Environmental Assessment for Coronado National Forest Road Construction Project Prepared for Department of Homeland Security U.S. Customs and Border Protection U.S. Border Patrol and U.S. Department of Agriculture Coronado National Forest Nogales Ranger District December 2016 Table of Contents FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ........................................................................................... v CHAPTER 1 – PURPOSE AND NEED .................................................................................................... 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................... 1 Document Structure ................................................................................................................................... 1 Background ................................................................................................................................................ 2 Purpose and Need for Action ..................................................................................................................... 2 Proposed Action ........................................................................................................................................ 2 Decision Framework .................................................................................................................................. 2 Public Involvement .................................................................................................................................... 4 Issues Identified During Scoping ............................................................................................................... 4 Forest Land and Resource Management Plan Consistency ....................................................................... 5 Travel Management Rule...................................................................................................................... 5 CHAPTER 2 – PROPOSED ACTION AND ALTERNATIVES ........................................................... 7 Alternative 1 – No Action .......................................................................................................................... 7 Alternative 2 – Proposed Action ................................................................................................................ 7 Fresnal Wash ...................................................................................................................................... 11 Cantinas Reservoir .............................................................................................................................. 11 Sycamore Canyon ............................................................................................................................... 12 Mitigation Measures ........................................................................................................................... 12 Alternatives Considered, But Eliminated from Further Analysis ............................................................ 15 CHAPTER 3 – ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES .................................................................... 17 Comparison of Impacts of the Alternatives ............................................................................................. 18 Cumulative Effects .................................................................................................................................. 20 Air Quality and Climate Change ............................................................................................................. 22 Affected Environment......................................................................................................................... 22 Air Quality .......................................................................................................................................... 22 Climate Change ................................................................................................................................... 24 Environmental Consequences ............................................................................................................. 24 Units of Measure for impact significance (Indicators): Air Quality and Climate Change .................. 24 General Conformity Rule .................................................................................................................... 24 Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule ......................................................................................................... 25 Alternative 1 – No Action Direct and Indirect Effects ....................................................................... 25 Alternative 2 – Proposed Action Direct and Indirect Effects.............................................................. 25 Mitigation Measures ........................................................................................................................... 26 Cumulative Effects .............................................................................................................................. 26 Soils and Water Resources ...................................................................................................................... 26 Affected Environment......................................................................................................................... 26 Soil Resources ..................................................................................................................................... 26 Surface Water Resources .................................................................................................................... 27 Groundwater Resources ...................................................................................................................... 28 Environmental Consequences ............................................................................................................. 28 Environmental Assessment for Coronado National Forest Road Construction Project i Units of Measure for Impact Significance (Indicators): Soil and Water Resources ........................... 28 Alternative 1 – No Action Direct and Indirect Effects ....................................................................... 28 Alternative 2 – Proposed Action Direct and Indirect Effects.............................................................. 29 Mitigation Measures ........................................................................................................................... 30 Cumulative Effects .............................................................................................................................. 31 Wildlife and Fisheries .............................................................................................................................. 32 Affected Environment......................................................................................................................... 32 Environmental Consequences ............................................................................................................. 34 Units of Measure for Impact Significance (Indicators): Wildlife and Fisheries ................................. 34 Alternative 1 – No Action Direct and Indirect Effects ....................................................................... 35 Alternative 2 – Proposed Action Direct and Indirect Effects.............................................................. 35 Mitigation Measures ........................................................................................................................... 36 Cumulative Effects .............................................................................................................................. 37 Special Status Species – Forest Service Sensitive Plant and Management Indicator Species and Migratory Birds ....................................................................................................................................... 37 Affected Environment......................................................................................................................... 37 Environmental Consequences ............................................................................................................. 38 Units of Measure for Impact Significance (Indicators): Special-Status Species - Forest Service Sensitive Plant and Management Indicator Species and Migratory Birds .......................................... 38 Alternative 1 – No Action Direct and Indirect Effects ....................................................................... 38 Alternative 2 – Proposed Action Direct and Indirect Effects.............................................................. 38 Mitigation Measures ........................................................................................................................... 41 Cumulative Effects .............................................................................................................................. 42 Special Status Species – Threatened and Endangered Species ................................................................ 43 Chiricahua Leopard Frog (Lithobates chiricahuensis) ....................................................................... 43 Jaguar (Panthera onca) .......................................................................................................................