Exhibit 4e BSNF Required Herbicide Application Mitigation Measures.pdf

Exhibit 4: Boise National Forest Required Herbicide Application Mitigation Measures

1. A 50-foot no-spray buffer zone will apply for broadcast applications and a 15-foot buffer will apply for spot applications along all flowing water streams and ponded water bodies for those herbicides not labeled for aquatic or streamside application.

2. Dyes will be used in riparian areas to provide visual evidence of treated vegetation

3. Water-soluble colorants, such as Hi-Light blue dye, will be used within 100 feet of water and other situation as needed to enable applicators and inspectors to properly apply herbicides.

4. No ester formulation of 2,4-D or triclopyr-Butoxyethyl Ester would be used.

5. The use of power tools that dig or till the ground to remove invasive plant species should not occur within the 100-year floodplain, within 25 feet of stream banks, or flood prone areas along lakes, ponds, springs, and seeps. Treatments needed within these areas, should only be accomplished using tools that do not disturb the soil (e.g., chainsaws, power brush saws, and line trimmers).

6. Follow the procedures in the BNF and SNF Spill Plan (available in the project record) in the event of a spill. The contractor Spill Plan will be compliant with NPDES.

7. Do not use the ester formulation of 2,4-D or triclopyr-Butoxyethyl Ester (BEE).

8. Indicator dyes will be used in riparian areas or other areas to provide visual evidence of treated vegetation. Water-soluble colorants, such as Hi-Light blue dye, will be used within 100 feet of water and other situation as needed to enable applicators and inspectors to properly apply herbicides.

9. Do not use glyphosate formulations that include the adjuvant R-11® (alkylphenol ethoxylate-based spreader).

10. Do not broadcast spray dicamba or triclopyr TEA in greater than 0.5 contiguous acres per application.

11. Do not treat using aquatic herbicides within 1.0 mile upstream of an active potable water intake in flowing water, or within 1.0 mile of an active potable water intake in a standing body of water (lake or pond).

12. Select herbicides for use within 300 feet of water that have the lowest toxicological profile to anadromous fish and still able to meet desired treatment objectives

13. Ensure that herbicides are not broadcast sprayed in any riparian area when wind speeds are less than 2 mph and the potential for temperature inversions exists.

14. Monitor wind speed and direction and equipment and spray parameters throughout herbicide application. Do not apply herbicide in sustained wind conditions exceeding 5 miles per hour in riparian areas, or in any wind conditions exceeding product label directions.

15. Herbicides would be applied only when wind speeds are less than 8 miles per hour (mph).

16. Broadcast application is used no closer than 100 feet to open water and specific buffers will be employed for focused spot and hand select applications along all flowing water streams and ponded waterbodies as per guidlenes in the Proposed Action.

17. Glyphosate with POEA will not be used closer than 100 feet with any application method

18. Apply a 300-foot, no-aerial application herbicide buffer around all live water(I.E., perennial streams, flowing intermittent streams, lakes, ponds, springs, and wetlands).

19. Do not apply aerial herbicide treatments when sustained wind speeds exceed 5 mph or label recommendations, whichever is less.

20. Do not apply aerial herbicide treatments during inversions, below minimum relative humidity, or above maximum temperature, as stated on the label.

21. Broadcast application would not occur withing 100 feet of water and aerial application would not occur within 300 feet of water.

22. Picloram would not be used closer than 50 feet from streams.

23. Roundup (no surfactants) would not be used closer than 15 feet of open water for spot or hand selective applications.

24. Fluroxypyr will not be used closer than 50 feet from live water.

25. For focused spot treatments within riparian areas, design criteria require buffer widths of

15 feet from all water for herbicides identified as low risk.

26. For herbicides identified as moderate or high risk, only focused spot applications would be permitted within 50 feet (100 feet for glyphosate) of flowing water and ponded water, allowing precise treatment of target plants only and leaving a minimal chance of herbicide being applied directly to nearby bodies of water.

27. There will be no storing or mixing of herbicides within 100 feet of any live water or over shallow groundwater.

28. The contractor shall determine where invasive plant infestations occur within 100 feet of bull trout occupied streams and require applicators to use the least toxic suitable herbicides and adjuvants possible in those areas.

29. The contractor shall ensure all chemical storage, chemical mixing, and post-application equipment cleaning is completed in such a manner as to prevent contamination of any riparian area, perennial or intermittent waterway, unprotected ephemeral waterway, or wetland occupied by bull trout or designated critical habitat.

30. The contractor shall conduct reporting of incidental take as follows. By April 1 of each year for the term of the proposed action, the Forests shall report to the Service the actual number of applied acres treated within 100 feet of bull trout water, the application method, the chemicals used (herbicide formulations, adjuvants, and surfactant), and location of treatment sites.

