Attachment 4- Anadarko Vegetation Management Draft Environmental Assessment.pdf

United States Department of Agriculture

Anadarko Vegetation Management Draft Environmental Assessment

Forest Service

Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest – Evanston-Mountain View Ranger District March 2023

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PROJECT INFORMATION

Project Name: Anadarko Vegetation Management

Project Initiation Date: 3/14/2023

Line Officer: David Whittekiend

District: Evanston-Mountain View

County: Summit County, UT

Anticipated Implementation: 2024

Signing Authority: Forest Supervisor

PALS Tracking #: 63728

Project Webpage: https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=63728

General Location: North Slope of the Uinta Mountains from East Fork Bear River on the west to the ridgeline east of West Fork Smiths Fork on the east, from the Forest Boundary on the North to the wilderness boundary on the south.

Applicable Management Areas: Eastern Uintas and Western Uintas

Legal Description: 1N 11E Sec 4&5; 2N 10E Sec 11-15 & 22-27; 2N 11E Sec 1-36; 2N 12E Sec 1-31; 2N 13E Sec 4-9, 17-19 & 30; 3N 11E Sec 13-14, 22-26 & 33-36; 3N 12E Sec 13-36; 3N 13E Sec 16-21 & 28-33 SLM

Elevation Range: 8,500-11,150 Feet

Watersheds: Bear River, Blacks Fork, Smiths Fork

PURPOSE & NEED AND PROPOSED ACTION

INTRODUCTION

The Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest (UWC) proposes using a combination of commercial timber harvesting, mechanical tree thinning, hand tree thinning, and prescribed fire to restore aspen ecosystems, increase vegetation age and structural diversity, restore riparian and upland meadow ecosystems, and reduce hazardous fuel loads on 68,298 acres on the Evanston-Mountain View Ranger District that have experienced substantial conifer encroachment and mortality due to bark beetles.

The proposed Anadarko Vegetation Management Project would support the Wildfire Crisis Strategy by treatment of fuels that have built-up over the years on the North Slope of the Uinta Mountains. This is part of the Wildfire Crisis Strategy in the Intermountain Region of the Forest Service’s Wildfire Crisis Strategy.

BACKGROUND

In that past 30 years, the acreage of the Aspen, Aspen/Conifer, and Conifer/Aspen vegetation types in the Anadarko Project Area has decreased by 43% from 10,956 acres to 6,270 acres. This loss of aspen vegetation types is primarily due to conifer encroachment which competes with aspen for growing space both with root and canopy and for nutrients such as from sunlight and water. In addition to aspen ecosystems, conifer have encroached in many riparian and upland meadow areas displacing much of the desirable vegetation through shading or root competition.

In addition, across 70% of the project area, lodgepole pine has suffered 65% mortality due to bark beetles.

While this beetle outbreak can be attributed to a variety of factors, one of the main contributing factors of this mortality was a forest structure consisting of medium-to-high densities of large and mature lodgepole pine that was contiguous across the Eastern and Western Uintas Management Areas. This widespread mortality and the subsequent lodgepole regeneration have produced a condition where there is again, a high-density, uniformly aged, contiguous structure of lodgepole pine across these Management Areas.

Unless age and structural diversity is created within this lodgepole pine regeneration, these Management Areas will not reflect the Balanced Age Distributions identified in Forest Plan Guideline G.14 and will, in time, be susceptible to large-scale insect and disease disturbances like the previous mountain pine beetle outbreak.

The current standing dead trees and future mortality in the Lodgepole Pine and Conifer Mix Vegetation will, over the next 10-15 years, be added to the ground fuel loads in the project area. This increased fuel loading will increase the risk of uncharacteristic wildfire, posing risks to the remaining live vegetation and to neighboring private and other ownerships.

In addition, streams within the project area have degraded conditions due to channel straightening and removal of woody debris from historic tie-hacking associated with construction of the Transcontinental Railway. From 1867-1938, within drainages throughout the Uintas, ties were cut on the forested mountain slopes, skidded to a river’s edge, and floated to the nearest railroad. To accomplish this, splash dams were constructed, and stream channels straightened (through blasting). Large woody debris was removed throughout the streams as ties tended to catch on them. These logs were stacked above splash dams which were blown during spring runoff. Stream systems across the project area have had very little woody debris recruitment since this time and these simplified channels/streams have increased flow rates and decreased stream channel complexity. This adversely affects stream and riparian habitat both within the project area and downstream.

LOCATION

The Anadarko Vegetation Management Project (“Anadarko”) includes a 71,248-acre project area located on the North Slope of the Uinta Mountain Range, on the Evanston-Mountain View Ranger District of the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest ( Table 1).

The project area encompasses a combination of National Forest System (NFS) land and private lands.

This project does not propose any activities on private lands, but if concurrent management activities on private/other lands occurs, contracting activities and access routes may be coordinated to increase treatment effectiveness and efficiency. Primary access into the Project area includes Forest System Road (FSR) 80085 (North Slope), 80073 (Blacks Fork – China Meadow), and 80074 (West Fork Smiths Fork).

