32
Chapter 4 – Consultation and Coordination Chapter 4 Consultation and Coordination Bridge/Buck Project Interdisciplinary Team ................................................................ 4-2 Resource Reports .......................................................................................................... 4-2 Parties Contacted During Scoping or Consultation ...................................................... 4-3 Responses Received During Initial Scoping ................................................................ 4-3 Comments Received During Preliminary EA Comment Period .................................. 4-3 Summary of Comments and Responses ....................................................................... 4-4 Literature Cited ........................................................................................................... 4-15 Literature Cited in Comment Letters .......................................................................... 4-31 Bridge Creek and Buck Creek Subwatersheds Restoration Project EA 4 - 1

Chapter 4a123.g.akamai.net/7/123/11558/abc123/forestservic... · 2011. 10. 24. · raptor nests and enhance habitat for diverse prey species. p.5 DH The final EA (page 2-21), consistent

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  • Chapter 4 – Consultation and Coordination

    Chapter 4

    Consultation and Coordination

    Bridge/Buck Project Interdisciplinary Team................................................................ 4-2 Resource Reports.......................................................................................................... 4-2 Parties Contacted During Scoping or Consultation...................................................... 4-3 Responses Received During Initial Scoping ................................................................ 4-3 Comments Received During Preliminary EA Comment Period .................................. 4-3 Summary of Comments and Responses ....................................................................... 4-4 Literature Cited........................................................................................................... 4-15 Literature Cited in Comment Letters.......................................................................... 4-31

    Bridge Creek and Buck Creek Subwatersheds Restoration Project EA 4 - 1

  • Chapter 4 – Consultation and Coordination

    CHAPTER 4 – CONSULTATION AND COORDINATION

    Bridge Creek and Buck Creek Subwatersheds Restoration Project Interdisciplinary Team (all from Fremont-Winema National Forests) Carolyn Wisdom Silver Lake RD (District Ranger) Lee Bowers Silver Lake RD (Acting District Ranger) Rick Elston Silver Lake RD Environmental Coordinator (IDT Leader) Susan Puddy North Zone Certified Silviculturist (Forest Vegetation) Amy Markus North Zone Wildlife Biologist (Wildlife) Frank Puddy North Zone Timber (Timber) Jeannette Wilson North Zone Botanist (Botany) Richard Pyzikl North Zone Fisheries Biologist (Fisheries) Dennis Griffin Fremont-Winema NF, Lakeview RD (Geographic Information Systems) Desi Zamudio Staff Soil Scientist, Lakeview Interagency Office (FS and BLM) (Hydrology) Doug Miller Engineering (Roads Analysis / Transportation) Doug Uran Silver Lake RD Cultural Resources Technician (Cultural Resources) Martina Keil North Zone Range Management (Range management) Eric Nicita Staff Soil Scientist, Klamath Falls Office (Soils) Mary Pierce Silver Lake RD (Recreation and Scenery, Inventoried Roadless Areas,

    Writer-Editor)

    Resource Reports The following Resource Reports were used in the development of this environmental assessment and are available in the Bridge/Buck project record unless the location is otherwise noted: 1. Wildlife 2. Forested Vegetation 3. Fire, Fuels, and Air Quality 4. Cultural Resources 5. Treaty Rights 6. Soils 7. Hydrology 8. Fisheries 9. Non-Forested Vegetation and Rangeland Resources 10. Endangered, Threatened, Proposed, or Sensitive Plants 11. Noxious Weeds 12. Recreation and Scenery 13. Inventoried Roadless Areas 14. Social Resources and Environmental Justice 15. Other Disclosures

    4 - 2 Bridge Creek and Buck Creek Subwatersheds Restoration Project EA

  • Chapter 4 – Consultation and Coordination

    Parties Contacted During Scoping or Consultation The Klamath Tribes Allen Foreman, Tribal Chairman Gerald Skelton, Heritage Director Perry Chocktoot, Cultural Resource Protection Specialist Will Hatcher, Tribal Forester Rick Ward, Tribal Biologist Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Craig Foster, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, District Wildlife Biologist Mary Jo Hedrick, Wildlife Biologist, Summer Lake Office Oregon Department of Forestry Greg Pittman The complete scoping mailing list is on file in the Bridge/Buck Project Record at the Silver Lake Ranger District, Silver Lake, Oregon.

    Responses Received during Initial Scoping Mark Gaffney, Chiloquin, OR Greg Pittman, Oregon Department of Forestry Lloyd Seely, Manzanita, OR Craig Foster, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, District Wildlife Biologist Rick Ward, The Klamath Tribes, Tribal Biologist Nicole Navas, Resource Coordinator, Oregon Department of State Lands – Eastern Region Chandra LeGue, Oregon Natural Resources Council Joseph Vaile, Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center

    Comments Received During Preliminary EA Comment Period Mark Gaffney, Chiloquin, OR Mary Jo Hedrick, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, District Wildlife Biologist Rick Ward, The Klamath Tribes, Tribal Biologist Doug Heiken, Oregon Wild

    Bridge Creek and Buck Creek Subwatersheds Restoration Project EA 4 - 3

  • Chap

    ter 4

    – C

    onsu

    ltatio

    n an

    d Co

    ordi

    natio

    n

    Sum

    mar

    y of

    Com

    men

    ts a

    nd R

    espo

    nses

    Th

    e fo

    llow

    ing

    tabl

    e su

    mm

    ariz

    es th

    e pu

    blic

    com

    men

    t rec

    eive

    d du

    ring

    the

    30-d

    ay c

    omm

    ent p

    erio

    d. T

    he fu

    ll ev

    alua

    tion

    of th

    e co

    mm

    ents

    is

    docu

    men

    ted

    in a

    tabu

    lar d

    ocum

    ent i

    n th

    e pr

    ojec

    t rec

    ord

    that

    is a

    vaila

    ble

    for r

    evie

    w u

    pon

    requ

    est.

    In th

    e in

    tere

    st o

    f doc

    umen

    t len

    gth,

    wha

    t fo

    llow

    s is a

    sum

    mar

    ized

    ver

    sion

    of t

    hat t

    able

    . Th

    e re

    fere

    nces

    cite

    d in

    the

    com

    men

    t let

    ters

    wer

    e al

    so in

    divi

    dual

    ly e

    valu

    ated

    . A

    list

    of c

    itatio

    ns

    from

    the

    com

    men

    t let

    ters

    is in

    clud

    ed in

    Cha

    pter

    4 (s

    ee L

    itera

    ture

    Cite

    d in

    Com

    men

    t Let

    ters

    ). A

    mor

    e co

    mpl

    ete

    unde

    rsta

    ndin

    g of

    bot

    h th

    e co

    mm

    ents

    and

    thei

    r use

    in c

    ompl

    etin

    g th

    e fin

    al E

    A c

    an b

    e ga

    ined

    from

    the

    tabu

    lar d

    ocum

    ent i

    n th

    e pr

    ojec

    t rec

    ord

    (als

    o po

    sted

    on

    the

    WW

    W).

    T

    able

    4-1

    : C

    omm

    ent L

    ette

    rs C

    onte

    nt A

    naly

    sis S

    umm

    ary

    Com

    men

    ts

    How

    Com

    men

    t was

    Con

    side

    red

    Mai

    ntai

    n 15

    per

    cent

    cov

    er in

    all

    treat

    ed

    area

    s wel

    l dis

    tribu

    ted.

    p.1

    Mar

    y Jo

    H

    edric

    k (O

    DF&

    W) “

    MJ”

    M

    aint

    ain

    40%

    rete

    ntio

    n of

    all

    shru

    b ha

    bita

    ts d

    urin

    g pr

    escr

    ibed

    fire

    tre

    atm

    ents

    on

    sum

    mer

    and

    tran

    sitio

    n ra

    nge

    and

    60%

    on

    win

    ter r

    ange

    . p.1

    MJ

    The

    final

    EA

    cla

    rifie

    s tha

    t 16

    perc

    ent o

    f the

    fore

    sted

    are

    a w

    ould

    rem

    ain

    com

    plet

    ely

    untre

    ated

    with

    ei

    ther

    act

    ion

    alte

    rnat

    ive

    (‘be

    low

    ’ the

    Yam

    say

    Mou

    ntai

    n Se

    mi-P

    rimiti

    ve A

    rea)

    . In

    add

    ition

    to th

    is,

    appr

    oxim

    atel

    y 10

    per

    cent

    of t

    he a

    rea

    iden

    tifie

    d fo

    r tre

    atm

    ent i

    n A

    ltern

    ativ

    e 3

    wou

    ld re

    mai

    n un

    treat

    ed in

    wel

    l dis

    pers

    ed le

    ave

    area

    s. (f

    inal

    EA

    pag

    e 3-

    84)

    Alt.

    3 in

    clud

    es th

    e de

    sign

    feat

    ures

    sugg

    este

    d w

    ithin

    sum

    mer

    and

    tran

    sitio

    n ra

    nges

    . In

    win

    ter

    rang

    e, A

    lt. 3

    incl

    udes

    the

    60%

    rete

    ntio

    n in

    the

    com

    men

    t for

    Juni

    per a

    nd P

    onde

    rosa

    Pin

    e St

    inge

    r/Bur

    n (a

    ppro

    xim

    atel

    y 1,

    100

    acre

    s).

    Fa

    wni

    ng/C

    alvi

    ng p

    rote

    ctio

    n fr

    om

    dist

    urba

    nce

    May

    15

    to Ju

    ne 3

    0. p

    .1 M

    J R

    estri

    ctio

    ns fo

    r faw

    ning

    and

    cal

    ving

    ha

    bita

    t– M

    arch

    15

    – Ju

    ne 3

    0. p

    .1 R

    ick

    War

    d (K

    lam

    ath

    Trib

    es) “

    RW

    Bot

    h th

    e pr

    elim

    inar

    y EA

    and

    fina

    l EA

    incl

    ude

    a re

    stric

    tion

    on a

    ctiv

    ities

    from

    5/1

    – 6/

    30 fo

    r fa

    wni

    ng.

    Con

    side

    ratio

    nof t

    he id

    ea th

    at A

    ltern

    ativ

    e 3

    be m

    odifi

    ed in

    the

    Dec

    isio

    n N

    otic

    e to

    stat

    e th

    e re

    stric

    tion

    perio

    d as

    Apr

    il 15

    to Ju

    ne 3

    0 oc

    curr

    ed d

    urin

    g a

    mee

    ting

    with

    the

    Kla

    mat

    h In

    dian

    G

    ame

    Com

    mis

    sion

    on

    Mar

    ch 3

    0, 2

    007.

    See

    Dec

    isio

    n N

    otic

    e fo

    r out

    com

    e.