31. The contractor shall conduct reporting of accidental spills as follows. By April 1 of each year for the term of the proposed action, the Forests shall report to the Service the number and severity of spills within 100 feet of bull trout water, the emergency response taken, the chemicals spilled (herbicide formulations, adjuvants, and surfactant), and locations of spills.

32. The contractor shall minimize incidental take by accurately projecting and tracking applications within 300 feet of anadromous waters in the action area to ensure extent of take limits are not accidentally exceeded.

33. The contractor shall require any permittee to have an appropriate spill cleanup kit on-site throughout any permitted herbicide application, transport, and storagec.

34. The contractor shall produce a map identifying the 0.25 mile aerial spray buffer applicable to all Wild and Scenic River segments on each Forest, including eligible reaches. The maps shall be referenced during project layout to ensure appropriate buffers are applied to all aerial herbicide treatments. Additionally, maps will be updated immediately in the event of new Wild and Scenic reach designations.

35. The contractor shall ensure that proper handling of spray cards occurs so that accurate monitoring can validate drift withing the 300 foot no application buffer.

36. A certified professional herbicide applicator must oversee all spray projects, per Idaho

State Department of Agriculture requirements.

37. All herbicide and spray adjuvant (including surfactants and indicator dyes) will be used in accordance with label directions. The COR may require certain types of control methods or specify herbicides, use rates, application techniques and season of application. Where Forest Service-approved application rates, distance to water, etc., are more restrictive than EPA maximum application rates or Forest Service-approved application practices are more strict than the herbicide label direction, the more conservative Forest Service direction shall be followed.

38. Spray equipment will be properly maintained and calibrated to ensure proper application rates. Equipment calibration must be documented and available to the COR, EPA or

ISDA on request.

39. The COR may require the Contractor to post areas of special public concern with signs prior to treatment and immediately following treatment in areas of high human use such as trailheads, campsites, or boat launches.

40. No herbicide storage, mixing or post-application cleaning may occur within 100 feet of any live or seasonal waterways to the extent practical based on site conditions. Mixing and loading operations must take place in an area where an accidental spill would not contaminate a stream or body of water before it could be contained.

41. Hoses used to draft water water from streams, rivers, lakes or ponds to add dilution water to sprayers or containers will be equipped with a device to prevent back-siphoning into the water body.

Table 2-6. Herbicides and application settings currently used and proposed for use, Boise and Sawtooth National Forests Herbicide (Active

Ingredient) Commonly Used Brand

Names Maximum Application Rate

(active ingredient [ai] or acid equivalent [ae]/acre)

Application Rate (lbs active ingredient [ai] or acid equivalent ae)

General Location

Ve ge ta tio n—

A w ay F ro m w at er

Ve ge ta tio n—

N ea r W at

A ia l D el iv er y

A qu at ic

(I n

W at er

2,4-D amine Amine 4, Weedar® 64 2.0 lb ae/acre/app

4.0 lb/ae/acre/year 1.0–2.0 lb ae/ac X X

Aminopyralid Milestone® 0.11 lb ae/acre/year 0.078–0.11 lb ae/ac X X X

Chlorsulfuron Telar® 0.02 product/acre/year (0.12. lb ai/acre/year) 0.01–0.02 lb ai/ac X X X

Clopyralid Transline® 0.5 lb ae/acre/year 0.1–0.5 lb ae/ac X X X

Dicamba Banvel® 1.0 lb ai/acre/app

2.0 lb ai/acre/year 0.5–2.0 lb ai/ac X

Fluroxypyr Vista® XRT®, Starane®, Spotlight® 0.5 lb ae/acre/year 0.25 lb ae/ac X

Glyphosate Rodeo®, Roundup®, Accord®

1.7 lb ae/acre/app

4.0 lb ae/acre/year 0.5–3.0 lb ae/ac X X X

Imazapic Plateau® 0.1875 lb ai/acre/year 0.09–0.16 lb ai/ac X X X

Imazapyr TVC Total Vegetation Control®, Assault®, Chopper®, Arsenal®

1.5 lb ae/acre/year

1.0 lb ae/ac

X

Imazamox Beyond®, Raptor®, Clearcast 0.5 lb ae/acre/year 0.5 lb ae/ac X X Metsulfuron-methyl Escort® 0.15 lb ai/acre/year 0.01–0.02 lb ai/ac X X X

Picloram Tordon™ 1.0 lb ai/acre/year 0.25–1.0 lb ai/ac X X Sulfometuron methyl

Oust Weed Killer®

DPX 5648

0.03 – 0.281 lb ai/acre/app

0.03 – 0.38 lb ai/acre/year (0.09–0.38 lb ai/ac) X X X

Triclopyr TEA:

triethylamine salt Element 3A®, Garlon 3A® 2.0 lb ae/acre/year 1–2.0 lb ae/ac X X X a List represents brands most commonly used although brands other than those listed may also be used