Table 1 Legal distribution of proposed vegetation management project on the Evanston Mountain-View Ranger District, Uinta-Wasatch- Cache National Forest, Utah

Township Range Section(s) 1 N 11 E 4 & 5 2 N 10 E 11-15 & 22-27 2 N 11 E 1-36 2 N 12 E 1-31 2 N 13 E 4-9, 17-19 & 30 3 N 11 E 13-14, 22-26 & 33-36 3 N 12 E 13-36 3 N 13 E 16-21 & 28-33

Salt Lake Meridian

SETTING

Maps provided on following pages

Figure 1 is a vicinity map for the Anadarko Vegetation Management Project

Figure 2 Displays the proposed treatment activities and locations

PURPOSE AND NEED

This project is being proposed because the existing conditions of the vegetation and riparian areas are not currently meeting the desired future conditions of the Eastern and Western Uintas Management Areas as outlined in the 2003 Revised Land and Resource Management Plan [for the] Wasatch-Cache National Forest, as amended through 2015 (“Forest Plan”). Both management areas identify a desired future condition with a greater prevalence of aspen and a mosaic of vegetation structure, species composition, and age classes that would be similar to what fire historically created (Forest Plan 4-181-182, 4-195).

In order to address these issues, the purpose and need for this project is to:

• Bring aspen vegetation types closer to historic range

• Bring conifer vegetation types closer to Properly Functioning Condition by increasing age and structural diversity

• Reduce conifer encroachment in upland meadow vegetation types

• Reduce hazardous fuel loads associated with bark beetle epidemics in order to minimize risk of uncharacteristic wildfire

• Bring riparian vegetation and stream channel characteristics closer to historic range

If these actions are not taken, the current and predicted condition of the vegetation may result in broad ranging tree mortality, continued loss of aspen, riparian, and meadow habitat, and further increasing hazardous fuel loadings. Proactive management within the Anadarko project area has the potential to restore aspen, riparian, and meadow vegetation types to their historic ranges; increase structural, age class, and species diversity to meet Forest Plan objectives; reduce risk of insect and disease damage; and decrease the risk of uncharacteristic wildfire associated with heavy fuel loading.

ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED

Alternative A (No Action) and Alternative B (Proposed Action) are the two alternatives analyzed in detail.

Alternative A—No Action Alternative The “No Action” alternative, Alternative A, provides a baseline against which management direction and environmental consequences of the Proposed Action can be measured and compared. The No Action Alternative describes the action of continuing the present management operations and conditions. It does not imply or direct discontinuing the present action or removing existing uses, development, or facilities.

If the No Action Alternative were to be selected, the Forest would respond to future needs and conditions without substantial action or policy change.

Alternative B- Action Alternative

The “Action” Alternative, the Proposed Action, is to complete fuels reduction and vegetation treatments using commercial timber harvesting, precommerical thinning, and prescribed fire to better meet desired future conditions. Riparian and stream channel restoration would occur through conifer removal and introducing large woody debris in stream channels.

Infrastructure and features within the Anadarko Project Area that would not be affected by the Proposed Action such as existing trails, roadways, recreation sites would continue to be maintained and used.

The Proposed Action is further described below.

PROPOSED ACTION

The Proposed Action is to complete fuels reduction and vegetation treatments within the Anadarko project area. Each treatment was determined based off the most suitable scientifically-proven effective methods to meeting the Purpose and Need. Treatments are intended to reduce both the amount and continuity of woody fuels, to remove hazard trees that are associated with travel ways, and to harvest beetle-killed or infested trees while achieving properly functioning condition of vegetation and watersheds by creating a mix of tree ages and species (Table 2).

Table 2 Summary of the Proposed Action with approximate measures. Exact sizes and the layout of the facilities within the site would be determined by the final engineering design.

Vegetation Treatments (Acres)1

2-Age Stand Clearcut 9,669 Stand Clearcut with Leave Trees 17,567 2-Age Shelterwood Establishment Cut 1,675 Commercial Thinning 1,239

Precommercial Thinning/Fuels Reduction 22,704 Fuel Treatment not Associated with Vegetation Treatment (Acres)

Broadcast Burning 15,478 Additional Groundwork2,3

Temporary road construction (Miles) 57 Additional temporary road use on existing road prisms (Miles) 82 Log Landing Sites (Acres) 500 Fire Control Line Constructed (Miles) As needed to meet burn plan requirements and firefighter safety.

Reforestation (Acres) As needed to meet National Forest Management Act requirements.

1 Commercial timber harvest is comprised of 2-Age Stand Clearcut, Stand Clearcut with Leave Trees, 2- Age Shelterwood Cut, and Commercial Thinning for a total of 30,149 acres; this acreage includes unharvested retention areas associated with the harvest units. Fuel treatments (i.e. pile burning) would occur in association with commercial vegetation treatments.

2 Temporary roads and log landing sites would be decommissioned as described in the EA.

3 Improvements to Forest System Roads designated as open and identified as potential haul routes inside and outside of the project area are defined as maintenance under 36 CFR §212.1, and therefore are not included in these calculations.

