ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT FOR THE PROPOSED REVISION TO THE NONESSENTIAL EXPERIMENTAL POPULATION OF THE MEXICAN WOLF (CANIS LUPUS BAILEYI) AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A MANAGEMENT PLAN PRELIMINARY DRAFT CHAPTER 1 AND 2 02 AUGUST 2013 PREPARED BY: U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE SOUTHWESTERN REGIONAL OFFICE MEXICAN WOLF RECOVERY PROGRAM New Mexico Ecological Services Field Office 2105 Osuna Rd. NE Albuquerque, NM 87113 This page intentionally left blank. II Table of Contents Executive Summary……………………………………………………………………………...IN PREP 1 INTRODUCTION, PURPOSE AND NEED FOR ACTION ........................................................................... 1 1.1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1.1 REGULATORY BACKGROUND ............................................................................................................ 1 1.1.2 PREVIOUS ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW ............................................................................................... 2 1.1.3 DESCRIPTION OF THE MEXICAN WOLF ............................................................................................. 3 1.1.4 DESCRIPTION OF THE MEXICAN WOLF RECOVERY PROGRAM ......................................................... 3 1.1.4.1 CAPTIVE BREEDING PROGRAM ...................................................................................................... 4 1.1.4.2 THE MEXICAN WOLF BLUE RANGE REINTRODUCTION PROJECT .................................................. 6 1.1.5 MEXICAN WOLF RECOVERY IN MEXICO ........................................................................................ 16 1.2 PURPOSE AND NEED FOR THE PROPOSED ACTION ........................................................................ 17 1.3 RATIONALE FOR ELEMENTS OF OUR PROPOSED ACTION AND ALTERNATIVES .......................... 24 1.3.1 BOUNDARY CHANGES ..................................................................................................................... 24 1.3.2 MANAGEMENT CHANGES ................................................................................................................ 30 1.3.3 DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT MANAGEMENT ACTIONS ON PRIVATE LAND WITHIN THE MEXICAN WOLF EXPERIMENTAL POPULATION AREA (MWEPA) BY THE SERVICE OR AN AUTHORIZED AGENCY TO BENEFIT MEXICAN WOLF RECOVERY IN VOLUNTARY COOPERATION WITH PRIVATE LANDOWNERS ......... 36 1.3.4 DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT MANAGEMENT ACTIONS ON TRIBAL LAND WITHIN THE MEXICAN WOLF EXPERIMENTAL POPULATION AREA (MWEPA) BY THE SERVICE OR AN AUTHORIZED AGENCY IN VOLUNTARY COOPERATION WITH TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS ......................................................................... 36 1.3.5 IMPLEMENTATION OF A MANAGEMENT PLAN (MEXICAN WOLF MANAGEMENT PLAN) FOR THE MEXICAN WOLF FOR THOSE PORTIONS OF ARIZONA AND NEW MEXICO OUTSIDE OF IN THE MEXICAN WOLF EXPERIMENTAL POPULATION AREA (MWEPA). ............................................................................. 37 2 DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED ACTION AND ALTERNATIVES .............................................................. 41 2.1 ALTERNATIVE SELECTION CRITERIA ............................................................................................. 