ...................................................................................................................... 14 Treatment Planning ................................................................................................................... 15 Treatment Methods ................................................................................................................... 17 Design Features and Conservation Measures ........................................................................... 19 Monitoring ................................................................................................................................ 24 Chapter 3 – Species Life History Summaries ............................................................................... 26 Bruneau Hot Springsnail ........................................................................................................... 26 Listing Status and Recovery Plan ......................................................................................... 26 Species Description ............................................................................................................... 27 Life History and Habitat Characteristics ............................................................................... 29 Status and Species Distribution ............................................................................................ 30 Conservation Needs .............................................................................................................. 31 Threats to the Species ........................................................................................................... 31 Slickspot Peppergrass ............................................................................................................... 33 Listing Status ........................................................................................................................ 33 Species Description ............................................................................................................... 34 Life History and Habitat Characteristics ............................................................................... 34 Status and Species Distribution ............................................................................................ 38 Conservation Needs .............................................................................................................. 47 Effects of Climate Change on Slickspot Peppergrass Survival and Recovery Needs .......... 49 Status of the Species in the Action Area ............................................................................... 50 Factors Affecting the Species in the Action Area ................................................................. 55 Slickspot Peppergrass Proposed Critical Habitat ...................................................................... 59 Current Range Wide Condition of Proposed Critical Habitat .............................................. 60 Effects of Climate Change on Proposed Critical Habitat for Slickspot Peppergrass ........... 62 Status of Slickspot Peppergrass Proposed Critical Habitat in the Action Area .................... 63 Factors Affecting Slickspot Peppergrass Proposed Critical Habitat in the Action Area ...... 63 Chapter 4 – Description of the Action Area ................................................................................. 65 Soils....................................................................................................................................... 65 Water Resources ................................................................................................................... 66 Vegetation ............................................................................................................................. 66 Chapter 5 – Effects Analysis and Determinations ........................................................................ 68 Common Effects of Herbicide Treatments to Listed Species ................................................... 68 Bruneau Hot Springsnail ........................................................................................................... 69 Determination – Effects of Ground-based Herbicide Treatments ........................................ 73 Slickspot Peppergrass ............................................................................................................... 74 Actions that May Affect Slickspot Peppergrass ................................................................... 75 Determination – Impacts of Herbicide Treatments ............................................................... 76 Slickspot Peppergrass Proposed Critical Habitat ...................................................................... 76 Actions that May Affect Slickspot Peppergrass Proposed Critical Habitat .......................... 79 Determination - Impacts of Spot Herbicide Treatments ....................................................... 80 Interrelated and Interdependent Effects ................................................................................ 80 Cumulative Effects................................................................................................................ 80 Chapter 6 – Literature Referenced ................................................................................................ 82 Appendices .................................................................................................................................... 96 Appendix A - State of Idaho Noxious Weeds and Boise District Invasive Plants List ............ 97 Appendix B – Standard Operating Procedures for Applying Herbicides ............................... 102 Appendix C - Three Newly Approved Herbicides for Use on BLM Lands ........................... 111 Appendix D - Definitions for terms used in the slickspot peppergrass analysis .................... 120 Appendix E - Summary of Effects Tables .............................................................................. 122 List of Acronyms ACEC Area of Critical Environmental Concern ALS Acetolactate Synthase ATV All-Terrain Vehicle BA Biological Assessment BFO Bruneau Field Office BLM Bureau of Land Management BOR Bureau of Reclamation CFR Code of Federal Regulations CWMA Cooperative Weed Management Area DNA Determination of NEPA Adequacy DR Decision Record EA Environmental Assessment EIS Environmental Impact Statement EO Element Occurrence EPA Environmental Protection Agency ERA Ecological Risk Assessment ESA Endangered Species Act HIP Habitat Integrity and Population Monitoring HMA Herd Management Area IDARNG Idaho Army National Guard IDFG Idaho Department of Fish and Game IDL Idaho Department of Lands IFWIS Idaho Fish and Wildlife Information System INFISH Inland Native Fish Strategy ISDA Idaho State Department of Agriculture MFP Management Framework Plan MP Management Plan MRA Minimum Requirement Analysis NEPA National Environmental Policy Act NIDGS Northern Idaho Ground Squirrel OCTC Orchard Combat Training Center OHV Off-Highway Vehicle OPLMA Omnibus Public Land Management Act PBF Physical and Biological Feature PCH Proposed Critical Habitat PEIS Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement PER Programmatic Environmental Report PUP Pesticide Use Proposals RCA Riparian Conservation Area RMP Resource Management Plan ROD Record of Decision ROW Right-of-Way SOP Standard Operating Procedure TEP Threatened, Endangered, or Proposed BDO Boise District Office USC United States Code USDA United States Department of Agriculture USDI United States Department of the Interior USFWS U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service UTV Utility-Terrain Vehicle WSA Wilderness Study Area WSRs Wild and Scenic Rivers Chapter 1 Introduction Overview The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Boise District (BDO) has prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) for an integrated weed management (IWM) plan on public lands to increase the number of herbicides