Attachment 5(f) - INRMP draft_28 May 2020_dhd.pdf

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INTEGRATED NATURAL

RESOURCES MANAGEMENT

PLAN AND ENVIRONMENTAL

ASSESSMENT

2020-2025

Natural and Cultural Resources Section

Environmental Division Directorate of Public Works

Blank Page

INTEGRATED NATURAL RESOURCES

MANAGEMENT PLAN AND ENVIRONMENTAL

ASSESSMENT

NATIONAL TRAINING CENTER AND FORT IRWIN,

CALIFORNIA

This Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan meets the requirements of the Sikes Act (16 U.S.C.

670a et seq.) as amended.

Prepared By: _______________________________ Date____________________ David C. Housman, Ph.D.

NEPA Planner

Reviewed By: _______________________________ Date____________________ Ruth E. Sparks ITAM Program Manager

Christopher A. Woodruff Interim Chief, Environmental Division

Muhammad A. Bari, P.E.

Fort Irwin Director of Public Works

Andrew J. Kulas

LTC, AR

G3, National Training Center

Approved By: _______________________________ Date____________________ Jeanette A. Martin Colonel, US Army Garrison Commander US Army Garrison Fort Irwin

Paul Souza Regional Director, Pacific Southwest Region Region 8, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Sacramento, California

Charlton H. Bonham Director California Department of Fish and Wildlife Sacramento, California vi vii

PREFACE

World-Class Training for the World’s Best Army- Now and for the 21st Century

• The National Training Center and Fort Irwin, California... the world’s premier battlefield training installation.

• The National Training Center and Fort Irwin, California... home of some of the most fragile plant and wildlife communities in the nation and a keystone of the Mojave Desert ecosystem.

Two of the concerns that the National Training Center (NTC) and Fort Irwin have are: training troops to win on battlefields around the globe and conserving the diverse natural resources present at Fort Irwin. The NTC and Fort Irwin is proving that the two missions are compatible.

The U.S. Army’s National Training Center has been providing the world’s most realistic, bloodless training battlefields since its inception in 1979. As proven in the Mideast deserts, training received at the NTC and Fort Irwin aids soldiers and other members of the U.S. Armed Forces to protect the American way of life. The mission of Fort Irwin has changed over the past six decades (this includes the time it was Camp Irwin prior to the name change)... anti-aircraft, armor, mechanized, and today’s total battlefield training. However, training opportunities at the NTC and Fort Irwin are world-class today, even better than the superb training over past decades.

Imagine habitat for a complex ecosystem with hundreds of plant and animal species inhabiting 755,606 acres, with only seven year-round sources of water. Fort Irwin is a major player in the Mojave Desert Ecosystem Program and other regional initiatives. Some species found in this desert are not found anywhere else in the world.

The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), with the assistance of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and state agencies, is responsible under the Sikes Act (16 U.S.C. 670a-670f, as amended) for carrying out programs and implementing management strategies to conserve and protect biological resources on its lands. This Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan (INRMP) is the National Training Center and Fort Irwin’s plan of action for the conservation of natural resources entrusted to the U.S. Army. The plan covers a five-year period, but the philosophy behind it is for a much longer period of time. The Training Center and Fort Irwin will conserve its biological diversity and make sound decisions regarding the use of natural resources to support the military mission and needs of the region and the nation.

viii ix

INTEGRATED NATURAL RESOURCES

MANAGEMENT PLAN AND ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT

NATIONAL TRAINING CENTER AND FORT IRWIN,

CALIFORNIA

TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE REPORT

Purpose Environmental Compliance Scope Relationship to the Military Mission Partnerships Planned Major Initiatives Monitoring INRMP Implementation Benefits Summary

