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Historic, Archive Document Do not assume content reflects current scientific knowledge, policies, or practices. 2iST> tl .h?3 > C USDA North Prince of United States Wales Capitan Department of / El Agriculture Forest Service Road Improvements Tongass National Forest R10-MB-437 Project l If ll September 2001 1* is -o i 1? =• g jr Environmental Assessment List of Acronyms AASHTO American Association ofState Highway and Transportation Officials ADEC Alaska Department ofEnvironmental Conservation ADF&G Alaska Department ofFish and Game ADT average daily traffic ADOT&PF Alaska Department ofTransportation and Public Facilities ANILCA Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act BMP best management practice BP before present CEQ Council ofEnvironmental Quality CFR Code ofFederal Regulations CWA Clean Water Act EA environmental assessment EFH Essential Fish Habitat FEIS Final Environmental Impact Statement GIS Geographic Information System ID interdisciplinary A IF Inter-Island Ferry Authority LUD land use designation NEPA National Environmental Policy Act NFSR National Forest system road NMFS National Marine Fisheries Service NPDES National Pollutant and Discharge Elimination System NPOW North Prince ofWales Island NWI National Wetlands Inventory POWCAC Prince ofWales Community Advisory Council RV recreational vehicle USEPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency USFS USDA Forest Service USFWS U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service VPR visual priority route VQO visual quality objectives WFLHD Western Federal Lands Highway Division Printed on Recycled Paper United States Forest Alaska Region Thorne Bay Ranger District Department of Service Tongass National Forest P.O. Box 19001 Agriculture Thorne Bay, Alaska 99919 (907) 828-3304 FAX: (907) 828-3309 File Code: 1950 Date: September 10, 2001 DearReader: Enclosed is a copy ofthe North Prince ofWales/El Capitan Road Improvements Environmental Assessment (EA) foryour review and comment. This document analyzes one no-action and three action alternatives. The action alternatives are summarizedbelow. Alternative 2 (Preferred Alternative): This proposal Alternative 4: Thisproposal wouldupgrade two areas to would upgrade two areas to paved, two-lane roads: eitherpaved orgravel, two-lane roads: • FDR 20 from its intersection with FDR 23 to its • FDR 20 from its intersectionwith FDR 23 to its intersection with FDR 15 intersection withFDR27 (paved) • FDR 15 from its intersection with FDR 20 to the • FDR 27 from its intersection withFDR 20 to its El Capitan Cave intersection with FDR 30 (gravel) Alternative 3: This proposal would upgrade three areas No newroadsegments wouldbe constructed foranyof to paved, two-lane roads: the action alternatives. The design speed limit forall • FDR 20 from its intersectionwithFDR 23 to its improved roads wouldbe 35 mph. All action intersection with FDR 25 alternatives include recreation features to improve visitor • FDR 25 from its intersection with FDR 20 to its enjoyment ofthe area, which may include scenery intersectionwith FDR 30 enhancements, picnic areas, restrooms, trail access, • FDR 30 from its intersectionwithFDR 25 to its parking, pull-out areas, and interpretive signs. intersection with FDR 27 The commentperiod forthe EA will close 30 days after the date thepublic notice is published in theKetchikan DailyNews, the newspaperofrecord. Thepublicationdate is anticipated tobe September 14. Please include the following information withyourcomments: 1. Name, address, and(ifpossible) telephone number; 2. Title ofthe document(s) onwhich comment is being submitted; 3. Specific facts orcomments along with supporting reasons that you believe the Responsible Official should consider in reaching a decision. Dave Schmid, Thome Bay District Ranger, is the official responsible forthe decision. Please send writtencomments to: RobertWetherell, Thome Bay RangerDistrict, P.O. Box 19001, Thome Bay, AK 99919. You may call (907) 828-3304 foradditional information orifyouwould like additional copies ofthis EA. Sincerely, DAVID SCHMID E. DistrictRanger Caring for the Land and Serving People PrintedonRecycledPaper Table of Contents CHAPTER PURPOSE AND NEED FOR ACTION 1-1 1 INTRODUCTION 1-1 OVERVIEW 1-1 PROJECT AREA DESCRIPTION 1-2 RELATED FUTURE PROJECTS 1-4 FOREST PLAN DIRECTION 1-4 Forest Plan Land Use Designations 1-5 Desired Future Condition 1-6 PURPOSE AND NEED 1-9 PROPOSED ACTION 1-10 TIME FRAMES 