C04e Attachment 5 Env Assessment 1240BH26R0013.pdf

Southern Region/Ozark-St. Francis National Forests PALS Project Number 58732 July 2025

Blanchard Springs Caverns Facilities Renovation Project

Environmental Assessment including Decision Notice and Finding of No

Significant Impact

Blanchard Springs Caverns Visitor Information Center

For More Information Contact:

Jan Franks, District NEPA Coordinator

Sylamore Ranger District, Ozark-St. Francis National Forests 1001 East Main Street, Mountain View, AR 72560 jan.franks@usda.gov

USDA NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY STATEMENT

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, USDA, its Mission Areas, agencies, staff offices, employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident. Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language) should contact the responsible Mission Area, agency, or staff office; the USDA TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY); or the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877- 8339.

To file a discrimination complaint, a complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, which can be obtained online at https://www.ocio.usda.gov/document/ad-3027, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by: (1) Mail: U.S.

Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or (2) Fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or (3) Email: program.intake@usda.gov USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

mailto:jan.franks@usda.gov https://www.ocio.usda.gov/document/ad-3027

Blanchard Springs Caverns Facilities Renovation Project Environmental Assessment Sylamore Ranger District

Ozark-St. Francis National Forests i

Contents Introduction

Location of the Proposed Project Area

Why are facilities renovations needed?

Alternatives

No Action

Proposed Action

BSC VIC Renovations

Blanchard Springs Caverns Dripstone and Discovery Trail Infrastructure

Design Features Applicable to All Activities

Design Features for Threatened, Endangered Federally Listed Species and Species Proposed for Federal Listing (TEP)

Design Features for Historic Properties and Cultural Resources

Design Feature for Trenching Operations

Environmental Effects

Previously Approved and Reasonably Foreseeable Activities Overlapping or Near the Project Area

Reasonably Foreseeable Effects of Taking No Action

Effects Not Relevant to Implementing the Proposed Action

Vegetation

Management Indicator Species/Focal Species (MIS/Focal Species)

Regional Forester’s (Region 8) Sensitive Listed Species

Aquatic Communities

Migratory Bird Treaty Act

Air Quality

Ozark-St. Francis National Forests ii

Geology

Water Quality and Hydrology

Transportation System

Civil Rights

Local Economies

Summary of Reasonable and Foreseeable Effects Relevant to Implementation of the Proposed Action

Historic Properties and Cultural Resources

Recreation Experience

Federally Listed Threatened and Endangered Species and Species Proposed for Federal Listing (TEPs)

Finding of No Significant Impact

Decision Notice

Agencies and Persons Consulted

Federal and State Agencies

USDA Forest Service

Other Federal and State Agencies

Tribal Nations

Non-government Organizations (NGOs)

Elected Officials

Individuals

References

Appendices

Appendix 1

Blanchard Springs Caverns Facilities Renovation Project Summary of Public and Tribal Engagement up to release of the Environmental Assessment including Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact

Ozark-St. Francis National Forests iii

Appendix 2

Applicable Building Design Codes and Standards for Forest Service Owned Facilities

Appendix 3

Applicable Federal, State and Local Laws and Regulations

Appendix 4

Contributing Resources Toward Eligibility for Listing on the National Register of Historic Places for the Blanchard Springs Caverns Facilities (USDA FS 2020)

Appendix 5

Memorandum of Agreement Among the United States Forest Service, Ozark-St.

Francis National Forests; Advisory Council on Historic Preservation; Arkansas State Historic Preservation Office, The Osage Nation and the Quapaw Nation Regarding the Renovation of the Blanchard Springs Caverns Visitor Information Center and Blanchard Springs Caverns on the Sylamore Ranger District of the Ozark-St.

Francis National Forests, Stone County, Arkansas

List of Tables

Table 1. Determinations of Effect for TEP Species Known to Occur or with Potential to Occur in the Project Area…………………………………………………………..…….48

List of Figures

Figure 1. Vicinity Map

Figure 2. Surface Project Area Map………………………………...………………………..4

Figure 3. Project Area Below the Surface (i.e., Dripstone and Discovery Trail Route Locations) .………………………………………………………………………………...5

Figure 4. Drawing of the Dripstone Trail Tour Route Features (D.Goodwin)……………37

Figure 5. Drawing of the Discovery Tour Route Features (D. Goodwin)……………….. 38

Ozark-St. Francis National Forests

Introduction The Ozark-St. Francis National Forests (the Forests) is proposing to renovate the Blanchard Springs Caverns Visitor Information Center (BSC VIC) and the man-made infrastructure of the caverns’ Dripstone and Discovery tour trails. The BSC VIC is a centralized facility that provides multiple visitor and administrative functions within a single architectural compound. Since 1973, it has served the public by interpreting the caverns and has been a major point of visitor arrival, orientation, and service.

The Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA, P.L. 116-152), established the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund to support deferred maintenance projects on federal lands. Fifty percent of all federal revenues from the development of oil, gas, coal or alternative or renewable energy on federal lands and waters will be deposited into the fund for the five-year period that includes fiscal years (FY) 2021 through FY2025. The funds must be used for priority deferred maintenance projects in specified systems administered by the US Forest Service (Forest Service), National Park Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Bureau of Land Management and the Bureau of Indian Education. GAOA funding for this project is available once requirements of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and Endangered Species Act (ESA) consultation processes and of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) are fulfilled.

This environmental assessment (EA) was prepared to determine whether effects of proposed activities may warrant preparation of an environmental impact statement (EIS) and to fulfill agency policy and direction to comply with the NEPA and other relevant Federal and State laws and regulations.

The Responsible Official for this action is the Ozark-St. Francis National Forests’ Forest Supervisor. The decision to be made for this action is whether to take no action at this time, implement the Proposed Action as described, implement the Proposed Action with modifications, or initiate the preparation of an EIS.

Location of the Proposed Project Area The BSC VIC and caverns are located on the Sylamore Ranger District of the Ozark-St.

Francis National Forests. The Sylamore Ranger District is in north-central Arkansas approximately 12-miles northwest of Mountain View, Arkansas and near the underserved rural community of Fifty-Six, Arkansas as shown in Figure 1. Public access to the BSC VIC parking lot is via Forest Service Road 1110A.

The project area falls within the Blanchard Springs Developed Recreation Area Complex (the complex) which is assigned to Management 2.C: Developed Recreation Areas (MA2.C) by the 2005 Revised Ozark-St. Francis National Forests Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan, USDA FS 2005a). The BSC VIC and associated structures are designated as an Ozark-St. Francis National Forests administrative site.

The project area is comprised of National Forest System (NFS) lands, above and below the surface. Above the surface, the 69-acre project area includes all components of the BSC VIC buildings, associated structures, grounds and utilities. Two elevators within the BSC VIC transport visitors and staff approximately 215 feet below to the subterranean environment of the caverns. Beneath the surface, the project area is limited to developed areas of Blanchard Springs Caverns where all man-made components associated with the Dripstone and Discovery tour routes are located. All aerial and buried utilities providing service to the facilities are included in the project area as is a new utility corridor to be established between a recreation area complex potable water tank and the BSC VIC.

The project area does not include undeveloped portions of the Blanchard Springs Caverns system or the Wild Cave Tour route; neither does it include any acres congressionally designated as Wilderness, Recommended Wilderness, Inventoried Roadless Area, or Wild and Scenic River Corridor. The project area does not fall within a US Department of Transportation or US Forest Service designated Scenic Byway Corridor. None of the project area contain wetlands, floodplains, or prime farmland.

There is no critical habitat as defined in the Endangered Species Act on the district.

Blanchard Springs Caverns have been identified as a sacred site by Federally Recognized Tribal Nations. A 5,700-acre Traditional Cultural Property (TCP) that is a historic property of religious and cultural significance eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) overlaps the project area. Cultural affiliations with the TCP have been established for two Federally Recognized Tribal Nations and for the local settler community.

None of the project area occurs within one-half mile buffer of the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail and there are no Tribal land holdings on the Sylamore District.

Figure 1. Vicinity Map

Figure 2. Surface Project Area Map

Figure 3. Project Area Below the Surface (i.e., Dripstone and Discovery Trail Route Locations)

Why are facilities renovations needed?

The BSC VIC and the underground structures are in their original locations and the overall layout, uses, plan, form, and style of the facilities are intact. However, after 50 years of constant use within the humid cavern environment, the man-made components of the caverns’ Dripstone and Discovery trails have degraded; some components pose risks to human safety and threaten the caverns’ microclimate. Budgets for Forest Service recreation programs have declined over the last several years, and allocated funding has not been enough to cover all needed structural repairs or facility upgrades for either the BSC VIC or the developed caverns tour route infrastructure.

The BSC VIC décor and interpretive displays have remained largely unchanged since the facilities were constructed. The existing facilities do not make effective use of available space, support technology-based features and exhibits, or provide amenities available at newer Visitor Information Centers.

The purpose of this project is to renovate the BSC VIC and caverns Dripstone and Discovery trails’ infrastructure. This action is needed to 1) renew the lifecycle of the facility structures, reduce deferred maintenance costs and improve energy efficiency; 2) ensure the facilities remain safe for the visiting public and staff; 3) bring the facilities into compliance with current Architectural Barriers Act Accessibility Standards (ABAAS) and Forest Service Trails Accessibility Guidelines (FSTAG); 4) facilitate more efficient operation of the BSC VIC and cavern tours;5) support and sustain relevant, accessible high-quality recreational and educational experiences for current and future generations, and 6) protect the cavern microclimate.