1.0 GOALS, COMPLIANCE, STRATEGIES, AND COOPERATIVE PROGRAMS

1.1 The NTC Mission, Vision, Goals, and Core Values

1.2 NTC and Fort Irwin Natural Resources Mission, General Goals, and General Objectives

1.3 Support of Installation Goals

1.4 Compliance Requirements

1.5 Biodiversity Conservation and Ecosystem Management

1.6 Regional Cooperative Programs

1.7 Integrated Training Area Management

1.8 INRMP and NEPA Integration

1.8.1 Purpose, Need, and Rationale

1.8.2 Scope

1.8.3 Impact Analysis

1.8.4 Alternatives

1.8.4.1 Proposed Action

1.8.4.2 Compliance Alternative

1.8.4.3 Other Management Options

1.8.4.4 No Action

2.0 LOCATION AND ACREAGE

2.1 Location and Neighbors

2.2 Acreage, Acquisition, and Expansion Lands

2.4 Satellite Installations

3.0 MILITARY MISSION

3.1 Overview

x

3.1.1 Mission of NTC and Fort Irwin

3.1.2 Post Population and Major Troop Units

3.2 Relationships Between Natural Resources and the Military Mission

3.2.1 Compatibility Issues

Vegetative Resources Cultural Resources

3.2.2 Effects of the Military Mission on Natural Resources

3.2.3 Effects of Natural Resources or Their Management on the Military Mission

3.3 Future Military Mission Impacts on Natural Resources

3.3.1 Acquisition of Additional Land

3.3.2 Unit Changes

3.3.3 Training Scenario Changes

4.0 FACILITIES

4.1 Transportation System

4.2 Water

4.3 Wastewater System

4.4 Storm Water Drainage System

4.5 Projected Changes in Facilities

4.6 Effects of Facility Operation on Listed Species

5.0 RESPONSIBLE AND INTERESTED PARTIES

5.1 National Training Center and Fort Irwin

5.1.1 Commanding General

5.1.2 Garrison Commander

5.1.3 Directorate of Public Works

5.1.4 Deputy Commander, Chief of Staff

5.1.5 Fort Irwin Family and Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (FMWR)

5.1.6 Public Affairs Office

5.1.7 Staff Judge Advocate

5.1.8 Inspector General

5.1.9 Other Installation Organizations

5.2 Other Defense Organizations

5.2.1 U.S. Army Installation Management Command, Readiness Region

5.2.2 U.S. Army Forces Command

5.2.2 Army Environmental Center

5.2.3 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

5.2.3.1 Los Angeles District

5.2.3.2 Mobile District

5.2.3.3 Jacksonville District

5.2.4 U.S. Army Environmental Awareness Program

5.2.5 Other Military Installations

5.3 Other Federal Agencies

5.3.1 U.S. Department of Interior

5.3.1.1 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

5.3.1.2 U.S. Geological Survey

5.3.1.3 National Park Service

5.3.1.4 Bureau of Land Management

5.3.2 U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service

5.3.3 National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

xi

5.4 State Agencies

5.4.1 California Department of Fish and Wildlife

5.5 Universities

5.6 Contractors

5.7 Other Interested Parties

6.0 NATURAL RESOURCES AND CLIMATE

6.1 Topography

6.2 Geology

6.2.1 Seismicity

6.2.2 Petroleum and Minerals

6.3 Soils

6.4 Water Resources

6.4.1 Surface Water

6.4.2 Groundwater

6.5 Climate

6.5.1 Precipitation

6.5.2 Temperature

6.5.3 Winds

6.6 Flora

6.6.1 Vegetation Communities

6.6.2 Floral Inventory

6.6.3 Special Status Flora

6.6.4 Wetlands

6.7 Fauna

6.7.1 Mammals

6.7.2 Birds

6.7.3 Fish

6.7.4 Reptiles and Amphibians

6.7.5 Other Faunal Species

6.7.6 Special Status Fauna

6.7.6.1 Federal- and/or State-listed Threatened or Endangered Fauna

6.7.6.2 Other Special Status Fauna

6.7.7 Pest Species and Feral Animals

7.0 LAND USE AND MANAGEMENT UNITS

7.1 Land Uses

7.1.1 NTC Downrange Operations Area

7.1.2 Cantonment Area

7.1.3 Leach Lake Gunnery Range

7.1.4 Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex

7.1.4 Eastern and Western Training Areas (Former Land Expansions)

7.1.5 Surrounding Land Use

7.2 Management Units

7.2.1 Training Areas

7.2.2 Natural Resources Management Areas

8.0 INVENTORY AND MONITORING

8.1 Flora Inventory and Monitoring

8.1.1 Range and Training Land Assessment

8.1.1.1 Proposed Action

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8.1.1.2 Other Management Options

8.1.2 Flora Surveys

8.1.2.1 Proposed Action

8.1.2.2 Other Management Options

8.1.3 Rare or Endangered Plant Monitoring

8.1.3.1 Proposed Action

8.1.3.2 Other Management Options

8.1.4 Wetlands

8.1.4.1 Proposed Action

8.1.4.2 Other Management Options

8.2 Fauna Inventory and Monitoring

8.2.1 Species Other Than Federal- or State-listed Threatened or Endangered Species

8.2.1.1 Proposed Action

8.2.1.2 Other Management Options

8.3 Water Quality Monitoring

8.3.1 Surface Water

8.3.1.1 Proposed Action

8.3.1.2 Other Management Options

8.3.2 Groundwater

8.4 Soils Inventory and Monitoring

8.4.1 Proposed Action

8.4.2 Other Management Options

9.0 NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT

9.1 Coordinated Planning

9.1.1 Proposed Action

9.1.2 Other Management Options

9.2 Forest Management

9.3 Agricultural Outleases

9.4 Habitat Management

9.4.1 Habitat Management Strategy and Goals

9.4.2 Wildlife Habitat Projects

9.4.2.1 Seeps and Springs

9.4.2.2 Wildlife Guzzlers

9.4.2.3 Endangered Species Habitat Projects

9.5 Threatened and Endangered Species Management Plan

9.5.1 General Conservation Goals

9.5.1.1 Protect Populations

9.5.1.3 Protect Habitat

9.5.1.2 Adopt An Ecosystem Management Approach

9.5.2 Lane Mountain Milkvetch

9.5.2.1 Threats

9.5.2.2 Goals, Objectives, and Actions for Conservation

9.5.2.3 Monitoring

9.5.2.4 Adaptive Management

9.5.2.5 How Threats Are Addressed by Objectives and Actions

9.5.2.6 Assurance of Program Facilitation

9.5.3 Desert Tortoise

9.5.3.1 Threats

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9.5.3.2 Goals, Objectives, and Actions for Conservation

