Checklist environmental assessment for the Mill Creek timber sale

58 Pages·2000·1.8 MB·English

by  Marsh, David

MONTANASTATELIBRARY
30864 1001 94755
CHECKLISTENVIRONMENTALASSESSMENT
FORTHE
MILLCREEK
TIMBERSALE
STATFDOCUMENTSCOLLECTION
MAYf52003
MONTANASTATELIBRARY
PreparedbyDavidMarsh
NortheasternLandOffice-DNRC
June,2000
9
TABLEOFCONTENTS
ChecklistEnvironmentalAssessment
AttachmentA
PhysicalDescription,VegetationandWildlife: Affectedenvironment
andenvironmentalaffects
AttachmentA1
VicinityMap
AttachmentA2
SilviculturalPrescription
AttachmentB
Soils,HydrologyandFisheriesReportbyGeorgeMathieus-
Hydrologist

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r
1S-252
CHECKLIST ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
Project Name: Mill Creek Timber Sale Proposed Implementation Date: Fall 2000
Proponent: Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation - Northeastern
Land Office
Type and Purpose of Action: The Montana DNRC plans to harvest up to 800 thousand
board feet (MBF) of timber from up to 120 acres (see attachment A1 - Vicinity map)
and contribute up to approximately $130,400.00 (based on current stumpage rates) to
the school trust fund. Up to 0.75 miles of new road will be constructed. This
proposal is expected to increase and maintain stand productivity and over-all stand
health
Location: SE4 Sec. 16, T14N, R18E County: Fergus
I. PROJECT DEVELOPMENT
1. PopIUfrNBoDLjItIehVCceItDIUsNAcVLoOSpLiVnCEgOMNETaNAnTCd,TEoDAn:GgEoNiPCnrIgoEvSii,dnevGoRlaOvUbePrmSieenOftRcfhorrontohilsogy OLirneenqwLuieFeswestibtsoritwunonagwrnNpy,ueb2wl3Msi,o-cn2Atir0ang0pnuu0ats.-,weMaLreatnertecemwrhassip2ld3aee,pdsec2orr0ni0ob0Ffi,engbgae.ntpe2hur2eba,llpi2rcc0oi0npro0cot.usilecaedtiwponraosajenlcditstpaeundbdlinisthheed
MontanaStateAaencies:AaricultureandGrazinqManaqementBureau;
FishWildlifeandParks.
NeiahborinaLandowners:Alden&GladysTorarimson.TedandGeorqia
Arndt,FrancisandJacalynRickl,ConstanceGauer,Albert&Linda
Piccioni,George&EvaBirdwell,GenevieveGansandLarryCarlson.
Others:MontanaWoodProductsAssociation.TribalHistoricPreservation
Office-ConfederatedSalishandKootenaiTribes,StuartLewin,Ecology
Center,AlliancefortheWildRockies,PlumCreekTimberCo.,F.H.Stoltze
LandandLumber,CentralMontanaConservationAssociation.Friendsof
theWildSwan,FergusCountyCommissioners,FergusCo.Conservation
District,FergusCo.WeedDepartment,andMontanaHeritageProgram.
Issuestatementshavebeendevelopedbasedonallpublicscoping
responsesandcanbefoundintheprojectfile.
CommentsandconcernshavebeenaddressedandincorporatedintheEA.
2. OLTIHSETROGFOVPEERRNMMIETNSTANLEEADEGDE:NCIESWITHJURISDICTION, MMCooonnnstttaaannnaacSDeteapGttae,uAeoifrrFsfiohsrehd,RiWCgiohlotdrl-dioiffne-aaWtinaoydnAPGgarrroekusepmfeofrnortStH(rarezefaaemrrdePnrRcoeetdepucrctotijoienocntAcafitnled)p.ermit,
3. ALTERNATIVESCONSIDERED: aNcotivAicttyiaotntAhlitsetrinmaeti,vbe:utTwhoiuslAdltceornntaitniuveewcuorurledntpogrsatzpionngelaenaysetiamgbreeremheanrvte.st
Potentialeffectsofthe“NoActionAlternative"includereducedtreegrowth
rates,decliningforageandgrazingpotentialandincreasedriskofstand
replacementwildfire.Additionally,revenueopportunitymaybelostasdead
anddyingtimberislosttodecay,insects,windthrowandwildfire.