Under the Proposed Action, 30,150 acres would be treated that would include commercial timber harvesting (i.e., 2-Age Stand Clearcut, Commercial Thinning, 2-Age Shelterwood, and Stand Clearcut with Leave Trees), and precommercial thinning. See Table 2 for Locations and Stands included in each treatment method. Proposed treatments are summarized below:

• A 2-age stand clearcut would remove most of the trees in a stand, leaving patches of wildlife snags and a significant overstory aspen component.

• A commercial thinning would remove the smallest trees in a stand to reduce stocking and concentrate growth on the larger, more desirable trees.

• A 2-aged shelterwood would remove most trees throughout a stand, leaving those needed to produce sufficient shade to produce a new age class. Following establishment of the new age class, a removal cut would then remove a portion of the overstory trees retaining a varying number of trees for purposes other than regeneration.

• A stand clearcut with leave trees would remove most of the trees in a stand, leaving patches of wildlife snags, aspen, and large trees.

• Precommercial thinning would remove trees in sapling and young stands to reduce stocking and concentrate growth on the more desirable trees. This is a non-commercial treatment.

Forest plan requirements for maintaining levels of snags to benefit wildlife would be followed, which is to leave at least 300 snags per 100 acres for wildlife. In clearcut and shelterwood treatments, these would be left in islands or clumps so that they are wind firm and located in wind protected areas, areas with protected resources, and at the perimeter of treatment areas. A complete list of treatments and locations is provided in Appendix C.

Units would be treated using ground-based logging systems. Treatment operations would likely include a combination of ground-based mechanized equipment (e.g. tracked feller-bunchers and rubber-tired skidders, shears, hydraulic masticators) and hand falling with chainsaws where needed.

Merchantable insect and disease-killed trees of all species would be felled and removed from treatment units, except those dead trees needed to meet wildlife snag retention requirements. Live trees within treatment units would be felled and removed to meet silvicultural objectives. Incidental numbers of live and dead trees may need to be felled and removed for safety or construction of landings or temporary roads and would be designated by timber sale administration personnel.

Additional management activities identified post-harvest could include site preparation within each cutting unit to clean up residual stems damaged during harvesting operations, manipulation or burning of activity fuels, or removal of non-commercial understory vegetation not deemed suitable to the site.

Planting of trees may also occur within units where natural regeneration is not meeting desired stocking densities or where the naturally regenerating vegetation is not suitable to the stands’ management objectives or conditions.

Retention within Harvest Units Harvest unit polygons were delineated around proposed harvest areas based on stand boundaries, logging systems, and topographic features such as roads, ridge lines, and drainages. The acres identified for each treatment method are the total acres encompassed by all stands, or portions of stands, in which the treatment is expected to be implemented. However, timber harvest would not remove all trees within a unit; for each of the proposed harvest prescriptions discussed above, unharvested trees would remain in most units. The number and spatial configuration of retained trees within harvest units would range from 10 square feet of basal area per acre in stand clearcut with leave tree units to 60 square feet of basal area per acre in commercial thinning units. The number and location of retained trees would be based on the availability of trees with acceptable form that are free of insect and disease damage as well as on factors such as topography, presence of surface water, presence of unique habitats, or protection of other resources. Retained trees in stand clearcut with leave tree units would generally be arranged in patches to increase wind-firmness. Retained trees in shelterwood and commercial thinning units would be more uniform in distribution.

Fuel Treatments Associated with Vegetation Treatments Following commercial timber harvest activities, non-merchantable tops and limbs would be piled by ground-based machine and burned, chipped, or otherwise removed. Pile burning in treatment units would reduce fuels related to vegetation treatment activities.

Following precommercial thinning, the slash produced from thinning would be treated based on the density of the units and the amount of increased coarse woody debris that would be produced. The proposed action would retain the required amount of course woody debris as outlined by Forest Plan Guideline G16 (p. 4-42, Forest Service 2003).

Scattering of treatment slash in less dense units would allow the remaining tops and limbs to break down and decompose within a few years. Units with a higher density would result in an increase of coarse woody debris (from tops and limbs) greater than what is allowed in the Forest Plan. Accordingly, slash treatments may consist of pile and burning, chipping, or otherwise removing of the resultant tops and limbs using hand or mechanical piling. The use of a mechanical treatment (mastication) would grind up the material on site and scatter across the treatment area and could also be utilized in this situation where an increased fuel load would not meet Forest Plan direction.

Fuel Treatments not associated with Vegetation Treatments Broadcast Burning (i.e., Prescribed fire) would be utilized on approximately 15,478 acres of NFSL and would target aspen and aspen-conifer encroached stands to regenerate aspen growth for wildlife habitat. A burn plan for the prescribed fire activities would be developed and would identify the objectives, requirements, and resources needed to safely and effectively broadcast burn the proposed area. The burn plan would be written to allow for aerial ignition (via helicopter) as well as ground/hand ignition. Fire line utilized to control burning operations would take advantage of existing infrastructure and geographical features (e.g., roads); however, the need for the construction of hand line (fire line cleared and excavated by fire crew personnel utilizing hand tools) may exist in some areas. Fire line construction would include the cutting and removal of vegetation (e.g., felling of snags and ladder fuels) and ground excavation down to mineral soil to create a fire break.