9.5.3.3 Monitoring

9.5.3.4 Adaptive Management

9.5.3.6 Assurance of Program Facilitation

9.5.3.7 Reporting

9.5.4 Mohave Ground Squirrel

9.5.4.1 Threats

9.5.4.2 Goals, Objectives, and Actions for Conservation

9.5.4.3 Monitoring

9.5.4.4 Adaptive Management

9.5.4.5 Identification of Threats That Are Addressed by Objectives and Actions

9.5.4.6 Assurance of Program Facilitation

9.5.5 Southwestern Willow Flycatcher

9.5.5.1 Threats

9.5.5.2 Goals, Objectives, and Actions for Conservation

9.5.5.3 Monitoring

9.5.5.4 Identification of Threats That Are Addressed by Objectives and Actions

9.5.5.5 Adaptive Management

9.5.5.6 Reporting

9.5.5.7 Assurance of Program Facilitation

9.5.6 Least Bell’s Vireo

9.5.6.1 Threats

9.5.6.2 Goals, Objectives, and Actions for Conservation

9.5.6.3 Monitoring

9.5.6.4 Identification of Threats That Are Addressed by Objectives and Actions

9.5.6.5 Adaptive Management

9.5.6.7 Assurance of Program Facilitation

9.5.7 Desert Cymopterus

9.5.7.1 Threats

9.5.7.2 Goals, Objectives, and Actions for Conservation

9.5.7.3 Monitoring ....................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.

9.5.8 Assurance of Program Facilitation – All Sensitive Species

9.5.8.1 Personnel

9.5.8.2 Scheduled Actions

9.5.8.3 Costs

9.6 Fish and Wildlife Population Management

9.6.1 Game Management

9.6.1.1 Proposed Action

9.6.1.2 Other Management Options

9.6.2.6 State-protected Species

9.6.3 Furbearer/Predator Management

9.6.4 Other Species Management

9.6.4.1 Birds

9.6.4.2 Migratory Bird Management

9.6.4.3 Bats

9.7 Wetlands Management

9.7.1 Proposed Action

9.7.2 Other Management Options

xiv

9.8 Water Quality

9.8.1 Proposed Action

9.8.2 Other Management Options

9.9 Land Rehabilitation and Maintenance

9.9.2 Other Management Options

9.10 Cantonment Management

9.10.1 Proposed Action

9.10.2 Other Management Options

9.11 Pest Management

9.11.1 Proposed Action

9.11.1.1 Animal Control

9.11.1.2 Plant Control

9.11.1.3 Measures of Merit

9.11.1.4 Environmental Considerations

9.11.2 Other Management Options

9.12 Fire Management

9.12.1 Proposed Action

9.12.2 Other Management Options

9.13 Special Interest Area Protection

9.13.1 Proposed Action

9.13.1.1 General Provisions

9.13.1.2 Springs

9.13.1.3 Playas

9.13.1.4 Joshua Trees

9.13.1.5 Goldstone Complex

9.13.1.6 NTC-Gemini Milkvetch Conservation Area

9.13.2 Other Management Options

9.14 Training Requirements Integration

9.14.1 Proposed Action

9.14.1.1 Mission Planning

9.14.1.3 Training Restrictions

9.14.2 Other Management Options

10.0 ENFORCEMENT

10.1 Proposed Action

10.2 Other Management Options

11.0 AWARENESS

11.1 Military Personnel Awareness

11.1.1 Proposed Action

11.1.2 Other Management Options

11.2 Public Awareness

Desert Tortoise Education Facility

11.2.1 Proposed Action

11.2.2 Other Management Options

11.3 Professional Enhancement

11.3.1 Proposed Action

11.3.2 Other Management Options

12.0 OUTDOOR RECREATION

12.1 Military Mission Considerations

xv

12.2 Public Access

12.2.1 Proposed Action

12.2.2 Other Management Options

12.3 Hunting and Fishing

12.3.1 Proposed Action

12.3.2 Other Management Options

12.4 Other Natural Resources Oriented Outdoor Recreation

12.4.1 Specific Activities

12.4.1.1 Proposed Action

12.4.1.2 Other Management Options

12.5 Indoor Recreation

13.0 CULTURAL RESOURCES PROTECTION

13.1 Cultural Resources

13.1.1 Cultural Resources Inventory

13.1.2 Planning

13.1.3 Relationships with the Military Mission

13.1.4 Consultation with Native Americans

13.2 Natural Resources Management Implications

13.2.1 Proposed Action

13.2.2 Other Management Options

14.0 NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT IMPLEMENTATION

14.1 Responsibilities and Implementation

14.1.1 Responsibility

14.1.2 NEPA Documentation

14.1.3 Mitigation

14.2 NEPA and Natural Resources Management

14.2.1 Proposed Action

14.2.2 Other Management Options

15.0 UNRESOLVED ISSUES

16.0 IMPLEMENTATION

16.1 Organization

16.2 Personnel

16.2.1 Staffing

16.2.1.1 Proposed Action

16.2.1.2 Other Management Options

16.2.2 Personnel Training

16.2.2.1 Proposed Action

16.2.2.2 Other Management Options

16.2.3 External Assistance

16.2.3.1 Proposed Action

16.2.3.2 Other Management Options

16.3 Data Storage, Retrieval, and Analysis

16.3.1 Computer System

16.3.1.1 Proposed Action

16.3.1.2 Other Management Options

16.3.2 Geographic Information System

16.3.2.1 Proposed Action

16.3.2.2 Other Management Options

xvi

16.3.3 Remotely Sensed Imagery

16.3.3.1 Proposed Action

16.3.3.2 Other Management Options

16.4 Project/Program Summary

16.5 Implementation Funding Options

16.5.1 Environmental Program Requirements

16.5.1.1 Sikes Act Funds

16.5.1.2 Agricultural Funds

16.5.1.3 Environmental Funds

16.5.2 ITAM and Training Funds

16.6 Command Support

17.0 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES

17.1 Geology and Soils

17.1.1 Proposed Action

17.1.2 Other Management Options

17.2 Water Resources

17.2.1 Proposed Action

17.2.2 Other Management Options

17.3 Biological Resources

17.3.1 Proposed Action

17.3.2 Other Management Options

17.4 Air Quality

17.4.1 Proposed Action

17.4.2 Other Management Options

17.5 Cultural Resources

17.5.1 Proposed Action

17.5.2 Other Management Options

17.6 Environmental Justice

17.6.1 Proposed Action

17.6.2 Other Management Options

17.7 Protection of Children

17.7.1 Proposed Action

17.7.2 Other Management Options

17.8 Findings and Conclusions

REFERENCES

PERSONS CONTACTED

PLAN PREPARERS

ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS

APPENDICES

APPENDIX 5.3.1.1: Items of Cooperation Between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the National Training Center and Fort Irwin

APPENDIX 6.7: Fauna on the NTC and Fort Irwin Fish .......................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.