ActionAlternative:Theproposedactionwouldcommerciallyharvestupto
800MBFonupto120acresandwouldrequireupto0.75milesofnew
roadconstruction.Thesaleofforestproductswouldproducerevenuefor
thepublicschooltrustfund,whileensuringthelong-termproductivityand
revenuegeneratingcapacity.Thesalewouldutilizecommercialthinningto
reducecompetitionandimprovestandandforageproductivitywhile
mitigatingpotentialadverseimpactsandmaintainingdesirablestand
structuralandhabitatelements.
TheStateForestLandManagementPlan(SFLMP)ResourceManagement
Standards(RMS)wereconsideredindevelopingthesealternatives.
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II. IMPACTS ON THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
RESOURCE M[EYA/NS]URPEOSTENTIAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION
N=NotpresentorNoImpactwilloccur.
Y=Impactsmayoccur (explainbelow)
4. MGscfOEooeIOinaSLltsTsOuiUGrdRYpeeErsr:Ae?asNteDinAoAtrnrS?eseO?ILtfAAhrrarQegeUeriAelLtceIhus,TempYreu,eclciaoatmSulipnTavuAcesBrutIeaiLcilbIlmlTapeYgmaceaAttoosNrilDoongulinicsktealbyleto [cpr(YrueB]emcMsuSoPelomnsatmmt).eienvwiTedclhlaoietmbmripepeaoacincatmstripseballnnmeedomaeaysmnnpitoedtcecicidguuaanrttlso.itroapenbrNscloolteaaesmuscanotwituelsislsooluinlaaarlcrseoegnsBpesoeroiuseldrostecgereMinascatta.nilaoannSfgdseee.aesmtoueAarlmtnletetssapdacPerherceamgiacerltneiitescteBossf’
occurasaresultofthisproposedaction? forwatershedandsoilexistingconditionsanddirect,indirectand
cumulativeenvironmentaleffects.
5. WATERQUALITY, QUANTITYANDDISTRIBUTION: Are [Y]TheprojectareaisdrainedbybothCasinoandMillCreeks.Four
pwimaoramamceptbxcsoieuiererrmntnutatmqa?nsutwacalIoastisnetutrryrate?fhmsaeiuqcrnAlueeatraneltopiorotfctyluegemtnrvuhsteoitlilusaasannt,lddipawvrraeoofdtrposeroi,rsdmveepiddgraorcreltisaasaondctukatriitilconioiengnoks?neowlfaoytfetro uowSierfmanFifptngeLleicaeMrtnmmsssPe.ehindenRtdtaethtrsaeiionboudpuntrraoscorojefiielecaMsltelax(asintrpswaeetoagci.ineeagpmlMhiceisoetntnmitdgeriareSttactiiloaoonmnnassdmnaeiadrnnnddctdsalwutdoadiineroledancSrtsgB,M.eMlZiynPSdliseianretweaecarsrtmteiwatqtenautlicdelrnhtaecm)museemnhnutatlvsaBe,tifovre
