Eugene District BLM Draft Environmental Impact Statement West Eugene Wetlands Resource Management Plan Eugene District Bureau of Land Management October 2012 As the Nation’s principal conservation agency, the Department of Interior has responsibility for most of our nationally owned public lands and natural resources. This includes fostering economic use of our land and water resources, protecting our fish and wildlife, preserving the environmental and cultural values of our national parks and historical places, and providing for the enjoyment of life through outdoor recreation. The Department assesses our energy and mineral resources and works to assure that their development is in the best interest of all people. The Department also has a major responsibility for American Indian reservation communities and for people who live in Island Territories under U.S. administration. BLM/OR/WA/PL-12/046+1632 (12-0298) United States Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Eugene District Office P.O. Box 10226 Eugene, Oregon 97440-2226 1610 WEW (OR-E050) Dear Reader: Enclosed is the Draft Resource Management Plan (RMP) and Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) West Eugene Wetlands RMP. With this RMP, we are developing a long-term management strategy for 1,340 acres of BLM-administered lands within and near the city of Eugene, Oregon. I would appreciate your comments on this Draft RMP/Draft EIS. Your comments will help me develop a proposed RMP and improve the analysis for the Final EIS. Your comments will be most useful to me to the extent they: • present new information relevant to the analysis; • present reasonable alternatives other than those analyzed in the draft EIS; • make suggestions, with a reasoned basis, for the development of a proposed RMP; • question, with a reasoned basis, the adequacy of, methodology for, or assumptions used for the analysis; or • question, with a reasoned basis, the accuracy of information in the draft EIS. It will be less useful to provide comments that are simply votes in support or opposition to a particular alternative, or position statements in support or opposition to particular BLM policies or proposals, without providing reasons. To be considered timely, comments on this Draft RMP/Draft EIS must be submitted within 90 days of the publication in the Federal Register of the Notice of Availability for this Draft RMP/Draft EIS. Comments can be submitted by mail to: Richard Hardt, RMP Team Leader, to the address listed above in the heading of this document; by electronic mail (email) to [email protected]; by facsimile to (541) 683-6981; or in person at the Eugene District BLM office located at 3106 Pierce Parkway, Springfield, OR, 97477, Suite E. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to contact the above individual during normal business hours. The FIRS is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to leave a message or question with the above individual. You will receive a reply during normal business hours. All information in your comments including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information (PII) is maintained as a BLM record. Although your information is sensitive and protected from public access, it may be made available under a Freedom of Information Act request. You may request in your comment that your PII information be withheld from public review although the agency is unable to guarantee full protection of such information. Please consider all information you may want to include in your comments. If you have questions please send an e-mail to [email protected]; or call Richard Hardt at (541) 683-6600. Sincerely, Virginia Grilley Eugene District Manager United States Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Eugene District Office Draft Environmental Impact Statement West Eugene Wetlands Resource Management Plan Lane County, Oregon Lead Agency: Bureau of Land Management Cooperating Agencies: City of Eugene Parks and Open Space Division U.S. Army Corps of Engineers The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde For Further Information: Richard Hardt, RMP Team Leader P.O. Box 10226 Eugene, OR 97440-2226 (541) 683-6600 ABSTRACT The Bureau of Land Management, in cooperation with the City of Eugene Parks and Open Space Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, proposes to adopt a resource management plan for the BLM-administered lands in the West Eugene Wetlands. This Draft Environmental Impact Statement analyzes in detail the No Action alternative and six action alternatives designed to represent different overall management approaches to achieve the purpose and need for action. The alternatives analyzed would have different effects on contributing to the recovery of threatened and endangered species and different costs of implementation. The BLM preferred alternative is Alternative 2A. Contents Contents List of Tables ................................................................................................................................................ iv List of Figures ............................................................................................................................................... vi List of Maps ................................................................................................................................................. vii Summary .................................................................................................................................................... viii Chapter 1 - Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 1 Overview ................................................................................................................................................... 1 Purpose and Need for Action .................................................................................................................... 5 Major Authorizing Laws and Regulations ................................................................................................. 6 Relationship to Policies, Plans, and Programs .......................................................................................... 8 Collaboration........................................................................................................................................... 11 Issues ....................................................................................................................................................... 11 Chapter 2 - Alternatives .............................................................................................................................. 21 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 21 Alternatives Analyzed in Detail ............................................................................................................... 21 Comparison of Alternatives .................................................................................................................... 62 Preferred Alternative .............................................................................................................................. 65 Alternatives Considered but not Analyzed in Detail ............................................................................... 65 Chapter 3 - Affected Environment .............................................................................................................. 67 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 67 How would BLM management actions affect the restoration of native plant communities? ............... 68 How would BLM management actions contribute to meeting the recovery objectives described in the recovery plan for ESA‐listed species? ..................................................................................................... 73 How would BLM management actions affect BLM sensitive and strategic plant and animal species? . 85 How would herbicide use affect soils, water, plants, and animals? ..................................................... 100 How would prescribed burning affect air quality? ............................................................................... 104 How would changing climate conditions alter the effect of BLM management actions on resources? .............................................................................................................................................................. 106 How would BLM management actions affect greenhouse gas emissions and carbon storage? .......... 111 How would BLM management actions affect archaeological, historical and traditional use resources (trust responsibilities)? ......................................................................................................................... 113 i West Eugene Wetlands Draft RMP/Draft EIS How would BLM management actions affect access to the planning area, authorizations over the planning area, and authorizations for extractive uses in the planning area? ...................................... 117 How would BLM management actions affect recreation opportunities?