Reptiles .................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.

Birds ........................................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.

Mammals ................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.

APPENDIX 17.8: Finding of No Significant Impact APPENDIX 9.5.2 Lane Mountain Milkvetch Long-Term Monitoring Plan for the US Army xvii

National Training Center and Fort Irwin

INTRODUCTION

APPENDIX XX: ITAM Work Plan

* Equipment used will include: ATVs, mini-ex, backhoe, grader, water truck

Table of Figures

FIGURE 2.1: Location of the National Training Center and Fort Irwin, California

FIGURE 2.2: Major Features of the National Training Center and Fort Irwin, California

FIGURE 6.3: Soils of the National Training Center and Fort Irwin, California

FIGURE 7.2.1: Training Areas on the National Training Center and Fort Irwin

FIGURE 9.5.1: Proposed Conservation Areas on the NTC

FIGURE 9.5.2: Lane Mountain Milkvetch range, distribution, and conservation areas

FIGURE 9.5.3.1: Types of fencing required by Objectives 1, 2, and 3 of Section 9.5.3.2.1

FIGURE 9.5.3.2: Types of fencing required by Objective 4 of Section 9.5.3.2.1

FIGURE 9.5.3.3: Conservation areas and fencing implementation schedule

FIGURE 9.5.4.2: Proposed survey areas and existing MGS locations at NTC and Fort Irwin

FIGURE 12.4.1: Location of the NTC and Fort Irwin OHV (Off-Highway Vehicle) Park

Housman, David C CIV USARMY ID-READINESS (US) DH- Update page numbers after next revision xviii

Integrated Natural Resources Management 1 National Training Center and Plan/Environmental Assessment Fort Irwin, California

EXECUTIVE REPORT

“We do not own this land; we are caretakers of the land and the plant and animal species that inhabit it.

The American people entrust the land to our care, and we shall fulfill their trust. We shall conserve and protect these resources for the future.”1

Purpose

This Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan (INRMP) guides implementation of the natural resources program on the National Training Center and Fort Irwin, California (hereinafter called the NTC and Fort Irwin or Training Center) from 2020 through 2025. The INRMP conserves the NTC and Fort Irwin’s land and natural resources and helps ensure compliance with environmental laws, regulations, and policies. The INRMP also helps ensure the maintenance of quality training lands to accomplish the NTC and Fort Irwin’s critical military mission on a sustained basis and to ensure that natural resource conservation measures and Army activities on mission land are integrated and consistent with federal stewardship requirements.

Environmental Compliance

Preparation and implementation of this INRMP is required by the Sikes Act (16 U.S.C. 670a et seq.), Department of Defense Instruction 4715.3 (Environmental Conservation Program), Army Regulation 200- 1 (Environmental Protection and Enhancement), and Army Memorandum (21 March 1997), Army Goals and Implementing Guidance for Natural Resources Planning Level Survey (PLS) and Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan (INRMP). This INRMP was prepared using Guidelines to Prepare Integrated Natural Resources Management Plans for Army Installations and Activities (U.S. Army Environmental Center, 1997), as modified by Forces Command2. This INRMP helps the NTC and Fort Irwin comply with other federal and state laws, most notably laws associated with environmental documentation, wetlands, endangered species, air quality, and wildlife management in general. This plan describes how the NTC and Fort Irwin will implement provisions of AR 200-1 and local regulations, principally NTC Reg. 200-1 (Environmental Protection and Enhancement), NTC Reg. 420-3 (Hunting), and portions of NTC Reg. 385-63 (Range Safety Regulation).

This INRMP has the signatory approval of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. This signature approval includes agreement that the INRMP complies with the Endangered Species Act (hereafter ESA or Act).

Review of the INRMP is informal consultation with regard to the Endangered Species Act.

The Sikes Act, as amended in November 1997, requires that INRMPs to the extent appropriate and applicable for a given installation include:

1 Robert M. Walker, Assistant Secretary of the Army, Testimony before Congress, July 11, 1995.

2 FORSCOM Memorandum. 26 June 97. Guidelines to Prepare Integrated Natural Resource Management Plans (INRMPs) for Army Installations and Activities.

Integrated Natural Resources Management 2 National Training Center and

• Wildlife management, land management, and wildlife-oriented recreation;

• Fish and wildlife habitat enhancement or modifications;

• Wetland protection, enhancement, and restoration where necessary to support fish, wildlife, or plants;

• Integration of, and consistency among, the various activities conducted under the INRMP;

• Establishment of specific natural resource management goals and objectives and time frames for proposed actions;

• Training use of natural resources, by the public, to the extent that the use is not inconsistent with the needs of fish and wildlife resources;

• Enforcement of applicable natural resource laws;

• No net loss in the capability of military installation lands to support the military mission of the installation;

• Regular review of this INRMP and its effects, not less often than every five years;

• Exemption from procurement of services under Office of Management and Budget Circular A-76 and any of its successor circulars; and

• Priority for contracts involving implementation of this INRMP to state and federal agencies having responsibility for conservation of fish and wildlife.

The INRMP will address compliance with the following additional legal mandates:

National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 Endangered Species Act of 1973 National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (as amended through 1992) Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979 American Indian Religious Freedom Act of 1978 Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990 Federal Noxious Weed Act of 1974 Clean Water Act of 1978 Clean Air Act (as amended through 1990) Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act Protection of Wetlands, 1977, Executive Order 11990 Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 Executive Order 13112, Invasive Species

Scope

The INRMP will provide the basis and criteria for protecting and enhancing natural resources using watershed, landscape, and ecosystem perspectives, consistent with the military mission. The INRMP defines the level of management and provides the vehicle by which the Army participates in developing regional planning efforts under the West Mojave Coordinated Management Plan.