Ignition could take place in spring, summer, or fall with fall usually being the best season. Burning operations would most likely occur after timber harvesting is complete and all logging slash piles have been burned.

Road Work Associated with Timber Harvest Road-related activities would be necessary to access treatment units safely, efficiently, and economically while protecting other forest resources. Road-related activities may include maintenance, reconditioning, or reconstruction of existing Forest System Roads (FSRs), and construction of temporary roads. Several new culverts would be installed before timber harvesting begins and would be designed to accommodate aquatic organism passage.

Temporary roads and landing locations would be determined before logging and are subject to approval by the timber sale administrator. Temporary roads would be constructed in order to provide log truck access to proposed units, or locations within units, that are not accessible from existing FSRs.

Temporary roads are temporary in nature and for short-term use and would be reclaimed by timber purchaser; if temporary roads are needed for post-sale treatments, road closure activities and restoration would be accomplished by the Forest Service once post-sale treatments are complete.

New temporary road construction would include the clearing, grubbing, and construction of a road prism 12 feet in width and would utilize native surface materials. Additional temporary road use on existing road prisms would include a combination of temporary road clearing, grubbing, reconstruction, or pre-use maintenance of previously disturbed road/skid trail prisms. The roads/skid trails previously utilized for timber access would be re-opened for purposes of the treatments being proposed.

Decommissioning of Temporary Roads Decommissioning of temporary roads (i.e., new temporary road construction and additional temporary road use on existing road prisms) would occur following the harvesting activities or post-treatment activities. Temporary roads are maintained as provided in the contract, permit, lease, or other written authorization for those roads and are decommissioned at the conclusion of the authorized activity.

Decommissioning may include one or a combination of decompacting, recontouring, seeding, or covering with debris to prevent erosion and accelerate hydrologic and vegetative recovery. Decommissioning could include the construction of drainage structures to reduce erosion, scattering of logging slash, and the placement of barriers to prevent unauthorized vehicle traffic after activities are complete. The goal of decommissioning is to reduce erosion, restore site productivity, eliminate the potential of a slope or adjacent road-related failure, and re-establish natural water infiltration and drainage patterns.

Decommissioning temporary roads is discussed in more detail in Appendix B: Mitigation and Minimization Measures.

Improvements to Forest System Roads Improvements to existing Forest System Roads are needed when an existing Forest System Road requires improvements or realignment to meet current road standards. The potential haul routes would require some degree of reconstruction or maintenance to bring them up to standards needed for commercial timber haul. Work needed on potential haul routes are defined as maintenance under 36 CFR §212.1.

Activities may include installing or upgrading culverts, repairing or replacing cross drains, road resurfacing, road brushing, clearing and/or roadway brushing, or installing or repairing bridges or other drainage structures, construction of drainage structures and vehicle turnouts, and other activities identified by Forest Service engineering personnel.

Drainage features would be constructed and maintained to the extent necessary to protect resources.

Log Landing Sites Log landing sites would be needed to provide log truck access to commercial timber harvest units and provide space for processing felled trees. All harvest methods within units would be ground-based. Log landing locations would be determined before logging and are subject to approval by the timber sale administrator. Landing locations would be up to 2 acres in size and located on/adjacent to temporary roads and Forest System roads. In landing zones, vegetation would be cleared for equipment to prepare, deck, and load trees for hauling.

Decommissioning of log landing sites would occur following the harvesting activities. Decommissioning may include decompacting, recontouring, seeding, or covering with debris to prevent erosion and accelerate hydrologic and vegetative recovery.

The goal of decommissioning is to reduce erosion, restore site productivity, eliminate the potential of a slope or adjacent road-related failure, and re-establish natural water infiltration and drainage patterns.

Decommissioning could include the construction of drainage structures to reduce erosion, scattering of logging slash, and the placement of barriers to reduce unwanted vehicle traffic.

During log landing decommissioning, areas with high risk of erosion or slope failure would be excavated onto the landing and stabilized and the adjacent slopes restored to resemble natural conditions.

Decommissioning log landing sites is discussed in more detail in Appendix B: Mitigation and Minimization Measures.

Reforestation After harvest and site preparation activities are completed in the regeneration harvest and broadcast burn units, Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca), Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii), lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta subsp. latifolia), or ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa var. scopulorum) could be planted in combinations appropriate for individual stands. Tree planting would occur where the probability of success is highest and to supplement natural regeneration. Within the units, areas sufficiently stocked with existing desirable species would not be artificially regenerated, unless additional artificial regeneration is determined necessary by a Certified Silviculturist. Seed and shelter trees that are retained in the regeneration harvests would contribute naturally regenerated seedlings within the regeneration harvest treatments. These trees would most often be Engelmann spruce, and lodgepole pine but may include other species as well.

