Environmental assessment : animal damage control on public lands

138 Pages·1994·15.4 MB·English

by  United States. Bureau of Land Management. Casper District

BLM LIBRARY
.S. Department of the Interior
uureau of Land Management
Casper District Office February 1994
Environmental Assessment
Animal Damage Control on Public Lands
Administered by the U.S. Department of the Interior,
Bureau of Land Management,
Casper Wyoming
District,
BLM Library
HD Denver Federal Center
243 OC-521
Bldg. 50,
.W8 RO. Box 25047
C376 Denver, CO 80225
1994
0
The Bureau of Land Management is responsibleforthe balanced managementof the public lands and
resources and theirvarious values so thatthey are considered in acombination thatwill bestsen/ethe
needsoftheAmericanpeople. Managementisbased upontheprinciplesofmultipleuseand sustained
yield:acombinationofusesthattakeintoaccountthelongtermneedsoffuturegenerationsforrenewable
andnonrenewable resources. These resourcesinclude recreation, range, timber, minerals, watershed,
fish and wildlife, wilderness and natural, scenic, scientific and cultural values.
BLM/WY/EA-94/005+421
BLM Library
C©nt6r
Denvar Faderal
OC-521
Bldg. 50,
Box 25047
P.O.
CO 80225
Denver,
WY-062-4-027
TAKE
United States Department of the Interior aS^
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
CASPER DISTRICT OFFICE
6830
1701 East E Street
Casper, Wyoming 82601
Dear Reader:
Enclosed is the Environmental Assessment for Animal Damage Control on Public
Lands Administered by the U.S. Department of the interior. Bureau of Land Man-
agement, Casper District. It was prepared in response to an animal damage control
plan submitted by the Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). It only ad-
dresses those actions within the management control of the BLM within the Casper
District.
Comments should be sent to the above address and will be accepted until February
25, 1994. After that date all comments received will be taken into consideration
before a decision is made on which alternative to select.
If you have questions feel free to call Glen Nebeker of my staff at [phone]
or come into the office at the above address.
Sincerely,
Manager
District
Enclosure
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ENVIRONMENTAL
ASSESSMENT
ANIMAL DAMAGE CONTROL ON PUBLIC LANDS
ADMINISTERED BY
THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
CASPER DISTRICT
EA No. WY-062-4-027
February 1994 BLM Library
Denver Federal Center
OC-521
Bldg. 50,
RO. Box 25047
CO 80225
Denver,
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
PURPOSE OF, AND NEED FOR, THE PROPOSED ACTION
1
Introduction
1
Conformance With Land Use Plans 5
ALTERNATIVES, INCLUDING THE PROPOSED ACTION 5
Introduction 5
Alternative The Proposed Action 5
1 :
Introduction 5
ADC
Description of Techniques 8
Nonlethal Control 8
Lethal Control 8
Aerial Shooting 8
Hot Pursuit 9
Ground Shooting 9
Trapping 9
Live Trapping 10
Snares
1
Denning
1
M-44S
1
Domestic Dogs
1
Other Techniques 12
ADC
Planned Activities 1
Authorized Control Areas
1
Special Considerations and Restrictions
1
Human Safety Zones
1
Limited Control Areas 14
Bird Hunting Areas/Dog Protection 14
Dog Training Areas 14
Bald Eagle Wintering Concentration Areas 14
Raptor Nesting Areas 14
Crucial Big Game Habitat 15
Wilderness Areas and Wilderness Study Areas (WSAs)
1
Rodent Control
1
Emergency Control
1
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
ALTERNATIVES, INCLUDING THE PROPOSED ACTION (continued)
Alternative 2: The Preferred Alternative 16
Introduction 16
Human Safety Zones
1
Limited Control Areas 6
1
Dog Training Areas 16
Bald Eagle Wintering Concentration Areas
1
WSAs
Wilderness Areas and
1
Black-footed Ferret Reintroduction Area
1
Rodent Control
1
Alternative 3: No Action 18
Alternative 4: Continuation of BLM Emergency
Control Process 8
1
Alternative 5: No BLM Restrictions 1 9
THE AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT 9
1
Introduction 19
Threatened and Endangered Species
1
Black-footed Ferret 9
1
Bald Eagle 20
Peregrine Falcon 20
Wildlife Resources 21
Elk 21
Deer 21
Pronghorn Antelope 21
Moose 21
Predators, Furbearers, and Trophy Game 22
Game Birds 22
Raptors 22
Nongame Animals 25
Wilderness Areas and WSAs 25
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES 25
Introduction 25
Alternative The Proposed Action 26
1 :
Threatened and Endangered Species 26
Black-footed Ferret 26
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