Fort Irwin is central to the Mojave Desert ecosystem. Fort Irwin’s large size, its range of elevations, and its diverse geology foster exceptional biological diversity. Fort Irwin’s location in the center of the Mojave Desert places it at a crossroads for the transmission of genetic material among populations and the emigration of species from neighboring deserts.

Integrated Natural Resources Management 3 National Training Center and

Provisions of the INRMP apply to each directorate, command, and tenant unit at the NTC and Fort Irwin (including the Active Army, Army National Guard, Army Reserve Component, contractors (government and private), private groups, spouses and dependents, and individuals who either directly or indirectly use the installation’s natural resources) as well as rotational commands, units, and outlying detachments of personnel assigned or attached to the installation. This INRMP is an integral part of the NTC and Fort Irwin Installation Master Plan.

Relationship to the Military Mission

Fort Irwin has been used for anti-aircraft, armored, and mechanized training for regular Army and National Guard units since 1940. Fort Irwin was selected as the National Training Center for the U.S. Army in 1979. The NTC provides the critical edge in training brigade-level units in highly realistic combat situations. This facility is unique in the world and played a major role in the development of tactics and the training used successfully in Operation Desert Storm.

Battlefields, landing fields, target arrays, logistics corridors, storage areas, ranges, support areas, and safety buffer areas on the Training Center comprise a bloodless laboratory where American Army forces can test both soldiers and equipment to practice and perfect the principles of engagement for tomorrow’s armed conflict. The area is also habitat for 587 species of Mojave Desert plants, 164 resident or migrant avian species, 38 mammals, 33 reptiles and one fish. This document defines the constituents and establishes the methods by which natural resources management will be accomplished along with the military mission.

The NTC and Fort Irwin military mission requires quality training lands, which involves considerable interaction with the installation’s natural resources.

This INRMP supports the military mission by protecting and enhancing training lands upon which the mission is critically dependent. The INRMP also describes recreational opportunities associated with natural resources to the NTC and Fort Irwin community, thus supporting the Army commitment to both Quality of Life and Communities of Excellence programs.

The INRMP describes impacts of the military mission upon natural resources and means to mitigate these impacts. However, this INRMP does not evaluate the NTC and Fort Irwin’s military mission, nor does it replace any requirement for environmental documentation of the military mission at the Training Center.

Partnerships

This document was prepared in partnership and cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), representing the federal and state wildlife regulatory agencies, respectively. Additionally, because of their involvement in the preparation of the West Mojave Coordinated Management Plan, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) played a significant role in data procurement, management assistance, and consultation in the production of this INRMP. Other partners in this effort include universities and other federal and state agencies.

Neighboring Department of Defense installations (Edwards Air Force Base, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center at Twenty-nine Palms, Marine Corps Logistics Base at Barstow, and Naval Air Weapons Station at China Lake) provided advice, information, and suggestions to improve the document and resulting management strategies to improve ecosystem-wide segments of the INRMP. Finally, the natural resource, real property management, and mission operations staffs of U.S. Army Installation Management

Housman, David C CIV USARMY ID-READINESS (US) This list will get finalized once it goes off-installation for comments.

Integrated Natural Resources Management 4 National Training Center and

Command, Fort Sam Houston, TX provided information and guidance to ensure the adequacy of the

INRMP.

Planned Major Initiatives

This INRMP includes a description of ongoing and planned natural resources programs and projects at NTC and Fort Irwin. Most of these will either be continued or completed. The most significant projects within this INRMP include:

• Rehabilitating and protecting lands to support military training;

• Implementing an ecosystem management philosophy that provides biodiversity conservation;

• Monitoring flora, fauna, soils, and water quality;

• Implementing a geographic information system to allow better decisions regarding use and management of NTC and Fort Irwin natural resources;

• Protection of sensitive natural resources areas;

• Managing endangered species and their habitats to ensure compliance with the Endangered Species

Act;

• Restoring eroded lands and affected habitats;

• Providing an effective integrated pest management program;

• Protecting and conserving wetlands;

• Informing soldiers and other members of the NTC and Fort Irwin community of the value of installation natural resources and means to conserve those resources;

• Implementing a comprehensive outdoor recreation program;

• Protecting cultural resources while conducting natural resources management; and

• Using the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to conserve natural resources.

Monitoring INRMP Implementation

US Army Installation Management Command and other interested parties will evaluate the INRMP through monitoring programs, including the Environmental Compliance Assessment System, Army Compliance Testing System, and annual reviews. The list of INRMP goals and objectives in Appendix

16.4 can provide a basis for evaluating plan implementation.

The success of individual programs included in the INRMP will be evaluated by the effectiveness of programs in question. For example, the raven control program will be evaluated by the reduction in numbers of ravens in the landfill as well as the reduction in the amount of raven predation of desert tortoises in the wild. The ITAM program will be evaluated by the effectiveness of individual component programs.

Benefits

• Military Mission Benefits: Implementation of this INRMP will maintain the quality of training land. It will enhance mission realism through the perpetuation of more realistic training lands. It will reduce maintenance costs and improve health and safety and the ability for long range planning at the NTC and Fort Irwin.

Integrated Natural Resources Management 5 National Training Center and

• Environmental Benefits: The INRMP provides the basis for the conservation and protection of natural resources. It will help reduce vegetation loss and soil erosion due to military activities. It will reduce the potential for environmental pollution. It will provide biodiversity conservation. Plan implementation will increase overall knowledge of the operation of the NTC and Fort Irwin ecosystem through surveys and research.

