North Area ROW Maintenance EA CONTENTS 1.0 PURPOSE AND NEED FOR ACTION ........................................................................................................................ 1-1 1.1 Introduction and Background ...................................................................................................................................... 1-1 1.2 Purpose and Need for Action ...................................................................................................................................... 1-2 1.3 Location and Project Area Description .................................................................................................................. 1-5 1.4 Scope of this Environmental Assessment ........................................................................................................... 1-6 1.5 Cooperating Agencies ..................................................................................................................................................... 1-9 1.6 Comments on the Draft EA ........................................................................................................................................... 1-9 1.7 Decisions Needed .............................................................................................................................................................. 1-9 2.0 ALTERNATIVES INCLUDING THE PROPOSED ACTION ...................................................................... 2-1 2.1 Introduction, Background, and Existing O&M Activities .............................................................................. 2-1 2.2 Proposed Action Description ....................................................................................................................................... 2-1 2.3 No Action Alternative ..................................................................................................................................................... 2-18 2.4 Alternatives Eliminated from Full EA Evaluation........................................................................................... 2-19 3.0 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES ............................. 3-1 3.1 Introduction and Methodology..................................................................................................................................... 3-1 3.2 Habitats and Vegetation (including wetlands) ............................................................................................... 3.2-1 3.3 Special-status Plants and Plant Communities .............................................................................................. 3.3-1 3.4 Wildlife ................................................................................................................................................................................... 3.4-1 3.5 Special-status Wildlife .................................................................................................................................................. 3.5-1 3.6 Fishes .................................................................................................................................................................................... 3.6-1 3.7 Special-status Fishes ................................................................................................................................................... 3.7-1 3.8 Cultural Resources ........................................................................................................................................................ 3.8-1 3.9 Land Use ............................................................................................................................................................................. 3.9-1 3.10 Recreation ........................................................................................................................................................................ 3.10-1 3.11 Aesthetics ......................................................................................................................................................................... 3.11-1 3.12 Water Resources ......................................................................................................................................................... 3.12-1 3.13 Geology and Soils ....................................................................................................................................................... 3.13-1 3.14 Public Health and Safety ......................................................................................................................................... 3.14-1 3.15 Air Quality ......................................................................................................................................................................... 3.15-1 3.16 Noise ................................................................................................................................................................................... 3.16-1 3.17 Transportation ............................................................................................................................................................... 3.17-1 3.18 Intentional Destructive Acts ................................................................................................................................... 3.18-1 3.19 Summary of Environmental Consequences ................................................................................................ 3.19-1 4.0 CUMULATIVE EFFECTS ...................................................................................................................................................... 4-1 5.0 COMPLIANCE WITH ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS ..................................... 5-1 5.1 Federal ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 5-1 5.2 State ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 5-12 5.3 Federal and State Water Quality Regulations and Programs ............................................................... 5-13 5.4 Local ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 5-16 6.0 COORDINATION AND REVIEW OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT ..................... 6-1 7.0 MONITORING AND ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT ............................................................................................ 7-1 8.0 TERMS AND ACRONYMS ................................................................................................................................................... 8-1 9.0 LIST OF PREPARERS AND PERSONS CONSULTED .............................................................................. 9-1 10.0 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................................................................. 10-1 June 2010 i Final EA North Area ROW Maintenance EA TABLES Table 2-1 Standard Operating Procedures by Issue Area ..................................................................................... 2-21 Table 2-2 Special-status Plant Project Conservation Measures ........................................................................ 2-29 Table 2-3 Special-status Wildlife and Fish Project Conservation Measures ............................................... 2-55 Table 2-4 Water Resources/Aquatic Habitat Project Conservation Measures .......................................... 2-81 Table 2-5 Cultural Resources Project Conservation Measures .......................................................................... 2-85 Table 3.2-1 Habitat Acreages in the Valley ........................................................................................................................ 3.2-8 Table 3.2-2 Habitat Acreages in the Redding/Trinity Area ........................................................................................ 3.2-9 Table 3.2-3 Habitat Acreages in the Round Mountain/Modoc Area .................................................................... 3.2-9 Table 3.2-4 Habitat Acreages within Communication Facilities and Access Roads ............................... 3.2-10 Table 3.3-1 Special-status Plants ............................................................................................................................................. 3.3-2 Table 3.5-1 Special-status Wildlife ......................................................................................................................................... 3.5-3 Table 3.7-1 Special-status Fishes ............................................................................................................................................ 3.7-1 Table 3.8-1 Archaeological Site Types, North Area ROW and Access Road Surveys ............................ 3.8-5 Table 3.8-2 Archaeological Site Types in the Valley .................................................................................................... 3.8-7 Table 3.8-3 Archaeological Site Types in Redding/Trinity ........................................................................................