Y-Camp Low Echo United States Organizational Camp Project Department of Agriculture Special Use Permit KLA643 Environmental Assessment Forest Service February 2017 Klamath Ranger District, Fremont-Winema National Forest Klamath County, Oregon T. 37S. R. 5E. Section 15 Willamette Meridian Existing Beaver Lodge looking South from shoreline of Lake of the Woods (June 2014) For more information contact: Mike DeSmit, Project Leader Klamath Ranger District 2819 Dahlia Street Suite A Klamath Falls, Oregon 97601 (541) 885-3404 [email protected] Prepared by: Rabe Consulting for the USDA Forest Service In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English. To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD- 3027, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: [email protected]. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender. INTRODUCTION Use and occupancy of Camp Low Echo, an organizational camp, on National Forest System Lands is authorized by an existing special use permit (KLA643) under the authority of the Act of March 4, 1915, 16 U.S.C. 497. The permit holder (Ashland Family YMCA) for Y-Camp Low Echo has requested authorization to raze and replace several structures and upgrade facilities at the existing organizational camp. Upgrades would be designed with the historic character in mind and would provide improved, year-round facilities in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Organizational Camp Special Use Permit (2016), applicable elements of the Recreation Residence Operating and Maintenance Plan Lake of the Woods and Recreation Creek Tracts Fremont-Winema National Forests (March 2007), applicable elements of the Fremont-Winema Design Guidelines for Recreation Residential Tracts (2007), and Memorandum of Agreement between the Oregon State Historic Office, Fremont-Winema National Forest and Ashland Family YMCA (2013). See Figure 1 for vicinity map. The following are specific conditions needing to be addressed related to the major structures at Camp Low Echo. • Beaver Lodge: The building lacks a proper foundation with no footings below the frost line and has suffered from severe settling. The floor of the main dining area is more than 5" out of level in places. Settlement has resulted in racked doors, inoperable windows and related interior cracking. The kitchen wing is significantly out of level and has multiple issues that complicate its utility and function. Kitchen facilities are substandard, with severe deterioration. There is no insulation in any of the building cavities; even if the settlement issues were addressed, insulation would require significant deconstruction, damaging the existing character. • Small Administrative Buildings: These include the Infirmary (Band Aid), Rovejo, Staff Restroom and Tree House buildings. Though of smaller scale, these buildings all have similar settlement and foundation issues as the Beaver Lodge, having been constructed upon stacked stone or concrete pier blocks. "This has resulted in sloping floors, doors and windows that are out of plumb, and compromised structural integrity of the floor structure" (ORW, 2014). There is additional evidence of mold and rot, particularly around penetrations. As noted, due to existing conditions and proximity to the proposed new Lodge construction, the Tree House and Rovejo are proposed for removal. The Band Aid (Infirmary) building would be restored on-site and the Staff Restroom would be relocated and used for storage. The proposed project is designed in conformance with the Winema National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan, as amended (USDA Forest Service, 1990) and is consistent with the goals, objectives and standards for Management Area 2 and Management Intensities - Management Area 2D: Developed Recreation, Special-Use Permit Areas. The project location is within matrix lands covered under the Forest Plan Amendment for Management of Habitat for Late-successional and Old Growth Forest Related Species within the Range of the Northern Spotted Owl, also known as the Northwest Forest Plan (USDA & USDI, 1994). The Winema National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan Amendment 16 administratively withdrew the recreational area around Lake of the Woods from Late Successional Reserve (USFS 2004) designation and reclassified the recreational area as matrix lands. This Environmental Assessment (EA) was prepared by a third party contractor and has been reviewed by resource specialists of the Fremont-Winema National Forest. This document 1 Y-Camp Low Echo Project Environmental Assessment discloses the direct, indirect and cumulative environmental impacts that would result from the proposed action and alternatives. The Responsible Official for this project is Heather Berg, District Ranger Klamath Ranger District. In making her decision, the Responsible Official will review the purpose and need, the Proposed Action and other alternatives, the environmental consequences, and public comments. Figure 1. Vicinity Map 2 PURPOSE AND NEED FOR ACTION The permit holder (Ashland Family YMCA) has requested to improve some structures, raze several other existing structures and replace them with new structures constructed with modern materials and conveniences. This includes utilities and plumbing to meet current health and safety building codes, adding septic fields to accommodate the permitted capacity of the camp, and creating accessibility for disabled persons. These proposed actions are consistent with the parameters within the facilities in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Organizational Camp Special Use Permit (2016), applicable elements of the Recreation Residence Operating and Maintenance Plan Lake of the Woods and Recreation Creek Tracts Fremont-Winema National Forests (March 2007), applicable elements of the Fremont-Winema Design Guidelines for Recreation Residential Tracts (2007), and Memorandum of Agreement between the Oregon State Historic Office, Fremont-Winema National Forest, and Ashland Family YMCA (2013). Replacing and improving structures is a permissible action under the Organizational Camp Permit. All the forest stands in the project area and the surrounding parcel are overstocked with trees, to a point that restricts the growth of healthy vegetation. The canopy is closed with virtually no understory vegetation present. Trees are stressed; and many conifers are dying from insect infestation and disease. Many have already fallen (approximately 75 trees) on the ground nearly striking and damaging existing structures. Growth rates for trees are low as they compete for water, nutrients, and growing space. Heavy accumulations of needle fall, dead twigs, branches, and downed trees are contributing to high fuel loading. The Camp Low Echo Project proposes to remove all trees within new building footprints and hazard trees that threaten new or existing structures or areas of concentrated human use as part of a 10 year vegetation management plan to address tree hazards and improve forest health by increasing the vigor of existing trees, and facilitating tree, shrub, and forb regeneration. There are 2 purpose and needs for the project: • Ensure that facilities comply with current health and safety codes and provide Americans with Disability Act (ADA) accessibility to allow camp use at its permitted capacity of 250 people. This will be accomplished either by improving or razing and replacing structures. • The need to provide a safe recreational experience for campers utilizing the organizational camp and protect structures by actively managing hazard trees. PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT AND TRIBAL CONSULTATION This project was listed in the Fremont-Winema National Forest Schedule of Proposed Actions starting in July 2016. The project was listed on the Forest’s website at http://data.ecosystem- management.org/nepaweb/nepa_project_exp.php?project=46726. Scoping for this project was conducted by Rabe Consulting, a third-party consultant,