This action was designed to comply with all relevant laws, policies, and regulations and is consistent with the Forest Plan’s vision to promote and manage Blanchard Springs Caverns as a destination site for tourists as well as Forest Plan direction regarding recreation and facilities.

Desired conditions outlined in the Forest Plan for recreation and facilities require the forest to provide facilities and recreation infrastructure that are high quality, well-maintained, safe, accessible and consistent with visitors’ expectations.

• Forest Plan Objectives (OBJ) 45-47, respectively, provide direction to upgrade all identified publicly accessible facilities to meet Architectural Barriers Act standards as appropriate; to complete energy efficiency upgrades on all administrative buildings and to inspect all buildings to determine compliance with health and safety standards and address all identified health and safety issues.

• Forest Plan priorities for recreation sites include direction to maintain and protect existing recreation sites consistent with public demand through operation, maintenance, and rehabilitation activities. For facilities, all buildings are to be maintained to health and safety standards.

For facilities, desired conditions also include that Built Environment Image Guide principles (USDA 2001) be supported, facility maintenance meet national standards and structures should be well integrated into the landscape with advanced environmentally sensitive technology.

The agency’s Built Environment refers to the physical infrastructure of fire, administrative, research, and recreation buildings, landscape structures, site furnishings, structures on roads and trails, and signs installed or operated by the Forest Service, its cooperators, and permittees. The elements of the Built Environment constructed on National Forest lands and Grasslands, or those used for administrative purposes in rural areas, towns, and cities incorporate in a practical manner the principles of sustainability, reflect their place within the natural and cultural landscape, and provide optimal service to our customers and cooperators. Infrastructure shall 1) be located, planned, and designed with respect for the natural systems in which they reside; 2) aesthetically integrate their natural, cultural, and experiential context; 3) contain design features that reinforce a national agency identity; 4) emphasize efficiency of energy and materials consumption in construction and operation;

5) serve as premier examples to interpret conservation of natural resources and sustainable development; 6) create environments for people to enjoy and gain increased appreciation for the natural environment, and in which employees work productively, experiencing the connection to the resources they manage and, 7) Use wood and wood products where appropriate in the construction, alteration, repair, and operation of our infrastructure.

The US Forest Service Regional Office’s (Region 8) recreation and engineering units completed site maintenance assessments of Blanchard Springs Caverns and VIC facilities as part of a regional review of major visitor centers (USDA FS 2013e and 2013f). Because deficiencies regarding condition of infrastructure components of the facilities, above and below the surface, and accessibility were identified during those reviews, independent engineering firms were contracted to provide conceptual designs to address them.

In 2015, an inspection completed by the Mine Safety & Health Administration (MSHA) identified potential hazards associated with horizontal tension fractures in the natural rock above the Dripstone trail entrance air lock and tunnel where loose rock had been falling (USDOL MSHA 2015). Temporary mitigation measures (i.e., timber supports) were installed as MSHA recommended. The timber support structure has been inspected regularly by an agency geologist since its installation. The structure continues to function as designed but is showing signs of deterioration. A design for air lock replacement and renovation of constructed tunnels has been substantially completed.

Original metal hand- and guardrails (i.e., safety railing), rock bolts (i.e., threaded steel bars utilized to stabilize jointed or fractured rock layers in mines or tunnels), incandescent lighting fixtures, wiring and air locks are still in place, but have corroded, compromising their functionality and safety. Degraded components of the original air locks at the cavern trail entrance and exit points have created gaps that allow outside air to enter the cavern environment. Utility service lines supporting communication systems within the caverns have also degraded in the humid cavern environment and affect the staff’s ability to reliably communicate to the surface in the event of an emergency.

Safety railing protects visitors from falling into deep, jagged crevasses along trail routes and prevents visitors from touching or otherwise damaging sensitive cavern formations.

Some sections of railing have failed, and the integrity of other sections has diminished from corrosion and constant use. In some areas, existing railing does not meet current requirements for height and spacing and in others, additional rails are needed to comply with current requirements for Forest Service trails (USDA FS 2013d, FSM 2350).

The existing lighting fixtures showcase various cave formations and illuminate the trails for visitor safety but are not programmable and several are no longer functional. The incandescent light the exiting bulbs emit causes lampenflora (i.e., algae) growth on cavern formations which must be manually removed.