6. ApAqrIrrueRoeasdluuQlicUcttuAeymLdouI?flrTaeYttg:iIhusvilseaWttiihipleomrlnpospappcrootosolsjreleduczlttoiaankcneteitsinlsofynl(?outCreolnacpsoeascdrctuIirbcyauialsraaistrhaeed)b?e [SppYetr]raosTncodhenadenruedrplres)osjwdieeulcslrttibaanebrglemisaisethiaisesgdolaotnbceayadlttbebhdyuerwiSnnitiitatnhitigaentipAAneigirrrisssolhhdaeessddhaC9nd.oidosrpScdotoisamnatpalelte(HibtoayenzdaDGrbrNdyoRuRfpCoe.ldluocwtiinogn
7. VEGETATIONCOVER, QUANTITYANDQUALITY: Will [Y]Nolastingvegetativechangesareanticipated.Norareplantsorcover
'vegetativecommunitiesbepermanentlyaltered? typeshavebeenidentifiedintheprojectarea(ReferenceProjectFile,
Acorfuemutlhaianstyivpreraroepiompspaleacdnttsasctlioiorkne?cloyvetrotoycpceusrpasresaenrte?suAlrte tMahtoetnataccahtnimaoennNtaaltAtu,erraVnleagtHieevtreaitdtioaogenesfPnorrotosgtmraeanemdtdlDeetsNtceRrrC)i.p’tsiTohnde.efisPntiratinimdoanrtaoysbeefolftdercgetrasotwewidtllhu.bnedSeere
decreasedcanopycoverandreducedstemsperacre.Secondaryimpacts
mayincludewindthrowandwindsnapsusceptibility(refertoattachmentA,
Vegetationforadditionalinformationincludingenvironmentaland
cumulativeeffects).Prescribedtreatmentsareintendedtoincreaseforest
health,treegrowthandforageproductivitywhileaddressingtheriskof
potentialadverseimpacts.RefertoAttachmentA2forsilvicultural
prescriptions.
8. TbHcEAyuRBmRIuiETlmSAapTTtoRSirI:vtAeaLn,tIismAwpViatIlchdAtelNsriefAleNsi,DukbeAsblQtiyUarAndttTsoiIaCoolrcLcIuufFsriEeshaA?soNfDAartehreesualrtea w[diiNuml]rpdilaTinchfgteeshaapnorrfdvotepbhsoiitssradoplspreacorproaoetmsaiamoliosn.snfrSateenoqcdutoehsnnedotaamerrdeeyabr.yiemdtDpueiacrrstceiptsolstnraiicoaneflcmlgheuianddtmeineoigfnacccnoredveraetnasrioewndnilsglfpaobermecaeigdeeisrect
ofthisproposedaction? availabilityforsomespeciesthroughincreasedgrassandforbproduction
andincreasedover-allhabitatdiversitythroughstandstructurealterations.
MitigationsincludeCompliancewithSFLMPResourceManagement
Standards,BMPsandadherencetosilviculturalprescription.See
ahtotwaecvhemrenatnAu1pg.rNadoefiosfhabneaerxiisntginsgtrcuelavmesrtexcirsotswsiitnhginofthMiellprCorjeecetkaorneaprivate
pbarteotpaaedcrhhtemyrewenitdlltBboefdounrreficunergstshteahrirsyi.npfrooSrptmoraseteiaodmniPomrnoptrceooclvtdeiomwneantAtecrtopfpeiersrahmetiriitoenss..tipSSueloeamtieondsewgirllee
ofcumulativeimpactsmayoccurasaresultofthisproposalgiventhat
someadjacentpropertytimberhasbeenharvested.