Stream Channel and Riparian Restoration The Proposed Action also includes restoring up to 176 miles of streams and up to 1,800 acres of riparian, wetland and wet meadows. Streams would be improved by enhancing Large Woody Debris (LWD) recruitment potential and instream habitat complexity by treating conifers adjacent to stream channels.

The project would improve all fish bearing streams within the project area including: East Fork Bear River, Deadman Creek, Carter Creek, Lost Dog Creek, Mill Creek, North Fork Mill Creek, McKenzie Creek, Little West Fork Blacks Fork, West Fork Blacks Fork, East Fork Blacks Fork, Steel Creek and West Fork Smiths Fork. To enhance and protect riparian areas, wetlands, and meadows all encroaching conifers (excluding blue spruce) would be removed.

Treatments are designed to remove and reuse existing conifers as well as dead wood (standing or ground-based) within the project area to restore habitat. In areas where mechanical equipment could be used, methods would include pushing over or placing conifers with mechanical equipment into streams or along stream edges. In areas where mechanical equipment could not be used, hand felling, hinging, and girdling may be used. The addition of conifers and woody debris in the channel would create natural pooling by catching and dispersing water around the tree and would roughen the channel to more natural contours.

500-600 trees would be anticipated to be placed or felled per stream mile depending on stream characteristics and site topography as determined by the by designated Contracting Officer Representative

(COR).

Implementation Date and Proposed Project Timeframes It is anticipated that vegetation management activities would begin within six months of a decision. The anticipated timeframe to complete the vegetation treatments is dependent on funding and contractor availability. Once initial thinning and surface fuel treatments are complete, prescribed burning would occur.

Reforestation within treatment units is anticipated to be implemented, as needed, five years following the completion fuels and vegetation management activities.

Design Criteria and Best Management Practices The project interdisciplinary team developed design criteria to minimize or avoid potential adverse effects The design criteria are based on Forest Plan direction and policy, scientific and factual evidence, and site-specific evaluations, and would be applied during project implementation. Project implementation includes the physical on –the ground design of the project completed by layout crews; timber sale contract administration; service contract administration, and prescribed fire activities. Design criteria would be applied on the ground through physical design as instructed in silvicultural prescriptions, marking guides, statements of work, and cruise plans. Some features address conditions found on the ground during project activities, and would be applied through the timber sale contract, which includes both standard and site-specific provisions.

Best Management Practices are additional site-specific actions developed to minimize effects to resources that may occur despite design criteria. The Proposed Action was designed with input from all resource specialists, and as such was created to reduce or eliminate effects to resources.

A complete list of all design criteria, including best management practices, is provided in Appendix B:

Design Criteria and Best Management Practices.

Monitoring Activities Monitoring is the process of periodically and systematically gathering and analyzing data to understand trends over time. The most common monitoring is related to implementation (did we do what we said we were going to do?) and effectiveness (did we achieve our desired results?).

Project-level Monitoring If the Proposed Action is selected for implementation in the Anadarko project area, standard timber sale contract provisions would be used to direct how commercial activities are conducted. Other activities performed under contract (such as road decommissioning, precommercial thinning, riparian habitat restoration, etc.), would be monitored by a contracting officer’s representative (COR) to ensure activities are implemented as designed. For example, sale administrators and other contracting representatives would monitor all timber sales to ensure that activities are conducted in accordance with contract specifications (that activities occur where and when they should to protect resources, etc.). Noxious weeds would be monitored for changes in populations. Annual monitoring of landings would continue for a minimum of four years following activity. Monitoring of temp roads, skid trails, and log landing sites should be done until such a time that it can be determined that successful regeneration of native species have adequate ground cover for natural protection of the site. In addition, the project interdisciplinary team would periodically review implementation of activities during field trips and follow-up meetings.

During project implementation, the Forest Service would monitor how Design Criteria and best management practices are being implemented. Timber sale administrator personnel would review the location of all proposed temporary roads and all road maintenance to assure compliance with BMPs and would monitor all temporary and reconstructed roads to ensure that they were built or restored following contract provisions. A sale administrator would visit each active cutting unit at a frequency necessary to assure compliance with the BMPs and the timber sale contract. Contract changes or contract modifications would be agreed upon and enacted, when necessary, to meet objectives and standards on the ground. Monitoring of BMPs has determined that recent projects on the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest have been implemented as designed and have achieved the desired objectives.

PROJECT SCREENING

REGULATORY CONSIDERATIONS AND ISSUES CONSIDERED FOR ANALYSIS

The Responsible Official has requested documentation to demonstrate compliance with the following regulatory considerations in addition to NEPA:

1. NFMA/Land Management Plan

2. Endangered Species Act (ESA)

3. Sensitive Species (FSM 2670)

4. Migratory Bird Treaty Act

5. Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act

6. National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA)

7. Tribal Consultation

8. Clean Air Act (CAA)

9. Clean Water Act (CWA)

The Interdisciplinary Team of resource specialists on the UWC identified the following issues to be analyzed: National Forest Management Act, Cultural Resources, Fire and Fuels, Fisheries and Amphibians, Watershed Resources, Recreation, Scenery, Silviculture, Wildlife, Endangered Species Act, and Special Status Species. The effects of the Proposed Action on these resources is addressed in the Environmental Impacts Review section. Resource specialists also determined if a factor could be considered but dismissed from further review. These resources and rationale for dismal is included in Appendix A.

