United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service White Mountain National Forest 33 Kancamagus Highway Conway, NH 03818 Comm: (603) 447-5448 TTY: (603) 447-3121 File Code: 1950 Date: February 26, 2007 Dear Sir or Madam, I am writing to invite you to comment on the Switchback Trail Relocation Project. The trail relocation would be located on lands managed by the White Mountain National Forest (WMNF) in the Towns of Jackson and Chatham, New Hampshire. The enclosed Scoping Report provides additional detail about this project, instructions on how to comment, as well as a map for your reference. This document is also posted on our WMNF web page: www.fs.fed.us/r9/white. You have received this letter because you own property in close proximity to the project area or have expressed interest in similar projects. I am interested in receiving your comments about our proposal, including any information about the project area that could help us improve our plans. Thank you for your interest in the management of the White Mountain National Forest. Sincerely, //Terry Miller// TERRY MILLER District Ranger Caring for the Land and Serving People Printed on Recycled Paper
Switchback Snowmobile Relocation Project United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service White Mountain National Forest Scoping Notice February 2007 For Information Contact: Lauren Oswald White Mountain National Forest 33 Kancamagus Hwy Conway, NH 03818 Phone: 603 447-5448 X109 Fax: 603 447-8405 www.fs.fed.us/r9/white 1
Switchback Snowmobile Trail Relocation Table of Contents White Mountain National Forest Introduction... 3 Background... 3 Purpose and Need... 4 Proposed Action... 4 Decisions to be Made... 5 Findings of Preliminary Analysis... 5 1. Threatened and Endangered Species or Their Critical Habitat... 5 2. Floodplains, Wetlands, or Municipal Watersheds... 5 3. Congressionally Designated Areas... 6 4. Inventoried Roadless Areas... 6 5. Research Natural Areas... 6 6. American Indians and Alaska Native religious or cultural sites & Archaeological Sites, or Historic Properties or Areas... 6 How to Submit Comments... 6 Maps... 9 2
Switchback Snowmobile Trail Relocation Scoping Report White Mountain National Forest Introduction The of the White Mountain National Forest (WMNF) is initiating a public scoping and formal 30-day comment period for the relocation of a snowmobile trail on WMNF land in the Towns of Jackson and Chatham, New Hampshire. This Report includes the Purpose and Need for the project, a description of the Proposed Action, the Decisions to be Made, and information on How You Can Submit Comments to the Forest Service. The enclosed map displays the proposed relocation area. Background Currently, there are about 400 miles of snowmobile trail on the White Mountain National Forest in Maine and New Hampshire. They form a network of trails that connect to and include the major corridor routes of the two states. Although the snowmobile trails on the National Forest are only a small part of the statewide and region-wide systems (New Hampshire has almost 7,000 miles of snowmobile trails; Maine has 13,000 miles), the location of the Forest, covering a large portion of central New Hampshire, makes trails on National Forest critical links in the larger network. The states of Maine and New Hampshire are major partners in providing snowmobile opportunities on the Forest. Local snowmobile clubs and the respective state agencies maintain many of the trails. The Slippery Brook area has historically served as a major access point to the Corridor 19/North South Snowmobile Trail, the main north-south snowmobile trail on the eastern side of New Hampshire. Corridor 19/North South Snowmobile Trail eventually connects with the State of Maine Interconnected Trail System, the ITS 80 is a major corridor trail in the State of Maine. Generally, this is a result of the Slippery Brook areas capacity to hold early and late season snow efficiently, and its close proximity to North Conway. In low snow years Slippery Brook provides a reliable snowmobile riding opportunity and connector route. The Slippery Brook area is also managed to provide wildlife habitat and timber opportunities, which regularly conflict with snowmobile use. For example within the ongoing Chandler Round Vegetation Management project, part of Slippery Brook (FR 17) a forest road that also serves as a snowmobile trail is plowed for log trucks. That project includes provisions that allow snowmobile use on weekends and holidays; however, existing snowmobile use is affected by the plowing needed for weekday logging traffic. 3