    Eval

    uate

    pot

    entia

    l aff

    ects

    on

    Bal

    d E

    agle

    ha

    bita

    t. p

    .1 M

    J In

    form

    atio

    n ha

    s bee

    n ad

    ded

    to th

    e Fi

    nal E

    A (p

    age

    3-58

    )

    Avo

    id im

    pact

    s to

    rapt

    or n

    ests

    and

    en

    hanc

    e ha

    bita

    t for

    div

    erse

    pre

    y sp

    ecie

    s. p.

    5 D

    H

    The

    final

    EA

    (pag

    e 2-

    21),

    cons

    iste

    nt w

    ith p

    rote

    ctio

    n of

    rapt

    or n

    estin

    g st

    anda

    rds i

    n th

    e LR

    MP,

    st

    ates

    that

    “m

    ajor

    act

    iviti

    es su

    ch a

    s log

    ging

    and

    road

    con

    stru

    ctio

    n ad

    jace

    nt (3

    00 y

    ards

    ) to

    activ

    e ra

    ptor

    nes

    ts, s

    houl

    d be

    pos

    tpon

    ed u

    ntil

    youn

    g ha

    ve fl

    edge

    d (u

    sual

    ly a

    roun

    d Ju

    ly 3

    0).”

    Th

    e ac

    tion

    alte

    rnat

    ives

    incl

    ude

    varia

    bilit

    y/di

    vers

    ity e

    lem

    ents

    that

    pro

    vide

    long

    -term

    ass

    uran

    ce o

    f m

    aint

    aini

    ng h

    abita

    t for

    gos

    haw

    ks, w

    hich

    wou

    ld a

    pply

    to o

    ther

    rapt

    ors.

    With

    Alte

    rnat

    ive

    3,

    varia

    bilit

    y w

    ould

    incr

    ease

    the

    pote

    ntia

    l for

    snag

    recr

    uitm

    ent o

    ver t

    ime,

    incr

    ease

    ver

    tical

    stru

    ctur

    e fo

    r nes

    ting

    habi

    tat,

    incr

    ease

    ove

    rall

    spec

    ies d

    iver

    sity

    for p

    rey

    habi

    tat,

    and

    crea

    te m

    ore

    of a

    div

    erse

    m

    osai

    c of

    con

    ditio

    ns fo

    r a v

    arie

    ty o

    f spe

    cies

    . (f

    inal

    EA

    , pag

    e 3-

    6)

    4 - 4

    B

    ridge

    Cre

    ek a

    nd B

    uck

    Cree

    k Su

    bwat

    ersh

    eds R

    esto

    ratio

    n Pr

    ojec

    t EA

  • Chap

    ter 4

    – C

    onsu

    ltatio

    n an

    d Co

    ordi

    natio

    n

    Tab

    le 4

    -1:

    Com

    men

    t Let

    ters

    Con

    tent

    Ana

    lysi

    s Sum

    mar

    y (c

    ontin

    ued)

    C

    omm

    ents

    H

    ow C

    omm

    ent w

    as C

    onsi

    dere

    d Th

    e PE

    A m

    isch

    arac

    teriz

    ed g

    osha

    wk

    habi

    tat p

    refe

    renc

    es.

    Gos

    haw

    ks d

    o no

    t ap

    pear

    to p

    refe

    r ope

    n st

    ands

    . p.8

    DH

    Th

    e PE

    A d

    oes n

    ot in

    clud

    e sc

    ient

    ific

    basi

    s for

    find

    ing

    that

    snag

    rete

    ntio

    n fo

    r go

    shaw

    ks w

    ould

    be

    adeq

    uate

    . p.9

    DH

    The

    prel

    imin

    ary

    EA st

    ated

    that

    gos

    haw

    k fo

    ragi

    ng h

    abita

    t wou

    ld im

    prov

    e in

    are

    as w

    here

    ope

    n co

    nditi

    ons a

    re c

    reat

    ed.

    As p

    er th

    e ci

    te (R

    eyno

    lds e

    t al.,

    199

    1), f

    orag

    ing

    area

    s nee

    d no

    t pro

    vide

    hi

    ding

    cov

    er fo

    r fle

    dgin

    g go

    shaw

    ks, s

    o a

    mor

    e op

    en c

    anop

    y is

    pre

    ferr

    ed.

    The

    effe

    cts o

    f the

    al

    tern

    ativ

    es o

    n ha

    bita

    t com

    pone

    nts f

    or g

    osha

    wk

    are

    repo

    rted

    as a

    chie

    ving

    the

    stru

    ctur

    al d

    iver

    sity

    re

    quire

    d fo

    r gos

    haw

    k ne

    stin

    g an

    d ha

    bita

    t for

    pre

    y sp

    ecie

    s tha

    t pre

    fer d

    ense

    r stru

    ctur

    al h

    abita

    t (m

    ore

    so w

    ith A

    lt. 3

    than

    Alt.

    2),

    as w

    ell a

    s ope

    n ha

    bita

    ts. (

    see

    final

    EA

    , pag

    e 3-

    7)

    Snag

    rete

    ntio

    n gu

    idel

    ines

    wer

    e de

    sign

    ed fo

    r the

    Brid

    ge/B

    uck

    proj

    ect u

    sing

    Dec

    AID

    Ver

    sion

    2.0

    . “S

    nag

    rete

    ntio

    n st

    rate

    gies

    are

    des

    igne

    d to

    mat

    ch th

    e re

    fere

    nce

    cond

    ition

    s in

    Dec

    AID

    . ...

    ......

    sna

    g le

    vels

    are

    like

    ly a

    t or a

    bove

    est

    imat

    ed h

    isto

    rical

    con

    ditio

    ns a

    nd p

    rovi

    de su

    ffic

    ient

    hab

    itat f

    or c

    avity

    de

    pend

    ent s

    peci

    es”

    (fin

    al E

    A, p

    age

    3-44

    ).

    FS sh

    ould

    con

    side

    r the

    con

    ditio

    n of

    go

    shaw

    k po

    pula

    tions

    , not

    just

    gos

    haw

    k ha

    bita

    t. p.

    9 D

    H

    Info

    rmat

    ion

    abou

    t act

    ive

    gosh

    awk

    terr

    itorie

    s, in

    clud

    ing

    the

    num

    bers

    of y

    oung

    pro

    duce

    d a

    s wel

    l as

    five

    othe

    r doc

    umen

    ted

    sigh

    tings

    of g

    osha

    wks

    with

    in th

    e su

    bwat

    ersh

    ed h

    ave

    been

    add

    ed to

    the

    final

    EA

    (pag

    e 3-

    5).

    Mon

    itorin

    g pl

    ans a

    re a

    lso

    refe

    renc

    ed.

    M

    aint

    ain

    snag

    s and

    larg

    e di

    amet

    er g

    reen

    re

    plac

    emen

    t tre

    es d

    istri

    bute

    d ac

    ross

    the

    land

    scap

    e to

    mee

    t Dec

    AID

    re

    com

    men

    datio

    ns. p

    .1 M

    J M

    aint

    ain

    and

    upla

    nd d

    own

    woo

    d di

    strib

    uted

    acr

    oss t

    he la

    ndsc

    ape

    to m

    eet

    Dec

    AID

    reco

    mm

    enda

    tions

    . p.1

    MJ

    Ret

    ain

    abun

    dant

    snag

    s and

    coa

    rse

    woo

    d an

    d gr

    een

    trees

    for f

    utur

    e re

    crui

    tmen

    t of

    snag

    s and

    woo

    d. p

    .5 D

    H

    Thin

    ning

    cap

    ture

    s mor

    talit

    y an

    d pl

    anta

    tions

    are

    alr

    eady

    lack

    ing

    criti

    cal

    valu

    es fr

    om d

    ead

    woo

    d. p

    p. 5

    ,6 D

    H

    Dec

    AID

    Ver

    sion

    2.0

    was

    use

    d to

    det

    erm

    ine

    snag

    rete

    ntio

    n re

    com

    men

    datio

    ns a

    nd re

    tent

    ion.

    Sna

    g R

    eten

    tion

    Stra

    tegi

    es fo

    r Alte

    rnat

    ives

    2 a

    nd 3

    are

    : “.

    ......

    .. tre

    es w

    ould

    be

    left

    as p

    rimar

    y ca

    vity

    ex

    cava

    tor h

    abita

    t at l

    evel

    s com

    plia

    nt w

    ith th

    e di

    rect

    ion

    cont

    aine

    d in

    Reg

    iona

    l For

    este

    rs A

    men

    dmen

    t#2

    , as i

    nfor

    med

    by

    a D

    ecA

    ID a

    naly

    sis.”

    (fin

    al E

    A p

    age

    3-38

    ) D

    own

    woo

    d w

    ould

    beg

    in to

    incr

    ease

    as s

    nags

    fall,

    ther

    eby

    incr

    easi

    ng d

    enni

    ng, n

    estin

    g, a

    nd

    feed

    ing

    habi

    tat f

    or d

    epen

    dent

    spec

    ies.

    Thi

    s wou

    ld v

    ary

    acro

    ss th

    e la

    ndsc

    ape.

    Pre

    scrib

    ed fi

    re is

    ex

    pect

    ed to

    cau

    se b

    oth

    a de

    crea

    se in

    snag

    s and

    dow

    n w

    ood

    and

    the

    recr

    uitm

    ent o

    f new

    snag

    s.

    Ther

    e is

    exp

    ecte

    d to

    be

    a ne

    t los

    s of d

    own

    woo

    d an

    d a

    net i

    ncre

    ase

    in sn

    ags,

    sim

    ilar t

    o th

    e re

    sults

    se

    en in

    rese

    arch

    by

    Saab

    et a

    l. (2

    006)

    . In

    the

    shor

    t ter

    m, l

    arge

    woo

    d is

    exp

    ecte

    d to

    be

    defic

    ient

    du

    e to

    loss

    dur

    ing

    pres

    crib

    ed b

    urni

    ng.

    How

    ever

    ......

    . sho

    uld

    incr

    ease

    larg

    e do

    wn

    woo

    d in

    the

    long

    te

    rm a

    s lar

    ge sn

    ags a

    re d

    evel

    oped

    acr

    oss t

    he la

    ndsc

    ape.

    (fin

    al E

    A, p

    age

    3-44

    ) Fi

    nal E

    A o

    n 3–

    120

    (pla

    ntat

    ion

    thin

    trea

    tmen

    t): “

    pres

    crip

    tion

    is to

    cut

    thes

    e pl

    anta

    tions

    to a

    den

    sity

    of

    app

    roxi

    mat

    ely

    80 tr

    ees p

    er a

    cre

    ......

