United States Department of Agriculture Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest Invasive Plant Treatment Draft Environmental Impact Statement Whatcom, Skagit, Snohomish, King, and Pierce Counties, Washington August 2014 for the greatest good Non-Discrimination Policy The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination against its customers, employees, and applicants for employment on the bases of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity, religión, reprisal, and where applicable, political beliefs, marital status, familial or parental status, sexual orientation, or all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program, or protected genetic infor- mation in employment or in any program or activity conducted or funded by the Department. (Not all prohibited bases will apply to all programs and/ or employment activities.) 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Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest Invasive Plant Treatment Draft Environmental Impact Statement Whatcom, Skagit, Snohomish, King, and Pierce Counties in Washington Lead Agency: USDA Forest Service Responsible Official: JENNIFER EBERLIEN FOREST SUPERVISOR 2930 Wetmore Ave, Suite 3A, Everett, WA 98201 For Information Contact: PHYLLIS REED, PROJECT COORDINATOR 2930 Wetmore Ave, Suite 3A, Everett, WA 98201 360-436-232 The DEIS can be viewed and downloaded from the internet at the website address: http://www.fs.fed.us/nepa/nepa_project_exp.php?project=34208. The DEIS and other information for this project is posted under the project name: Invasive Plant Treatment Project. The DEIS is also available as an electronic copy on a CD or as a hard copy upon request. Abstract: This Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) discloses the effects of treating invasive plants in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest (MBS). The Proposed Action would update the current treatment program to more cost-effectively contain, control, and eradicate invasive plants on the MBS. Currently, 936 sites, totaling approximately 4,000 infested acres are mapped within the MBS. In this project, the Forest Service is responding to the underlying need for timely containment, control, or eradication of invasive plants, including those that are currently known and those discovered in the future. The purpose of the project is to achieve the desired condition in a cost-effective manner, while minimizing adverse impacts to people and the environment. The Proposed Action would increase the number of herbicides and application methods available for use on the ground. A Forest Plan amendment would add aminopyralid to the list of acceptable herbicides. The broadcast method of herbicide application methods would be authorized. Mechanical treatments such as mowing and use of string trimmers would be authorized in combination with other treatment methods. Invasive plants removal in wilderness areas would be authorized. New detections of invasive plants would be treated in a timely manner. All treatments would be done according to Management Requirements and Mitigation Measures (MR/MM), intended to minimize risk and maximize treatment effectiveness. The DEIS discusses three alternatives: Alternative 2 is the Proposed Action, which is the preferred alternative. Alternative 1 is the No-Action Alternative, which would continue to implement invasive plant treatments approved in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie Decision Notice for Treatment of Invasive Plants and New Invaders Strategy (MBS 2005 DN). Alternative 3 would approve all elements of the Proposed Action, except that aminopyralid would not be added to the list of available herbicides; the MBS Forest Plan would not be amended. i Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest Invasive Plant Treatment DEIS It is important that reviewers provide their comments at such times and in such a way that they are useful to the Forest’s preparation of the EIS. Therefore, comments should be provided prior to the close of the comment period and should clearly articulate the reviewer’s concerns and contentions. The submission of timely and specific comments can affect a reviewer’s ability to participate in subsequent administrative review or judicial review. Send Comments to: Forest Invasive Plant Treatment DEIS Phyllis Reed, Project Coordinator Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest 2930 Wetmore Ave. Suite 3A Everett, WA 98201 Comments received in response to this Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) solicitation, including names, addresses, and phone numbers of those who comment, will be part of the Project Record for this proposed action and available for public review. Comments submitted anonymously will be accepted and considered; however, anonymous comments would not provide the respondent with standing to participate in subsequent administrative or judicial review processes. Comments on this DEIS may be submitted by e-mail, letter, telephone, fax, or office visit. Comments should include a valid e-mail or mailing address. Electronic comments must be in e-mail message, text, .doc, .rtf, or .pdf format. Please submit electronic comments to: comments-pacificnorthwest-mtbaker- [email protected] Written comments may be mailed or hand delivered to: Phyllis Reed, Environmental Coordinator, Forest Invasive Plant Treatment DEIS, Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, 2930 Wetmore Ave., Suite 3A, Everett, WA 98201. Office hours for submitting hand-delivered comments are 8:00 am – 4:30 pm Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. Oral comments can be provided at the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, Supervisor’s Office (address above) during normal business hours, or by telephone at (360) 677-2258. Comments can be faxed to (425) 783-0212. Date Comments Must Be Received: The 45-day public comment period begins when the Environmental Protection Agency publishes a notice of availability for the Draft EIS in the Federal Register. Comments must be received by the close of business on the last day of the comment period. ii Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest Invasive Plant Treatment DEIS Figure 1. Project area vicinity map iii Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest Invasive Plant Treatment DEIS Acronym List AI Active Ingredient ACS Aquatic Conservation Strategy APHIS Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service BA Biological Assessment BCF Bioconcentration Factor BLM Bureau of Land Management BMP Best Management Practices CFR Code of Federal Regulations EA Environmental Assessment EDRR Early Detection / Rapid Response DEIS Draft Environmental Impact Statement DN Decision Notice EIS Environmental Impact Statement EPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ESA Endangered Species Act FEIS Final Environmental Impact Statement HUC Hydrologic Unit Code GIS Geographical information System GLEAMS Groundwater Loading Effects of Agricultural Management Systems HCB Hexachlorobenzene MR/MM Management Requirements and Mitigation Measures MBS Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest IDT Interdisciplinary Team IWM Integrated Weed (Invasive Plant) Management NEPA National Environmental Policy Act NF National Forest NFMA National Forest Management Act NMFS National Marine Fisheries Service NHPA National Historic Preservation Act NOA Notice of Availability NOI Notice of Intent NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NPE Nonylphenol Polyethoxylate NPDES National Pollution Discharge Elimination System NRIS Natural Resource Information Systems NWFP Northwest Forest Plan PNW Pacific Northwest ROD Record of Decision RR Riparian Reserve SHPO State Historic Preservation Office TES Threatened, Endangered, Sensitive USDA U.S. Department of Agriculture USDI U.S. Department of Interior USFS U.S. Forest Service USFWS U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service WCM Water Concentration Model iv Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest Invasive Plant Treatment DEIS Table of Contents Summary ___________________________________________________________________ S-1 S.1 Background ___________________________________________________________________ S-1 S.2 Purpose and Need _____________________________________________________________