Purpose and Need Within the Slippery Brook area the need to provide an alternate snowmobile route has been a recurring theme. As early as the 1986 Forest Plan, it was anticipated that snowmobile trail closures or overlapping use by snowmobiles and log trucks would be necessary during vegetation management projects. The need for an alternate east west connector route was indicated in the 1986 Forest Plan project planning. The purpose of this project will be to provide a snowmobile trail in the Slippery Brook area that will remain available during vegetation management projects. The topography and layout of Slippery Brook Road (FR 17) does not allow for the establishment of a temporary relocation. The proposed trail relocation is compatible with the standards and objectives identified in the 2005 Land and Resource Management Plan (USDA-Forest Service, 2005). The project area is primarily Management Area 2.1 (General Forest Area), but also crosses into Management Area 6.3 (Winter-motorized Recreation). The trail relocation is also consistent with the goals and objectives in the WMNF Plan for winter motorized dispersed recreation: The Forest Plan directs that the White Mountain National Forest will maintain its role as part of the statewide and regional snowmobile trail network. That the winter motorized trail system will be managed cooperatively with the states of New Hampshire and Maine. Snowmobile trails should be managed and maintained consistent with the respective state and White Mountain National Forest agreements for snowmobile trail operation and maintenance (USDA-Forest Service, 2005, page 1-13). Proposed Action The proposed trail would begin at the junction of the Slippery Brook Road (FR 17 also the Slippery Brook Snowmobile Trail) and the Burnt Knoll Brook Road (FR 234) and terminate at the Langdon Brook Road (FR 39 also the Corridor 19/North South Snowmobile Trail). The Switchback Snowmobile Trail Relocation project as proposed includes the following: The construction/reconstruction of approximately 4 miles of snowmobile trail. o 2.75 miles of old skid and haul road would be reconstructed to snowmobile trail standards, approximately 16 feet wide, with some additional vegetation clearing. This includes brushing, reconstruction of drainage control devices, and surface stabilization. o 1.25 miles of new trail construction, the proposed trail will be approximately 16 feet wide, with some additional vegetation clearing. The closure of the existing Switchback Snowmobile Trail, approximately 3.5 miles, from the junction of the Slippery Brook Snowmobile Trail on the west to the junction with the Corridor 19/North South Snowmobile Trail on the east, to snowmobile use and grooming. However, the existing trail corridor would continue to be maintained (brushing and drainage structure maintenance), and 4
would be available for foot travel and non-motorized use. The primary purpose of not fully decommissioning the existing Switchback Trail would be to have an available alternate route that would mitigate future conflicts between timber operations and snowmobile travel on the route described above. Project components are displayed in the attached maps. The trail relocation would be implemented between the years 2007-2009. Decisions to be Made After receiving your input, other public comments, and recommendations from an interdisciplinary team of resource specialists, Saco District Ranger Terry Miller, as the Responsible Official, will decide: 1. The level of analysis necessary to assess and document the environmental effects of this proposed project. This includes determining whether this project meets criteria for categorical exclusion from documentation in an environmental impact statement or environmental assessment, including an assessment of any extraordinary circumstances (as defined in FSH 1909.15, Chapter 30.3), and whether there is sufficient information and analysis to make a decision to implement the proposed project. 2. What mitigation measures and monitoring requirements will help assure the proposed project meets LRMP standards and guidelines for all resources. 3. Whether a Forest Plan amendment will be required to accommodate this project. If no significant issues or extraordinary circumstances are identified, it is possible that the project may be categorically excluded from documentation in an Environmental Assessment or environmental Impact Statement under FSH 1909.15, Chapter 31.2-1, Construction and reconstruction of trails. Once the level of documentation is determined and the analysis is completed, copies of the environmental and decision documents will be mailed to people who submit comments during this scoping period, and to people who request copies. Findings of Preliminary Analysis Preliminary reviews and surveys of the project areas by resource specialists indicate that the following resource conditions exist: 1. Threatened and Endangered Species or Their Critical Habitat To date, no Federally Listed Threatened or Endangered Species or Designated Critical Habitat, Species Proposed for Federal Listing or Proposed Critical Habitat, or Forest Service Sensitive Species have been observed or are known to be present. A complete Biological Evaluation will be included during the environmental analysis process. 2. Floodplains, Wetlands, or Municipal Watersheds 5