TRIBES; FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS; AND LOCAL GROUPS CONSULTED

The following agencies, organizations, tribes, and persons were consulted during the project development and analysis.

1. Northwestern Band of Shoshone

2. Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation

3. Shoshone Bannock Tribe

4. Bureau of Land Management

5. Utah State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO)

6. Wyoming Department of Forestry

7. Utah Forestry, Fire, and State Lands

8. Uinta County Wyoming

9. Private Landowners near Little West Fork Blacks Inventoried Roadless Area

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS REVIEW

The following effects (or impacts) discussions focus on changes to the human environment from the Proposed Action that are reasonably foreseeable and have a reasonably close causal relationship to the Proposed Action, including those effects that occur at the same time and place as the Proposed Action and may include effects that are later in time or farther removed in distance from the Proposed Action. The discussion also includes an analysis of direct, indirect, and cumulative effects for each resource topic carried forward. Potential impacts are described in terms of type, context, duration, and intensity.

AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT

The proposed Anadarko site is located on the North Slope of the Uinta Range, with the site occupying a portion of the Eastern Uintas and Western Uintas management areas of the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest. The area is known for its diverse landscapes, natural beauty, scenic quality, agricultural heritage (timber harvesting), and recreational opportunities. The area is comprised of mid to high elevation forest consisting of sage brush flats, aspen, mixed coniferous forests, pure coniferous forests, high mountains, grassy meadows, semi-circular cirque basins, deep U-shaped river valleys, and an abundance of lakes, streams, and wetlands (Forest Plan pgs. 4-176-177 & 4-192-193).

Within each section below, the affected environment specific to the resource is described.

CUMULATIVE EFFECT SCENARIO

Cumulative effects result from the incremental impact of an action when added to other past, present and ongoing, and reasonably foreseeable actions, regardless of what agency or person undertakes the action.

The actions discussed below make up the cumulative effects scenario which describes past, present, and future projects that may result in cumulative effects. Table 3 below shows the actions considered for potential cumulative effects.

Table 3 Identifies projects and activities that occurred within the Anadarko Project Area and current and ongoing activities

Activity Name Activity Description Date/Time Period of Occurrence

Vegetation Treatments North Mill Creek Sale 1973 Upper Mill Creek Sale 1973 East Fork Blacks Fork Sale 1974 Private Sale - Cook 1976 Willow Creek Sale 1976 Carter Creek Sale 1978 Hewinta Sale 1978 Steel Creek Sale 1978 Cutthroat Sale 1981 Pushover Sale 1982 Little West Fork Sale 1985 Unknown Timber Sale 1985 West Fork Blacks Fork Sale 1987 Gilbert Creek Sale 1990 Mill Creek Sale 1995 Gilbert Creek II Sale 1996 Private Sale - Hull 2001 EF Blacks Fork Veg. Treatment 2004 East Fork Bear Salvage 2007 West Fork Blacks Fork Salvage 2009 Mill Creek Salvage 2010 Blacks Fork Salvage 2012 Duck Lake Salvage 2013 Woodpile Salvage 2013 Suspender 2014 Spiderman 2015 Gilbert Meadows Roadside 2016

Watershed-related Vegetation Treatments

Bear River Resilience 2022

Wildfires Lily Lake 1980 East Fork 2002

Stream/Fisheries Treatment Deadman Creek was treated with Rotenone to remove all non-native fish. Bonneville cutthroat trout, Northern leatherside chub, and sculpin were reintroduced after this removal

Stream/Fisheries Treatment West Fork Smiths Fork was treated with Rotenone to remove all non-native fish. Colorado River cutthroat trout and sculpin are planned to be reintroduced in

2021/2023

National Forest System roads and motorized trails

Motorized vehicle trails in the vicinity of the proposed project.

Ongoing road maintenance, such as cleaning culverts and blading existing roads.

Ongoing

Dispersed recreation use Hunting and camping at dispersed sites and non-motorized trail use in the vicinity.

Ongoing

Noxious weeds treatment

Ongoing weed treatments according to the Wasatch-Cache National Forest Noxious Weed Treatment Program Record of Decision.

Grazing 11 allotments occur within the project area

CLIMATE EFFECTS SCENARIO

REGIONAL AND LOCAL TRENDS

Climate change can affect the local environment directly through changes in temperature and precipitation (Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest, 2020). On the UWCNF, higher temperatures are anticipated to increase the length of the growing season which may enhance vegetation growth and carbon sequestration (Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest, 2020). The ability for the ecosystem to accommodate and benefit from the longer growing season would be dependent on an adequate water supply and temperatures (Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest, 2020). This is because elevated or extreme temperatures may also result in increased evapotranspiration, which could reduce soil moisture negatively affecting growth rates and carbon accumulation in woody plant material (Uinta-Wasatch- Cache National Forest, 2020). Temperature and precipitation changes and associated effects, ultimately affect ecosystem processes such vegetation growth, regeneration, and mortality (Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest, 2020).