41 2.2 ALTERNATIVES ELIMINATED FROM FURTHER CONSIDERATION ................................................. 42 2.2.1 BOUNDARY CHANGES ..................................................................................................................... 42 2.2.2 MANAGEMENT CHANGES ................................................................................................................ 46 2.2.3 IMPLEMENTATION OF A MANAGEMENT PLAN ................................................................................ 48 2.3 PROPOSED ACTION AND ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED ................................................................. 49 2.3.1 ALTERNATIVE ONE (PROPOSED ACTION): ...................................................................................... 50 2.3.2 ALTERNATIVE TWO (BLUE RANGE WOLF RECOVERY AREA (BRWRA) EXPANSION) .................. 55 2.3.3 ALTERNATIVE THREE (MEXICAN WOLF EXPERIMENTAL POPULATION AREA (MWEPA) EXPANSION): ............................................................................................................................................... 58 2.3.4 ALTERNATIVE FOUR (COMPREHENSIVE ALTERNATIVE): ............................................................... 61 2.3.5 NO ACTION ALTERNATIVE:............................................................................................................. 65 NO CHANGES TO THE 1998 FINAL 10(J) RULE FOR THE MEXICAN WOLF WOULD BE MADE AND A MEXICAN WOLF MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THOSE PORTIONS OF ARIZONA AND NEW MEXICO NOT INCLUDED IN THE MEXICAN WOLF EXPERIMENTAL POPULATION AREA (MWEPA) WOULD NOT BE IMPLEMENTED. ........... 65 2.3.6 SUMMARY OF ACTIONS BY ALTERNATIVE ..................................................................................... 66 CHAPTER 3: AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT………………………………………IN PREP 3.1 SPECIFIC RESOURCE AREAS TO BE EVALUATED 3.2 THE PROJECT STUDY AREA 3.3 LAND USE 3.3.1 EXISTING SETTING III 3.3.1.1 EXISTING BLUE RANGE WOLF RECOVERY AREA (BRWRA) INCLUDING THE FORT APACHE INDIAN RESERVATION (FAIR). 3.3.1.2 EXISTING MEXICAN WOLF EXPERIMENTAL AREA (MWEPA) AND PROPOSED EXPANDED BRWRA 3.3.1.3 THE AREA SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 10 IN ARIZONA AND NEW MEXICO 3.3.1.4 THE AREA NORTH OF INTERSTATE 40 IN ARIZONA AND NEW MEXICO 3.4 BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES 3.4.1 EXISTING SETTING 3.4.1.1 EXISTING BRWRA INCLUDING THE FAIR 3.4.1.2 EXISTING MWEPA AND PROPOSED EXPANDED BRWRA 3.4.1.3 THE AREA SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 10 IN ARIZONA AND NEW MEXICO 3.4.1.4 THE AREA NORTH OF INTERSTATE 40 IN ARIZONA AND NEW MEXICO 3.5 ECONOMIC ACTIVITY 3.5.1 EXISTING SETTING 3.5.1.1 EXISTING BRWRA INCLUDING THE FAIR. 3.5.1.2 EXISTING MWEPA AND PROPOSED EXPANDED BRWRA 3.5.1.3 THE AREA SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 10 IN ARIZONA AND NEW MEXICO 3.5.1.4 THE AREA NORTH OF INTERSTATE 40 IN ARIZONA AND NEW MEXICO 3.6 ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE 3.6.1 EXISTING SETTING 3.6.1.1 EXISTING BRWRA INCLUDING THE FAIR. 3.6.1.2 EXISTING MWEPA AND PROPOSED EXPANDED BRWRA 3.6.1.3 THE AREA SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 10 IN ARIZONA AND NEW MEXICO 3.6.1.4 THE AREA NORTH OF INTERSTATE 40 IN ARIZONA AND NEW MEXICO 3.7 HUMAND HEALTH/PUBLIC SAFETY 3.7.1 EXISTING SETTING 3.7.1.1 EXISTING BRWRA INCLUDING THE FAIR. 3.7.1.2 EXISTING MEXICAN WOLF EXPERIMENTAL AREA (MWEPA) AND PROPOSED