U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Final Environmental Impact Statement DOI-BLM-ID-B000-2014-0002-EIS Boise District Office Bruneau-Owyhee Sage-grouse Habitat Project (BOSH) February 2018 U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Boise District Office 3948 Development Avenue Boise, ID 83705 Bruneau-Owyhee Sage-grouse Habitat Project Final EIS DOI-BLM-ID-B000-2014-0002-EIS Page i Environmental Impact Statement # DOI-BLM-ID-B000-2014-0002-EIS (Bruneau-Owyhee Sage-grouse Habitat Project) Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction ....................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Need for and Purpose of Action........................................................................ 3 1.2 Location and Setting ......................................................................................... 3 1.3 Scoping and Development of Issues ................................................................. 5 1.4 Notable Changes between the Draft and Final EIS .......................................... 6 1.5 Conformance with Applicable Land Use Plan(s) ............................................. 7 1.6 Relationship to Statutes, Regulations, and Other Requirements ...................... 9 2.0 Description of the Alternatives ....................................................................... 12 2.1 Alternative A - No Action/Continue Present Management ............................ 12 2.2 Features Common to All Action Alternatives ................................................ 13 2.2.1 Project Development ....................................................................................... 13 2.2.2 Focal Treatment Area Development ............................................................... 13 2.2.3 Annual Project Development – Treatment Units ............................................ 16 2.2.4 Methods........................................................................................................... 17 2.2.5 Design Features ............................................................................................... 20 2.2.6 Treatment Maintenance .................................................................................. 25 2.2.7 Monitoring ...................................................................................................... 25 2.2.8 Adaptive Management and Goals ................................................................... 26 2.3 Comparison of Action Alternatives ................................................................ 27 2.4 Alternative B – Treatment Including Wilderness ........................................... 27 2.5 Alternative C – No Treatment in Wilderness ................................................. 28 2.6 Alternative C1 – Preferred Alternative ........................................................... 28 2.7 Alternatives Considered but Not Analyzed in Detail ..................................... 29 3.0 Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences ............................. 30 3.1 Soils................................................................................................................. 33 3.1.1 Affected Environment – Soils ......................................................................... 33 3.1.2 Environmental Consequences – Soils ............................................................. 37 3.1.2.1 Alternative A – No Action ............................................................................... 39 3.1.2.2 Alternative B – Treatment Including Wilderness ............................................ 39 3.1.2.3 Alternative C – No Treatment in Wilderness .................................................. 41 3.1.2.4 Alternative C1 – Preferred Alternative ............................................................ 41 3.1.3 Cumulative Impacts – Soils ............................................................................ 42 3.1.3.1 Scope of Analysis ............................................................................................ 42 3.1.3.2 Current Conditions and Past, Present, and Reasonably Foreseeable Future Actions ............................................................................................................ 43 3.1.3.3 Alternative A – Cumulative Impacts ............................................................... 44 3.1.3.4 Alternative B – Cumulative Impacts ............................................................... 45 3.1.3.5 Alternative C – Cumulative Impacts ............................................................... 45 3.1.3.6 Alternative C1 – Cumulative Impacts ............................................................. 45 3.2 Vegetation ....................................................................................................... 45 3.2.1 Affected Environment – Vegetation ............................................................... 45 3.2.2 Environmental Consequences – Vegetation ................................................... 50 Bruneau-Owyhee Sage-grouse Habitat Project Final EIS DOI-BLM-ID-B000-2014-0002-EIS Page ii 3.2.2.1 Alternative A – No Action ............................................................................... 52 3.2.2.2 Alternative B – Treatment Including Wilderness ............................................ 52 3.2.2.3 Alternative C – No Treatment in Wilderness .................................................. 53 3.2.2.4 Alternative C1 – Preferred Alternative ............................................................ 54 3.2.3 Cumulative Impacts – Vegetation ................................................................... 54 3.2.3.1 Scope of Analysis ............................................................................................ 54 3.2.3.1 Current Conditions and Past, Present, and Reasonably Foreseeable Future Actions ............................................................................................................ 55 3.2.3.2 Alternative A – Cumulative Impacts ............................................................... 57 3.2.3.3 Alternative B – Cumulative Impacts ............................................................... 57 3.2.3.1 Alternative C – Cumulative Impacts ............................................................... 57 3.2.3.2 Alternative C1 – Cumulative Impacts ............................................................. 57 3.3 Special Status Plants ....................................................................................... 58 3.3.1 Affected Environment – Special Status Plants ............................................... 58 3.3.2 Environmental Consequences – Special Status Plants.................................... 61 3.3.2.1 Alternative A – No Action ............................................................................... 62 3.3.2.2 Alternative B – Treatment Including Wilderness ............................................ 62 3.3.2.3 Alternative C – No Treatment in Wilderness .................................................. 63 3.3.2.1 Alternative C1 – Preferred Alternative ............................................................ 63 3.3.3 Cumulative Impacts – Special Status Plants ................................................... 63 3.3.3.1 Scope of Analysis ............................................................................................ 63 3.3.3.2 Current Conditions and Past, Present, and Reasonably Foreseeable Future Actions ............................................................................................................ 63 3.3.3.3 Alternative A – Cumulative Impacts ............................................................... 64 3.3.3.4 Alternatives B and C – Cumulative Impacts ................................................... 65 3.3.3.5 Alternative C1 – Cumulative Impacts ............................................................. 65 3.4 Noxious Weeds ............................................................................................... 65 3.4.1 Affected Environment – Noxious Weeds ....................................................... 65 3.4.2 Environmental Impacts – Noxious Weeds ...................................................... 66 3.4.2.1 Alternative A – No Action ............................................................................... 67 3.4.2.2 Alternative B –Treatment Including Wilderness ............................................. 67 3.4.2.3 Alternative C – No Treatment in Wilderness .................................................. 68 3.4.2.4 Alternative C1 – Preferred Alternative ............................................................ 68 3.4.3 Cumulative Impacts – Noxious Weeds ........................................................... 68 3.4.3.1 Scope of Analysis ............................................................................................ 68 3.4.3.2 Current Conditions and Past, Present, and Reasonably Foreseeable Future Actions ............................................................................................................ 69 3.4.3.3 Alternative A – Cumulative Impacts ............................................................... 70 3.4.3.4 Alternatives B and C – Cumulative Impacts ................................................... 70 3.4.3.5 Alternative C1 – Cumulative Impacts ............................................................. 70 3.5 Wildlife/Special Status Animals ..................................................................... 70 3.5.1 Affected