Environmental Assessment

AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT & ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES CHAPTER 3
vegetation and fuel treatment areas upon completion of management activities and would serve to
further mitigate the effects of the treatments on hiding and thermal cover.
Alternative 3 results in the greatest reduction in road and motorized trail density, because of the number
of miles of system roads closed or obliterated and the application of a seasonal closure. As a result, it
also provides the greatest potential reduction in habitat fragmentation, greatest increase in habitat
effectiveness, greatest decreases in potential wildlife harassment, and greatest reductions in habitat
damage or destruction. Alternative 2 does close or obliterate some system roads, the degree of
reduction is only marginally better than exists under Alternative 1, which would close or obliterate no
roads and implement no seasonal closure.
Much of the increase expected in habitat effectiveness and decreases in habitat fragmentation,
harassment levels, and habitat damage or destruction is dependant upon the effectiveness in enforcing
the prohibition on cross-country motorized travel. Current and projected staffing levels coupled with
limited budgets suggest that enforcement is likely to be uneven and difficult. It is unlikely that the
development of new non-designated roads and trails will be completely eliminated or controlled.
Habitat fragmentation, habitat damage or destruction, harassment of wildlife, and habitat effectiveness
are likely to continue to be adversely affected but below current levels. The rates of increase are also
expected to be lower than current rates.
Measurement Standard for: Acres closed to unrestricted cross-country motorized use
Alternative 1, 2 and 3: Alternative 3 would limit use in the winter range habitat during the proposed
seasonal closure from December 1 through March 31. With the exception of the seasonal closure
proposed under Alternative 3 none of the alternatives would restrict motorized cross-country vehicle
use anywhere in the planning area outside of the EFR OHV trail system area. Habitat would
continue to be fragmented and harassment of wildlife such as sage grouse would continue and
potentially increase with increasing activity. Resource impacts to sensitive soils, plants, and vegetation
could potentially increase with increasing activity.
Use would continue on designated roads and trails including the use of non-street legal OHVs on level
II roads. Cross-country motorized travel would continue to be prohibited within the EFR OHV trail
system area under all alternatives.
Cumulative Effects - Road and Motorized Trail Density – There are no identified cumulative or
cumulatively significant effects associated with the implementation of any of the three alternatives in
combination with any of the current, on-going or reasonable and foreseeable actions. With the
exception of the proposed designation of a Class II OHV route on Pine Mountain, none of those actions
propose any new road or motorized trail construction nor do any of them propose the closure of any
existing roads or motorized trails.
The proposed designated Class II OHV trail on Pine Mountain would use existing system roads and
undesignated routes that currently exist and have been identified and included in the analysis of effects.
There would be no measurable cumulative effect of this project under Alternative 1, 2 or 3. The
proposed trail route would utilize approximately five (5) miles of existing system roads that are not
closed under either alternative. The remaining approximately three (3) miles of the proposed route
would utilize existing non-designated routes. As a result, there would be no change in either the roads
only or road and motorized trail densities under those alternatives in the Pine Mountain WRHU. Road
and road and motorized trail densities would remain below 2.5 miles per square mile under each
alternative.
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