Colville River Special Area Management Plan Environmental Assessment July 2008 Bureau of Land Management Arctic Field Office Fairbanks, Alaska Table of Contents 1. Introduction...............................................................................................................................1 1.1. Background..............................................................................................................................1 1.2. Purpose and Need for Action...................................................................................................3 1.3. Public Involvement and Issues.................................................................................................3 2. Proposed Action and Alternatives...........................................................................................4 2.1. Description of the Proposed Action.........................................................................................4 2.2. Description of the No Action Alternative................................................................................5 2.3. Alternatives Considered but Not Analyzed in Detail ............................................................13 2.3.1. Consider Making Decisions in the CRSA for Purposes Other than Protection of Arctic Peregrine Falcon........................................................................................................................13 2.3.2. Establish a Bird Conservation Area ...............................................................................13 2.3.3. Consider Wild and Scenic River Designation for the Colville River ............................13 2.3.4 Extend Setback along Colville River and Tributaries from One to Two miles ...............14 3. Affected Environment ............................................................................................................15 3.1. Introduction............................................................................................................................15 3.2. Potentially Affected Resources (Environmental Elements) ..................................................15 3.2.1. Arctic Peregrine Falcon..................................................................................................16 3.2.1.1 Population Trends and Monitoring .........................................................................16 3.2.1.2 Habitat Use and Ecology.........................................................................................18 3.2.1.3 Management and Conservation...............................................................................18 3.2.2. Birds (Excluding Peregrine Falcon)...............................................................................19 3.2.2.1 Bird Surveys............................................................................................................19 3.2.2.2 Bird Hunting............................................................................................................20 3.2.3. Moose, Moose Surveys, and Moose Hunting ................................................................20 3.2.3.1 Moose Surveys ........................................................................................................20 3.2.3.2 Moose Hunting........................................................................................................21 3.2.4. Fish and Fish Habitat, and Fish Surveys........................................................................21 3.2.4.1 Fish and Fish Habitat...............................................................................................21 3.2.4.2 Fish Surveys ............................................................................................................22 3.2.5. Subsistence.....................................................................................................................22 3.2.5.1 Subsistence Use.......................................................................................................22 3.2.5.2 Subsistence Resource Activities..............................................................................23 3.2.6. Environmental Justice ....................................................................................................24 3.2.7. Paleontological and Cultural Resource Activities..........................................................25 3.2.7.1 Paleontological and Cultural Resources Excavations .............................................25 3.2.8. Recreation Activities......................................................................................................26 3.2.8.1 Setting......................................................................................................................26 3.2.8.2 Recreation Activities...............................................................................................26 4. Environmental Consequences................................................................................................28 4.1. Introduction............................................................................................................................28 4.2. Direct and Indirect Effects.....................................................................................................28 4.2.1. Arctic Peregrine Falcon..................................................................................................28 4.2.1.1. Proposed Action .....................................................................................................28 4.2.1.2. No Action ...............................................................................................................29 4.2.2. Birds, Bird Surveys, and Bird Hunting ..........................................................................30 4.2.2.1. Proposed Action .....................................................................................................30 4.2.2.2. No Action ...............................................................................................................31 4.2.3. Moose, Moose Surveys and Moose Hunting .................................................................31 4.2.3.1. Proposed Action .....................................................................................................31 4.2.3.2. No Action ...............................................................................................................32 4.2.4. Fish, Fish Habitat and Fish Surveys...............................................................................32 4.2.4.1. Proposed Action .....................................................................................................32 4.2.4.2. No Action ...............................................................................................................33 4.2.5. Subsistence.....................................................................................................................33 4.2.5.1. Proposed Action .....................................................................................................34 4.2.5.2. No Action ...............................................................................................................34 4.2.6. Environmental Justice ....................................................................................................35 4.2.6.1. Proposed Action .....................................................................................................35 4.2.6.2. No Action ...............................................................................................................35 4.2.7. Paleontological and Cultural Resources Activities........................................................35 4.2.7.1. Proposed Action .....................................................................................................35 4.2.7.2. No Action ...............................................................................................................36 4.2.8. Recreational Activities...................................................................................................36 4.2.8.1. Proposed Action .....................................................................................................36 4.2.8.2. No Action ...............................................................................................................37 4.3. Cumulative Effects.................................................................................................................37 4.3.1. Arctic Peregrine Falcon..................................................................................................40 4.3.2. Other Affected Resources (and Associated Activities)..................................................43 5. Tribes, Individuals, Organizations, and Agencies Consulted.............................................44 6. List of Preparers .....................................................................................................................45 7. References Cited......................................................................................................................46 Appendices APPENDIX A Agency and Other Correspondence APPENDIX B Essential Fish Habitat Assessment Appendices (continued) APPENDIX C ANILCA Section 810 Analysis APPENDIX D Characteristics of Cultural Resources Sites along the Colville River APPENDIX E Response to Comments Received regarding CRSAMP and CRSA EA 5 Colville River Special Area Management Plan Environmental Assessment 1. Introduction