• Other Benefits: Soldier environmental awareness will be enhanced while training at the NTC and Fort Irwin. Both community relations and the NTC and Fort Irwin’s environmental image, internal and external to Defense, will be enhanced. Quality of life for the NTC and Fort Irwin community will be improved. INRMP implementation will decrease long-term environmental costs and reduce personal and installation liabilities from environmental noncompliance.

Summary

The INRMP outlines steps required to meet Department of Defense, U.S. Army, and Fort Irwin’s legal and moral obligations to provide for the stewardship of the natural resources on the NTC and Fort Irwin while enabling the accomplishment of the military mission. The INRMP has been generated through cooperation with appropriate regulatory agencies. As a public document, it will support and perpetuate the military mission while fostering stewardship and goodwill for the NTC and Fort Irwin, the U.S. Army, and the Department of Defense throughout the Mojave Desert ecosystem.

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Integrated Natural Resources Management 7 National Training Center and

1.0 GOALS, COMPLIANCE, STRATEGIES, AND

COOPERATIVE PROGRAMS

Army Environmental Vision Statement

The Army will be a national leader in environmental and natural resource stewardship for present and future generations as an integral part of our mission3.

The Army’s commitment to natural resources management is reflected in the U.S. Army Environmental Strategy into the 21st Century, which focuses on responsibly managing Army lands to ensure long-term natural resource productivity so the Army can achieve its mission. This Army commitment to natural resources management is emphasized in Army Regulation 200-1 (Environmental Protection and Enhancement), which requires that Integrated Natural Resources Management Plans be developed and maintained for all Army installations.

This chapter discusses NTC and Fort Irwin overall strategies for managing natural resources as part of the installation mission. These are discussed in local, regional, and national contexts. Additionally, the chapter discusses the overall integration of NEPA documentation within this INRMP.

The Command and staff of the NTC and Fort Irwin are committed to environmental stewardship as an integral part of the mission at Fort Irwin. This commitment is evidenced by support of past environmental programs and their full support of this Integrated Natural Resource Management Plan.

It is important to understand the relationship between the natural resources program and the NTC and Fort Irwin as a whole. A comparison of NTC and Fort Irwin mission, vision, goals, and core values with the mission, goals, and objectives of the natural resources program helps identify this relationship.

1.1 The NTC Mission, Vision, Goals, and Core Values4

Mission

National Training Center trains rotational training units, joint, interagency and multinational partners in order to maximize the Joint Force’s readiness to fight and win in a complex world while taking care of Soldiers, Civilians and Family members.

Vision

3 Army Environmental Policy Institute. 1992. U.S. Army Environmental Strategy into the 21st

Century. U.S. Government Printing Office 1993-747-677, 38 p.

4 Fort Irwin, The National Training Center, a color brochure provided by the Public Affairs Office, NTC and Fort Irwin, CA.

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Train our leaders how to think, not what to think, and win in a complex world

• Generate ready forces and adaptive leaders

• Replicate complex, hybrid threats using a dedicated opposing force and a high fidelity training support system

• Integrate conventional, joint, special operations forces, and Unified Action Partners

• Provide a “leadership crucible” event

Goals

• Train the force.

• Develop the National Training Center as a realistic training environment and an enduring installation.

• Provide quality of life for the entire Fort Irwin community.

Core Values

World-Class Training for the World’s Best Army- Now and for the 21st Century

• Customer Service

• Standards

• Learning Environment

• Professional Competency

• Stewardship

• Sense of Community

1.2 NTC and Fort Irwin Natural Resources Mission, General

Goals, and General Objectives

Mission

Provide professional management and stewardship of natural resources at the National Training Center and Fort Irwin while providing opportunities for multiple compatible uses of natural resources, complying with environmental laws and supporting the military mission.

Below are general NTC and Fort Irwin natural resources goals and objectives used to attain them. These objectives, and those more specific in chapters 8-14, serve as a checklist to monitor the success of the INRMP. Some objectives fit more than one category. When this occurs, the most-fitting category was chosen.

Integrated Natural Resources Management 9 National Training Center and

Goal 1. Provide quality natural resources as a critical training asset upon which to accomplish the military mission of the NTC and Fort Irwin.

Objective 1. Ensure no net loss in the capability of installation lands to support existing and projected military training and operations on the NTC and Fort Irwin.

Objective 2. Maintain high quality training lands through range monitoring and damage minimization, mitigation, and rehabilitation (i.e., execution of the Integrated Training Area Management program).

Goal 2. Comply with laws and regulations that pertain to management of NTC and Fort Irwin natural resources.

Objective 1. Manage natural resources within the spirit and letter of environmental laws, particularly the Sikes Act upon which this INRMP is predicated.

Objective 2. Protect, restore, and manage sensitive species and wetlands.

Objective 3. Use procedures within the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to make informed decisions that include natural resources considerations and mitigation.

Objective 4. Ensure NTC and Fort Irwin’s natural resources program is consistent with the protection of cultural resources.

Objective 5. Implement this INRMP within the framework of Army policies and regulations.

Objective 6. Protect and manage threatened and endangered species and critical habitat in accordance with the Endangered Species Act, NEPA, AR 200-1, DoD Directive 4715.3, USFWS regulations and agreements, and other applicable laws or guidance from higher headquarters. Follow the NTC Endangered Species Management Plan (ESMP; section 9.5.2 of this INRMP), which directs the management of federally-listed threatened and endangered species. Consider species listed by the State of California in the natural resources management program, and comply with the California Environmental Quality Act

(CEQA).

Goal 3. Manage natural resources on the NTC and Fort Irwin to assure good stewardship of public lands entrusted to the care of the Army.