1-10 DECISIONS TO BE MADE 1-10 PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT 1-11 Scoping Brochure 1-11 Public Meetings 1-11 Public Comments 1-11 ISSUES 1-12 Issue 1: Whale Pass Access 1-12 Issue 2: Quality ofDriving Experience 1-12 Issue 3: Karst and Cave Protection 1-12 Issue 4: Wetland Protection 1-13 Issue 5: Sedimentation and Turbidity Effects 1-13 PLANNING RECORD 1-13 CHAPTER ALTERNATIVES 2 2-1 INTRODUCTION 2-1 OVERVIEW 2-1 ALTERNATIVE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS 2-1 Alternatives Considered but Eliminated from Detailed Study 2-2 Items Common to All Alternatives 2-2 ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED IN DETAIL 2-6 Alternative 2-7 1 Action Alternatives 2-8 COMPARISON OF ALTERNATIVES BY ISSUE 2-15 Issue 1: Whale Pass Access 2-15 Issue 2: Quality ofDriving Experience 2-16 NPOW/El Capitan RoadImprovements EA Table ofContents /' 1 Table of Contents Issue 3: Karst and Cave Protection 2-16 Issue 4: Wetland Protection 2-17 Issue 5: Sedimentation and Turbidity Effects 2-17 PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE 2-18 MITIGATION MEASURES 2-18 Forest Plan Standards and Guidelines 2-19 Best Management Practices (BMPs) 2-20 Monitoring 2-2 CHAPTER ENVIRONMENT AND EFFECTS 3 3-1 INTRODUCTION 3-1 OVERVIEW 3-1 ANALYZING EFFECTS 3-1 Direct, Indirect, and Cumulative Effects 3-1 Unavoidable Adverse Effects 3-1 Irreversible and Irretrievable Commitments 3-1 AVAILABLE INFORMATION 3-2 ENVIRONMENT AND EFFECTS ON THE SIGNIFICANT ISSUES 3-2 Issue 1: Whale Pass Access 3-2 Issue 2: Quality ofDriving Experience 3-3 Issue 3: Karst and Cave Protection 3-7 Issue 4: Wetland Protection 3-11 Issue 5: Sedimentation and Turbidity 3-16 OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS 3-20 Fisheries and Water Quality 3-20 Vegetation 3-30 Wildlife 3-34 Subsistence 3-37 Geology and Soils 3-39 Minerals 3-42 Scenery 3-43 Recreation 3-45 Land Use 3-48 Socioeconomics 3-49 Cultural Resources 3-52 Air Quality 3-53 Findings and Disclosures 3-53 CHAPTER REFERENCES 4 4-1 ii Table ofContents NPOW/El Capitan RoadImprovements EA Table of Contents CHAPTER 5 DISTRIBUTION LIST 5-1 FEDERAL AGENCIES 5-1 STATE AGENCIES/ELECTED OFFICIALS 5-1 LOCAL AGENCIES 5-1 NATIVE AMERICAN ORGANIZATIONS 5-2 ORGANIZATIONS 5-2 BUSINESSES 5-3 RESIDENTS AND INDIVIDUALS 5-5 APPENDIX A SCOPING REPORT - SUMMARY OF COMMENTS RECEIVED ON THE NORTH PRINCE OF WALES/EL CAPITAN ROAD IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT NPOW/El Capitan RoadImprovements EA Table ofContents • Hi Table of Contents LIST OF FIGURES 1- 2- 1-1 NP0W/E1 Capitan Road Improvement Project Location 1-3 2-2 LUD Designations in the Vicinity ofProject Roads 1-7 3- Typical Improved Road Cross Section 2-5 1 2-2 NPOW/E1 Capitan Road Improvement Alternatives 2-9 3 Proposed, New, or Improved Recreation Sites in the Vicinity ofProject Roads 2-13 Road Condition Survey: Locations ofWater Quality Concerns 1 1- Along the Project Roads 3-17 32--2 Streams in the Project Area and Road Crossings ofClass I and II Streams 3-21 2- 3-3 Road Condition Survey: Fish Passage Concerns Along the Project Roads 3-23 3- LIST OF TABLES 1 Reasonable Foreseen Future Projects in the Vicinity ofthe NPOW/E1 Capitan Road Improvements Project 1-4 1 Summary ofTreatment Options Selected for Road Segments by Action Alternative ....2-7 2 Comparison ofAlternatives by Issue, Output, and Effect 2-15 1 Known Karst Locations Within 300 Ft ofProject Roads 3-8 3-2 Known Karst Locations Within 300 Ft ofEach Alternative 3-10 3-3 GIS Mapped Wetland Acreage Within 100 Ft ofProject 3-12 3-4 Wetland Acreage Impacts by Alternative 3-15 3-5 Distance (in Ft) ofFreshwater Lakes and Saltwater Areas Crossed by or within 300 Ft ofProject Roads 3-16 3-6 Road Locations by Action Alternative Within 300 Ft ofa Freshwater Lake or Saltwater Area 3-19 3-7 Classification ofStreams Crossed by the Existing Roadways 3-25 3-8 The Number ofClass I or II Streams in Each Highway Segment Where Salmonids were Observed Upstream or Downstream ofthe Road Crossing 3-25 3-9 Classification ofStreams Crossed by Action Alternative 3-27 3-10 The Number ofClass I or II Streams Where Salmonids Were Observed Upstream or Downstream ofthe Road Crossing, by Action Alternative 3-27 3-1 1 Vegetation Types by Road Mileage in the Vicinity ofProject Area Roads 3-31 3-12 Sensitive and Rare Plants that May Occur in the NPOW/E1 Capitan Road Vicinity .... 3-33 3-13 Vegetation Removed and Converted by Alternative 3-33 iv Table ofContents NPOW/El Capitan RoadImprovements EA