environmental assessment for the hog lake road improvement project

Ramona Hog Lake Road Improvement Project August 2011
For the Proposed Action, public safety for those traveling on Hog Lake Road will be
improved. Emergency and wildfire vehicle access and response times will be
improved. The road will be all-weather accessible, navigation will be made easier for
emergency vehicle personnel, and the road will be better able to accommodate
larger, less easily maneuverable vehicles such as fire fighting vehicles. During times
of emergency or disaster, evacuation will be made safer and more efficient for
Ramona Reservation residents. All construction and maintenance equipment will be
maintained according to BMP’s and have all required spark arrestors and fire
suppression equipment as delineated in the Fire Plan. These measures will minimize
the potential for fire starts from project implementation or maintenance. After
construction, there would not be any additional fire risk to area due to
implementation of the Proposed Action.
Cumulative Effects
No Action:
Under the No Action alternative, the risk to public safety from fire would persist at
current levels or increase. Other projects in the area have reduced fire risk, such as
the various fuel reduction projects, and the continued access and safety problems of
Hog Lake Road would reduce the effectiveness and benefits of those other projects.
Under the No Action alternative response times for wildfires by emergency vehicles
in the area would continue to be slow and the Ramona Reservation residents and
other road users would continue to be at great risk during times of emergency, as
the sole means of vehicle ingress and egress would continue to deteriorate.
Proposed Action:
Under the Proposed Action better all-weather access will add to increased fire safety
in the area and will add to the fire-risk reduction benefits imparted by the fuel
reduction projects in the area. Emergency and wildfire vehicle access and response
times and all-weather reliability will be tremendously improved. Navigation will be
made easier for emergency vehicle personnel, and the road will be better able to
accommodate larger, less easily maneuverable vehicles such as fire fighting
vehicles, and this will benefit the entire area as fire-fighting vehicles may be able to
access any wildfires starting in the area sooner. During times of emergency or
disaster, the paved road will provide a reliable, safe evacuation route for all users of
the road.
Frank Springer & Associates, Inc. Page 55 of 79 Environmental Assessment