Wildfire Mitigation Projects in the State of Colorado Draft Programmatic Environmental Assessment Colorado | March 2017 Federal Emergency Management Agency U.S. Department of Homeland Security Denver Federal Center Building 710, Box 25267 Denver, CO 80225-0267 THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK Table of Contents Table of Contents Table of Contents .......................................................................................................................................... i Acronyms And Abbreviations .................................................................................................................... iv 1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Overview ..................................................................................................... 1 1.1.1 Background ..................................................................................... 2 1.1.2 Area of Study .................................................................................. 3 1.1.3 Process for Use of this PEA ............................................................ 4 2 Purpose and Need .............................................................................................................. 5 3 Alternatives ........................................................................................................................ 6 3.1 Introduction ................................................................................................. 6 3.2 Alternatives Considered .............................................................................. 6 3.2.1 Alternative 1: No Action ................................................................. 6 3.2.2 Alternative 2: Vegetation Management .......................................... 7 3.3 Alternatives Not Considered ....................................................................... 9 4 Affected Environment And Environmental Consequences .......................................... 11 4.1 Physical Resources .................................................................................... 11 4.1.1 Affected Environment ................................................................... 11 4.1.2 Environmental Consequences ....................................................... 17 4.2 Transportation Resources .......................................................................... 18 4.2.1 Affected Environment ................................................................... 18 4.2.2 Environmental Consequences ....................................................... 20 4.3 Safety and Occupational Health ................................................................ 21 4.3.1 Affected Environment ................................................................... 21 4.3.2 Environmental Consequences ....................................................... 22 4.4 Socioeconomics and Environmental Justice ............................................. 25 4.4.1 Affected Environment ................................................................... 25 4.4.2 Environmental Consequences ....................................................... 25 4.5 Air Quality................................................................................................. 27 4.5.1 Affected Environment ................................................................... 27 4.5.2 Environmental Consequences ....................................................... 29 4.6 Noise.......................................................................................................... 30 4.6.1 Affected Environment ................................................................... 30 4.6.2 Environmental Consequences ....................................................... 32 4.7 Public Services And Utilities .................................................................... 32 4.7.1 Affected Environment ................................................................... 32 4.7.2 Environmental Consequences ....................................................... 34 4.8 Water Resources ........................................................................................ 36 4.8.1 Affected Environment ................................................................... 36 4.8.2 Environmental Consequences ....................................................... 40 Colorado Wildfire Mitigation Projects Page i March 2017 DRAFT Programmatic Environmental Assessment Table of Contents 4.9 Biological Resources ................................................................................. 43 4.9.1 Affected Environment ................................................................... 43 4.9.2 Environmental Consequences ....................................................... 50 4.10 Cultural Resources .................................................................................... 52 4.10.1 Affected Environment ................................................................... 52 4.10.2 Environmental Consequences ....................................................... 55 4.11 Hazardous Materials .................................................................................. 57 4.11.1 Affected Environment ................................................................... 57 4.11.2 Environmental Consequences ....................................................... 59 4.12 Cumulative Impacts................................................................................... 60 4.12.1 Summary of Cumulative Impacts .................................................. 60 5 Best Management Practices (BMPs) and Mitigation Measures .................................... 62 6 Summary of Impacts ........................................................................................................ 65 7 Public Involvement ........................................................................................................... 66 7.1 Public Notice of Availability For Comment ............................................. 66 8 List of Preparers............................................................................................................... 67 9 References ........................................................................................................................ 68 FIGURES Figure 1-1: Action Area ...................................................................................................................... 3 Figure 4-1: Generalized Bedrock Geology for Colorado .................................................................. 12 Figure 4-2: Colorado Soil Taxonomy Suborders .............................................................................. 14 Figure 4-3: Major Land Use Distribution by Coverage Type in Colorado ....................................... 16 Figure 4-4: Colorado Transportation Networks ................................................................................ 19 Figure 4-5: Colorado Historic Wildfires ........................................................................................... 23 Figure 4-6: Sound Levels of Typical Sounds .................................................................................... 31 Figure 4-7: Colorado Water Resources .............................................................................................. 37 Figure 4-8: Colorado Wetlands ......................................................................................................... 41 Figure 4-9: ESA Designated Critical Habitat for Colorado .............................................................. 49 Figure 4-10: TOXMAP Superfund/NPL and TRI Facilities in Colorado ......................................... 58 TABLES Table 4-1: Major Land Use in Colorado by Coverage Type ............................................................ 15 Table 4-2: Impact Significance Criteria for Physical Resources ...................................................... 17 Table 4-3: Colorado Interstates .......................................................................................................... 18 Table 4-4: Impact Significance Rating Criteria for Transportation Resources ................................. 20 Table 4-5: Significant Colorado Wildfires–1994-2013 .................................................................... 22 Table 4-6: Impact Significance Rating Criteria for Safety and Occupational Health ....................... 22 Table 4-7: Impact Significance Rating Criteria for Socioeconomics and Environmental Justice .... 26 Colorado Wildfire Mitigation Projects Page ii March 2017 DRAFT Programmatic Environmental Assessment Table of Contents Table 4-8: Colorado Exceedances for National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) in 2013 ............................................................................................................................................................ 28 Table 4-9: Impact Significance Rating Criteria for Air Quality ....................................................... 29 Table 4-10: Impact Significance Rating Criteria for Noise .............................................................. 32 Table 4-11: Colorado Public Safety Infrastructure ........................................................................... 33 Table 4-12: Colorado First Responder Personnel ............................................................................. 33 Table 4-13: Impact Significance Rating Criteria