EXPANDED BRWRA 3.7.1.3 THE AREA SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 10 IN ARIZONA AND NEW MEXICO 3.7.1.4 THE AREA NORTH OF INTERSTATE 40 IN ARIZONA AND NEW MEXICO CHAPTER4: ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES……………………………IN PREP 4.1 DEFINITION OF IMPACTS AND DETERMINATION OF SIGNIFICANCE 4.2 LAND USE 4.2.1 POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND PROPOSED MITIGATION MEASURES 4.2.1.1 ALTERNATIVE ONE (PROPOSED ACTION) 4.2.1.2 ALTERNATIVE TWO (BRWRA EXPANSION)) 4.2.1.3 ALTERNATIVE THREE (MWEPA EXPANSION) 4.2.1.4 ALTERNATIVE FOUR (COMPREHENSIVE ALTERNATIVE) 4.2.1.5 NO ACTION 4.3 BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES 4.3.1 POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND PROPOSED MITIGATION MEASURES 4.3.1.1 ALTERNATIVE ONE (PROPOSED ACTION) 4.3.1.2 ALTERNATIVE TWO (BRWRA EXPANSION) 4.3.1.3 ALTERNATIVE THREE (MWEPA EXPANSION) 4.3.1.4 ALTERNATIVE FOUR (COMPREHENSIVE ALTERNATIVE) 4.3.1.5 NO ACTION 4.4 ECONOMIC ACTIVITY 4.4.1 POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND PROPOSED MITIGATION MEASURES 4.4.1.1 ALTERNATIVE ONE (PROPOSED ACTION) 4.4.1.2 ALTERNATIVE TWO (BRWRA EXPANSION) 4.4.1.3 ALTERNATIVE THREE (MWEPA EXPANSION) IV 4.4.1.4 ALTERNATIVE FOUR (COMPREHENSIVE ALTERNATIVE) 4.4.1.5 NO ACTION 4.5 ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE 4.5.1 POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND PROPOSED MITIGATION MEASURES 4.5.1.1 ALTERNATIVE ONE (PROPOSED ACTION) 4.5.1.2 ALTERNATIVE TWO (BRWRA EXPANSION) 4.5.1.3 ALTERNATIVE THREE (MWEPA EXPANSION) 4.5.1.4 ALTERNATIVE FOUR (COMPREHENSIVE ALTERNATIVE) 4.5.1.5 NO ACTION 4.6 HUMAN HEALTH/PUBLIC SAFETY 4.6.1 POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND PROPOSED MITIGATION MEASURES 4.6.1.1 ALTERNATIVE ONE (PROPOSED ACTION) 4.6.1.2 ALTERNATIVE TWO (BRWRA EXPANSION) 4.6.1.3 ALTERNATIVE THREE (MWEPA EXPANSION) 4.6.1.4 ALTERNATIVE FOUR (COMPREHENSIVE ALTERNATIVE) 4.6.1.5 NO ACTION 4.7 REGULATORY COMPLIANCE 4.8 RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LOCAL SHORT TERM USES OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND MAINTENANCE AND ENHANCEMENT OF LONG-TERM PRODUCTIVITY 4.9 IRREVERSIBLE AND IRRETRIEVABLE COMMITMENT OF RESOURCES 4.10 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS CHAPTER 5: LIST OF PREPARERS……………………………………….……..…………IN PREP CHAPTER 6: PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT…………………………….………………………IN PREP CHAPTER 7: LITERATURE CITED…………………………………………………………IN PREP APPENDIX A: 1998 FINAL RULE Final Rule. Establishment of a Nonessential Experimental Population of the Mexican wolf in Arizona and New Mexico (63 FR 1752; January 12, 1998) (50 CFR 17.84(k) The document is available on the USFWS Ecological Services Field Office, Mexican Wolf Recovery website: http://www.fws.gov/southwest/es/mexicanwolf/documents.shtml APPENDIX B: 2013 PROPOSED RULES a. Proposed Revision to the Nonessential Experimental Population of the Mexican Wolf. b. Removing the Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) from the list of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Maintaining Protections for the Mexican Wolf (Canis lupus baileyi) by Listing it as Endangered. The documents are available on the USFWS Ecological Services Field Office, Mexican Wolf Recovery website: http://www.fws.gov/southwest/es/mexicanwolf/documents.shtml APPENDIX C: PREVIOUS NEPA ANALYSIS V a. Environmental Impact Statement for the Reintroduction of the