Catamount Catamount Forest Health & Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project Environmental Assessment USDA Forest Service Pike National Forest Pikes Peak Ranger District October 2010 Catamount Forest Health and Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project - Environmental Assessment COMMONLY USED ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS BMP! Best Management Practices NFS! National Forest System CDOW! Colorado Division of Wildlife NFSR! National Forest System Road CEQ! Council on Environmental Quality NHPA! National Historic Preservation Act CFR! Code of Federal Regulations NRHP! National Register of Historic Places CWPP! Community Wildfire Protection Plan OHV! O"#Highway Vehicle DAU! Data Analysis Unit PAC! Protected Activity Center DBH! Diameter at Breast Height PSICC! Pike and San Isabel National Forests, ! and Cimarron and Comanche National ESA! Endangered Species Act ! Grasslands FSH! Forest Service Handbook R2! Region 2 (Rocky Mountain Region) FSM! Forest Service Manual ROS! Recreation Opportunity Spectrum GIS! Geographic Information System SHPO! State Historic Preservation O&ce HFRA! Healthy Forests Restoration Act SS! Sensitive Species HUC! Hydrologic Unit Code T&E! Threatened and Endangered ID Team! Interdisciplinary Team TCP! Traditional Cultural Property MA! Management Area USDA! United States Dept. of Agriculture MIS! Management Indicator Species USDI! United States Dept. of the Interior MSO! Mexican Spotted Owl USFWS! United States Fish and Wildlife Service NDIS! Natural Diversity Information Source WCP! Watershed Conservation Practice NEPA! National Environmental Policy Act WIZ! Water Influence Zone NFMA! National Forest Management Act WUI! Wildland-Urban Interface The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, O&ce of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Pikes Peak Ranger District, Pike and San Isabel National Forest Catamount Forest Health and Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project - Environmental Assessment Table of Contents Chapter 1. Purpose of and Need for Action!....................................................................1 1.1 Purpose and Need for Action!............................................................................................................................1 1.2 Proposed Action!.................................................................................................................................................2 1.3 Municipal Watershed Reserves!..........................................................................................................................3 1.3.1 Congressional Act of February 27, 1913!....................................................................................................3 1.3.2 Cooperative Agreement of October 9, 1914 with Colorado Springs and Manitou!.............................5 1.3.3 Special Regulations of 1914!.......................................................................................................................5 1.3.4 Cooperative Agreements of 1923 and 1924 with Colorado Springs, Manitou and Cascade Town Company!.....................................................................................................................................................5 1.4 Decision Framework!.........................................................................................................................................6 1.5 Public Involvement!...........................................................................................................................................6 1.6 Issues!...................................................................................................................................................................7 1.6.1 Watershed Protection!..............................................................................................................................7 1.6.2 Forest Restoration!...................................................................................................................................8 1.6.3 Wildlife!.....................................................................................................................................................8 Chapter 2. Alternatives!................................................................................................9 2.1 Alternative A - No Action!.................................................................................................................................9 2.2 Alternative B - Proposed Action!......................................................................................................................9 2.2.1 General Operations!................................................................................................................................11 2.2.2 Forest Treatments by Vegetation Type!.................................................................................................11 2.2.3 Fuel Breaks!..............................................................................................................................................15 2.2.4 Bighorn Sheep Habitat Improvements!...............................................................................................15 2.3 Design Features!.................................................................................................................................................16 2.3.1 Road Access!............................................................................................................................................16 2.3.2 Soil and Water Quality Protection!........................................................................................................16 2.3.3 Fish and Wildlife Protection!..................................................................................................................17 2.3.4 Sensitive Plants, Range Resources, and Noxious Weeds!...................................................................20 2.3.5 Air Quality!...............................................................................................................................................21 2.3.6 Recreation Management!.......................................................................................................................21 2.3.7 Visual Quality Management!..................................................................................................................22 2.3.8 Other Concerns!......................................................................................................................................22 Pikes Peak Ranger District, Pike and San Isabel National Forest# i Catamount Forest Health and Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project - Environmental Assessment TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONTINUED) 2.4 Monitoring!........................................................................................................................................................23 2.5 Alternatives Considered but Eliminated from Detailed Consideration!.....................................................24 2.5.1 Greenback Cutthroat Trout Protection!...............................................................................................24 2.5.2 Wildland/Urban Interface Actions Only!.............................................................................................24 2.5.3 Expand Watershed Protection Treatments into Roadless Areas!.......................................................24 2.5.4 Expand Watershed Protection Treatments into Subalpine Areas!.....................................................24 2.5.5 Expand Proposed Action to include Bighorn Sheep Habitat Improvements!..................................25 Chapter 3. Afected Environment and Environmental Consequences$...........................27 3.1 Background!.......................................................................................................................................................27 3.2 Vegetation!.........................................................................................................................................................29 3.2.1 Forest Vegetation A"ected Environment!.............................................................................................29 3.2.2 Forest Vegetation Environmental Consequences!................................................................................36 3.2.3 Special Status Plants A"ected Environment!........................................................................................45 3.2.4 Special Status Plants Environmental Consequences!..........................................................................48 3.3 Fire-Fuels/Air Quality!.......................................................................................................................................52