In 2023, an engineering firm contracted to assess the condition of existing railing, lighting and electrical components of the Dripstone and Discovery trails and to identify needs for additional railing to meet current requirements concluded the electrical systems do not meet current electrical code requirements and have reached the end of their service life (JLA 2023). Some electrical components pose safety hazards which include delivery of mild electrical shocks to staff changing bulbs and electrical breaker boxes have caught fire. A design to address these deficiencies has been completed. For the BSC VIC, needs to bring facilities into compliance with Architectural Barriers Acting Accessibility Standards (ABAAS standards) and to bring supporting infrastructure components into compliance with requirements of the International Code Council (ICC) family of codes, National Fire Protection Association Code (NFP101) and Life Safety Code were identified.

Alternatives Comments on the NEPA scoping notice and the draft EA were reviewed and considered by the Responsible Official. No issues driving development of an additional action alternative were identified. The Agency’s consideration of those comments is documented in the project planning record. A summary of external NEPA process engagement efforts up to the release of this document is provided in Appendix 1.

No Action The No Action alternative represents a continuation of current management and uses. No changes to the BSC VIC or man-made infrastructure of the caverns Dripstone and Discovery Trail routes would be made as part of the Blanchard Springs Caverns Facilities Renovation Project. Cavern tours and other existing uses of the facilities would continue.

The No Action alternative does not preclude proposal of other projects to address facility repairs in the future; neither does it preclude future nomination of Blanchard Springs Caverns or other historic properties within the project area for listing on the NRHP. Any future projects relevant to facility repair would be analyzed on a case-by-case basis.

Proposed Action The following activities are being proposed to meet the project’s objectives. Design features to protect threatened and endangered bat species during construction activities and design features to avoid, minimize or mitigate adverse effects to historic properties have been incorporated into the Proposed Action since the NEPA scoping process was initiated (2020).

Mitigations of adverse effects to historic properties and cultural resources through the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) are documented in a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA). Those mitigations are hereby incorporated by reference. A copy of the executed MOA is provided in Appendix 5. All stipulations of the MOA must be followed as part of the implementation of this project.

BSC VIC Renovations

• Existing spaces throughout the BSC VIC would be remodeled and upgraded to extend the lifecycle of the facilities, address human safety issues, comply with regulatory requirements, improve visitor experiences, and support cavern operations. All spaces would be evaluated and designed for the most effective use (i.e., administrative or public). To comply with International Existing Building Code requirements regarding alterations, all supporting infrastructure components (i.e., electrical, communications, lighting, plumbing, etc.) would be replaced. Final designs for the BSC VIC have not been completed, but in general, proposed renovations are expected to include the following:

Creation of separate entry and exit points for the BSC VIC would be included in the final design to respond to accessibility requirements, prevent air exchange, improve energy efficiency and improve visitor flow. This would be accomplished with construction of a new entrance vestibule at the front BSC VIC main building and a separate exit door and White Nose Syndrome decontamination station in the west pod through which visitors returning from tours would be routed. If included in the final design, these alterations would be designed to complement the BSC VIC’s exterior appearance.

Construction of a new elevator tower to meet accessibility requirements and provide access to the spaces on the second floor and basement of the BSC VIC would be included in the final design. The new elevator would not extend into the cavern environment. The existing set of stairs on one side of the lobby would be removed to facilitate that installation if necessary. A new set of exterior stairs would be installed to meet current fire code requirements.

These installations would occur within the footprint of the area previously excavated in the 1960’s during construction of the BSC VIC facilities.

Installation of a sprinkler system to bring the facilities to compliance with current National Fire Protection Association codes would be included in the designs. There is currently no fire suppression sprinkler system in place. To support the sprinkler system, new service lines for domestic water and fire suppression would be installed.

New functional spaces (public and administrative) would be constructed within the BSC VIC.

Existing ramps and porches of the BSC VIC may be demolished and the breezeways may be enclosed to facilitate effective incorporation and use of the BSC VIC pods with the main building.

Existing bathrooms would be remodeled to comply with ICC and ABAAS requirements.

The roof, gutters and BSC VIC utility (i.e., electric, water, sewer, phone) infrastructure components would be replaced.

Minor landscaping changes may be implemented to facilitate the proposed work; these would likely include sidewalk relocations and may include removal of non-native plant species. Any resulting ground disturbance would be restored.

Blanchard Springs Caverns Dripstone and Discovery Trail Infrastructure

• The lower elevator lobby would be remodeled. Existing ceiling panels would be removed and replaced. Work to scale loose rock and remove unstable overhead rock, install rock bolts and synthetic mesh on the rock ceiling above the new panels may be required. All existing electrical and lighting system components would be replaced to bring these installations to current code.

• Existing air locks, and tunnel supporting structures would be removed. Loose and unstable overhead rock would be removed or scaled (i.e., removed; material would be relocated in or used for masonry repairs in the cavern, but none shall be removed from the cavern) from the tunnel ribs and roof. New support structures for tunnels would be constructed, and new sets of air lock doors with supporting structures would be installed. Reconstruction of bulkheads, construction of new masonry walls, installation of synthetic mesh on the rock ceiling and installation of rock bolts are required as part of air lock and tunnel reconstruction. (Golder 2020)

• Lighting systems, communication systems and respective supporting infrastructure components within the cavern would be removed and replaced to bring these installations to code, and to remedy hazardous conditions.