Objective 1. Use adaptive ecosystem management strategies to protect, conserve, and enhance native fauna and flora.

Objective 2. Monitor and manage soils, water, vegetation, and wildlife on the NTC and Fort Irwin with a consideration for all biological communities and human values associated with these resources.

Objective 3. Manage leased out military lands (i.e., the Goldstone Complex) to protect and enhance their natural resources.

Objective 4. Ensure the NTC and Fort Irwin natural resources program is coordinated with installation organizations, other agencies, and conservation organizations with similar interests.

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Goal 4. Improve the quality of life of the Fort Irwin community through quality natural resources-based recreation opportunities.

Objective 1. Provide opportunities for outdoor recreation, such as hunting, picnicking, camping, nature study, equestrian activities, etc.

Objective 2. Provide conservation education opportunities.

1.3 Support of Installation Goals

Implementation of this INRMP will support the mission, vision, goals, and core values of the NTC and Fort Irwin. The natural resources/ITAM team at the NTC and Fort Irwin is committed to supporting the military mission, providing stewardship of resources entrusted to the Army, enhancing the quality of life of the Fort Irwin community, and being a valued member of the overall NTC and Fort Irwin team.

Implementation of this INRMP will demonstrate those qualities.

1.4 Compliance Requirements

DoD Instruction 4715.3 and AR 200-1 require that integrated natural resource management plans be developed and maintained for DoD and Army lands. Other pertinent regulations and legislation relevant to natural resources management are listed below.

Public Law 85-624 Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act Public Law 96-561 Fish and Wildlife Conservation and Natural Resource

Management Programs on Military Reservation: Amends Public Law 86-797 (Sikes Act) Public Law 94-579 Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 Public Law 89-669 Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act Public Law 90-465 Conservation Programs on Military Reservations Public Law 93-205 Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended Public Law 95-632 Endangered Species Act of 1973 (1978 amendments) Public Law 86-70 Bald Eagle Protection Act, as amended Public Law 93-366 Non-game Act Public Law 91-190 National Environmental Policy Act Public Law 92-522 Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972 Public Law 90-583 Noxious Plant Control Act Public Law 93-629 Federal Noxious Weed Act of 1973 Public Law 93-452 Conservation and Rehabilitation Program on Military and

Public Lands Public Law 93-408 Youth Conservation Corps Act of 1972, amended Public Law 95-524 Comprehensive Employment and Training Act Amendments

Title 16 U.S. Code 703-711 Migratory Bird Species Act Title 10 U.S. Code 2667 Leased, Non-excess Property Title 10 U.S. Code 2671 Military Reservations and Facilities Title 16 U.S. Code 590 Soil Conservation

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Title 16 U.S. Code 1271 National Trails System Act of 1968 Executive Order 11991 Protection and Enhancement of Environmental Quality:

Amends Executive Order 11514 Executive Order 11989 Off-Road Vehicles on Public Lands Executive Order 12608 Protection of Wetlands: Amends Executive Order 11990 Executive Order 13045 Protection of Children from Environmental Health Risks and

Safety Risks Executive Order 13112 Invasive Species Executive Order 12902 Energy Efficiency and Water Conservation at Federal Facilities Executive Order 131148 Environmentally and economically beneficial practices on federal landscaped grounds DoD Instruction 4715.3 Environmental Conservation Program DoD Directive 6050.2 Use of Off-Road Vehicles on DoD Lands DoD Instruction 5000.13 Natural Resources AR 200-1 Environmental Protection and Enhancement AR 350-4 Integrated Training Area Management (ITAM) NTC Reg. 200-1 Environmental Protection and Enhancement at NTC NTC Reg. 350-3 Range Regulation NTC Reg. 420-3 Hunting

The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) is a state law requiring public agency decision-makers to document and consider the environmental implications of their actions. CEQA applies to all government agencies in California, including the NTC and Fort Irwin. Unlike NEPA, CEQA is not a procedural statute.

It contains substantive provisions requiring agencies to deny approval of a project with significant adverse effects when feasible alternatives or feasible mitigation measures can substantially lessen such effects.

1.5 Biodiversity Conservation and Ecosystem Management

Biological diversity (biodiversity) refers to the variety and variability among living organisms and the environment in which they occur. Biodiversity has meaning at various levels including ecosystem diversity, species diversity, and genetic diversity. The Department of Defense has developed A Department of Defense (DoD) Biodiversity Management Strategy (The Keystone Center, 1996). This Strategy identifies five reasons to conserve biodiversity on military lands:

(1) Sustain natural landscapes required for the training and testing necessary to maintain military readiness;

(2) Provide the greatest return on the Defense investment to preserve and protect the environment;

(3) Expedite the compliance process and help avoid conflicts;

(4) Engender public support for the military mission; and

(5) Improve the quality of life for military personnel.

The Keystone Center report (1996) notes that the challenge is “to manage for biodiversity in a way that supports the military mission”. This strategy identifies the INRMP as the primary vehicle to implement biodiversity protection on military installations. The model process developed within the strategy includes the following principles:

• Support the military mission;

Integrated Natural Resources Management 12 National Training Center and

• Use joint planning between natural resources managers and military operations personnel;

• Integrate biodiversity conservation into INRMP, ITAM, and other planning protocols;

• Involve internal and external stakeholders up front;

• Emphasize the regional (ecosystem) context;

• Use adaptive management;

• Involve scientists and use the best science available; and

• Concentrate on results.

