No Action Alternative. The No Action Alternative is the baseline from which to compare the Proposed Action and Alternative 3 that are assessed in the EA. Under the No Action Alternative, Applicant would continue to conduct forest practices in compliance with the current Forest Practices Rules (i.e., marbled murrelet rules), the proposed SHA would not be implemented, and the USFWS would not issue a Permit to Applicant. An approximate 40-year timber-harvest rotation (range of 35 to 70 years) would be implemented. When forest stands, or appropriately sized polygons of forest, reached 35-45 years of age and stand conditions are suitable for harvesting, the stands would be harvested for regeneration, although some stands may be much older before harvesting occurs due to site conditions. Marbled Murrelet Habitat Management under the Washington Forest Practices Rules Marbled murrelets in Washington are protected under both State and federal regulations. The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission listed the marbled murrelet as a State threatened species in 1993 and State endangered in 2016. The marbled murrelet was federally-listed as a threatened species in 1992. The Washington Forest Practice regulations require that both State and federally listed species be considered for designation of “critical habitat state” – a designation that serves as a trigger for State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) review (WAC 222-16-050(1)(b)). In addition, Section 9 of the ESA prohibits “take” of listed species. Together, the State and federal regulations provide a framework for marbled murrelet management guidelines in Washington. Timber harvest on the private lands is subject to the provisions of the Washington Forest Practices Rules for marbled murrelets that were adopted by the Forest Practices Board in 1996, and became effective in 1997. The Washington Forest Practices Rules for murrelets were adopted by the Forest Practices Board because the Board recognized that the protection of occupied marbled murrelet habitat on State and private lands would contribute to the overall conservation of marbled murrelets in Washington. Generally, the Washington Forest Practices Rules are designed to identify and protect occupied marbled murrelet habitat on nonfederal lands through habitat assessments, survey requirements and the SEPA review process.
No Action Alternative. Figures 4-5 through 4-8 in the SHA show spotted owl habitat retention within the White Salmon SOSEA and across all the covered lands over a 60-year time frame under a regeneration harvest regime with an average 45-year rotation under the No Action Alternative. These figures provide the basis for the following discussion of environmental consequences to species that may be affected by forest management activities that will occur under the No Action Alternative.
No Action Alternative. Under the No Action Alternative, land uses and land-ownership patterns in the vicinity of the SHA covered lands would not change relative to current conditions. The Applicants would continue to manage its forestry activities according to standard Forest Practices Rules. As this would not represent any change to existing conditions, and managed timberland is an encouraged use in rural Klickitat and Skamania Counties in Washington, and Hood River and Wasco Counties in Oregon, the No Action Alternative is not anticipated to have any negative impacts on land-use patterns, land ownership, or nearby communities. If current forest practices continue unchanged no new wildlife habitat would be created relative to current conditions, thereby lessening the probability of use by owls, as well as other wildlife. In addition, under the No Action Alternative, land use designations may change in the future resulting in less forestry land use and perhaps more for agriculture and or residential use, with a corresponding reduction in the potential for spotted owl habitat to develop.
No Action Alternative. Under the No Action Alternative, the Applicants would continue to manage its forestry activities according to standard Forest Practices Rules. They would continue to harvest legally accessible spotted owl habitat at an accelerated rate to ensure elimination of the habitat within the next decade. For Skamania, Wasco, and Hood River Counties, there should be no change in the socioeconomic environment. But in Klickitat County, an accelerated harvest over the next decade could have impacts to the local community, especially for the SDS Lumber Company mill and its suppliers and customers. In the short-term, the accelerated harvest could increase timber-related employment and income due to the possible need for additional employees to harvest and process the increased timber. However, after the intense harvesting is completed, it could result in lay-offs. This level of harvest activity is different than what has occurred in the past when the Applicants were harvesting their own timber, or from other ownerships, at a level that would be sustained over a long period of time, thus, ensuring a consistent flow of timber to local xxxxx. The No Action Alternative, depending on future economic cycles, could result in reductions in future employment opportunities and incomes, however, accurately forecasting this is not possible.. Environmental justice impacts are those that would be disproportionately realized by minority or low-income populations as a result of the covered activities. However, this only applies if the percentage of minority, Hispanic, and low-income populations in the study area is meaningfully greater than the percentage of minority, Hispanic, and low-income populations in the general population (i.e., Skamania and Klickitat Counties and the State of Washington, and Hood River and Wasco Counties and the State of Oregon). This is not the case in the study area. Therefore, there would be no environmental justice impacts associated with the No Action Alternative.
No Action Alternative. Under the No Action Alternative, global, regional, and local climate change trends are expected to continue. Climate changes resulting in increases in wildfire frequency, higher spring and summer temperatures, precipitation amount and timing of occurrence, and increased frequency and intensity of insect outbreaks may have negative effects on habitat for the spotted owl. However, the potential for insect outbreaks would be reduced with an accelerated rate of harvest and intensive forest management over the next decade. Trees sequester carbon as they grow and, to a certain point, older trees sequester more, by volume, than do younger trees on an annual basis (Xxxx et al. 2008, Washington Climate Advisory Team 2007). Based on the current age-class distribution of forested stands in the covered area, the rate of harvest of older trees (approximately 3,500 acres/year), and assuming that trees would be harvested at an average age of 45, approximately 43% percent of the covered area would be regeneration harvested in the current decade. Based on an assumed 45-year average harvest rotation, stands would continue to be harvested in a cyclical manner and harvest would be greater in the initial decades. This would reduce the amount of carbon sequestered in the covered area as the smaller trees and seedlings planted after regeneration harvest would not sequester as much carbon as would the older trees that were removed.