    ..des

    igne

    d to

    dev

    elop

    stan

    ds th

    at a

    re fa

    ster

    gro

    win

    g an

    d ab

    le to

    mov

    e m

    ore

    quic

    kly

    to th

    e ob

    ject

    ive

    of L

    OS.

    ” O

    utsi

    de p

    lant

    atio

    ns th

    e EA

    stat

    es th

    at “

    the

    rete

    ntio

    n ar

    eas a

    nd th

    e va

    riabi

    lity

    in le

    ave

    tree

    rete

    ntio

    n pr

    ovid

    ed b

    y th

    e “g

    roup

    ings

    ” w

    ould

    resu

    lt in

    indi

    vidu

    al tr

    ees a

    nd p

    atch

    es o

    f tre

    es th

    at w

    ould

    rem

    ain

    subj

    ect t

    o in

    sect

    , dis

    ease

    , or f

    ire

    mor

    talit

    y. T

    his w

    ould

    allo

    w fo

    r the

    recr

    uitm

    ent.

    Brid

    ge C

    reek

    and

    Buc

    k Cr

    eek

    Subw

    ater

    shed

    s Res

    tora

    tion

    Proj

    ect E

    A

    4 -

    5

  • Chap

    ter 4

    – C

    onsu

    ltatio

    n an

    d Co

    ordi

    natio

    n

    Tab

    le 4

    -1:

    Com

    men

    t Let

    ters

    Con

    tent

    Ana

    lysi

    s Sum

    mar

    y (c

    ontin

    ued)

    C

    omm

    ents

    H

    ow C

    omm

    ent w

    as C

    onsi

    dere

    d Sn

    ag a

    nd d

    ead

    woo

    d an

    alys

    is is

    in

    adeq

    uate

    to m

    eet s

    cien

    tific

    and

    lega

    l st

    anda

    rds.

    The

    re is

    no

    logi

    cal l

    ink

    betw

    een

    the

    east

    side

    scre

    ens r

    equi

    rem

    ent

    for 1

    00%

    pop

    ulat

    ion

    pote

    ntia

    l and

    the

    Dec

    AID

    tole

    ranc

    e le

    vels

    . p.

    10

    DH

    D

    ecA

    ID m

    ust b

    e su

    bjec

    ted

    to N

    EPA

    an

    d N

    FMA

    requ

    irem

    ents

    bef

    ore

    it is

    ad

    opte

    d as

    a n

    ew fo

    rest

    pla

    n st

    anda

    rd to

    re

    plac

    e th

    e sc

    ient

    ifica

    lly d

    iscr

    edite

    d po

    tent

    ial p

    opul

    atio

    n m

    etho

    d. p

    . 10

    DH

    Sn

    ag h

    abita

    t ana

    lysi

    s fai

    led

    to a

    ccou

    nt

    for “

    limite

    d de

    ad tr

    ee r

    emov

    al.”

    p. 1

    0

    DH

    Cur

    rent

    dire

    ctio

    n di

    ctat

    es th

    at th

    e be

    st a

    vaila

    ble

    scie

    nce

    be u

    sed

    to a

    ddre

    ss sn

    ag a

    nd d

    own

    woo

    d ha

    bita

    t ana

    lysi

    s as m

    ore

    info

    rmat

    ion

    is c

    ontin

    ually

    bei

    ng g

    athe

    red

    and

    beco

    mes

    ava

    ilabl

    e to

    refin

    e in

    form

    atio

    n us

    ed to

    dev

    elop

    exi

    stin

    g S

    & G

    s in

    the

    LRM

    P. O

    n pg

    3-2

    8 to

    3-3

    2 th

    e fin

    al E

    A

    expl

    ains

    the

    lega

    l and

    scie

    ntifi

    c in

    form

    atio

    n us

    ed to

    ana

    lyze

    snag

    and

    dow

    n w

    ood.

    Dec

    AID

    is a

    cu

    lmin

    atio

    n of

    the

    mos

    t rec

    ent s

    cien

    ce a

    nd d

    ata

    avai

    labl

    e. A

    s sta

    ted

    by R

    ose

    et a

    l. (2

    001)

    , D

    ecA

    ID is

    bas

    ed o

    n a

    thor

    ough

    revi

    ew o

    f the

    lite

    ratu

    re, a

    vaila

    ble

    rese

    arch

    and

    inve

    ntor

    y da

    ta, a

    nd

    expe

    rt ju

    dgm

    ent.

    In o

    rder

    to m

    eet m

    anag

    emen

    t and

    lega

    l dire

    ctio

    n to

    use

    the

    best

    ava

    ilabl

    e sc

    ienc

    e, in

    form

    atio

    n fr

    om D

    ecA

    ID w

    ill b

    e co

    mpa

    red

    to c

    urre

    nt L

    RM

    P st

    anda

    rds a

    nd g

    uide

    lines

    in

    this

    ana

    lysi

    s … .

    D

    ecA

    ID is

    an

    advi

    sory

    tool

    and

    a su

    mm

    ary,

    synt

    hesi

    s, an

    d in

    tegr

    atio

    n of

    cur

    rent

    scie

    ntifi

    c kn

    owle

    dge

    abou

    t the

    size

    s and

    am

    ount

    s of s

    nags

    and

    dow

    n w

    ood

    used

    by

    cavi

    ty n

    estin

    g bi

    rds i

    n sp

    ecifi

    c ve

    geta

    tion

    type

    s in

    the

    Wes

    t. (f

    inal

    EA

    pag

    e 3-

    29)

    Info

    rmat

    ion

    has b

    een

    adde

    d to

    the

    final

    EA

    that

    the

    lack

    of p

    ost f

    ire d

    ata

    is a

    ckno

    wle

    dged

    and

    ad

    dres

    sed

    in th

    e D

    ecA

    ID Im

    plem

    enta

    tion

    Gui

    de.(f

    inal

    EA

    pag

    e 3-

    28).

    Alth

    ough

    Dec

    AID

    may

    not

    ac

    coun

    t for

    the

    “hig

    h le

    vels

    ” of

    dow

    n w

    ood

    post

    dis

    turb

    ance

    , it i

    s acc

    ount

    ed fo

    r in

    the

    anal

    ysis

    .

    As b

    ark

    beet

    le m

    orta

    lity

    cont

    inue

    s, sn

    ags w

    ould

    incr

    ease

    at m

    oder

    ate

    to h

    igh

    leve

    ls.

    The

    Silv

    er

    Fire

    is e

    xpec

    ted

    to p

    rovi

    de h

    igh

    snag

    leve

    ls fo

    r 10

    to 1

    5 m

    ore

    year

    s, af

    ter w

    hich

    the

    area

    wou

    ld

    prov

    ide

    high

    den

    sitie

    s of d

    own

    woo

    d. D

    own

    woo

    d w

    ould

    beg

    in to

    incr

    ease

    as s

    nags

    fall,

    ther

    eby

    incr

    easi

    ng d

    enni

    ng, n

    estin

    g, a

    nd fe

    edin

    g ha

    bita

    t for

    dep

    ende

    nt sp

    ecie

    s. A

    ltern

    ativ

    e 3

    wou

    ld

    prov

    ide

    for s

    light

    ly h

    ighe

    r sna

    g de

    nsiti

    es o

    verti

    me

    as re

    flect

    ed in

    the

    anal

    ysis

    …. .

    (EA

    pag

    es 3

    -40

    and

    3-4

    9)

    The

    disc

    ussi

    on o

    n fin

    al E

    A (p

    g 3-

    47 to

    3-4

    8) fo

    r Alte

    rnat

    ives

    2 a

    nd 3

    (pg.

    3-5

    1) w

    ith

    acco

    mpa

    nyin

    g fig

    ures

    add

    ress

    es li

    mite

    d de

    ad tr

    ee re

    mov

    al in

    rela

    tion

    to sn

    ag h

    abita

    t for

    Inve

    ntor

    y an

    d W

    ildlif

    e To

    lera

    nce

    Leve

    ls o

    ver t

    he la

    ndsc

    ape.

    PEA

    faile

    d to

    dis

    clos

    e ho

    w m

    any

    acre

    s of

    bla

    ck-b

    acke

    d w

    oodp

    ecke

    r ha

    bita

    t w

    ill b

    e af

    fect

    ed b

    y lo

    ggin

    g. p

    . 10

    DH

    The

    prel

    imin

    ary

    EA d

    iscl

    oses

    the

    effe

    cts t

    o bl

    ack-

    back

    ed w

    oodp

    ecke

    rs o

    n p.

    52-

    53.

    The

    follo

    win

    g w

    as a

    dded

    to th

    e fin

    al E

    A:

    The

    mos

    t opt

    imal

    bla

    ck-b

    acke

    d w

    oodp

    ecke

    r hab

    itat w

    ithin

    th

    e pr

    ojec

    t are

    a is

    with

    in th

    e Si

    lver

    Fire

    are

    a. N

    one

    of th

    is a

    rea

    will

    be

    affe

    cted

    by

    logg

    ing

    with

    th

    is p

    roje

    ct.

    Alth

    ough

    nes

    ting

    use

    post

    -fire

    gen

    eral

    ly te

    nds t

    o de

    crea

    se 4

    + ye

    ars a

    fter t

    he fi

    re d

    ue

    to th

    e de

    clin

    e in

    bar

    k be

    etle

    fora

    ging

    hab

    itat,

    blac

    k-ba

    ck w

    oodp

    ecke

    rs a

    re e

    xpec

    ted

    to c

    ontin

    ue

    usin

    g th

    e Si

    lver

    Fire

    are

    a fo

    r 5-1

    0 ye

    ars (

    final

    EA

    pag

    es 3

    -54

    to 3

    -55)

    .

    4 - 6

    B

    ridge

    Cre

    ek a

    nd B

    uck

    Cree

    k Su

    bwat

    ersh

    eds R

    esto

    ratio

    n Pr

    ojec

    t EA

  • Chap

    ter 4

    – C

    onsu

    ltatio

    n an

    d Co

    ordi

    natio

    n

    C

    omm

    ents

    H

    ow C

    omm

    ent w

    as C

    onsi

    dere

    d M

    aint

    ain

    or e

    nhan

    ce h

    eter

    ogen

    eity

    w

    ithin

    tim

    bere

    d st

    ands

    . p.1

    RW

    G

    oal s

    houl

    d no

    t be

    a un

    iform

    low

    se

    verit

    y fir

    e re

    gim

    e, b

    ut ra

    ther

    a w

    ide

    mix

    of t

    ree

    dens

    ities

    p.3

    DH

    R

    etai

    n pa

    tche

    s of d

    ense

    you

    ng st

    ands

    fo

    r wild

    life

    cove

    r and

    recr

    uitm

    ent o

    f fu

    ture

    fore

    sts.

    p.4

    DH

    L

    eave

    pat

    ches

    in ti

    mbe

    r and

    shru

    b-

    step

    pe h

    abita

    ts sh

    ould

    be

    iden

    tifie

    d an

    d pr

    otec

    ted

    from

    pre

    scrib

    ed fi

    re o

    r m

    echa

    nica

    l tre

    atm

    ents

    p.1

    RW

    V

    aria

    bilit

    y sh

    ould

    be

    impl

    emen

    ted

    at

    num

    erou

    s sca

    les p

    .4 D

    H

    Ano

    ther

    alte

    rnat

    ive

    shou

    ld b

    e de

    velo

    ped

    that

    incl

    udes

    larg

    er le

    ave

    area

    s p. 1

    0

    DH

    An

    obje

    ctiv

    e of

    the

    Brid

    ge/B

    uck

    Proj

    ect i

    s to,

    “Pr

    ovid

    e he

    alth

    y, d

    iver

    se a

    nd st

    ruct

    ural

    ly c

    ompl

    ex

    fore

    sts”

    , as s

    tate

    d in

    the

    final

    EA

    on

    pg 3

    -79.