Across the FS Intermountain Region, it is anticipated that as result of climate change, increased frequency and magnitude of disturbances such as drought, insect outbreaks, and wildfire will reduce mature forests, affect vegetation structure and habitat, adjust water and snowpack supplies, and reduce carbon sequestration (Halofsky, Peterson, Ho, Little, & Joyce, 2018). Riparian areas may be affected from changing hydrological regimes affecting the timing and amount of water available in summer (Halofsky, Peterson, Ho, Little, & Joyce, 2018).

Forested area on the UWC will be maintained as forest in the foreseeable future, which allows for continual carbon uptake and storage over the long term (Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest, 2020).

While disturbances and changing climate will affect the forest, the forest is still expected to play an important role of maintaining a carbon sink across the region and forest.

EFFECTS OF PROPOSED ACTION ON AND AS RESULT OF CLIMATE CHANGE

The Proposed Action would result in short-term contributions to greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels emissions resulting from the use of mechanized equipment and vehicles. Biogenic (forest carbon) emissions would also increase as vegetation treatments (salvage of dead material, pre-commercial and commercial thinning, and prescribed fires) are implemented. The carbon stored in the treated vegetation may be stored for long periods of time, in the case of trees used in stream habitat improvement work, or for shorter periods of time like the dead timber that is burned in a prescribed fire or processed into fuel wood. The duration carbon is stored by vegetation is dependent on the treatment it receives. In the case of trees used for in-stream habitat improvement work, carbon may be stored for long periods of time (Guyette, Cole, Dey, & Muzika, 2002). Shorter carbon storage would occur in treatments such as prescribed burning or when dead trees are harvested.

Released carbon is typically balanced by new growth post-fire (Halofsky, Peterson, Ho, Little, & Joyce, 2018) Removal of the larger diameter material reduces burn-severity and vegetation recovers more quickly. As vegetation within a stand begins to regrow, carbon is stored in the roots and woody material.

Vegetation types reliant on fire disturbance would be expected to proliferate increasing the speed of carbon storage.

Long term effects would include increased carbon storage due to improved vegetation conditions (Uinta- Wasatch-Cache National Forest, 2020). By treating these areas, timber stand health and riparian ecosystem resiliency will be improved, and potential for high-severity wildfires, which would release carbon into the atmosphere, will be reduced. With improved stand health, insect and disease outbreak should be reduced. Future green timber stands also provide for carbon to be captured and stored long-term in carbon sinks like dimensional lumber products.

EFFECTS OF THE NO ACTION ALTERNATIVE ON AND AS RESULT OF CLIMATE CHANGE

As result of the No Action Alternative, there would be increased risk to long-term carbon stored in the existing vegetation and it is anticipated that disturbance events would be more frequent and intense within the project area. Increased disturbance coupled with the monotonous age-stand structure and heavy fuel loading, make the area even more susceptible to high intensity wildfires and insect and disease outbreaks.

Due to the intensity of the disturbance, vegetation regrowth may take longer or have a reduced ability to recover which would further minimize the area’s new vegetation ability to capture carbon.

CUMULATIVE EFFECTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Within the project area, past vegetation treatments and watershed treatments from 1973-2022 are expected to have a neutral carbon effect. On-going activities would continue to occur and would not be anticipated to result in increased or decreased greenhouse gas or carbon emissions from current conditions.

NATIONAL FOREST MANAGEMENT ACT (NFMA) – LAND MANAGEMENT PLAN

CONSISTENCY

The Anadarko Vegetation Management Project is guided by management direction provided in the 2003 Revised Land and Resource Management Plan [for the] Wasatch-Cache National Forest, as amended through 2015 (“Forest Plan”). The Forest Plan is a programmatic document that provides the desired balance of multiple uses to meet society’s needs while protecting, restoring, and enhancing our natural resources. This EA is tiered (40 CFR §1508.28) to the Forest Plan, the Forest Plan amendments, and associated Final Environmental Impact Statements prepared in concert with those documents, and all associated appendices are incorporated by reference into this EA. This document is consistent with the Forest Plan and the following points provide the basis for the purpose and need for this action:

• Goal 2 – Watershed Health: Maintain and/or restore overall watershed health (proper functioning of physical, biological, and chemical condition) and associated Sub-goal 2a (Forest Plan, p. 4-17).

• Goal 3 – Biodiversity & Viability: Provide for sustained diversity of species at the genetic, populations, community, and ecosystem levels and associated Sub-goal 3d, Sub-goal 3e, and Sub- goal 3m (Forest Plan, pp. 4-18 to 4-20).

• Goal 4 – Fire and Fuels Management: Wildland fire use and prescribed fire provide for ecosystem maintenance and restoration consistent with land uses and historic fire regimes and associated Sub-goal 4a (Forest Plan, p. 4-21)

• Goal 10 – Social/Economic Contributions: Contribute to the social and economic well-being of local communities by promoting sustainable use of renewable natural resources and by participating in efforts to devise creative solutions for economic health (diversity and resiliency) and associated Sub-goal 10b (Forest Plan, p. 4-23).

