Alaska Pulp Corporation long-term timber sale contract : north and east Kuiu : final environmental impact statement

34 Pages·1993·1.6 MB·English

by  United States. Forest Service. Alaska Region

Historic, Archive Document
Do not assume content reflects current
scientific knowledge, policies, or practices.

50
//
united states Alaska Pulp
A jVi Department of
Agriculture
Forest Service Corporation Long-Term
Tongass
,
National
Forest Timber Sale Contract
R10-MB-205
January 1993
North and East Kuiu
Final Environmental
Impact Statement
Summary

7
Alaska Pulp Corporation
Long-Term
Timber Sale Contract
North and East Kuiu
Final Environmental Impact Statement
Summary
Tongass National Forest - Stikine Area
U.S.D.A. Forest Service
Alaska Region
Lead Agency: Tongass National Forest, Stikine Area
15—12th Street
P.O. Box 309
Petersburg, Alaska 99833
Cooperating Agency: U.S. Coast Guard
P.O. Box 2551
Juneau, AK 99802
Responsible Official: Abigail R. Kimbell, Forest Supervisor
Tongass National Forest, Stikine Area
For Further Information Bob Gerdes, Team Leader
Contact: Tongass National Forest, Stikine Area
P.O. Box 309
Petersburg, Alaska 99833
[phone]
Abstract: The U.S. Forest Service proposes a range ofalternatives for making tim-
bervolume available to the Alaska Pulp Corporation Long-term Timber Sale Con-
tract. Alternative 1 is the no action alternative. Alternative 2 focuses activities in
areas of previous timber harvest (north Kuiu) while Alternative 3 focuses activities
away from areas of recent timber harvest (east Kuiu). Alternative 4 disperses activi
ties across the study area.
f
Summary
Contents
Summary
1
OverviewofProject 1
ProposedAction 1
Purpose andNeedforAction 1
ManagementDirection 2
Background 2
DecisionNeeded 2
Issues 3
Alternatives 4
Alternative 1 -No ActionAlternative 4
Alternative 2 4
Alternative 3 4
Alternative4 5
ComparisonofAlternativesby Issue 5
Identification ofthe Forest ServicePreferred Alternative 22
North and East Kuiu Final EIS Summary
i

Summary
SUMMARY
Overview of Project
IncompliancewithFederal and State regulations,theU.S. Forest Service haspreparedthis
FinalEnvironmental Impact Statement(FEIS) onthe effectsofimplementingtheprovisions
ofthe AlaskaPulp CorporationLong-Term Sale ContractintheNorthKuiuandEastKuiu
ManagementAreas oftheTongass NationalForest. The NationalEnvironmental Policy Act
(NEPA) requiredthat (1) arangeofalternatives forachievingtheproject’s goalsbe put
forth, (2)ananalysisofthe environmental impactsofeachalternativebeconducted, (3)
measuresto mitigateadverse impactsbe discussed, andfinally, (4) theview ofinterested
membersofthepublicbe soughtand incorporated into thefinal plan. This FEIS accom-
plishes theseobjectives.
Proposed Action
The Forest Serviceproposes to make availableforharvestby AlaskaPulp Corporationap-
proximately 120 millionboardfeet (MMBF) ofsawlogfromManagement Areas S04 and
S09 onKuiuIsland. Inadditionto the sawlogvolume, utilityvolume will alsobe harvested
fromthe same acres. (Utility logsdo notmeetthequality standardsforsawlogs,butapply
towardthevolume requirements ofthe long-termcontract.) Thisproject includesthe con-
structionofupto approximately 100 miles offorestdevelopmentroads.
Purpose and Need for Action
Thepurposeandneedforthisprojectisto implementForestPlandirectionforthe project
area, meetthefederal governmentobligationto make timbervolume available underthe
APCcontract,andto improvethe timberproductivity oftheprojectareaby harvesting ma-
ture standsoftimberand replacingthemwithfastergrowing stands ofsecondgrowthtim-
ber. The timbervolumeneededforthis project is approximately 120 millionboardfeet
(MMBF) ofnetsawlogs. This isenoughvolume to supply theRowanBay camp forthree
years.
NorthandEastKuiuFinal EIS Summary
1
Summary
Management
Direction
Managementdirectionforthe study areais found inthe currentTongassLandManagement
Plan. TheLandManagementPlanidentifies thesemanagementareas (S04 and S09) asone
oftheprincipal landbasesfortimberproductionforthe AlaskaPulp Corporation(APC)tim-
bersalecontract. The northernandeasternportionsofKuiuIslandare tobe managedto ful-
fillasubstantialportionofAPC’stimbervolume commitmentwiththeUnited States. This
areahasbeenincorporatedinto the contractas acontingency areaforprovidingtimberfrom
public landsto adependentindustry.
Background
Inorderto encourage economic development, includingstable employment, insoutheast
Alaska, the CongressoftheUnited States authorizedthe Forest Service to enterinto long
termtimbersalecontracts. Accordingly, theForest Service and AlaskaLumberandPulp
Corporation, now AlaskaPulp Corporation(APC),entered into a50-yearcontractin 1956.
Underthe terms ofthis agreementtheForest Service is obligated to make timberavailable
forharvestby APConBaranof, Chichagof,Kuiu, andotherassociated islands.
InNovemberof1990, PresidentBushsignedtheTongassTimberReform Act. This Actreaf-
firmed Congressional intentionsto continue the long-termtimbersale contracts inAlaska.
The Actspecifiedthatcommercialtimberharvestwould notbe harvestedwithinat least 100
feetofanadromousfishstreams andprovideddirectionformodificationofthe long-term
contractsto makethem similarto independenttimbersale contracts. The Actalso provided
directionaboutwhichlands shouldbe designatedaswilderness, whichlands shouldbe man-
agedprimarily forroadless recreation, andwhichlandswouldbe managedfortimberpro-
duction. All ofthealternativesconsidered inthisEIS are consistentwiththis legislatioa
Decision Needed
The decisiontobe madeiswhetherto maketimberavailableforharvestto meetcontractual
obligationsto APCand improvetimberproductivity inthe NorthAnd EastKuiuProject
areawhile also providingacombinationofrecreation, fish, water, and wildlifeforthe needs
ofsociety now and into the future. Iftimberis madeavailable forharvest, AbigailR. Kim-
bell. Forest Supervisor, TongassNationalForest, Stikine Area, will decide (a) whetherto
proceedwiththeprojectand how muchvolumeto make available; (b) thelocationandde-
signofthetimberharvestunitsand necessary logtransferfacilities; (c) the locationandde-
signofassociated mainlineandlocal roadcorridors; and (d) mitigationmeasuresand
enhancementopportunitiesforall resources inthe project area.
2 Summary NorthandEastKuiuFinalEIS