    It i

    s als

    o no

    ted

    (3-8

    0) th

    at: “

    Var

    iabl

    e co

    nditi

    ons

    wou

    ld b

    e ac

    hiev

    ed w

    ith th

    e ac

    tion

    alte

    rnat

    ives

    by

    inco

    rpor

    atin

    g sp

    ecifi

    c de

    sign

    feat

    ures

    . ...

    ...Th

    e in

    tent

    is to

    reta

    in tr

    ees i

    n a

    non-

    unifo

    rm p

    atte

    rn so

    ther

    e ar

    e so

    me

    clum

    ps o

    r gro

    ups o

    f tre

    es v

    ersu

    s ha

    ving

    leav

    e tre

    es in

    a u

    nifo

    rm e

    ven

    spac

    ing.

    Var

    iabi

    lity

    wou

    ld b

    e ac

    hiev

    ed b

    y us

    ing

    “gro

    upin

    gs”

    of le

    ave

    trees

    ......

    As d

    iscu

    ssed

    on

    pg 3

    -81

    in

    the

    final

    EA

    , a m

    inim

    um o

    f 5 p

    erce

    nt (A

    ltern

    ativ

    e 2)

    or 1

    0 pe

    rcen

    t (A

    ltern

    ativ

    e 3)

    of t

    he a

    rea

    plan

    ned

    for t

    reat

    men

    t wou

    ld b

    e m

    anag

    ed a

    s lea

    ve p

    atch

    es fo

    r wild

    life

    habi

    tat i

    n sm

    all s

    catte

    red

    no

    harv

    est r

    eten

    tion

    area

    s. Fo

    r Alte

    rnat

    ives

    2 a

    nd 3

    , bur

    ning

    in sh

    rub-

    step

    pe h

    abita

    t wou

    ld fo

    llow

    the

    shru

    b re

    tent

    ion

    stra

    tegi

    es d

    escr

    ibed

    in T

    able

    2-1

    (pg

    2-5)

    and

    tabl

    es in

    eac

    h of

    the

    Alte

    rnat

    ive

    desc

    riptio

    ns (T

    able

    2-

    3 on

    pag

    e 2-

    14 a

    nd T

    able

    2-4

    on

    page

    2-2

    0)

    The

    final

    EA

    cla

    rifie

    s tha

    t 16

    perc

    ent o

    f the

    fore

    sted

    are

    a w

    ould

    rem

    ain

    com

    plet

    ely

    untre

    ated

    with

    ei

    ther

    act

    ion

    alte

    rnat

    ive

    (‘be

    low

    ’ the

    Yam

    say

    Mou

    ntai

    n Se

    mi-P

    rimiti

    ve A

    rea)

    – m

    uch

    of th

    is in

    la

    rge

    area

    s. In

    add

    ition

    to th

    is, a

    ppro

    xim

    atel

    y 10

    % o

    f the

    are

    a id

    entif

    ied

    for t

    reat

    men

    t in

    Alte

    rnat

    ive

    3 w

    ould

    rem

    ain

    untre

    ated

    in w

    ell d

    ispe

    rsed

    leav

    e ar

    eas.

    (fin

    al E

    A p

    age

    3-84

    )

    Brid

    ge C

    reek

    and

    Buc

    k Cr

    eek

    Subw

    ater

    shed

    s Res

    tora

    tion

    Proj

    ect E

    A

    4 -

    7

  • Chap

    ter 4

    – C

    onsu

    ltatio

    n an

    d Co

    ordi

    natio

    n

    Tab

    le 4

    -1:

    Com

    men

    t Let

    ters

    Con

    tent

    Ana

    lysi

    s Sum

    mar

    y (c

    ontin

    ued)

    C

    omm

    ents

    H

    ow C

    omm

    ent w

    as C

    onsi

    dere

    d T

    hinn

    ing

    affe

    cts f

    ire

    haza

    rd in

    co

    mpl

    ex w

    ays,

    poss

    ibly

    mak

    ing

    fire

    haza

    rd w

    orse

    bec

    ause

    thin

    ning

    cre

    ates

    sl

    ash;

    mov

    es fi

    ne fu

    els f

    rom

    the

    cano

    py

    to th

    e gr

    ound

    ; inc

    reas

    es ig

    nitio

    n ris

    k,

    mak

    es th

    e fo

    rest

    hot

    ter,

    drye

    r, w

    indi

    er,

    and

    coul

    d st

    imul

    ate

    grow

    th o

    f fut

    ure

    surf

    ace

    and

    ladd

    er fu

    els.

    p.4,

    17

    DH

    Th

    ere

    is sc

    ient

    ific

    unce

    rtai

    nty

    abou

    t ra

    tes o

    f tre

    e m

    orta

    lity,

    how

    muc

    h ca

    nopy

    ca

    n be

    redu

    ced

    with

    out m

    akin

    g st

    and

    hotte

    r, dr

    yer,

    win

    dier

    , and

    whe

    ther

    lo

    ggin

    g ha

    s any

    sign

    ifica

    nt b

    enef

    icia

    l ef

    fect

    on

    cont

    rolli

    ng in

    sect

    s and

    dis

    ease

    s lik

    e m

    istle

    toe.

    pp.

    6,7

    DH

    W

    e ar

    e co

    ncer

    ned

    that

    fuel

    red

    uctio

    n in

    lo

    dgep

    ole

    is n

    ot w

    ell s

    uppo

    rted

    ecol

    ogic

    ally

    . p.6

    DH

    Pred

    ictin

    g an

    d ac

    hiev

    ing

    the

    ‘sw

    eet s

    pot’

    is d

    esira

    ble.

    Fire

    beh

    avio

    r dep

    ends

    on

    fore

    st d

    ensi

    ty,

    com

    posi

    tion,

    am

    ount

    of s

    urfa

    ce fu

    el, i

    ts a

    rran

    gem

    ent,

    moi

    stur

    e co

    nten

    t, pr

    evai

    ling

    wea

    ther

    , and

    ph

    ysic

    al se

    tting

    (Gra

    ham

    and

    oth

    ers,

    1999

    ). ..

    ....

    As s

    tate

    d in

    the

    EA th

    e ou

    tput

    s for

    the

    anal

    ysis

    pr

    ovid

    e on

    ly a

    rang

    e of

    fire

    beh

    avio

    r pre

    dict

    ion.

    (fin

    al E

    A p

    age

    3-14

    4)

    The

    full

    posi

    tive

    effe

    ct o

    f the

    trea

    tmen

    ts w

    ill n

    ot o

    ccur

    unt

    il bo

    th c

    omm

    erci

    al a

    nd n

    on-c

    omm

    erci

    al

    treat

    men

    ts a

    re c

    ompl

    ete.

    In

    this

    pro

    ject

    , mos

    t of t

    he “

    slas

    h” th

    at c

    ould

    be

    left

    in th

    e un

    it as

    a

    haza

    rd w

    ould

    be

    skid

    ded

    to a

    land

    ing

    whi

    le st

    ill a

    ttach

    ed to

    the

    tree.

    Th

    e ce

    rtifie

    d si

    lvic

    ultu

    rist o

    n th

    e ID

    T pr

    escr

    ibed

    a st

    rate

    gy a

    imed

    tow

    ard

    incr

    easi

    ng in

    divi

    dual

    tree

    vi

    gor.

    The

    man

    agem

    ent d

    ensi

    ty st

    anda

    rd is

    to m

    aint

    ain

    stan

    ds b

    elow

    Coc

    hran

    ’s U

    pper

    M

    anag

    emen

    t Zon

    e (U

    MZ)

    (dev

    elop

    ed b

    y Pa

    t Coc

    hran

    from

    the

    Ben

    d Si

    lvic

    ultu

    re L

    ab).

    The

    ha

    rves

    t/whi

    pfel

    l com

    bina

    tion

    is d

    esig

    ned

    to re

    duce

    stan

    ds b

    elow

    UM

    Z an

    d m

    aint

    ain

    them

    ther

    e fo

    r se

    vera

    l dec

    ades

    . In

    crea

    sing

    the

    indi

    vidu

    al tr

    ee v

    igor

    wou

    ld im

    prov

    e th

    e re

    sidu

    al st

    ands

    ’ abi

    lity

    to

    effe

    ctiv

    ely

    pitc

    h ou

    t man

    y be

    etle

    atta

    cks.

    (fin

    al E

    A, p

    age

    3-12

    2)

    The

    lodg

    epol

    e tre

    atm

    ents

    incl

    uded

    in th

    e al

    tern

    ativ

    es a

    re n

    ot p

    rimar

    ily d

    esig

    ned

    as “

    fuel

    s re

    duct

    ions

    .” F

    or th

    is p

    roje

    ct th

    e rip

    aria

    n tre

    atm

    ents

    in lo

    dgep

    ole,

    with

    in IN

    FISH

    stan

    dard

    s, ar

    e ai

    med

    tow

    ard

    prom

    otin

    g th

    e re

    cove

    ry a

    nd m

    aint

    enan

    ce o

    f pre

    -fire

    supp

    ress

    ion

    ripar

    ian

    vege

    tatio

    n.

    Supp

    orts

    pre

    scri

    bed

    fire.

    p.1

    Mar

    k G

    affn

    ey “

    MG

    .”

    Pref

    ers s

    ome

    mec

    hani

    cal t

    reat

    men

    t of

    unde

    rsto

    ry in

    stea

    d of

    just

    pre

    scrib

    ed fi

    re.

    p.1

    RW

    To

    be

    effe

    ctiv

    e, m

    echa

    nica

    l tre

    atm

    ents

    m

    ust b

    e fo

    llow

    ed b

    y pr

    escr

    ibed

    fire

    . p.

