U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Hanford Reach National Monument Rattlesnake Unit Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for Public Access Estimated Lead Agency Total Costs Associated with Developing and Producing This DEIS $178,000 [Inside Front Cover] Hanford Reach National Monument Rattlesnake Unit Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for Public Access Prepared by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Mid-Columbia National Wildlife Refuge Complex 64 Maple Street Burbank, Washington 99323 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 911 NE 11th Avenue Portland, Oregon 97232 August 2018 TABLE OF CONTENTS MAPS ........................................................................................................................................... iii-xviii 1. Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Purpose and Need ........................................................................................................................ 1 1.2 Description of the Planning Area ................................................................................................. 1 1.3 Purpose of the Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement .................................................. 4 1.4 Public Involvement and Scoping ................................................................................................. 6 2. Alternatives Considered ................................................................................................................. 7 2.1 Actions Common to All Alternatives........................................................................................... 7 2.2 Alternative A – No Action Alternative ........................................................................................ 9 2.3 Alternative B – Expanded Public Access .................................................................................... 9 2.4 Alternative C – Enhanced Summit Access ................................................................................ 12 2.5 Alternatives Considered But Eliminated .................................................................................... 13 2.6 Preferred Alternative .................................................................................................................. 14 3. Affected Environment .................................................................................................................. 17 3.1 Methods and Sources of Information ......................................................................................... 17 3.2 Climate ....................................................................................................................................... 17 3.3 Hydrology .................................................................................................................................. 17 3.4 Environmental Contaminants ..................................................................................................... 17 3.5 Air Quality ................................................................................................................................. 18 3.6 Water Quality ............................................................................................................................. 18 3.7 Geology and Geomorphology .................................................................................................... 18 3.8 Paleontology .............................................................................................................................. 18 3.9 Plants and Plant Communities ................................................................................................... 18 3.10 Wildlife .................................................................................................................................... 19 3.11 Threatened and Endangered Species ........................................................................................ 20 3.12 Special Status Species and Communities ................................................................................. 21 3.13 Noxious and Invasive Species.................................................................................................. 21 3.14 Cultural Resources – History and Physical Resources ............................................................ 21 3.15 Cultural Resources – Tribal Uses and Connection .................................................................. 22 3.16 Visual/Aesthetic Resources...................................................................................................... 22 3.17 Visitor Use and Experience...................................................................................................... 22 3.18 Infrastructure ............................................................................................................................ 22 3.19 Socio-Economic Setting ........................................................................................................... 24 3.20 Special Area Designations ....................................................................................................... 26 Hanford Reach National Monument, Rattlesnake Unit • Draft SEIS i 4. Environmental Impacts of Alternatives ....................................................................................... 27 4.1 Effects Severity Ratings ............................................................................................................. 27 4.2 Effects on Soils, Geological, and Paleontological Resources .................................................... 27 4.3 Effects on Biological Resources – Vegetation ........................................................................... 28 4.4 Effects on Biological Resources – Wildlife ............................................................................... 30 4.5 Threatened and Endangered Species.......................................................................................... 32 4.6 Effects on Cultural Resources .................................................................................................... 32 4.7 Effects on Interpretation and Education..................................................................................... 34 4.8 Effects on Recreation and Public Use ........................................................................................ 35 4.9 Effects on Aesthetics and Solitude............................................................................................. 36 4.10 Effects on Special Area Designations ...................................................................................... 37 4.11 Effects on Social, Economic, and Infrastructure Resources .................................................... 37 4.12 Indirect and Cumulative Effects .............................................................................................. 38 4.13 Irreversible and Irretrievable Commitments of Resources ...................................................... 39 4.14 Environmental Justice .............................................................................................................. 39 5. Consultation, Coordination, and Public Outreach ....................................................................... 41 5.1 Agency Consultation and Coordination ..................................................................................... 41 5.2 Consultation with Native American Governments .................................................................... 41 5.3 Formal Scoping .......................................................................................................................... 42 Appendix A. Abbreviations ................................................................................................................. 45 Appendix B. List of Preparers ............................................................................................................. 47 Appendix C. Scoping Report ............................................................................................................... 49 Appendix D. Species List .................................................................................................................... 65 Appendix E. References ....................................................................................................................... 67 Appendix F. Distribution List .............................................................................................................. 69 ii Hanford Reach National Monument, Rattlesnake Unit • Draft SEIS ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service ! Hanford Reach National Monument Map 1 - Location of the Hanford Reach Adams, Benton, Franklin and Grant Counties, Washington National Monument within the Northwest ! ! ! Edmonton ! ! Saskatoon British Alberta Saskatchewan ! ! ! Columbia ! Calgary ! Regina ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Vancouver ! ! Victoria ! Washington ! ! ! ! ! Seattle ! ! Hanford Reach Montana ! ! ! ! ! National Monument ! ! ! ! Helena ! ! ! ! ! Portland ! ! Salem ! ! Idaho ! ! Oregon ! ! Pacific ! Boise Wyoming ! ! ! ! Ocean ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Salt Lake City ! ! ! ! Colorado Carson City Nevada Utah ! Sacramento ! ! !! Oakland ! San Jose ! ! California ! ! Santa Fe ! ! New Mexico ! Arizona ! ! ! Los Angeles ! Phoenix ! ! ! ! San Diego! Mexicali ! El Paso ! ! Columbia River Basin ! ! Sonora Chihuahua ! ! PRODUCED