• Existing railing would be removed and replaced or installed where needed along the Dripstone and Discovery trail routes to remedy safety concerns or comply with agency requirements for trails.

The following design features are requirements for implementation.

Design Features Applicable to All Activities

• All final designs shall be subject to Forest Service approval and shall be performed by licensed architects, engineers and landscape architects registered in at least one US state. Civil engineers must be registered in the State of Arkansas.

• All work shall be subject to Forest Service monitoring, inspection, and approval and must be performed by qualified contractors. All electrical, heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), and plumbing work shall be performed by persons licensed to perform that trade in the State of Arkansas.

• On-site monitoring of operations by designated Forest Service personnel or the contractor shall be conducted to ensure required measures to prevent or minimize impacts to geological, biological, as well as historic properties and cultural resources are followed.

If damage to any of these resources occurs, work in the affected area shall be halted until an investigation and report of findings are completed.

o Depending on the resource damaged, initial investigations shall be conducted by the appropriate resource specialist. Initial investigation findings may result in referral to law enforcement.

o Daily logs and investigation reports would be kept and provided to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service’s (USFWS) as outlined in the Amended Biological Opinion for this action (USDOI FWS 2024) and as stipulated in the 2025 project-level Heritage Memorandum of Agreement (MOA).

• Should any action inadvertently uncover a previously unrecorded archaeological site or object(s), work would be halted, and the authorities would be notified as outlined in the MOA.

Activities at that location would not resume until the resource is adequately protected and agreed-upon mitigations outlined in the MOA are implemented.

• Prior to arriving on-site for any purpose, all non-US Forest Service individuals and contractors must contact the designated Forest Service Site Coordinator assigned to administer the respective contract(s).

The designated Forest Service Site Coordinator shall coordinate with the Ranger or other designated Forest Service staff and the contractor to ensure assigned Forest Service personnel are available to perform on-site monitoring.

• While below ground construction activities were occurring on a specific tour route (e.g. Dripstone or Discovery), no tours would be offered on that route until that contract work is complete and accepted. Tours shall not be offered if prohibited by applicable laws or safety regulations.

Additional Design Features Applicable to Activities within the Caverns

• All contractors and their employees and all monitors shall be required to complete a virtual training on sensitive caverns resources prior to initiation of work within the cavern.

• Underground cavern rock stabilization work would be performed by licensed contractors with a minimum of five (5) years’ experience in similar installation of support in tunnels.

• Entry and exit into the cavern shall be controlled by US Forest Service personnel.

For all non-Forest Service individuals, each entry into and exit from the cavern must be documented.

• Work shall be limited to occur only within previously developed portions of the cavern; neither exploration of nor work within non-developed portions of the caverns will be permitted.

• All clothing, footwear, equipment, and other items brought into the cave would be decontaminated according to the USFWS’s White-nose Syndrome Decontamination Protocols posted at https://www.whitenosesyndrome.org/mmedia-education/national-wns-decontamination-protocol-u-s. (USDOI FWS 2020)

• Shoe-clean troughs to prevent transport of dust, oil or any foreign material into and out of the cave shall be utilized.

• Cavern pools and streams shall not be entered, and cavern formations shall not be touched by ungloved hands.

• Cavern rock must be used for all masonry repairs within the cavern. Two areas from which cavern rock may be collected to implement masonry repair within the subterranean environment have been designated.

• Native material originating from within the cavern, such as breakdown, shall not be removed from the cavern.

• To reduce the potential for the introduction of fumes to the cavern environment to the extent possible, if replacement fixtures require welding or soldering, they must be pre-assembled outside of the cave and brought into the cave for installation.

• An area outside an air lock, such as the lower elevator lobby, shall be designated to modify or assemble replacement fixtures not requiring welding or soldering.

https://www.whitenosesyndrome.org/mmedia-education/national-wns-decontamination-protocol-u-s https://www.whitenosesyndrome.org/mmedia-education/national-wns-decontamination-protocol-u-s

• Mats would be put in place where work is being done to capture any material or item that may be dislodged or dropped during removal or installation activities and keep it from falling into the cavern. Mats must be picked up and cleaned daily.

• No food, drink (except water), gum, or tobacco products shall be permitted in the caverns.

• There shall be no expectorating, defecating, or urinating in the caverns.

Design Features for Threatened, Endangered Federally Listed Species and Species Proposed for Federal Listing (TEP) The following design features for TEP protection were developed with the USFWS through the formal consultation process outlined in Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act. These design features, along with applicable Forest-Wide Standards for TEP species must be incorporated as requirements into any contracts awarded to complete renovation activities to protect endangered bat species during renovation activities.