    4 D

    H

    Mos

    t of t

    he m

    echa

    nica

    l tre

    atm

    ents

    (inc

    ludi

    ng c

    omm

    erci

    al h

    arve

    st) i

    n bo

    th a

    ctio

    n al

    tern

    ativ

    es

    wou

    ld in

    clud

    e th

    e us

    e of

    pre

    scrib

    ed fi

    re a

    s a fo

    llow

    -up

    (Cha

    pter

    2, E

    A p

    age

    2-4

    – A

    ctio

    n A

    ltern

    ativ

    es S

    naps

    hot).

    Spe

    cific

    ally

    , in

    each

    alte

    rnat

    ive

    abou

    t 70

    perc

    ent o

    f the

    trea

    ted

    area

    in

    clud

    es p

    resc

    ribed

    fire

    as a

    par

    t of t

    he p

    resc

    ribed

    sequ

    ence

    of e

    vent

    s.

    The

    mec

    hani

    cal u

    nder

    stor

    y tre

    atm

    ent o

    ptio

    n, in

    lieu

    of p

    resc

    ribed

    fire

    , rec

    omm

    ende

    d by

    Mr.

    War

    d w

    ill b

    e ad

    dres

    sed

    in th

    e D

    ecis

    ion

    Not

    ice.

    4 - 8

    B

    ridge

    Cre

    ek a

    nd B

    uck

    Cree

    k Su

    bwat

    ersh

    eds R

    esto

    ratio

    n Pr

    ojec

    t EA

  • Chap

    ter 4

    – C

    onsu

    ltatio

    n an

    d Co

    ordi

    natio

    n

    Tab

    le 4

    -1:

    Com

    men

    t Let

    ters

    Con

    tent

    Ana

    lysi

    s Sum

    mar

    y (c

    ontin

    ued)

    C

    omm

    ents

    H

    ow C

    omm

    ent w

    as C

    onsi

    dere

    d E

    stab

    lish

    ecol

    ogic

    al p

    roce

    sses

    that

    will

    al

    low

    stre

    ams a

    nd fi

    re re

    gim

    es to

    re

    cove

    r. p.

    2 D

    H

    Don

    ’t ju

    st re

    stor

    e fo

    rest

    stru

    ctur

    e; tr

    y to

    re

    stor

    e ec

    olog

    ical

    pro

    cess

    es th

    at c

    an b

    e se

    lf-su

    stai

    ning

    . p.2

    DH

    Pr

    iorit

    ize

    treat

    men

    t of t

    he d

    ense

    you

    ng

    stan

    ds th

    at a

    re m

    ost a

    men

    able

    to

    rest

    orat

    ion.

    p.4

    DH

    T

    hin

    from

    bel

    ow, r

    etai

    ning

    the

    larg

    est

    trees

    . p.3

    DH

    Proj

    ect p

    urpo

    se a

    nd n

    eed

    and

    desi

    gn o

    f Alte

    rnat

    ives

    inco

    rpor

    ate

    thes

    e su

    gges

    tions

    . Ev

    en so

    , the

    ac

    tual

    pre

    scrip

    tions

    do

    not c

    oinc

    ide

    with

    furth

    er su

    gges

    tions

    in th

    e sa

    me

    lette

    r (se

    e ne

    xt C

    omm

    ent).

    A

    ttent

    ion

    has b

    een

    give

    n to

    des

    ign

    feat

    ures

    that

    reta

    in so

    me

    cond

    ition

    s tha

    t are

    out

    side

    of H

    RV

    and

    do

    not

    opt

    imiz

    e se

    lf-su

    stai

    ning

    eco

    logi

    cal p

    roce

    sses

    (i.e

    . 40%

    to 6

    0% sh

    rub

    rete

    ntio

    n in

    are

    as w

    here

    fir

    e w

    ould

    be

    appl

    ied)

    . In

    this

    exa

    mpl

    e, th

    e re

    ason

    is to

    pro

    vide

    hab

    itat f

    or m

    ule

    deer

    . Th

    inni

    ng o

    f den

    se y

    oung

    stan

    ds is

    one

    of t

    he o

    bjec

    tives

    refle

    cted

    by

    the

    prop

    osed

    pre

    scrip

    tions

    . O

    n th

    e ot

    her h

    and,

    in a

    ccor

    danc

    e w

    ith o

    vera

    ll pr

    ojec

    t obj

    ectiv

    es, t

    hinn

    ing

    to in

    crea

    se th

    e re

    silie

    ncy

    of

    late

    and

    old

    stru

    ctur

    e co

    nife

    r sta

    nds (

    LOS)

    is a

    lso

    a fo

    cus o

    f the

    pro

    ject

    . R

    etai

    ning

    the

    larg

    est t

    rees

    is

    inco

    rpor

    ated

    into

    the

    pres

    crip

    tions

    . “L

    eave

    tree

    sele

    ctio

    n sh

    ould

    focu

    s on

    rete

    ntio

    n of

    tree

    s mos

    t lik

    ely

    to d

    evel

    op in

    to P

    P LO

    S tre

    es...

    .” (f

    rom

    Cha

    pter

    3, F

    ores

    ted

    Vege

    tatio

    n, D

    escr

    iptio

    n of

    Si

    lvic

    ultu

    ral P

    resc

    ript

    ion,

    fina

    l EA

    pag

    e 3-

    129)

    .

    Dra

    w th

    e lin

    e at

    20”

    dbh

    inst

    ead

    of 2

    1”

    dbh

    to e

    nhan

    ce re

    cove

    ry o

    f old

    gro

    wth

    . p.

    1 M

    G

    Use

    low

    er d

    iam

    eter

    lim

    its fo

    r fire

    re

    sist

    ant s

    peci

    es, h

    ighe

    r lim

    its fo

    r fire

    in

    tole

    rant

    spec

    ies.

    The

    bes

    t ava

    ilabl

    e in

    form

    atio

    n in

    dica

    tes t

    hat t

    he e

    xist

    ence

    of

    bru

    sh a

    nd tr

    ees u

    nder

    12

    inch

    es te

    nd

    to c

    ontri

    bute

    mos

    t to

    fire

    haza

    rd p

    .4, 1

    6

    DH

    The

    Reg

    iona

    l For

    este

    r’s E

    asts

    ide

    Fore

    st P

    lans

    Am

    endm

    ents

    pro

    vide

    dire

    ctio

    n fo

    r ret

    entio

    n an

    d pr

    omot

    ion

    of L

    ate/

    Old

    stru

    ctur

    al (L

    OS)

    fore

    st c

    hara

    cter

    istic

    s, in

    clud

    ing

    the

    21”

    guid

    elin

    e ...

    ....P

    rom

    otin

    g th

    e re

    silie

    ncy

    of la

    te a

    nd o

    ld st

    ruct

    ure

    coni

    fer s

    tand

    s and

    man

    ipul

    ate

    youn

    ger

    coni

    fer s

    truct

    ure

    in a

    man

    ner t

    hat m

    oves

    thes

    e st

    ands

    tow

    ard

    a su

    stai

    nabl

    e LO

    S co

    nditi

    on is

    a

    cent

    ral e

    lem

    ent o

    f the

    pro

    ject

    ’s p

    urpo

    se a

    nd n

    eed.

    R

    eten

    tion

    of tr

    ees o

    ver 1

    2 in

    ches

    dbh

    as a

    tech

    niqu

    e to

    “re

    duce

    fire

    haz

    ard”

    nee

    ds to

    be

    cons

    ider

    ed

    in th

    e co

    ntex

    t of e

    xist

    ing

    stan

    d co

    nditi

    ons,

    incl

    udin

    g ov

    eral

    l sta

    nd d

    ensi

    ty.

    In th

    is a

    rea,

    usi

    ng a

    di

    amet

    er li

    mit

    of 1

    2 in

    ches

    wou

    ld n

    ot b

    e ex

    pect

    ed to

    cre

    ate

    a su

    stai

    nabl

    e fo

    rest

    con

    ditio

    n (S

    . Pu

    ddy,

    IDT

    certi

    fied

    Silv

    icul

    turis

    t).

    The

    12 in

    ch a

    nd o

    ver t

    reat

    men

    t (th

    in fr

    om a

    bove

    , tak

    ing

    the

    larg

    est t

    rees

    ) stu

    died

    in M

    ason

    et a

    l. is

    ve

    ry d

    issi

    mila

    r to

    the

    Brid

    ge/B

    uck

    pres

    crip

    tion

    (fin

    al E

    A p

    age

    2-27

    ). T

    he c

    omm

    erci

    al h

    arve

    st

    prop

    osed

    in B

    ridge

    /Buc

    k go

    es d

    own

    to a

    n ex

    pect

    ed 7

    inch

    es d

    bh a

    nd u

    p to

    21

    inch

    es d

    bh (f

    inal

    EA

    pa

    ges 2

    -7).

    The

    pre

    scrip

    tion

    from

    the

    Mas

    on e

    t al.

    stud

    y th

    at is

    mos

    t sim

    ilar t

    o th

    e B

    ridge

    /Buc

    k pr

    escr

    iptio

    n, is

    “Le

    ave

    45 sq

    ft B

    A, F

    rom

    Bel

    ow (B

    A 45

    ). T

    his t

    reat

    men

    t is i

    nten

    ded

    to si

    mul

    ate

    rest

    orat

    ion

    of sa

    vann

    ah-li

    ke c

    ondi

    tions

    that

    are

    sim

    ilar t

    o w

    hat h

    as b

    een

    desc

    ribed

    in li

    tera

    ture

    as

    the

    pre-

    settl

    emen

    t ope

    n-st

    and

    cond

    ition

    s tha

    t res

    ulte

    d fr

    om fr

    eque

    nt b

    ut lo

    w w

    ildfir

    es (A

    gee

    1993

    ).” I

    n th

    e st

    udy,

    BA

    45

    had

    the

    best

    ove

    rall

    fire

    risk

    redu

    ctio

    n pe

    rfor

    man

    ce.

    Brid

    ge C

    reek

    and

    Buc

    k Cr

    eek

    Subw

    ater

    shed

    s Res

    tora

    tion

    Proj

    ect E

    A

    4 -

    9

  • Chap

    ter 4

    – C

    onsu

    ltatio

    n an

    d Co

    ordi

    natio

    n

    Tab

    le 4

    -1:

    Com

    men

    t Let

    ters

    Con

    tent

    Ana

    lysi

    s Sum

    mar

    y (c

    ontin

    ued)

    C

    omm

    ents

    H

    ow C

    omm

    ent w

    as C

    onsi

    dere

    d

    The

    agen

    cy sh

    ould

    top

    a po

    rtion

    of t

    he

    trees

    and

    leav

    e th

    e gr

    eens

    in th

    e fo

    rest

    in

    orde

    r to

    reta

    in n

    utri

    ents

    . p.5

    , 24

    DH

    Pr

    otec

    t soi

    ls b

    y av

    oidi

    ng ro

    ad

    cons

    truct

    ion,

    min

    imiz

    ing

    grou

    nd-b

    ased

    lo

    ggin

    g, a

    nd a

    void

    ing

    num

    erou

    s lar

    ge

    burn

    pile

    s. p.