The proposed action would promote the desired future condition by moving the project area toward a mosaic of vegetation cover types while maintaining stand health, wildlife habitat, and future forest products.

The project area is located within both the Eastern Uintas and Western Uintas Management Area.

These management areas consist of a range of prescriptions that emphasize what is considered allowable and not allowed for management activity. The management prescriptions that exist within the proposed project area, and the acres of each affected by the project, are outlined in Table 4.

Table 4 Summary of Management Prescriptions within the Project Area

Prescription Description Acres Percent 3.1a Aquatic Habitat Emphasis 6,591 9 3.2d Terrestrial Habitat Emphasis - Development Allowed 5,959 8

4.1 Emphasis on Backcountry Non-motorized Recreation Settings 2,655 4

4.4 Emphasis on Dispersed Motorized Recreation Settings 911 1

5.1 Emphasis on maintaining or restoring forested ecosystem

integrity while meeting multiple resource objectives 40,613 57

5.2 Emphasis on managing timber for growth and yield while

maintaining or restoring forested ecosystem integrity 7,148 10

6.1 Emphasis on maintaining or restoring non-forested ecosystem integrity while meeting multiple resource objectives 4,547 7

PVT Private/Other Ownership 2,824 4 Total 71,248 100

The project area includes portions of both the High Uintas and Little West Fork Blacks Inventoried Roadless Areas (IRA). The proposed action calls for tree cutting on approximately 3,567 acres of the High Uintas IRA and 3,526 acres of the Little West Fork Blacks IRA. These activities are consistent with the Roadless Area Conservation Rule under 36 CFR 294.13b (ii) “To maintain or restore the characteristics of ecosystem composition and structure, such as to reduce the risk of uncharacteristic wildfire effects, within the range of variability that would be expected to occur under natural disturbance regimes of the current climatic period;”. Other Actions that would occur in roadless area includes approximately 6 miles of National Forest System Road maintenance, prescribed fire on 9,204 acres of the High Uintas IRA, and prescribed fire on 4,514 acres of the Little West Fork Blacks IRA.

REQUIRED MODIFICATIONS

The project would adhere to all Forest Plan Standards and Guidelines through the implementation of Design Criteria and Best Management Practices as described in Appendix B.

CULTURAL RESOURCES

Native American groups have occupied the Uinta Mountain Range, and adjoining areas for potentially 15,000 years. The period of occupation is subdivided into several stages. The major subdivisions are:

Paleo-Indian (15,000(+)-8,500 B.P.); Archaic (8,500 B.P.-1,550 B.P.); Fremont occupations/influence and Archaic continuation (1,550 B.P.-700 B.P.); Archaic (700-400 B.P.); Protohistoric and Historic Period (400 B.P.-circa 1930). Archaeological materials associated with the Native American occupation of the region consist of surface and buried deposits indicative of Native American cultures, in open air sites, rockshelter, and cave contexts.

The North Slope of the Uinta Mountain Range and has been the focus of numerous scientific investigations beginning with the Hayden, Powell, and King surveys of 1870. More recent research based archaeological investigations include prehistoric high elevation occupations and resource transport costs (Madsen, Scott, and Loosle, 2000), investigations of prehistoric occupations throughout the range (Johnson and Loosle, 2002), and archaeological excavations focused on seasonal prehistoric habitation sites (Ingram, Pugh, and Wilson, 2000). In the past 15 years, the area has had several archaeological inventories performed in compliance with Section 106 of the NHPA.

These surveys have identified archaeological sites, ranging from early Paleoindian Period > 13,000-8,500 years ago, to the significant 1860s-l 940s logging operations of the which supplied the raw material for the completion of the transcontinental railroad, and its continued maintenance. Other historic use of the area consists of exploration, settlement of the West, and natural resource extraction. The influence of Fort Bridger (Janin 2001), the Carter Military Road (Stertz 2005), railroad tie logging and its associated cabins, commissaries, splash dams, skid roads, stumps, and load outs (Merritt 2013), as well as the signature of agriculturally based industries relating to livestock grazing and water collection/conveyance are found throughout the mountains. Historic resources in the Uinta Mountain Range area are most associated with logging, mining, and grazing. Although trappers (Mountain Men) frequented the area from the late 1700s-through the early to middle 1800s, very little physical evidence remains of this activity.

PROPOSED ACTION IMPACTS

The project treatments proposed by this project may impact cultural resources; however, not conducting these treatments to improve forest conditions could also allow for detrimental conditions which put cultural resources at risk. Through conducting a literature review, historical research, and intensive level survey, the presence of historic properties within the project area can be determined and potential threats from existing conditions and proposed project treatments can be assessed.

Direct effects to cultural resources include actions that would immediately affect the condition of the site.

These actions include outright destruction during a ground-disturbing activity, severe soil erosion, fire (for sites that have features susceptible to fire, such as…