Proposed Nevada Test and Training Range resource management plan and final environmental impact statement

252 Pages·2003·64.5 MB·English

by  United States. Bureau of Land Management. Las Vegas Field Office

BLM LIBRARY
88067096
UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
Las Vegas Field Office
4701 North Torrey Pines Drive
Las Vegas, Nevada 89130-2301
May 2003
PROPOSED NEVADA TEST & TRAINING RANGE
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN AND
FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT
MISSION STATEMENT
The Bureau of Land Management is responsible for stewardship of our public lands. The BLM
is committed to manage, protect and improve these lands in a manner to serve the needs of the
American people. Management is based upon the principles of multiple use and sustained yield
of our nation’s resources within a framework of environmental responsibility and scientific
technology. These resources include recreation, rangelands, timber, minerals, watershed, fish
and wildlife habitat, wilderness, air and scenic quality, as well as scientific and cultural values.
BLM/LV/PL-03/019+1793
United States Department of the Interior
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
Nevada State Office
1340 Financial Blvd., P.O. Box 12000
Reno, Nevada 89520-0006
In Reply Refer To:
1610 (LVFO)
(NV930.1)
(NV050)
Dear Reader:
Enclosed for your review is the Proposed Nevada Test and Training Range Resource Management Plan (Plan) and Final
Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS). This proposed Plan outlines the various decisions for management of renewable and
non-renewable resources on approximately 2.2 million acres of public land in Clark, Lincoln and Nye counties, Nevada. The
Plan is open for a 30 day protest period beginning on the day the EPA notices the availability of the document in the Federal
Register, which we anticipate to be around May 9, 2003. The BLM and the military have agreed on the content of the plan.
This Proposed Plan and FEIS has been developed in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and the
Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976. This plan is a slight variation of alternative B, modified based on
coordination with the military and by public comment. This document contains a summary of the decisions and resulting
impacts, an overview of the planning process and planning issues, the Proposed Plan, a summary of written and verbal comments
received during review of the Draft Plan, and responses to the substantive issues raised during the review.
The proposed Plan may be protested by any person who participated in the planning process, and who has an interest which is
or may be, adversely affected by the approval of the proposed Plan. A protest may raise only those issues which were submitted
for the record during the planning process (see 43 Code of Federal Regulations 1610.5-2). Protests must be filed with the
Director (210), Attn. Brenda Williams, P.O. Box 66538, Washington D.C. 20035 or overnight mail U.S. Department of the
Interior, Director, BLM, Protest Coordinator (WO-210), 1620 “L” Street NW RM 1075, Washington D.C. 20036.
All protests must be written and must be postmarked no later than 30 days after the notice of availability is published in the
Federal Register by the EPA. Any protest submitted shall contain the following information:
• The name, mailing address, telephone number, and interest of the person filing the protest.
• A statement of the issue or issues being protested.
• A statement of the part or parts of the document being protested.
• A copy of all documents addressing the issue or issues previously submitted during the planning process by the
protesting party, or an indication of the date the issue or issues were discussed for the record.
• A concise statement explaining precisely why the Bureau of Land Management, Nevada State Director's decision is
wrong.
Upon resolution of any protests, an Approved Plan and Record of Decision will be issued. The approved Plan/Record of
Decision will be mailed to all individuals who participated in this planning process and all other interested public upon their
request.
Sincerely,
Robert V. Abbey I
State Director, Nevada