    5 D

    H

    Bio

    mas

    s sho

    uld

    only

    be

    allo

    wed

    if it

    co

    ntrib

    utes

    to re

    stor

    atio

    n an

    d m

    ust b

    e do

    ne a

    t the

    sam

    e tim

    e as

    the

    prop

    osed

    ac

    tiviti

    es, u

    sing

    the

    sam

    e eq

    uipm

    ent –

    no

    seco

    nd e

    ntry

    for

    biom

    ass.

    p.6

    DH

    Und

    er th

    e si

    lvic

    ultu

    ral p

    resc

    riptio

    ns, a

    mpl

    e tre

    es w

    ill st

    ill re

    mai

    n to

    pro

    vide

    nee

    dles

    and

    br

    anch

    es to

    con

    tribu

    te n

    utrie

    nts t

    o th

    e so

    il.

    Bur

    n Pi

    les d

    iscu

    ssed

    on

    EA p

    age

    3-19

    4 “t

    he lo

    w d

    ensi

    ty o

    f pile

    s lim

    its th

    e de

    trim

    enta

    l eff

    ects

    ” C

    h. 2

    of t

    he E

    A (p

    age

    2-22

    ) con

    tain

    s Res

    ourc

    e Pr

    otec

    tion

    Mea

    sure

    s reg

    ardi

    ng ro

    ad

    cons

    truct

    ion,

    as f

    ollo

    ws:

    “A

    ll ro

    adw

    ork

    asso

    ciat

    ed w

    ith im

    plem

    enta

    tion

    of th

    e pr

    ojec

    t will

    fo

    llow

    the

    Roa

    ds B

    est M

    anag

    emen

    t Pra

    ctic

    es (F

    rem

    ont N

    atio

    nal F

    ores

    t Sup

    plem

    ent).

    See

    A

    ppen

    dix

    B –

    Pro

    ject

    Des

    ign

    Crit

    eria

    Det

    ails

    . In

    clud

    ed in

    thes

    e B

    MPs

    are

    requ

    irem

    ents

    to

    reha

    bilit

    ate

    all t

    empo

    rary

    road

    s. C

    h. 2

    , p. 2

    -7 o

    f the

    fina

    l EA

    stat

    es:

    “If b

    iom

    ass m

    arke

    ts a

    re a

    vaila

    ble,

    mat

    eria

    l fro

    m a

    ny o

    f th

    e ap

    prox

    imat

    ely

    2,70

    0 ac

    res c

    ould

    pot

    entia

    lly b

    e so

    ld.

    Usi

    ng th

    e se

    quen

    ce o

    f eve

    nts

    desc

    ribed

    abo

    ve (r

    emov

    ed to

    the

    land

    ing

    at th

    e sa

    me

    time

    as h

    arve

    st) t

    he b

    iom

    ass o

    pera

    tion

    wou

    ld n

    ot re

    quire

    a se

    cond

    ent

    ry in

    to h

    arve

    st a

    reas

    .”

    Whe

    re ro

    ad b

    uild

    ing

    is n

    eces

    sary

    , bui

    ld

    the

    road

    s to

    the

    abso

    lute

    min

    imum

    st

    anda

    rd a

    nd r

    emov

    e th

    e ro

    ads a

    s soo

    n as

    pos

    sibl

    e. p

    .5 D

    H; p

    .1 G

    Pr

    efer

    Alt.

    2 d

    ue to

    pro

    pose

    d m

    eado

    w

    rest

    orat

    ion

    in S

    PNM

    RA

    . p.1

    MG

    Incl

    uded

    in th

    e B

    MPs

    ado

    pted

    for t

    his p

    roje

    ct a

    re re

    quire

    men

    ts to

    reha

    bilit

    ate

    all t

    empo

    rary

    road

    s, ei

    ther

    thro

    ugh

    re-c

    onto

    urin

    g, in

    the

    even

    t cut

    slop

    es/fi

    ll sl

    opes

    hav

    e be

    en c

    reat

    ed, o

    r thr

    ough

    su

    bsoi

    ling

    or sc

    arifi

    catio

    n to

    a d

    epth

    of 8

    inch

    es.

    Pref

    eren

    ce fo

    r Alte

    rnat

    ive

    2, fo

    r the

    reas

    on st

    ated

    , is n

    oted

    .

    Buf

    fer s

    trea

    ms f

    rom

    the

    effe

    cts o

    f hea

    vy

    equi

    pmen

    t and

    loss

    of b

    ank

    trees

    and

    sh

    ade

    trees

    . p.5

    DH

    R

    etai

    n ex

    tra

    snag

    s and

    woo

    d in

    ripa

    rian

    area

    s. p.

    5 D

    H

    Alte

    rnat

    ive

    desi

    gn st

    ates

    (Pag

    e 2-

    15):

    As p

    er L

    RM

    P di

    rect

    ion

    for M

    A 1

    5, so

    il, fi

    sh, w

    ater

    and

    w

    ildlif

    e w

    ould

    be

    give

    n pr

    efer

    entia

    l con

    side

    ratio

    n if

    conf

    licts

    with

    ope

    ratio

    nal o

    r oth

    er re

    sour

    ce

    obje

    ctiv

    es a

    rise

    durin

    g la

    yout

    or i

    mpl

    emen

    tatio

    n (L

    RM

    P, p

    .199

    ). Th

    e R

    esou

    rce

    Prot

    ectio

    n M

    easu

    res s

    tate

    (fin

    al E

    A, p

    age

    2-23

    ): A

    pply

    silv

    icul

    tura

    l pra

    ctic

    es fo

    r R

    HC

    As t

    o ac

    quire

    des

    ired

    vege

    tatio

    n ch

    arac

    teris

    tics w

    here

    nee

    ded

    to a

    ttain

    RM

    Os..

    ...w

    here

    pr

    actic

    es w

    ould

    not

    reta

    rd o

    r pre

    vent

    atta

    inm

    ent o

    f oth

    er R

    ipar

    ian

    Man

    agem

    ent O

    bjec

    tives

    (R

    MO

    s) a

    nd w

    here

    adv

    erse

    eff

    ects

    can

    be

    avoi

    ded

    to in

    land

    nat

    ive

    fish.

    Sn

    ags w

    ill b

    e re

    tain

    ed a

    s per

    Dec

    AID

    reco

    mm

    neda

    tions

    . A

    ltern

    ativ

    es 2

    and

    3 in

    clud

    e si

    te-s

    peci

    fic

    pool

    enh

    ance

    men

    t/LW

    D p

    lace

    men

    t act

    iviti

    es fo

    r por

    tions

    of t

    he B

    ridge

    Cre

    ek a

    nd B

    uck

    Cre

    ek

    stre

    am c

    hann

    els (

    final

    EA

    , pag

    e 2-

    16 a

    nd 2

    -21)

    .

    4 - 1

    0

    Brid

    ge C

    reek

    and

    Buc

    k Cr

    eek

    Subw

    ater

    shed

    s Res

    tora

    tion

    Proj

    ect E

    A

  • Chap

    ter 4

    – C

    onsu

    ltatio

    n an

    d Co

    ordi

    natio

    n

    Tab

    le 4

    -1:

    Com

    men

    t Let

    ters

    Con

    tent

    Ana

    lysi

    s Sum

    mar

    y (c

    ontin

    ued)

    C

    omm

    ents

    H

    ow C

    omm

    ent w

    as C

    onsi

    dere

    d In

    corp

    orat

    e st

    anda

    rds f

    rom

    Reg

    iona

    l 20

    06 In

    vasi

    ve P

    lant

    EIS

    RO

    D. p

    .1 M

    J Ta

    ke st

    eps t

    o av

    oid

    spre

    ad o

    f wee

    ds. p

    .5

    DH

    The

    PEA

    and

    EA

    inco

    rpor

    ate

    stan

    dard

    s fro

    m th

    e R

    egio

    nal I

    nvas

    ive

    Plan

    t EIS

    RO

    D, w

    hich

    was

    si

    gned

    in O

    ctob

    er 2

    005

    (fin

    al E

    A, p

    ages

    2-2

    3 to

    2-2

    4 an

    d A

    ppen

    dix

    B).

    Rem

    ovin

    g co

    mm

    erci

    al si

    zed

    logs

    , and

    as

    soci

    ated

    roa

    ds a

    nd sl

    ash

    disp

    osal

    , of

    ten

    conf

    licts

    with

    the

    othe

    r re

    sour

    ce

    valu

    es su

    ch a

    s soi

    l, w

    ater

    , wee

    ds,

    wild

    life

    habi

    tat,

    fire

    haza

    rd, a

    nd c

    arbo

    n st

    orag

    e. C

    anop

    y re

    mov

    al m

    akes

    av

    aila

    ble

    mor

    e lig

    ht fo

    r exp

    loita

    tion

    by

    wee

    ds. p

    p. 6

    , 25

    DH

    The

    reso

    urce

    val

    ues l

    iste

    d in

    the

    com

    men

    t are

    con

    side

    red

    in th

    e Pu

    rpos

    e an

    d N

    eed

    for t

    he p

    roje

    ct.

    Fina

    l EA

    Ch.

    1, p

    . 4 st

    ates

    : “T

    he g

    ener

    al p

    urpo

    ses o

    f thi

    s pro

    ject

    , con

    sist

    ent w

    ith th

    e di

    rect

    ion

    of

    the

    1989

    Fre

    mon

    t Nat

    iona

    l For

    est L

    and

    and

    Res

    ourc

    e M

    anag

    emen

    t Pla

    n (L

    RM

    P), a

    re to

    pro

    mot

    e th

    e ov

    eral

    l sus

    tain

    abili

    ty o

    f veg

    etat

    ive

    syst

    ems a

    nd h

    ydro

    logi

    c fu

    nctio

    ning

    with

    in th

    e pr

    ojec

    t pl

    anni

    ng a

    rea

    (the

    Brid

    ge C

    reek

    and

    Buc

    k C

    reek

    Sub

    wat

    ersh

    eds)

    . W

    hile

    incr

    ease

    d lig

    ht m

    ay c

    ontri

    bute

    som

    ewha

    t to

    the

    spre

    ad o

    f nox

    ious

    wee

    ds, g

    roun

    d-di

    stur

    bing

    ac

    tiviti

    es h

    ave

    the

    mos

    t pot

    entia

    l to

    effe

    ct sp

    read

    of n

    oxio

    us w

    eeds

    . Th

    e Fr

    emon

    t-Win

    ema

    Wee

    d Pr

    even

    tion

    Stra

    tegy

    , inc

    lude

    d in

    App

    endi

    x B

    of t

    he E

    A, c

    onta

    ins R

    esou

    rce

    Prot

    ectio

    n M

    easu

    res t

    o pr

    even

    t spr

    ead

    of n

    oxio

    us w

    eeds

    . R

    esou

    rce

    Prot

    ectio

    n M

    easu

    res l

    iste

    d in

    Ch.

