United States Department of Agriculture Cibola National Forest Land Management Plan Revision Draft Environmental Impact Statement Forest Service Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands Mountain Ranger Districts MB-R3-03-29 August 2018 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. 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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. We make every effort to create documents that are accessible to individuals of all abilities; however, limitations with our word processing programs may prevent some parts of this document from being readable by computer-assisted reading devices. If you need assistance with this document, please contact the Cibola National Forest at (505) 346- 3900. Cover photo: Western front range of the Sandia Mountains within the Sandia Ranger District. The Sandia Ranger District is located in central New Mexico, adjacent and east of the middle Rio Grande Valley (William Stone Photography). Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Cibola National Forest Mountain Ranger Districts Land Management Plan Revision McKinley, Cibola, Sandoval, Bernalillo, Torrance, Valencia, Lincoln, Socorro, Catron, and Sierra Counties, New Mexico Lead Agency: USDA Forest Service Cooperating Agencies: Acoma Pueblo, Bernalillo County, Bureau of Land Management, Canon de Carnuel, Catron County, Chilili Land Grant, Cibola County, City of Albuquerque, City of Gallup, City of Grants, Ciudad Soil and Water Conservation District, Claunch-Pinto Soil and Water Conservation District, Coronado Soil and Water Conservation District, East Torrance Soil and Water Conservation District, Edgewood Soil and Water Conservation District, Kirtland Air Force Base, Lava Soil and Water Conservation District, Lincoln County, Manzano Land Grant, McKinley County, McKinley Soil and Water Conservation District, Merced del Pueblo de Torreon, National Park Service, New Mexico Department of Agriculture, New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs-Historic Properties Division, New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, New Mexico Environment Department, New Mexico Land Grant Council, Pueblo de Cochiti, Pueblo of Isleta, Pueblo of San Felipe, Pueblo of Santa Ana, Salado Soil and Water Conservation District, San Antonio de Las Huertas Land Grant, Sandoval County Fire Department, Sierra County, Sierra Soil and Water Conservation District, Socorro County, Tajique Land Grant, Torrance County, Valencia Soil and Water Conservation District, Village of Magdalena Responsible Official: Steven Hattenbach, Forest Supervisor Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands 2113 Osuna Rd NE Albuquerque, NM 87113 For Information Contact: Sarah Browne, Forest Planner Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands 2113 Osuna Rd NE Albuquerque, NM 87113 (505) 346-3900 Abstract: This is the draft environmental impact statement that contains the analysis of four alternatives developed for programmatic management of the Mountain Districts—Mount Taylor, Magdalena, Mountainair, and Sandia—consisting of 1.6 million acres administered by the Cibola National Forest. The proposed alternatives consist of the no-action alternative which is the existing 1985 forest plan, alternative B which has a site-specific emphasis, alternative C which has an accelerated restoration emphasis and is the preferred alternative, and alternative D which has a primitive recreation emphasis. The Forest Service will use the predecisional administrative review process, also referred to as the objection process, described in the 2012 Planning Rule (36 CFR 219 Subpart B). This process gives an individual or entity an opportunity for an independent Forest Service review and resolution of issues before a final plan is approved. Subpart B identifies who may file objections to a plan revision, the responsibilities of the participants in an objection, and the procedures that apply to the review of the objection. Section 219.53 of the Planning Rule describes who may file an objection. Individuals and entities who have submitted substantive formal comments related to this plan revision during the opportunities for public comment for this decision may file an objection. Comments: It is important that reviewers provide their comments at such times, and in such a way, that they are useful to the preparation of this draft environmental impact statement. Therefore, comments should be provided prior to the close of the comment period and should clearly articulate the reviewer’s concerns and contentions. The submission of timely and specific comments can affect a reviewer’s ability to participate in subsequent administrative review or judicial review. Comments received in response to this solicitation, including names and addresses of those who comment, will be part of the public record for this proposed action. Comments submitted anonymously will be accepted and considered; however, anonymous comments will not provide the respondent with standing to participate in subsequent administrative or judicial reviews. Comments on the draft environmental impact statement should be specific and should address the adequacy of the draft environmental impact statement, the merits of the alternatives discussed, or both (40 CFR 1503.3). Send comments to: [website address] OR Forest Planner, Forest Plan Revision Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands 2113 Osuna Rd NE Albuquerque, NM 87113 (505) 346-3901 fax [Comment email address] Date comments must be received: Within 90 days following publication of the notice of availability of the draft environmental impact statement in the Federal Register. The notice is expected to be published on or around [Date]; however, it is the commenter’s responsibility to calculate the end of the 90-day period. Summary The Cibola National Forest proposes to revise the Cibola Mountain Districts Land and Resource Management Plan (forest plan) to meet the legal requirements of the National Forest Management Act and the provisions of the 2012 Planning Rule. There is a need to revise the existing 1985 forest plan to address the changing social and environmental conditions over time, address the significant public issues raised, and guide natural resource management activities for the next 10 to 15 years. The area affected by this draft environmental impact statement is the National Forest System lands within the Cibola’s four mountain districts: Mount Taylor, Magdalena, Mountainair, and Sandia. The need for plan revision is also directly related to the Cibola’s eight overarching needs for change developed from public comments and through a series of collaborative public workshops (see “Public Involvement” section). The revision needs are related to resource areas such as ecological integrity, cultural and historic resources, areas of tribal importance, multiple uses, recreation, designated areas, infrastructure, land status and ownership, use and access, energy, minerals, and special uses. The public has submitted comments at each major milestone in plan revision to date including the assessment (USDA Forest Service 2014), the notice of intent and the needs for change (USDA Forest Service 2015), and the preliminary draft plan (USDA Forest Service 2016). Scoping efforts for forest plan revision began in earnest during the summer of 2014 following the release of the draft assessment report. Cibola staff invited the public to a number of collaborative work sessions during which key findings from the draft assessment report were presented and people were invited to identify needs for change to the 1985 forest plan. The public was asked what revisions needed to be made to current plan direction to address the conditions, trends, and risks evident from the assessment analyses. This process was useful in crafting needs for change to the current plan and identifying management concerns and