United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service Historic Facilities BMP Retrofit Environmental Assessment Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, El Dorado County, California. May 2014 1940’s aerial photo of the Tallac Historic Site. For More Information Contact: Ashley Sommer Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit 35 College Dr. South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150 Phone: (530) 543-2600 Fax: (530) 543-2693 The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination against its customers, employees, and applicants for employment on the bases of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity, religion, reprisal, and where applicable, political beliefs, marital status, familial or parental status, sexual orientation, or all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program, or protected genetic information in employment or in any program or activity conducted or funded by the Department. (Not all prohibited bases will apply to all programs and/or employment activities.) To File an Employment Complaint If you wish to file an employment complaint, you must contact your agency's EEO Counselor (PDF) within 45 days of the date of the alleged discriminatory act, event, or in the case of a personnel action. Additional information can be found online at www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_file.html. To File a Program Complaint If you wish to file a Civil Rights program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form (PDF), found online at www.ascr.usda.gov/ complaint_filing_cust.html, or at any USDA office, or call (866) 632‐9992 to request the form. You may also write a letter containing all of the information requested in the form. Send your completed complaint form or letter to us by mail at U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250‐9410, by fax (202) 690‐ 7442 or email at [email protected]. Persons with Disabilities Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities and wish to file either an EEO or program complaint please contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877‐8339 or (800) 845‐6136 (in Spanish). Persons with disabilities, who wish to file a program complaint, please see information above on how to contact us by mail directly or by email. If you require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) please contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720‐2600 (voice and TDD). Historic Facilties BMP Retrofit Project Environmental Assessment i Contents Chapter 1 - Introduction Acronyms ...................................................................................................................................... iii 1.1 Document Structure ...................................................................................................... 8 1.2 Proposed Project Location ............................................................................................ 8 1.3 Background & Overview of the Existing Condition ................................................. 10 1.4 Desired Conditions ...................................................................................................... 15 1.5 Purpose and Need for Action ...................................................................................... 15 1.6 Proposed Action ........................................................................................................... 16 1.7 Decision Framework .................................................................................................... 16 1.8 Public Involvement ...................................................................................................... 16 1.9 Issues ............................................................................................................................. 17 1.10 Applicable Laws, Regulations, and Policies .............................................................. 19 Chapter 2 – Alternatives, including the Proposed Action 2.1 Alternative 1: No Action ................................................................................................ 22 2.2 Alternative 2: Proposed Action ..................................................................................... 22 Changes from the Original Proposed Action presented during public Scoping ............... 22 Proposed Action/Alternative 2 ......................................................................................... 23 2.3 Alternative 3 .................................................................................................................... 31 Issues Identified during Scoping that Alternative 3 responds to ...................................... 31 Alternative 3 ..................................................................................................................... 31 2.4 Alternative 4 .................................................................................................................... 34 Issues Identified during the Comment Period to which Alternative 4 responds .............. 34 2.5 Summary of Actions by Alternative ............................................................................. 37 2.6 Summary of Environmental Effects by Alternative .................................................... 39 2.7 Alternatives Considered, but not in further detail ...................................................... 40 Chapter 3 – Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences 3.0 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 42 3.0.1 Organization of Chapter 3 ................................................................................................ 42 3.0.2 Projects Considered for Cumulative Effects .................................................................... 43 3.1 Recreation ....................................................................................................................... 46 3.1.1 Affected Environment ...................................................................................................... 46 3.1.2 Alternative 1 – No Action ................................................................................................ 49 3.1.3 Alternative 2 – Proposed Action ...................................................................................... 50 3.1.4 Alternative 3 ..................................................................................................................... 53 3.1.5 Alternative 4 ..................................................................................................................... 55 3.1.5 Analytical Conclusions ..................................................................................................... 56 3.2 Heritage Resources ......................................................................................................... 58 3.2.1 Introduction and Affected Environment ........................................................................... 58 3.2.2 Alternative 2 ..................................................................................................................... 59 3.2.3 Alternative 3 ..................................................................................................................... 62 3.2.4 Alternative 4 ..................................................................................................................... 63 3.2.5 Analytical Conclusions ..................................................................................................... 63 Historic Facilties BMP Retrofit Project Environmental Assessment ii 3.3 Circulation ...................................................................................................................... 66 3.3.1 Introduction and Affected Environment ........................................................................... 66 3.3.2 Alternative 1 – No Action ................................................................................................ 72 3.3.3 Alternative 2 – Proposed Action ...................................................................................... 72 3.3.4 Alternative 3 ..................................................................................................................... 76 3.3.5 Alternative 4 ..................................................................................................................... 78 3.3.6 Analytical Conclusions ..................................................................................................... 78 3.4 Botanical Resources ....................................................................................................... 80 3.4.1 Introduction and Analysis Methodology .......................................................................... 80 3.4.2 Alternative 1 – No Action ................................................................................................ 84 3.4.3 Alternative 2 and 4 ........................................................................................................... 84 3.4.4 Alternative 3 ..................................................................................................................... 88 3.4.5 Other Botanical Resources ............................................................................................... 88 3.4.6 Analytical Conclusions ....................................................................................................