    2 o

    f the

    EA

    incl

    ude

    spec

    ific

    mea

    sure

    s des

    igne

    d to

    pre

    vent

    spre

    ad o

    f nox

    ious

    wee

    ds d

    urin

    g im

    plem

    enta

    tion

    of a

    ctiv

    ities

    in

    clud

    ed in

    the

    Brid

    ge/B

    uck

    proj

    ect.

    Prot

    ect h

    ardw

    ood

    enha

    ncem

    ent

    treat

    men

    t pro

    ject

    s fro

    m li

    vest

    ock.

    p.1

    R

    W

    Red

    uce

    or e

    limin

    ate

    lives

    tock

    gra

    zing

    D

    H

    Som

    e fa

    ctor

    s cau

    sing

    juni

    per e

    xpan

    sion

    ar

    e no

    t add

    ress

    ed in

    PEA

    . FS

    shou

    ld

    addr

    ess l

    ives

    tock

    and

    fire

    as c

    ause

    s, an

    d sh

    ould

    not

    figh

    t the

    nat

    ural

    tren

    d to

    the

    exte

    nt it

    is re

    late

    d to

    clim

    ate

    chan

    ge. p

    .6

    DH

    The

    final

    EA

    Ch.

    3 (p

    . 3-2

    6) st

    ates

    : “D

    istri

    butio

    n of

    cat

    tle g

    razi

    ng is

    exp

    ecte

    d to

    impr

    ove

    as n

    ew

    fora

    ging

    are

    as a

    re c

    reat

    ed w

    ith m

    ore

    open

    and

    favo

    rabl

    e co

    nditi

    ons,

    relie

    ving

    gra

    zing

    pre

    ssur

    e on

    rip

    aria

    n ar

    eas a

    nd o

    ther

    are

    as o

    f con

    cern

    .”

    Live

    stoc

    k gr

    azin

    g is

    not

    an

    activ

    ity b

    eing

    ana

    lyze

    d as

    a p

    art o

    f the

    pro

    pose

    d ac

    tion

    in th

    is E

    A.

    Live

    stoc

    k gr

    azin

    g is

    a se

    para

    te a

    ctio

    n fr

    om th

    ose

    prop

    osed

    in th

    e B

    ridge

    /Buc

    k EA

    . G

    razi

    ng w

    ill

    be a

    naly

    zed

    unde

    r a se

    para

    te a

    naly

    sis o

    f the

    Buc

    k C

    reek

    Gra

    zing

    Allo

    tmen

    t lat

    er in

    200

    7 or

    200

    8.

    The

    EA d

    oes a

    ddre

    ss fi

    re su

    ppre

    ssio

    n an

    d liv

    esto

    ck g

    razi

    ng a

    s cau

    ses o

    f jun

    iper

    exp

    ansi

    on, a

    s fo

    llow

    s: “

    ……

    stud

    ies h

    ave

    show

    n th

    at, a

    s a re

    sult

    of fi

    re su

    ppre

    ssio

    n, in

    trodu

    ctio

    n of

    live

    stoc

    k,

    and

    a m

    ilder

    , wet

    clim

    atic

    cha

    nge

    over

    the

    past

    100

    yea

    rs, w

    este

    rn ju

    nipe

    r has

    incr

    ease

    d its

    rang

    e in

    to a

    reas

    pre

    viou

    sly

    dom

    inat

    ed b

    y sa

    ge a

    nd b

    itter

    brus

    h.”

    (fin

    al E

    A C

    h. 3

    , p. 3

    -139

    )

    Brid

    ge C

    reek

    and

    Buc

    k Cr

    eek

    Subw

    ater

    shed

    s Res

    tora

    tion

    Proj

    ect E

    A

    4 -

    11

  • Chap

    ter 4

    – C

    onsu

    ltatio

    n an

    d Co

    ordi

    natio

    n

    Tab

    le 4

    -1:

    Com

    men

    t Let

    ters

    Con

    tent

    Ana

    lysi

    s Sum

    mar

    y (c

    ontin

    ued)

    C

    omm

    ents

    H

    ow C

    omm

    ent w

    as C

    onsi

    dere

    d

    Proj

    ect r

    equi

    res a

    n E

    IS. p

    .2.

    DH

    A

    low

    er d

    iam

    eter

    lim

    it an

    d pr

    otec

    tion

    of

    old

    trees

    less

    than

    21

    inch

    es re

    pres

    ent

    two

    diff

    eren

    t NE

    PA a

    ltern

    ativ

    es a

    nd

    shou

    ld b

    oth

    be c

    onsi

    dere

    d as

    reas

    onab

    le

    alte

    rnat

    ives

    . p.6

    DH

    Th

    e PE

    A is

    arb

    itrar

    y an

    d ca

    pric

    ious

    be

    caus

    e it

    disc

    lose

    s tha

    t big

    gam

    e ha

    bita

    t is

    in v

    iola

    tion

    of L

    RM

    P in

    win

    ter a

    nd

    trans

    ition

    rang

    e p.

    10

    DH

    The

    fact

    ors t

    hat w

    ould

    nec

    essi

    tate

    an

    EIS

    will

    be

    indi

    vidu

    ally

    con

    side

    red

    in th

    e D

    ecis

    ion

    Not

    ice/

    FON

    SI, w

    ith sp

    ecifi

    c re

    fere

    nces

    to in

    form

    atio

    n in

    the

    EA a

    s rat

    iona

    le fo

    r the

    FO

    NSI

    . N

    o si

    gnifi

    cant

    eff

    ects

    are

    repo

    rted

    in th

    e EA

    that

    wou

    ld in

    dica

    te a

    nee

    d fo

    r an

    EIS.

    Th

    e fin

    al E

    A in

    clud

    es d

    iscu

    ssio

    n re

    gard

    ing

    cons

    ider

    atio

    n of

    var

    ious

    dia

    met

    er li

    mits

    and

    pro

    tect

    ion

    of sm

    alle

    r old

    gro

    wth

    tree

    s (pa

    ge 2

    -27

    to 2

    -28)

    . O

    ld tr

    ees t

    hat a

    re le

    ss th

    an 2

    1 in

    ches

    dbh

    will

    be

    cons

    ider

    ed d

    urin

    g im

    plem

    enta

    tion

    (bas

    ed o

    n si

    lvic

    ultu

    ral p

    resc

    riptio

    n) o

    n a

    stan

    d-sp

    ecifi

    c ba

    sis.

    In

    som

    e st

    ands

    , cur

    rent

    den

    sitie

    s wou

    ld d

    icta

    te th

    at m

    ost t

    rees

    of t

    hat n

    atur

    e w

    ould

    be

    rem

    oved

    in

    orde

    r to

    prom

    ote

    sust

    aina

    ble

    cond

    ition

    s for

    old

    tree

    s tha

    t are

    gre

    ater

    than

    21

    inch

    es d

    bh.

    In o

    ther

    st

    ands

    , mee

    ting

    basa

    l are

    as o

    bjec

    tives

    wou

    ld n

    ot n

    eces

    sita

    te th

    eir r

    emov

    al.

    The

    Reg

    iona

    l For

    este

    r’s E

    asts

    ide

    Fore

    st P

    lans

    Am

    endm

    ents

    pro

    vide

    dire

    ctio

    n fo

    r ret

    entio

    n an

    d pr

    omot

    ion

    of L

    ate/

    Old

    stru

    ctur

    al (L

    OS)

    fore

    st c

    hara

    cter

    istic

    s, in

    clud

    ing

    the

    21”

    guid

    elin

    e. T

    he

    pres

    crip

    tions

    , whi

    ch m

    ay re

    sult

    in e

    ither

    the

    rete

    ntio

    n or

    the

    rem

    oval

    of s

    peci

    fic o

    ld tr

    ees (

    smal

    ler

    than

    21

    inch

    es) a

    re p

    repa

    red

    with

    the

    obje

    ctiv

    e of

    dev

    elop

    ing

    a re

    sidu

    al st

    and

    that

    has

    the

    func

    tiona

    lity

    of a

    n H

    RV

    stan

    d an

    d de

    velo

    ping

    a st

    and

    that

    mov

    es th

    e ar

    ea to

    war

    d th

    at g

    oal.

    It is

    no

    t exp

    ecte

    d or

    pos

    sibl

    e th

    at a

    fter t

    his o

    ne e

    ntry

    the

    stan

    ds w

    ould

    be

    imm

    edia

    tely

    con

    verte

    d to

    an

    HR

    V c

    ondi

    tion.

    The

    man

    agem

    ent d

    ensi

    ty st

    anda

    rd fo

    r the

    pon

    dero

    sa p

    ine

    type

    is to

    mai

    ntai

    n st

    ands

    bel

    ow C

    ochr

    an’s

    Upp

    er M

    anag

    emen

    t Zon

    e (U

    MZ)

    . Th

    ese

    stoc

    king

    leve

    ls w

    ere

    deve

    lope

    d by

    Pat

    Coc

    hran

    from

    the

    Ben

    d Si

    lvic

    ultu

    re L

    ab (3

    -116

    ). Th

    e EA

    dis

    clos

    es th

    e ex

    tent

    (pag

    es 2

    -16

    and

    2-21

    ) and

    the

    effe

    cts r

    elat

    ing

    to th

    e si

    te-s

    peci

    fic

    amen

    dmen

    t reg

    ardi

    ng m

    ule

    deer

    hab

    itat.

    The

    non

    -com

    mer

    cial

    thin

    ning

    that

    trig

    gers

    the

    need

    for

    amen

    dmen

    t is i

    mpo

    rtant

    bec

    ause

    it w

    ould

    pro

    mot

    e th

    e re

    cove

    ry o

    f asp

    en, b

    lack

    cot

    tonw

    ood,

    w

    illow

    s, an

    d ot

    her m

    eado

    w a

    nd ri

    paria

    n ve

    geta

    tion

    (fin

    al E

    A p

    ages

    3-1

    3, 3

    -66

    and

    3-12

    1).