The Department of Defense (DoD Instruction 4715.3, Environmental Conservation Program) describes ecosystem management as, “a process that considers the environment as a complex system functioning as a whole, not a collection of parts, and recognizes that people and their social and economic needs are a part of the whole”. The Department of Defense goal with regard to ecosystem management is, “To ensure that military lands support present and future training and testing requirements while preserving, improving, and enhancing ecosystem integrity. Over the long term, that approach shall maintain and improve the sustainability and biological diversity of terrestrial and aquatic (including marine) ecosystems while supporting sustainable economies, human use, and the environment required for realistic military training operations.”

U.S. Army Forces Command (FORSCOM) has published an ecosystem management policy5, which expands on Department of Defense principles and guidelines. Some important policies applicable to the NTC and Fort Irwin include:

• Emphasize native plants, especially indicator species (e.g. endangered species).

• Planning should be at the land association or land type scale while management should be at the training area or watershed scale. Care should be taken to prevent creation of island populations, which deplete gene pools.

• Commodity production shall be a tertiary consideration. Primary goals are to support the military mission while protecting endangered species and their habitat.

• It is critical to establish a regional consortium of all potentially affected parties.

• Adaptive management is a critical aspect of ecosystem management.

• The installation Master Plan must serve as the umbrella plan for integration of all other installation plans, including the INRMP.

• None of the current conservation management tools are to be categorically excluded from use.

The NTC and Fort Irwin will use ecosystem management to guide its program in the next five years and beyond. This management strategy enables the installation to conduct military training while conserving natural resources upon which the quality of training ultimately depends. Adaptive management is an important component of ecosystem management. Adaptive management involves implementing the best option, testing that option’s results, and modifying implementation accordingly.

1.6 Regional Cooperative Programs

5 FORSCOM Policy Memorandum 200-97-1, 1997, Implementation of Ecosystem Management.

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The following regional land use or planning initiatives potentially influence natural resources management at the NTC and Fort Irwin:

Desert Tortoise Recovery Plan. The objective of this USFWS recovery plan is to delineate reasonable actions that are required to protect, recover, and eventually de-list the desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii).

Actions needed to accomplish the recovery of this species include protection and conservation of existing populations and habitat, development and implementation of management plans, environmental education to inform the public of the status of the desert tortoise, and research to monitor and guide the recovery of this species (USFWS, 1994). The natural resources staff has integrated these actions into their natural resources management strategy.

The desert tortoise was listed as a threatened species in April 1990. The recovery plan outlining actions needed to recover and protect the species was finalized in 1994 and revised in 2011. In 1993, 25,000 acres on the NTC and Fort Irwin were placed off-limits due to presumed high levels of desert tortoise. In 1995 this area was designated critical habitat by the USFWS. As a result of the land expansion process, negotiations with the USFWS will allow the Army to train on designated critical habitat within the expanded NTC. To mitigate for this loss of tortoises and habitat, the Army translocated tortoises from the southern expansion area, and will translocate tortoises from the western expansion area (henceforth western training area) to safe refugia, purchased 99,058 acres of high quality tortoise habitat to serve as refugia, and took additional steps suggested by the USFWS to protect the long-term survival of the desert tortoise.

California Desert Conservation Area Plan. Section 601 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) of 1976 requires the BLM to develop a plan for long-term protection and administration of public lands in the California desert. FLPMA requires this plan, called the California Desert Conservation Area Plan, to take into account multiple use management and sustained yield principles in providing for resource use and development, including maintenance of environmental quality, rights-of-way, and mineral development. The California Desert Conservation Plan was finalized in 1980 and establishes general guidance for management of all BLM-administered lands in the California desert (Bureau of Land Management, 1997).

West Mojave Coordinated Management Plan. The West Mojave Coordinated Management Plan is a comprehensive, interagency planning effort for the conservation of biological resources in the West Mojave region. In 1992 agencies within the West Mojave planning area established a multi-agency team for preparing this plan with BLM designated as the lead agency. The West Mojave Coordinated Management Plan is a cooperative effort involving many different agencies:

• Five military installations (NTC and Fort Irwin, Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, Edwards

Air Force Base (AFB), Marine Corps Logistics Base in Yermo, and Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twenty-nine Palms);

• Five federal managers (BLM, National Aeronautics and Space Administration Goldstone Deep Space Communication Complex, National Park Service (NPS), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Biological Resources Division, and Boron Prison);

• Six State of California agencies (Department of Transportation, Energy Commission, CDFW, Department of Parks and Recreation, State Lands Commission, and the University of California Reserve System);

• One special district (Indian Wells Valley Water District);

• Five counties (Inyo, Kern, Los Angeles, Riverside, and San Bernardino); and

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• 11 incorporated towns and cities (Adelanto, Apple Valley, Barstow, California City, Hesperia, Lancaster, Palmdale, Ridgecrest, Twenty-nine Palms, Victorville, and Yucca Valley).

The West Mojave Coordinated Management Plan provides a consistent and streamlined regional program for compliance with the California and federal endangered species acts. Products of the West Mojave Plan are programmatic incidental take permits and biological opinions, as appropriate, issued to participating cities, counties, and state and federal agencies by the CDFW and the USFWS. Incidental take permits and biological opinions set forth a program for mitigating and minimizing impacts to species listed as endangered, threatened, or rare under the California Endangered Species Act and the federal Endangered Species Act. Each incidental take permit or biological opinion identifies choices of mitigation measures which can be implemented by project proponents seeking discretionary permits from the participating agencies. Plants and animals for which such measures and/or fees are required are covered by the West Mojave Plan.

The West Mojave Plan also developed measures to mitigate impacts to unlisted plants and animals. These can be adopted by participating agencies through the mechanism of pre-listing agreements. An agency, which executes a pre-listing agreement with CDFW or USFWS, is assured that in the event the species is later listed, no additional measures (barring unforeseen circumstances) will need to be adopted.