No Action Alternative. The no action alternative provides the baseline and the consequences should nothing be done to address the conditions requiring relief. It is preferable to give an estimated cost for the no action alternative.
No Action Alternative. Under the No Action Alternative, habitat conditions are expected to continue to improve in a manner that supports the recreation goals described in the Xxxx NWR Management Plan. As described above, recreation use on the Xxxx NWR is expected to increase from 3,100 visitor-use days per year (mid-1980s levels) to more than 5,300 visitor-use days per year as the Management Plan is implemented. This expected recreation benefit is attributable to the habitat improvements under firm Level 2 supplies and the Level 4 increment.
No Action Alternative. Under the No Action Alternative, the proposed SHA would not be implemented and the USFWS would not issue a Permit to the Applicants. Under this alternative, the Applicants would continue to conduct their forest management activities in accordance with applicable Forest Practices Rules in Oregon and Washington (Sections 2.1.1 and 2.1.2 below), and would avoid take of the northern spotted owl by not harvesting the 4,697 acres of suitable owl that is currently restricted from harvest under Washington Forest Practices Rules. The Applicants would implement an approximate 45-year timber-harvest rotation. When forest stands, or appropriately sized patches of forest, reach 45 years of age, they would be harvested for regeneration. SDS and BLC would conduct pre-commercial thinning, and commercial thinning would be conducted where economically practicable as part of their forest management plan, but not to accelerate spotted owl habitat growth under the No Action Alternative. The following list briefly describes the forest management activities associated with the No Action Alternative. Not all of the conservation activities that are associated with standard Washington Forest Practices Rules (WAC Title 222) are identified below, however any that are not included would apply equally to both alternatives. General forest management activities on commercial forests in Washington and Oregon: plant and monitor until “free to grow”; controlling competing vegetation as needed; pre-commercial thinning at 10-12 years old where conditions warrant it; commercial thin where economically practical, but not to accelerate Young Forest Marginal (YFM) habitat; monitor stand health and damage, and salvage opportunistically to recover value; conduct regeneration harvest at an average age of 45 years; and construct and maintain roads for forest management access. Wildlife Reserve Tree Management (WAC 222-30-020): For each acre harvested in Eastern Washington, leave 2 wildlife reserve trees(>10 feet tall and >10 inches DBH), 2 green recruitment trees(>10 feet tall and >12 inches DBH), and 2 down logs(> 20 feet long and >12 inches diameter at small end). Northern spotted owl habitat conservation (WAC 000-00-00, and ORS 527.610): Retain 2,605 acres of the highest quality suitable spotted owl habitat within 1.8 mile radius circles of owl site centers associated with SOSEAs. There are 18 of these circles that intersect with the applicants lands and a total of 4,697 acres of t...
No Action Alternative. Under the No Action Alternative, forested stands greater than 60 years old outside the 1.8-mile spotted owl home range radius on the Applicants’ ownership in Washington will be targeted for harvest if they are likely to be spotted owl habitat as defined in the Washington Forest Practices Rules. In Oregon, stands greater than 45 years of age will also be targeted for harvest. Currently, there are 18,646 acres of forest stands between 60-80 years of age (YFM) and 18,478 acres of forest stands greater than 80 years of age (Sub-Mature) on the covered lands. Approximately 40,000 acres of older forests will be harvested in the next 10-15 years. Harvest at this level will result in a total of 4,697 acres of spotted owl habitat remaining across all covered lands, 3,694 acres of which will be in the White Salmon SOSEA, with the remainder in the Columbia Gorge SOSEA, i.e., areas currently restricted under existing regulatory mechanisms. In the period from 20-60 years into the future, the Applicants will manage their commercial forestlands on a 45-year rotation ensuring no forest stands greater than 45 years of age occur on the landscape except in riparian buffers and other sensitive areas that require retention of trees to protect unique ecological values. Snag retention, as they are available, and green trees retained to become older ‘wildlife trees,’ will be provided as required by the Oregon and Washington Forest Practices Rules under the No Action Alternative. However, these would only be the minimums required and often times do not include any snags because of forest conditions created by previous regeneration harvests. The landscape will, thus, be a mixture of young forest age classes distributed across the landscape. Understory vegetation associated with older forests will be eliminated as these stands are harvested. Of the special-status plant species that may occur in the covered area, only tall bugbane and clustered lady's-slipper are associated with mature forests. Under the No Action Alternative, habitat for these species would be limited and likely reduced as mature forest stands that constitutes spotted owl habitat is removed. However, it is possible that some forest stands containing these plant species will remain if they are located in or adjacent to riparian buffers or in leave tree areas required under Oregon and Washington Forest Practices Rules. Western wahoo, which is associated with moist draws and ravines, is most likely to occur in RMZs and ...
No Action Alternative. The “No Action Alternative” assumes that there will be no airport related expansion at the two (2) existing public owned airports nor will the replacement airport be constructed.