    Alth

    ough

    cov

    er w

    ould

    be

    redu

    ced

    in th

    e sh

    ort t

    erm

    alo

    ng B

    ridge

    Cre

    ek, B

    uck

    Cre

    ek, a

    nd T

    hirte

    en

    Mile

    dra

    inag

    e, it

    is e

    xpec

    ted

    that

    ripa

    rian

    vege

    tatio

    n w

    ould

    incr

    ease

    and

    exp

    and

    deve

    lopi

    ng m

    ore

    suita

    ble

    faw

    ning

    hab

    itat,

    fora

    ge, a

    nd h

    idin

    g co

    ver o

    ver t

    ime

    (EA

    , pag

    e 3-

    13).

    The

    reas

    ons f

    or th

    e am

    endm

    ent n

    ot b

    eing

    sign

    ifica

    nt w

    ill b

    e di

    scus

    sed

    in th

    e D

    N/F

    ON

    SI.

    4 - 1

    2

    Brid

    ge C

    reek

    and

    Buc

    k Cr

    eek

    Subw

    ater

    shed

    s Res

    tora

    tion

    Proj

    ect E

    A

  • Chap

    ter 4

    – C

    onsu

    ltatio

    n an

    d Co

    ordi

    natio

    n

    Tab

    le 4

    -1:

    Com

    men

    t Let

    ters

    Con

    tent

    Ana

    lysi

    s Sum

    mar

    y (c

    ontin

    ued)

    C

    omm

    ents

    H

    ow C

    omm

    ent w

    as C

    onsi

    dere

    d

    The

    anal

    ysis

    com

    pare

    d ap

    ples

    and

    or

    ange

    s, su

    ch a

    s sna

    g le

    vels

    of t

    he a

    ctio

    n an

    d no

    act

    ion

    alte

    rnat

    ive

    durin

    g di

    ffer

    ent

    time

    perio

    ds (e

    .g.,

    no a

    ctio

    n =

    2007

    ve

    rsus

    act

    ion

    alt =

    201

    8). T

    he F

    S fa

    iled

    to d

    iscl

    ose

    the

    resu

    lts o

    f the

    FV

    S m

    odel

    on

    the

    no a

    ctio

    n al

    tern

    ativ

    e. p

    . 10

    DH

    The

    EA d

    oes d

    iscl

    ose

    the

    resu

    lts o

    f the

    FV

    S m

    odel

    on

    the

    no a

    ctio

    n al

    tern

    ativ

    e on

    pag

    es (P

    EA

    page

    3-4

    0 to

    3-4

    1; fi

    nal E

    A, p

    ages

    3-4

    0 to

    3-4

    2).

    Whe

    n us

    ing

    any

    type

    of m

    odel

    , the

    re a

    re a

    lway

    s lim

    itatio

    ns to

    be

    cons

    ider

    ed a

    nd u

    nder

    stoo

    d. O

    ne li

    mita

    tion

    of F

    VS

    is th

    at th

    e ou

    tput

    s are

    ge

    nera

    lly c

    ompl

    eted

    in 1

    0 ye

    ar in

    crem

    ents

    . A

    ll of

    the

    alte

    rnat

    ives

    wer

    e ba

    sed

    on th

    e sa

    me

    CV

    S pl

    ots g

    row

    n to

    a c

    omm

    on y

    ear o

    f 200

    8, a

    nd th

    en g

    row

    n in

    to th

    e fu

    ture

    in 1

    0 ye

    ar in

    crem

    ents

    with

    co

    mpa

    rativ

    e tre

    atm

    ents

    or n

    o tre

    atm

    ents

    . Th

    e fin

    al E

    A p

    . 3-3

    2 st

    ates

    that

    : “C

    urre

    nt V

    eget

    atio

    n Su

    rvey

    (CV

    S) p

    lot d

    ata

    was

    use

    d fo

    r thi

    s pro

    ject

    . Th

    e m

    ost r

    ecen

    t re-

    mea

    sure

    men

    t dat

    a av

    aila

    ble

    was

    use

    d fo

    r eac

    h pl

    ot.

    The

    mos

    t rec

    ent m

    easu

    rem

    ent y

    ear f

    or th

    e C

    VS

    plot

    s ran

    ged

    from

    199

    7 to

    20

    05.

    This

    plo

    t dat

    a w

    as th

    en g

    row

    n to

    a c

    omm

    on y

    ear o

    f 200

    8 an

    d pr

    ojec

    t act

    iviti

    es w

    ere

    mod

    eled

    afte

    r tha

    t tim

    e. T

    he o

    ut y

    ear p

    roje

    ctio

    ns w

    ere

    mod

    eled

    on

    a 10

    -yea

    r per

    iod.

    Det

    ails

    of

    how

    snag

    est

    imat

    es w

    ere

    arriv

    ed a

    t usi

    ng la

    nd b

    ase

    stra

    tific

    atio

    ns, L

    ands

    at Im

    ager

    y (u

    sed

    to c

    reat

    e co

    vera

    ges)

    , mor

    talit

    y ca

    lcul

    atio

    ns, a

    nd si

    mul

    atio

    n of

    bar

    k be

    etle

    mor

    talit

    y ar

    e in

    clud

    ed in

    the

    Wild

    life

    Res

    ourc

    e R

    epor

    t, av

    aila

    ble

    in th

    e B

    ridge

    /Buc

    k Pr

    ojec

    t Rec

    ord.

    ” Fo

    r Alte

    rnat

    ive

    2 an

    d 3,

    201

    8 w

    as u

    sed

    as th

    e ex

    istin

    g co

    nditi

    on b

    ecau

    se th

    is w

    as th

    e fir

    st y

    ear

    afte

    r all

    of th

    e tre

    atm

    ents

    took

    pla

    ce (t

    reat

    men

    ts a

    re e

    xpec

    ted

    to ta

    ke se

    vera

    l yea

    rs a

    nd w

    ould

    oc

    cur b

    etw

    een

    2008

    -201

    3) th

    at c

    ould

    acc

    urat

    ely

    be re

    flect

    ed in

    the

    data

    . Th

    is is

    not

    a c

    ase

    of

    appl

    es to

    ora

    nges

    as t

    he sa

    me

    data

    was

    use

    d fo

    r the

    com

    paris

    on, b

    ut d

    iffer

    ent y

    ears

    wer

    e ne

    cess

    ary

    for t

    he c

    ompa

    rison

    bec

    ause

    of t

    he li

    mita

    tions

    of t

    he F

    VS

    mod

    elin

    g. T

    his w

    as a

    n as

    sum

    ptio

    n th

    at

    was

    dis

    clos

    ed o

    n p.

    3-3

    2 of

    the

    final

    EA

    “A

    ssum

    ptio

    ns: 1

    .) T

    he p

    ost t

    reat

    men

    t (A

    ltern

    ativ

    es 2

    an

    d 3)

    con

    ditio

    n fo

    r sna

    g de

    nsiti

    es is

    bas

    ed o

    n ye

    ar 2

    018,

    whi

    ch is

    the

    year

    the

    effe

    cts o

    f sna

    gs

    loss

    /recr

    uitm

    ent a

    re re

    flect

    ed in

    the

    Fore

    st V

    eget

    atio

    n Si

    mul

    ator

    (FV

    S) m

    odel

    ing

    afte

    r the

    tre

    atm

    ent t

    akes

    pla

    ce.”

    See

    fina

    l EA

    pag

    e 3-

    43 fo

    r add

    ition

    al d

    ata/

    tabl

    es th

    at d

    ispl

    ay th

    e co

    mpa

    rison

    bet

    wee

    n A

    ltern

    ativ

    es 1

    , 2 a

    nd 3

    usi

    ng th

    e sa

    me

    year

    (yea

    r 201

    8).

    This

    lim

    itatio

    n in

    the

    mod

    elin

    g m

    ay re

    flect

    som

    e of

    the

    diff

    eren

    ces b

    etw

    een

    the

    no a

    ctio

    n al

    tern

    ativ

    e an

    d A

    ltern

    ativ

    e 2

    and

    3. T

    his i

    s sta

    ted

    in th

    e w

    ildlif

    e an

    alys

    is in

    the

    EA (f

    inal

    EA

    pag

    e 3-

    43):

    “W

    hen

    com

    pare

    d to

    Alte

    rnat

    ives

    2 a

    nd 3

    , in

    gene

    ral,

    ther

    e is

    less

    are

    a th

    at p

    rovi

    des f

    or h

    ighe

    r tol

    eran

    ce le

    vels

    for

    wild

    life

    spec

    ies.

    Thi

    s is p

    artia

    lly b

    ecau

    se th

    e da

    ta u

    sed

    to d

    eter

    min

    e w

    ildlif

    e to

    lera

    nce

    leve

    ls fo

    r A

    ltern

    ativ

    e 1

    wer

    e ba

    sed

    on th

    e cu

    rren

    t con

    ditio

    n, a

    nd th

    e da

    ta u

    sed

    to d

    eter

    min

    e w

    ildlif

    e to

    lera

    nce

    leve

    ls

    for A

    ltern

    ativ

    es 2

    and

    3 a

    re b

    ased

    on

    2018

    dat

    a, w

    hich

    wou

    ld b

    e co

    nsid

    ered

    the

    curr

    ent c

    ondi

    tion

    afte

    r tre

    atm

    ent.

    Thi

    s is b

    ecau

    se, i

    n th

    e FV

    S m

    odel

    ing,

    this

    is th

    e fir

    st y

    ear t

    he e

    ffec

    ts o

    f the

    Alte

    rnat

    ives

    2 a

    nd 3

    tre

    atm

    ents

    are

    refle

    cted

    in th

    e sn

    ag d

    ata.

    Thi

    s acc

    ount

    s for

    12+

    yea

    rs (a

    s mod

    ified

    in fi

    nal E

    A)…

    of sn

    ag

    recr

    uitm

    ent f

    or A

    ltern

    ativ

    es 2

    and

    3 th

    at a

    re n

    ot a

    ccou

    nted

    for i

    n A

    ltern

    ativ

    e 1.

    ” Br

    idge

    Cre

    ek a

    nd B

    uck

    Cree

    k Su

    bwat

    ersh

    eds R

    esto

    ratio

    n Pr

    ojec

    t EA

    4

    - 13

  • Chap

    ter 4

    – C

    onsu

    ltatio

    n an

    d Co

    ordi

    natio

    n

    Tab

    le 4

    -1:

    Com

    men

    t Let

    ters

    Con

    tent

    Ana

    lysi

    s Sum

    mar

    y (c

    ontin

    ued)

    C

    omm

    ents

    H

    ow C

    omm

    ent w

    as C

    onsi

    dere

    d In

    clud

    e a

    10-y

    ear o

    r lon

    ger m

    onito

    ring

    pl

    an to

    det

    erm

    ine

    if ob

    ject

    ives

    we