B L M U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Environmental Assessment Vya PMU Habitat Restoration and Fuels Reduction Project June 25, 2013 PREPARING OFFICE U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management 602 Cressler Street Cedarville, CA 96104 5302796101 5302792171 Environmental Assessment Vya PMU Habitat Restoration and Fuels Reduction Project DOI-BLM-CA-N070-2013-0016-EA Prepared by U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Surprise Field Office Cedarville, CA Vya PMU Habitat Restoration and Fuels Reduction Project June 25, 2013 This page intentionally left blank Environmental Assessment iii Table of Contents _1. Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 1 _1.1. Background: .................................................................................................................... 1 _1.2. Proposed Action Location: ............................................................................................. 1 _1.3. Programmatic EA Approach: ......................................................................................... 2 _1.4. Purpose and Need ........................................................................................................... 3 1.4.1. Objectives of the Vya PMU Habitat Restoration and Fuels Reduction Projects ... 3 1.4.2. Decisions to be Made ............................................................................................. 4 _1.5. Scoping ........................................................................................................................... 4 _1.6. Issues identified through internal and external scoping .................................................. 4 _1.7. Plan Compliance and Tiering .......................................................................................... 5 1.7.1. Tiering .................................................................................................................... 5 1.7.2. Land Use Plan (LUP) Conformance ...................................................................... 6 1.7.3. Relevant Laws, Regulations, Environmental Impact Statement (EISs), and Other Documents .................................................................................................. 6 _2. Proposed Action and Alternatives .......................................................................................... 9 _2.1. Description of the Proposed Action: ............................................................................ 11 2.1.1. Early Juniper Encroachment: Phase 1 and Early Phase 2 Juniper Areas ............ 15 2.1.2. Advanced Juniper Encroachment: Phase 2 and Early Phase 3 Juniper Areas ..... 16 2.1.3. Treatment Elements Common to All Sites .......................................................... 19 _2.2. Alternative 2 - No Action: ............................................................................................ 21 _2.3. Alternatives Considered but Dismissed from Detailed Analysis .................................. 22 _3. Affected environment and environmental effects: .............................................................. 23 _3.1. General Description ...................................................................................................... 25 _3.2. Environmental Effects .................................................................................................. 25 3.2.1. Direct and Indirect Effects ................................................................................... 25 3.2.2. Cumulative Effects ............................................................................................... 25 _3.3. Past, Present, and Reasonably Foreseeable Future Actions .......................................... 25 _3.4. Resource Issue Areas .................................................................................................... 28 _3.5. Air Quality .................................................................................................................... 29 3.5.1. Affected Environment .......................................................................................... 29 3.5.2. Direct and Indirect Effects of Proposed Action ................................................... 30 3.5.3. Cumulative Effects of Proposed Action .............................................................. 32 3.5.4. Direct and Indirect Effects of the No Action Alternative .................................... 32 3.5.5. Cumulative Effects of the No Action Alternative ................................................ 32 3.5.6. Mitigation Measures ............................................................................................ 33 _3.6. Cultural Resources ........................................................................................................ 33 3.6.1. Affected Environment .......................................................................................... 33 3.6.2. Direct and Indirect Effects of Proposed Action ................................................... 35 3.6.3. Cumulative Effects of the Proposed Action ......................................................... 36 3.6.4. Direct and Indirect Effects of No Action Alternative .......................................... 36 3.6.5. Cumulative Effects of the No Action Alternative ................................................ 36 June 25, 2013 Table of Contents iv Environmental Assessment 3.6.6. Mitigation Measures ............................................................................................ 36 _3.7. Fire and Fuels ................................................................................................................ 37 3.7.1. Affected Environment .......................................................................................... 37 3.7.2. Direct and Indirect Effects of Proposed Action ................................................... 40 3.7.3. Cumulative Effects of Proposed Action .............................................................. 41 3.7.4. Direct and Indirect Effects of the No Action Alternative .................................... 42 3.7.5. Cumulative Effects of the No Action Alternative ................................................ 42 3.7.6. Mitigation Measures ............................................................................................ 42 _3.8. Fuel Wood Utilization ................................................................................................... 42 3.8.1. Affected Environment .......................................................................................... 42 3.8.2. Direct and Indirect Effects of Proposed Action ................................................... 43 3.8.3. Cumulative Effects of Proposed Action .............................................................. 43 3.8.4. Direct, Indirect and Cumulative Effects of the No Action Alternative ............... 43 3.8.5. Mitigation Measures ............................................................................................ 44 _3.9. Global Climate Change ................................................................................................. 44 3.9.1. Affected Environment .......................................................................................... 44 3.9.2. Direct, Indirect and Cumulative Effects .............................................................. 47 3.9.3. Direct, Indirect and Cumulative Effects of the No Action Alternative ............... 48 3.9.4. Mitigation Measures ............................................................................................ 49 _3.10. Livestock Grazing ....................................................................................................... 49 3.10.1. Affected Environment ........................................................................................ 49 3.10.2. Direct and Indirect Effects of Proposed Action ................................................. 50 3.10.3. Cumulative Effects of Proposed Action ............................................................ 50 3.10.4. Direct and Indirect Effects of No Action Alternative ........................................ 51 3.10.5. Cumulative Effects of No Action Alternative ................................................... 51 3.10.6. Mitigation Measures .......................................................................................... 52 _3.11. Native American Religious Concerns ......................................................................... 52 3.11.1. Affected Environment ........................................................................................ 52 3.11.2. Direct and Indirect Effects of Proposed Action ................................................. 53 3.11.3. Cumulative Effects of Proposed Action ............................................................. 53 3.11.4. Direct and Indirect Effects of No Action Alternative ........................................ 53 3.11.5. Cumulative Effects of No Action Alternative .................................................... 53 3.11.6. Mitigation Measures .......................................................................................... 53 _3.12. Noxious Weed Species ................................................................................................ 54 3.12.1. Affected Environment .......................................................................................