9. UEliScaNNioesdIVsnneQtIcsnaUeeRitEdrtOir,niNfe?vMitseEEehuNdNArlDTretSAAeahpNLteaoGecbfcEniiRuReetEmtEsdaSuhDOtli,UsaooRrtrpCirFpEveRreSSeAsopn:GeepdIncoaiLtinsmE?AegeprseadeOrcRteAoasdnfacLyntIysislMwpopiIeneefkTc?cteeEiilldDeaayeslnrdatsool?rlyoccur t[hsMsppNhaptroa]beeosrnicjseNtpaieiaarocagbtmotllejfaeecamcerchrdoefetaeeonnrnarkacatnrenFloeerlreoZlaynrwos;nr.lnnehhuiseasogttTstvwoieheenidwenevoxhtbeusisheersseorrte,emhenwwaweaeitaeowtwtepbthhkpnissalsesnpeidtporct(otvaoshntsbeereeslndaweespidr.inrwlobtloidijytaNbovehneegoccigtrncspsaeuaptresrrrehonseecestwladiieia.petctnrsishtdNopv)iesjeoend.etccstowbitpweySemeotaseocSrlelivetoaaaerrenar.sedgtitaesdtohlIemratyenrsctmxosiihiiupandfsmgetiyteeehcenwrdibmitteeithstAhet,ioenfnt
Table1 (referenceProjectFile,NaturalHeritageProgramletter).
10. HhIiSsTtoOrRiIcCaAlL,ANaDrcAhRaCeHoAlEoOgLicOaGlICAoLrpSIaTlEeSo:ntoAlroegicaanly [pNr]esNeontr(ecRoerfdeerdenhciestoPrriocjaelc,tarFiclhee,oPlaotgriiccaklRoernpnaileeoMnteomloo)gi.calresources
resourcespresent?
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r11. ApteEoxoSpcpTueoHlsgEsarTitaIvepCedhSi:conroifsIsesecaettnouhirrece?lpiargrWoheitjal?eslc?tAriWeotinlbcleaumpvutrilhosaemitribienlveeebnetfrom t[ayNnp]tiicPcarilopjaoetfcettdhateroaeoraceacis.urlNoacosateaexdrceeossnuslaitvnoedfntwohiiitssheip,nrlocipogohmstamolro.ncutmouploagtriavpehiicmaplacftesataurrees
impacts likelytooccurasa resultofthis
proposedaction?
12. WDtrAEheTMesEAroRNeu,DrScoeAtsIOhNRertEhOaNRatVcIEtRNiaEOvrRNeiGMtYiEl:eNisTmAiWLtnieeldRalErSbiOnytUhRettChhEeapStroajOwrieFelcal?tLANuaDAsf,erfeect [OcNut]mhueTlrhaeatcitpvirevoijtieimceptsaancreteasarabwryiellalrnieoketnlyouttsoeexorpceecscuotrueradcsetaosartfehfsaeutcltatrtoehfeltihpmeriotpjeerdcotip.notsNheeodaarcetai.on.
theproject?Arecumulativeimpactslikelyto
occuras aresultofthisproposedaction?
13. AOpplsaaRTreticnEHoarktaAEjtmiel:ReeoyilcnsyttEAsitosrNsriteVontIgohafRntoraeOethcdraNectee,MruhravEeiarriNsleoeTorwaAsttcuLhrbunfeardyarrcDreotOermra?CnsentUtMsyfMuuEuEdlAPastiNtrAtcueTeratsSetior,eofcenPupvsEpmoriaRlutoegTalwhpweIna/eonNstnrsc(EieysNvdpotcTerrhwoie/psTvnitiaOnamtgtpt)eTeah,HecEtosr [spif(oYnruotr]ohrrecjeffaToereganhcrecjtseeeutpnanuprdcrcdroeoetiodmaijePueoesrcoscnotntotjiwrieaoiCccprntatrhewsoiafaisajiltcneiaetesc,onirttvcBsCiilertrcaniaiesigeresephfseitakiftp.cpiieirlemdaoadNmlpwneogiondUrtseiasahedadzedtsvifeunemoulcgrrenycstldmeehdaesioonressdwffttffnur(hresaleLcocttetmcar,saoceGsmtaaaeeiplrmoolteNnehrooatoga.fniuletotgti1hnheMc1reai2onitp4afpnah)trctti.iorehevepdeueTaostahs)socee.etdordiceoNcnoiusra
analysisarea? proposal.