• All bats encountered during implementation would be treated as listed species until otherwise determined by a trained and permitted bat biologist.

Contractors must not move or touch any injured or dead bat either on the surface or in the caverns.

Design Features for Gray Bat Protection

• Schedules for implementing work must be approved by the Forest Service wildlife biologist.

To the extent possible, construction, renovation, and other maintenance activities (such as those involving structural upgrades to mitigate impacts due to air flow, water infiltration or air lock maintenance and construction) in areas with sensitive wildlife would be timed to avoid sensitive wildlife periods, such as bat spring and fall swarming seasons and winter hibernation periods.

• Prior approval from the Forest Service wildlife biologist must be obtained if work in more than one location at a time needs to be conducted.

Only one air lock shall be removed and replaced or modified at any one time.

• If bats are discovered by a contractor in a work area (on the surface and in the caverns), the contractor must immediately notify the Forest Service and halt work in that area until an agency wildlife biologist determines whether the species of bat is listed.

If the Forest Service wildlife biologist determines listed bats are roosting in an area that may be disturbed or the work may risk injury to a listed bat, the work shall be temporarily delayed to limit disturbance and the USFWS will be notified. Work shall not resume until clearance to proceed is given by the Forest Service wildlife biologist.

• Lighting system, handrail, and cavern air lock replacement activities for the Discovery tour route are restricted September through April to protect hibernating Gray bats within the caverns.

• From August 1 through Labor Day, where renovation activities are being conducted along the Dripstone and Discovery trails, lights would be turned on in the evening before starting construction to discourage bats from roosting in those areas.

• A temporary noise and containment barrier wall system would be installed for construction and renovation of the air locks and bypass tunnel.

Bulkhead curtains or other measures would be utilized for abatement of noise and dust reaching hibernating bats and to ensure temperatures within the caverns remain constant.

Sound level on the natural cavern side of the barrier shall be a maximum of 65 decibels (dB)

If sound levels exceed 65 dB, work must stop, and bulkhead curtains must be adjusted to contain sound on the either the air lock-side of the barrier or inside the tunnel respectively, or noise must be reduced to meet specifications before work would be permitted to resume.

• Temperatures inside the cave would be monitored near the containment barriers to determine if any changes in temperatures occur. Baseline temperature data has been collected daily since September of 2022.

If temperatures range outside of baseline conditions by 1 degree Celsius inside the Dripstone air locks or the stairway leading to the Discovery Trails or by 1.5 degrees Celsius inside the summer bat passage area or the Discovery air lock, work must stop, and barriers shall be adjusted or repaired until baseline temperatures are achieved before work would be permitted to resume.

• Prior approval and Forest Service wildlife biologist clearance are required March 1 through November 30 for BSC VIC landscaping involving incidental tree removal and BSC VIC roof and gutter replacement activities.

• No new areas shall be created or cleared for equipment staging.

• Staging areas for equipment shall be limited to the existing paved parking area of the BSC VIC, paved cavern exits (external side), paved roads, existing gravel service roads and the concrete tunnel cap above the Dripstone Trail bypass tunnel.

• The natural entrance shall not be used for equipment access.

• Any equipment that emits fossil fuel exhaust (e.g., generators or compressors, etc.)

would not be used inside the caverns and must be staged outside the cavern environment in one of the designated areas.

Wires and hoses would be run from the surface through the existing access shaft located in the bypass tunnel, elevator lobby, or trail exits.

Triple-stacked filter socks, silt fences, barriers, temporary sedimentation basins and other sedimentation control measures would be required around the access areas of the cave where equipment is staged.

• To minimize the possibility that gasoline, propane, or electric powered construction equipment that could leak fluids, introduce noise pollution, or emit pollutants, equipment would be checked by designated contractors prior to being operated for the day to identify and repair any leaks. Mufflers would be checked for proper operation, and only equipment within proper operating specifications would be used.

• Water produced by construction activities would be collected by wet vacuums or other methods into temporary holding basins which would be removed or pumped out of the cavern to avoid contamination of cavern pools or streams.

• A spill prevention and response plan for water produced by construction activities and other substances foreign to or not naturally occurring in the cavern environment would be provided by the contractor and approved by the designated COR prior to work commencing in the caverns.

Design Features for Northern long-eared Bat (NLEB)Protection

• Removal of live or dead trees that are potential roosting habitat for bats is prohibited in the hibernacula buffers during the spring staging (March 1 to April 30) and fall swarming (Aug 15 to Nov 30) periods unless an emergence survey is conducted on the tree the evening before removal to determine that no bats are present. The emergence survey would be conducted by a Forest Service Wildlife Biologist or wildlife technician.