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Nevada Test and Training Range
Resource Management Plan
and
Final Environmental Impact Statement
Prepared by:
Department of the Interior
Bureau of Land Management
Las Vegas Field Office
May 2003
This Proposed Nevada Test and Training Range Resource Management Plan and Final Environmental
Impact Statement represents a coordinated effort with the military and other interests concerned about
management of the resources on the Nevada Test and Training Range. This plan provides the means to
meet both the military’s mandate to provide an area for quality pilot training and BLM’s mandate to
improve the health of the rangeland for all wildlife as well as wild horses.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
SUMMARY
Introduction.1
Summary of All Alternatives.S1-1
Summary of All Impacts of the Alternatives.S2-2
ACRONYMS
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 General Information.1-1
1.2 Purpose and Need for Action.1-1
1.3 Description of the Planning Area.1-1
1.4 Public Law 106-65 Requirements.1-3
1.5 Jurisdiction Under the Clean Air Act.1-4
1.6 Planning Process Overview.1-4
1.7 Planning Issues.1-7
1.8 Planning Criteria.1-9
1.9 Consistency with Other Plans.1-10
CHAPTER 2
PROPOSED PLAN AND RANGE OF ALTERNATIVES
2.1 Introduction.2-1
2.2 Range of Alternatives.2-2
2.3 Plan Implementation.2-2
2.4 Alternatives Considered but Dropped From Detailed Analysis.2-2
2.5 Alternatives Considered in the Draft Resource Management Plan.2-2
2.6 The Proposed RMP/EIS.2-3
2.6.1 Air Resource Management.2-5
2.6.2 Soils Resource Management.2-5
2.6.3 Water Resource Management.2-5
2.6.4 Riparian Management.2-6
2.6.5 Vegetation Management.2-6
2.6.6 Visual Resource Management.2-6
2.6.7 Fish and Wildlife Habitat Management.2-7
2.6.8 Special Status Species Management.2-9
2.6.9 Forestry Management.2-9
2.6.10 Livestock Grazing Management.2-9
2.6.11 Wild Horse and Burro Management.2-10
2.6.12 Cultural Resource Management.2-11
2.6.13 Lands Management.2-11
2.6.14 Areas of Critical Environmental Concern.2-11
2.6.15 Recreation Management.2-11
2.6.16 Wilderness Management.2-12
2.6.17 Minerals Management.2-12
2.6.18 Hazardous Materials Management.2-12
2.6.19 Fire Management.2-12
l
CHAPTER 3
AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT
3.1 Introduction.3-1
3.2 Description of the Planning Area.3-1
3.3 Affected Environment.3-5
3.3.1 Air Resource Management.3-5
3.3.2 Soils Resource Management.3-5
3.3.3 Water Resource Management.3-6
3.3.4 Riparian Resource Management.3-14
3.3.5 Vegetation Resource Management.3-15
3.3.6 Visual Resource Management.3-23
3.3.7 Wildlife Resource Management.3-24
3.3.8 Sensitive Species Management.3-34
3.3.9 Forest Resource Management.3-41
3.3.10 Livestock Grazing Management.3-41
3.3.11 Wild Horse and Burro Management.3-44
3.3.12 Cultural Resource Management.3-50
3.3.13 Lands Management.3-51
3.3.14 Natural Areas and Areas of Critical Environmental Concern.3-51
3.3.15 Recreation Management.3-52
3.3.16 Wilderness Management.3-52
3.3.17 Minerals Management.3-52
3.3.18 Hazardous Materials Management.3-54
3.3.19 Fire Management.3-56
3.3.20 Socio-Economic Effects.3-59
CHAPTER 4
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES
4.1 Introduction.4-1
4.2 Analysis Guidelines.4-1
4.3 Assumptions for Analysis.4-1
4.4 Assessment of the Consequences.4-2
4.4.1 Air Resource Management.4-2
4.4.2 Soils Resource Management.4-2
4.4.3 Water Resource Management.4-3
4.4.4 Riparian Resource Management.4-4
4.4.5 Vegetation Resource Management.4-4
4.4.6 Visual Resource Management.4-5
4.4 7 Wildlife Resource Management.4-6
4.4 8 Sensitive Species Management.4-8
4.4.9 Livestock Grazing Management.4-8
4.4.10 Wild Horse and Burro Management.4-9
4.4.11 Cultural Resource Management.4-10
4.4.12 Lands Management.4-10
4.4.13 Natural Areas and Areas of Critical Environmental Concern.4-10
4.4.14 Recreation Management.4-11
4.4.15 Wilderness Management.4-11
4.4.16 Minerals Management.4-11
4.4.17 Hazardous Materials Management.4-11
ii
4.4.18 Fire Management.4-12
4.4.19 Socio-Economic Consequences.4-12
4.5 Cumulative Impacts.4-13
CHAPTER 5
CONSULTATION AND COORDINATION
5.1 Introduction.5-1
5.2 Public Scoping/Participation. 5-1
5.3 Consultation.5-3
5.4 Coordination.5-4
5.5 Public Review of the Draft.5-4
5.6 List of Preparers.5-4
CHAPTER 6
PLAN IMPLEMENTATION, MAINTENANCE, AND AMENDMENT
6.1 Introduction.6-1
6.2 Plan Implementation.6-1
6.3 Plan Maintenance.6-1
6.4 Plan Amendments.6-1
6.5 Plan Amendment Process.6-2
6.6 Plan Amendment Information.6-3
CHAPTER 7
REFERENCES.7-1
LIST OF TABLES
3-1 Temperature records for official weather stations located around the perimeter of the
NTTR. 3-3
3-2 Valley collector drainage areas of the Nevada Test and Training Range.3-9
3-3 Dry lakebed drainage areas (as reported in USAF, 1997b).3-9
3-4 Regional flow system recharge (1,000 acre-ft/year) within the NTTR.3-12
3-5 Production wells on the NTTR.3-13
3-6 Noxious weeds identified by the Nevada Department of Agriculture.3-20
3-7 Threatened, endangered, and sensitive species known to occur, or expected to occur
in the planning area.3-36
3-8 Annual Wild Horse and Burro Removals from NTTR, 1995-2000.3-49
3-9 Successional classes/phases developed by Blackburn and Tueller (1970).3-57
5-1 List of Preparers.5-5
5-2 List of agency reviewers and technical support and guidance provider.5-6
5-3 BLM Management Support and Guidance.5-6
5-4 Scoping Meetings.5-7
in
LIST OF FIGURES
1- 1 Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR). Areas on the NTTR that overlap with
the Desert National Wildlife Range (DNWR) are not part of the planning area.1-2
2- 1 The Proposed Plan.2-5
2- 2 visual Resource Management and Area of Critical Environmental Concern.2-8
3- 1 Disturbance features on the Nevada Test and Training Range. Linear feature include
roads, trails, power lines, and communication lines. Area features include
facilities, training areas and targets.3-2
3-2 Schematic diagram of the prominent hydrologic features in arid environments.3-7
3-3 Hydrographic Basins of the Nevada Test and Training Range.3-8
3-4 Pinyon-juniper woodlands classified using Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper (ETM)
satellite imagery.3-18
3-5 Potential sage grouse habitat as mapped in spring 2001.3-26
3-6 Antelope use areas.3-27
3-7 Mule deer use areas.3-29
3-8 Bighorn sheep use areas.3-30
3-9 Desert tortoise habitat.3-39
3-10 Livestock grazing allotments within the planning area.3-42
3-11 Ground survey point counts of wild horses in the planning area, 1972 and 1974.3-45
3-12 Approximate 1971 wild horse herd area.3-47
APPENDICES
APPENDIX A
Public Land Classifications.A-l
APPENDIX B
Total mineral production by mining district on the NTTR.B-l
APPENDIX C
NTTR Hydrologic Data.C-l
APPENDIX D
Special Status Species.D-l
APPENDIX E
Public Comments and BLM Responses.E-l
APPENDIX F
Water sources and flows within the CORE Area.F-l
GLOSSARY
INDEX
IV