uNnodecurmMulEaPtiAvereivmipeawctbsyaarneylsitkaeltyetaogoecnccuyrwfirtohminftuhteuraensatlaytseisacatrieoan.scurrently
III. IMPACTS ON THE HUMAN POPULATION
RESOURCE [Y/N]POTENTIAL IMPACTS ANDMITIGATION
MEASURES
14. HtUoMAhNeaHlEtAhLTaHndANsDafSeAtFyETrYi:sksWiilnltthheisarpear?ojectadd [imNna]vcohPloivtneedenrtwyiiatalhnh“dounsm-tasyilnteeso”afhfoaeptreyvrerasittsikoospnesmraahtyaivovenasrt.yhewDimitofhfsettrheoinsntfetliuynepdneicsveiodofuntaolhoslusam,catinveslayfety
risks.SafetyrulesandregulationsapplythroughtheOccupationalHealth
andSafetyAct(OHSA)andareadministeredbyworkersofthatprogram.
15. AIaCNdTDdUISVtTIoRTIIoAErLS,aAlCNtODeMrMPERtROhCDeIUsACeLTIaOAcNNt:DivAiGWtRiilIelCsU?LtThUeRApLroject [pYr]odTuhctiisviptryo.posalisexpectedtoincreaseforestlandandrangeland
16. QUANTITYANDDISTRIBUTIONOFEMPLOYMENT: Will [N]Peoplearecurrentlyemployedinthewoodproductsindustryinthe
tslohiekeepslrtyoijmteaoctteodcccruneruamtbaees,r.amoArvreeesuolcrtumueollfaitmtiihnviasetepirmopjaopcbosts?sedIf rbeeemgpinlooon.ymmeeDanusteu.rtaobtlheecruemlautliavteliyvesmiamlplascitzefroofmththeitsipmrboeprossaeldeapcrtoigornaom,ntherewill
action?
17. LtoROacECxcVAuELrrNeUAvEaNsSeD:nuaeS?TrWAeiTAslErulelTttAchXouefmBupAltrShaoEitjsieAvcNeptDroicTpmrAopeXsaaecttdesaoclrtiikeoelnli?ymitnoate tw[riNhel]elvePrbneeeugoeinpsooln.e.maeDraeuseucrutraorbetlnhetelcyruepmlaautyliiavntegilyvtesamxiaemlsplafscritozmefrtoohfmethtwheoisotidpmrbpoerproodssuaecldtesapcritnoidgournsatomrn,yttianhxere
18. DsslaWEucciiMhbtkloAsieloNtollDnays?no,ttFtihoOaReelrtocGc)OctsVuerErrabRevfNifaMcisnEeceNseaTdbeer(dSef?EasiRdurVedAlIetrCdepEroSoftc:touemtchuetWilxiisaioltsnlitp,virneogppooilsmriepocdaaedc,st?s [gppinNeor]oovtpgheTlerrheaneammrdt,eejemantwpcthioelerlsnasetbrhreiaovrlrineytcoa-er.tsemeledroaumcseaiutmtironpagatbchtltoeestrchetuloemattaurirlavefaeaftli,yic,vsaemtnahdilemltpshsameiaczltlelascopkrfoesoltsfahiteobeitdtlhiiettmroybtdeoirfemmsabaaeflrneedswafloers
19. LOCALLYADOPTEDENVIRONMENTALPLANSANDGOALS: [Y]InJune1996,DNRCbeganaphased-inimplementationoftheState
ArethereState, County, City, USFS, BLM, ForestLandManagementPlan(Plan).Themanagementdirection
m Terfifbeaclt,?etc. zoningormanagementplans in ppRrleoasvnoinudirencdgeainnMtdahneaactPgilveaimntieecnsottmapSkrteiasnpeldasacrted.hseThfharevaemPeblweaonernkphiwinilctoohsironppowhrhyaitacendhdisnpatepocpitrfhoiepcrdipearstoiejgecnt
oftheproposedaction.
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