The project area is located in the East Branch Watershed on the west side of the trail reroute in the Town of Jackson and in the Kimball Brook Watershed on the east side in the Town of Chatham. The project will not result in an adverse effect to any floodplains, wetlands, or any municipal water supply. 3. Congressionally Designated Areas The Project Area does not include any Congressionally Designated Areas, Wilderness, Wilderness Study Areas, or National Recreation Areas. 4. Inventoried Roadless Areas This project area is located in the Kearsarge inventoried roadless area. Winter Motorized Recreation trails are allowed in inventoried roadless areas. Within the inventoried roadless area, the land is managed according to direction for the assigned management area. The Land and Resource Management Plan designated this area primarily as MA 2.1 (General Forest Area) with a small portion of Management Area 6.3 (Winter-motorized Recreation). Winter motorized recreation is allowed in both of these management areas. The Kearsarge inventoried roadless area is composed of 10,324 acres. Approximately 4,555 acres were identified in the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule and 5,769 additional acres were identified during Forest Plan revision. The Kearsarge inventoried roadless area (in its entirety) was analyzed for its potential as Wilderness in the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the 2005 Land and Resource Management Plan (USDA-Forest Service, 2005 FEIS, Appendix C). It was not proposed in any of the Plan alternatives or in the signed Record of Decision. 5. Research Natural Areas The proposed project area is not located within or adjacent to a Research Natural Area (RNA) or a candidate RNA (CRNA). The closest candidate RNAs are Mountain Pond approximately 2 miles north and Shingle Pond 1.6 miles south of the proposed trail relocation. 6. American Indians and Alaska Native religious or cultural sites & Archaeological Sites, or Historic Properties or Areas. The WMNF Cultural Resources Atlas shows no known cultural sites in the project area. A large portion of this area was previously surveyed and resource reports prepared. Prior to implementation, additional site specific surveys will be completed and an Archaeological Resource Report will be prepared for review by the State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO). How to Submit Comments Comments should be addressed to Saco District Ranger Terry Miller as follows: Written comments must be postmarked by the Postal Service, e-mailed, Faxed or otherwise submitted by 11:59 pm ET on the 30 th calendar day following publication of the legal notice in the Manchester Union Leader. When the comment period ends on a Saturday, Sunday or Federal holiday, comments will be accepted until the end 6
of the next Federal working day. The publication date in the Manchester Union Leader is the exclusive means for calculating the comment period. Do not rely upon dates or timeframe information provided by any other source. Mail: Send to Lauren Oswald, Project Team Leader, Saco Ranger Station, 33 Kancamagus Highway, Conway, NH 03818. Letters can be hand delivered Monday 9:00am-4:30pm and Tuesday through Sunday, 8:00am-4:30pm. FAX: Send to Attn: Lauren Oswald @ 603-447-8405. E-mail: Send to (comments-eastern-white-mountain-saco@fs.fed.us), and must include an identifiable name. Comments submitted as electronic documents must be in plain text (.txt), rich text format (.rft) or Word (.doc) format. You should receive an automated electronic acknowledgement as confirmation of receipt of your comments. If you do not receive acknowledgement, it is your responsibility to ensure timely receipt by other means. Oral comments may be submitted Monday through Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm, by phone (603-447-5448 x109) or in person; and must be received by close of business on the 30 th calendar day following publication of the legal notice. Comments should include the following information: 1. Your name, address, and if possible, your phone number and e-mail address. 2. The title of the project you are commenting on. 3. Your specific concern and reasons the concern may lead to environmental effects. The purpose of soliciting your comments during this scoping period is to collect additional information and to identify any unresolved issues regarding the proposal. To make your comments substantive they should be specific to the proposed action. Be sure to provide supporting rationale for your comments, including concerns about environmental effects of the proposed project. Please be aware that your name, address and comments will become part of the public record and may be available for public inspection. Pursuant to a 2005 court ruling (Earth Island Institute v. Ruthenbeck, CIV F-03-6386 JKS), construction/reconstruction of OHV trails is subject to notice, comment, and appeal under the 36 CFR 215 rules. In the past we offered you the opportunity to give us input on projects like this (activities qualifying for a categorical exclusion from documentation in an Environmental Assessment or Impact Statement) during project development, called the scoping period. There was no additional requirement for a 30 day comment period, and decisions for these types of projects could not be administratively appealed. However a 2005 court ruling (Earth Island Institute v. Ruthenbeck, CIV F-03-6386 JKS) extended the requirement for formal notice, comment, and appeal to Forest Service decisions using certain categorical exclusions, including the one proposed for this project. To gather the most effective input possible on this project, we have combined the scoping period with the 30 day comment period. This single comment period is occurring at the point in the process when we have enough information to enable you to provide site 7
specific comments. Those who submit timely comments during this 30 day comment period will be eligible to appeal the decision for the Switchback Snowmobile Trail Relocation project. 8
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