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Historic, Archive Document Do not assume content reflects current scientific knowledge, policies, or practices. ^5 A 23 USDA Choimondeley Timber Sales United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service Tongass Draft Environmental Impart National ; Forest Statement \ R10-MB-423 November2000 -A c-> '£ to V rO c:' < fo V: ; " (/> United States Forest Alaska Region Craig Ranger District Departmentof Service TongassNationalForest P.O. Box 500 AK Agriculture Craig, 99921 File Code: 1950 Date: November 3, 2000 Dear Reviewer: Attached is your copy ofthe Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Cholmondeley Timber Sale on Prince ofWales Island on the Craig Ranger District ofthe Tongass National Forest. This document describes one no-action alternative and four action alternatives ranging from approximately 23.4 to 35.2 million board feet oftimber harvest. Atthis point, ourpreferred MMBF alternative is Alternative 5, which proposes to harvest approximately 35.2 on 1,511 acres, and construct 22.3 miles of specified road and three log transfer facilities. The comment period on the Draft EIS will be a minimum of45 days from the date ofpublication ofthe notice of availability in the Federal Register, anticipated to be December 1st 2000. The deadline for comments is anticipated to be January 15th 2001. The Final EIS is expected to be completed in spring 2001. Federal court decisions have established that reviewers of a Draft EIS must structure their participation so that it is meaningful and alerts an agency to the reviewer’s position and contentions. Environmental objections that could have been raised at the Draft stage may be waived ifnot raised until after completion ofthe Final EIS. This is so substantive comments and objections are made available to the Forest Service at a time when it can meaningfully consider them and respond to them in the Final EIS. As the Forest Supervisor, I am the responsible official for this project. As a result, I will be deciding whether or not timber harvest will occur in the Cholmondeley Project Area at this time. Furthermore, iftimber harvest does occur, I will be deciding where and how it occurs, if and where roads are developed, and what mitigation measures are required. Please send written comments to Dale Kanen, District.Ranger, or Gary Fawton, Team Leader, Attn: Cholmondeley EIS, USDA Forest Service, P.O. Box 500, Craig, AK 99921; or to the e-mail address: [email protected]. You may also call (907) 826-3271 for additional information or ifyou would like additional copies ofthe Draft EIS. Sincerely, Forest Supervisor Caring fortheLand and ServingPeople PrintedonRecycledPaper Cholmondeley Timber Sales Draft Environmental Impact Statement United Statest Department of Agriculture Tongass National Forest Ketchikan, Alaska Lead Agency USDAForest Service TongassNationalForest Responsible Official TomPuchlerz, Forest Supervisor TongassNationalForest Federal Building Ketchikan, Alaska 99901 For Further Information Contact DaleKanen, District Ranger or GaryLawton, TeamLeader Craig RangerDistrict TongassNationalForest P.O. Box 500 Craig, Alaska 99921 (907) 826-3271 Abstract TheForest Serviceisproposing to implement theTongassForest Plan byharvesting timber in the CholmondeleyProject Area. This DraftEnvironmental Impact Statementdescribes the effects offour “action” alternatives forharvesting timber and one“no action” alternative. The action alternatives would make from23 to 35 million board feet oftimber availablefor harvest within the Chomondeley ProjectArea on the Craig Ranger District. The significant issues addressedby the alternatives and theEIS include: 1) potential effects to Saltery Cove; 2) potential effects to Clover Bay; 3) potential effects to Sunny Cove; 4) timber sale economics and supply; and 5) roadless character. 11 Contents SUMMARY i CHAPTER 1-1 1 Introduction 1-1 Proposed Action 1-2 Decisions to Be Made 1-2 Project Area 1-5 Purpose and Need 1-5 Relationship to Forest Plan 1-7 Forest Plan Land Use Designations 1-7 Forest Plan Standards and Guidelines 1-8 Project Area Desired Future Condition 1-9 Public Involvement 1-10 Scoping 1-10 Availability of Draft EIS 1-1 Issues 1-11 Significant Issues 1-1 Other Issues and Concerns 1-14 Federal and State Permits, Licenses, and Certifications 1-15 Applicable Laws and Executive Orders 1-15 CHAPTER 2 2-1 Alternative Development Process 2-1 Landscape Analysis 2-1 Proposed Action 2-2 Alternative Development 2-3 Alternatives Considered but Eliminated from Detailed Study 2-3 Items Common to All Alternatives 2-3 6 Alternatives Considered in Detail 2-8 Alternative (No Action) 2-8 1 Alternative 2 2-9 Alternative 3 2-10 Alternative 4 2-13 Alternative 5 (Preferred) 2-15 Comparison of Alternatives 2-17 Mitigation 2-19 Monitoring 2-20 Findings and Disclosures 2-22 CHAPTER 3 3-1 Introduction 3-1 Land Divisions 3-1 Analyzing Effects 3-2 Environment and Effects of the Significant Issues 3-4 Issue 1 : Effects on Saltery Cove 3-4 Issue 2 - Effects on Clover Bay 3-1 Issue 3 - Effects on Sunny Cove 3-21 Issue 4: Timber Supply and Sale Economics 3-28 Issue 5: Roadless Character 3-40 Other Environmental Considerations 3-42 Silviculture 3-42 Wildlife 3-47 Threatened, Endangered, and Sensitive Species 3-60 Subsistence 3-61 Watersheds 3-63 Soil Productivity and Stability 3-64 Streams 3-68 Riparian Areas 3-70 Floodplains 3-71 Wetlands 3-71 Fisheries 3-76 Essential Fish Habitat 3-78 Recreation 3-79 Scenery 3-80 Heritage Resources 3-80 Karst Resources 3-81 Facilities 3-82 Log Transfer Facilities 3-82 Transportation 3-82 Air Quality 3-83