United States Department of Final Agriculture Forest Service Environmental Eastern Region Impact Statement January 2006 2006 Land and Resource Management Plan Caring for the Land and Serving People This document is available in large print. Contact the Wayne National Forest Supervisor’s Office 1-740-753-0101 TTY 1-800-877-8339 The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Wayne National Forest 2006 Land and Resource Management Plan (2006 Forest Plan) Athens, Gallia, Hocking, Jackson, Lawrence, Monroe, Morgan, Noble, Perry, Scioto, Vinton and Washington Counties, Ohio USDA Forest Service Eastern Region Milwaukee, Wisconsin January 2006 Responsible Official Randy Moore, Regional Forester 626 E. Wisconsin Ave. Suite 800 Milwaukee, WI 53202 414-297-3600 For further information contact Forest Planner Wayne National Forest 13700 Highway 33 Nelsonville, OH 45764-9880 740-753-0101 Abstract This 2006 Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Wayne National Forest 2006 Revised Land and Resource Management Plan (2006 Revised Forest Plan) was prepared according to Department of Agriculture 1982 forest planning regulations (36 CFR 219) which are based on the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act (RPA), as amended by the National Forest Management Act of 1976 (NFMA). This plan was also developed in accordance with regulations (40 CFR 1500) for implementing the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). A companion document to the Final Environmental Impact Statement, the 2006 Land and Resource Management Plan (2006 Forest Plan) has been prepared as required by NEPA and 36 CFR 219 and is available from the Wayne National Forest. This document is printed on recycled paper. Please recycle this document when it is ready to be discarded. Wayne National Forest Table of Contents Final Environmental Impact Statement Table of Contents Chapter 1 ........................................................................................................................1-1 Purpose, Need, and Forest Plan Revision Issues .........................................................1-1 Introduction..............................................................................................................1-1 Forest Profile............................................................................................................1-3 Forest Plan Decisions...............................................................................................1-5 Purpose and Need for Forest Plan Revision ............................................................1-5 Plan Implementation ................................................................................................1-7 Planning Process ......................................................................................................1-8 Public Involvement ..............................................................................................1-9 Development of Alternatives .............................................................................1-10 How Forest Planning Compares to City or County Planning............................1-10 Decision Making in the Face of Uncertainty .....................................................1-11 Issues......................................................................................................................1-13 Issue 1 – Watershed Health................................................................................1-13 Issue 2 – Plant and Animal Habitat....................................................................1-14 Issue 3 – Recreation Management .....................................................................1-18 Issue 4 – Land Ownership..................................................................................1-20 Issue 5 – Minerals Resource Management ........................................................1-22 Issue 6 – Roadless Areas and Wilderness and Wild and Scenic River Recommendations..............................................................................................1-24 Chapter 2 ........................................................................................................................2-1 Alternatives..................................................................................................................2-1 Introduction..............................................................................................................2-1 Alternative Development.........................................................................................2-2 Alternatives Eliminated from Detailed Study..........................................................2-3 Benchmark Alternatives.......................................................................................2-3 No Commercial Timber Harvest Alternative.......................................................2-4 Alternatives with Recommendations for Wilderness or Wild/Scenic River Designation ..........................................................................................................2-4 The “Conservation” Alternative ..........................................................................2-5 Modifying Management of Off Highway Vehicles (OHV).................................2-5 National Park Designation ...................................................................................2-6 Elements Common to All Alternatives....................................................................2-6 Final Environmental Impact Statement TOC-i Table of Contents Wayne National Forest Laws, Regulations, and Policies ..........................................................................2-6 Management Areas ..............................................................................................2-7 Alternatives Considered in Detail..........................................................................2-14 Alternative A......................................................................................................2-14 Alternative B......................................................................................................2-15 Alternative C......................................................................................................2-15 Alternative D......................................................................................................2-16 Alternative E ......................................................................................................2-16 Alternative E Modified – Selected Alternative.................................................2-17 Alternative F ......................................................................................................2-17 Comparison of Alternatives ...................................................................................2-18 Management Area Allocations ..........................................................................2-18 Estimated Management Activities/Outputs .......................................................2-19 How the Alternatives Address the Issues...........................................................2-22 Chapter 3 ........................................................................................................................3-1 Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences ..........................................3-1 Introduction..............................................................................................................3-1 Organization.........................................................................................................3-1 Watershed and Riparian Areas.................................................................................3-5 Affected Environment..........................................................................................3-5 Environmental Consequences............................................................................3-16 Soils........................................................................................................................3-21 Affected Environment........................................................................................3-21 Environmental Consequences............................................................................3-23 Air Quality .............................................................................................................3-29 Affected Environment........................................................................................3-29 Environmental Consequences............................................................................3-30 Plant and Animal Habitat.......................................................................................3-32 Background........................................................................................................3-32