Design Features for Historic Properties and Cultural Resources This undertaking (repairs to existing infrastructure) may have an adverse effect on the Blanchard Springs Caverns Historic District which is comprised of the individually eligible Blanchard Springs Caverns and the Blanchard Springs Caverns Visitor Information Center.

To avoid, minimize or mitigate adverse effects to these historic properties and to cultural resources of religious and cultural significance, additional design features identified through the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) Section 106 consultation process were developed and documented in a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the Ozark-St.

Francis National Forests, the Arkansas Heritage Preservation Program State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO), the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP), The Osage Nation and the Quapaw Nation. The Stone County Historical Society, which represents the local settler community, was invited to be a concurring signatory for the MOA. Measures to mitigate or minimize adverse effects to historic properties are outlined in the MOA and are hereafter incorporated as design features in the Proposed Action Alternative. The executed MOA is included in this document as Appendix 5. Federally recognized Tribal Nations affiliated with Stone County were invited to engage in the development of the Proposed Action and the MOA. The MOA represents the results of that engagement.

• The agreed-upon design features for renovation of the facilities outlined in the MOA must be incorporated into contracts as requirements for implementation.

• Designs for work within the caverns are complete. Final designs for the proposed BSC VIC renovation work would be informed, in part, by historic preservation practices outlined in the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties (https://www.nps.gov/tps/standards.htm).

All agreed upon design features to avoid, minimize or mitigate adverse effects to historic properties (i.e., a property that is eligible for listing on the NRHP) and cultural importance (unless sensitive and confidential) are disclosed in the MOA (see Appendix 5).

https://www.nps.gov/tps/standards.htm

Design Feature for Trenching Operations

• Where trenching on the surface is required to facilitate activities, it would be scheduled so that the trench could be filled in prior to the next reasonable, foreseeable rain event. This would ensure stormwater run-off would not flow from the surface into the trench and potentially directly to the cavern microclimate. This design feature shall be incorporated into contracts involving trenching activities.

The Proposed Action was designed to be consistent with the Forest Plan, as well as with all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations that are in place to protect the human and natural environments.

The proposed BSC VIC and cavern infrastructure renovations would 1) address safety issues; 2) bring facilities into compliance with ABAAS requirements and Forest Service Trail Accessibility Guidelines and ICC requirements; 3) renew appearances and extend the lifecycle of the facilities for future generations; 4) support cavern operations; 5) provide for the comfort and convenience of visitors; 6) provide additional opportunities and space for new interpretive exhibits and 7) improve energy efficiency. Existing spaces would be refurbished or repurposed and project area utilities would be removed and upgraded to comply with applicable ICC requirements, improve operating conditions and provide increased technological capacities that are not currently available.

The scoped activities for the BSC VIC were informed by conceptual designs from a contracted engineering firm (Smith-Dahlia 2017). It is expected that all the functional areas and upgrades described in the project scoping notice would be included in the final design package.

To meet the purpose of this project and to ensure the final BSC VIC design provides the most efficient use of space that supports operation of the facilities and improves the visitor experience, input from US Forest Service staff, including BSC guides, and the gift shop vendor would also be taken into consideration.

Final designs must be completed and approved by the Forest Service before any work on-site may commence. Depending on the amount of GAOA funding secured, activities would be prioritized for implementation. Activities necessary to protect human safety and the cavern microclimate, to bring the facilities into compliance with accessibility requirements and to restore the structural integrity of the facilities would be implemented before activities to upgrade aesthetics or provide amenities. Other funding sources would be sought to complete the implementation of any remaining renovation activities that are not fully covered with GAOA funds. It is anticipated proposed activities could begin in calendar year 2025 and all priority work could be completed within 12 to 24 months. The timeframe for completion of priority repairs and upgrades could be extended based on available funding and restrictions in place to protect sensitive resources for some activities.

Environmental Effects This section summarizes the potential reasonable and foreseeable environmental effects or impacts relevant to implementing the Proposed Action or taking no action. Interdisciplinary team members and other Forest Service resource specialists contributed to the preparation of this EA which has been scaled based on the relevance and intensity of the potential effects. Only that information necessary to understand the environmental impacts is summarized in this document. The project’s planning record includes additional information to be considered by the Responsible Official.

Effects or impacts are changes to the human environment resulting from the Proposed Action or other developed action alternatives that are reasonably foreseeable. (40 CFR Chapter 10, Subchapter A, Part 1508 Section 1508.1) Direct effects are caused by an action and occur at the same time and place. Indirect effects are caused by the action but occur later in time or are farther removed in distance but are still reasonably foreseeable.

Cumulative effects are effects that overlap geographically and temporally with the effects of an action; individually these effects may be minor, but when considered together with the incremental, meaningful effects of other past, present and reasonably foreseeable actions—regardless of land ownership on which other actions occur and regardless of whether the Forest Service, another agency or an individual undertakes the action—they may be cumulatively significant. Past actions that no longer contribute meaningful resource effects are considered part of the current condition. Future actions are those that are planned and are likely to be implemented during the timeframe that meaningful effects of the action are likely to occur.

Previously Approved and Reasonably Foreseeable Activities Overlapping or Near the Project Area Activities that have recently been implemented or could be implemented within the project area during the timeframe for the BSC VIC Facilities Renovation Project are summarized below.

The 67,151-acre Indiana Bat Habitat Restoration Project (IBAT) overlaps the Blanchard Springs Developed Recreation Complex (the recreation complex). The Decision Notice approving vegetation management and connected activities for the IBAT project was signed on July 22, 2013; it requires avoidance of ground disturbing activities within Karst Management Zones (i.e., buffers surrounding karst openings such as cave entrances, springs, seeps and etc.) and sets annual implementation thresholds for the treatments it authorizes. The IBAT project does not involve any activities within the BSC VIC or the caverns environment but does authorize removal of trees and other vegetation within and surrounding the complex. Vegetation management activities previously implemented under the IBAT project and occurring in forested stands near the BSC VIC grounds have opened the mid-story and canopy, allowing increased sunlight to reach the forest floor to stimulate the growth of understory species and increase plant diversity. The more open conditions have also increased visual depth into the forested stands; thus, the likelihood of seeing wildlife, birds and flowering species from the BSC VIC parking lot and grounds was increased over pre-treatment conditions. The IBAT project would continue to be implemented during the anticipated timeframe for the renovation project whether the Proposed Action is selected or no action is taken at this time. No ground disturbing activities have been implemented under the IBAT decision within or around the complex in the last three years; new growth has reclaimed those areas which now represent the current condition. No ground disturbing activities under the IBAT project decision are currently planned in or immediately adjacent to the complex through at least fiscal year 2026.

On June 2, 2022, the former Ozark-St. Francis National Forests Forest Supervisor accepted an analysis completed by USDA Rural Utility Services (RUS) to replace existing telephone lines with fiber optic cable within 6.2 total miles of existing utility corridor across National Forest System lands of Sylamore District. The work was funded and implemented through RUS to provide high speed internet service within underserved rural communities.

Approximately 0.23 mile of existing overhead telephone line was replaced with fiber optic cable and 0.54 miles of the underground replacement installations were made within the project area providing service to the caverns and BSC VIC. The existing communications infrastructure of the facilities, however, does not support the upgrades. The fiber optic project was fully implemented, and new growth has since reclaimed all areas where ground disturbance occurred; effects from those activities are no longer meaningful.

Typically, repair and maintenance of administrative sites, authorized trails and recreation sites are categorically excluded from documentation in an Environmental Assessment or Environmental Impact Statement [36 CFR 220.6(d)(3), 36 CFR 220.6(d)(4) and 36 CFR 220.6(d)(5), respectively]. Provided no extraordinary circumstances precluding use of the applicable categorical exclusions are identified, these types of actions do not require preparation of a NEPA project planning record or documentation of a decision in a US Forest Service NEPA Decision Memo. Routine recreation site and trail maintenance activities within the recreation complex (i.e., mowing, hazard tree removal, manual treatments to remove encroaching vegetation from trail tread, etc.) would continue to be implemented for the duration of the BSC Facilities Renovation Project regardless of whether the Proposed Action is selected or no action is taken at this time. Mowing and hazard tree removal are the most likely administrative site maintenance activities to be implemented on the grounds surrounding the BSC VIC during the duration of the renovation activities. These activities do not involve ground disturbance. A portion of the district’s North Sylamore Creek Trail, the Bluff Trail, the Spring Trail, Mirror Lake Trail, Mirror Lake Boardwalk, and the Oak-Pine Woodland Trail all occur within the recreation complex but are outside the project area.

The NEPA process for the proposed Walk and Roll Trail Management Project has been placed on hold. It is anticipated the NEPA process will resume and at least some of the activities for Walk and Roll Trail Management Project may be implemented sometime in calendar year 2026. If approved, that project would provide for the use of glyphosate or triclopyr herbicide to selectively treat vegetation encroaching on the tread of authorized hiking and bicycle trails across the district, including all trails occurring in whole or in part within the recreation complex. No activities of the Walk and Roll Trail Management Project are proposed to occur within the BSC VIC, on the BSC VIC grounds, or in the caverns. No new trail construction would occur in the project area under the Walk and Roll Trail Management Project if it is approved. However, adjacent to the project area, 0.6 mile of new trail measuring 18 to 24 inches in width would be constructed within a previously disturbed utility corridor and would connect the Blanchard Springs Developed Recreation Area Campground to the BSC VIC parking lot.