Decision Memo Philmont Scout Ranch Bike Trail and Access Reroute Project USDA Forest Service, Southwestern Region Questa Ranger District, Carson National Forest Colfax County, New Mexico (T. 30N, R. 17E, sections 26, 27, 34, and 35) Background The Philmont Scout Ranch Bike Trail and Access Reroute Project is located in the vicinity of the existing Whitman Vega Camp in the northeast corner of the Valle Vidal (T. 30N, R. 17E, sections 26,27, 34, and 35) in Colfax County, New Mexico. The Philmont Scout Ranch currently operates the Whitman Vega Camp and associated mountain bike trail as part oftheir environmental education program. The Philmont Scout Ranch Bike Trail and Access Reroute Project was originally proposed in a scoping letter mailed to potentially interested and affected parties on April 25, 2012. The proposal included constructing approximately three miles of new bike trail, rerouting two sections of existing bike trail (2,500 feet), decommissioning two sections of trail (2,200 feet), rerouting a portion (3,700 feet) of Forest Road 1921A which provides access to the Whitman Vega camp from the north, and maintaining Forest Road 1921 A. The current 3.7 mile trail system and the Whitman Vega camp are authorized under an education center special use permit. After an interdisciplinary team considered the proposal, it was determined that access to the Whitman Vega camp could be provided along an alternate route, Forest Road 1921, which accesses the camp from the south, and that using this route would result in fewer impacts than the original proposal. A portion of the 1921A road currently being used could be decommissioned, reducing the potential for erosion and returning the landscape to a more natural state. A short section of trail would be rerouted to accommodate the new configuration. A redundant trail section that crosses a drain would be eliminated. Trail reroutes would repair and avoid areas prone to erosion. The total trail system would be increased by approximately 3.2 miles. The details of this modified proposed action are provided in the "Decision" section and in figure 1. Expanding the current bike trail system is needed to provide beginning riders with less difficult terrain. The current trail works well for intermediate to advanced riders, but a portion climbs a steep section of road, and it can be intimidating for riders with less experience. The new trail will follow a series of long, climbing turns, allowing beginning riders to ride the trail instead of walking their bikes up the steep road. The overall objective is to ensure that riders ofall abilities have a safe, educational, and enjoyable experience. Approval ofthis proposal would allow the Boy Scouts to include more participants in the mountain biking portion of their program, improve access to the camp, and address several existing resource concerns.
Project This project includes new mountain bike trail construction and use and maintenance offorest Road 1921 for access to the Whitman Vega Camp. These activities will be authorized in an amendment to the special use permit issued to Philmont Scout Ranch. Please see figure 1. Decision It is my decision to authorize the new mountain bike trail construction and alternate access through amendment of the existing special use permit. This decision will be implemented in accordance with the modified proposed action: Constructing approximately three miles of new bike trail. Rerouting three sections of trail on to approximately 2,570 feet of new trail. Decommissioning approximately 4,250 feet of rerouted trail. Routing access to the Whitman Vega Camp along Forest Road 1921. Portions of Forest Road 1921 will be maintained and improved in an effort to accommodate the increased use and avoid future rutting or erosion. Stabilizing and obliteratingapproximately 2,900 feet of Forest Road 1921A. Amending the existing permit with PhilmontScout Ranch to incorporate these changes. This decision is contingent on the following stipulations: All soil and water Best Management Practices will be followed to decrease soil erosion from trail construction, trail use, trail decommissioning, and decommissioning the portion of Forest Road 1921A. The old route(s) will be obliterated and stabilizedto blend with the surrounding terrain. Decommissioned bike trail and road (1921 A) shall be ripped to alleviate compaction, seeded, and mulched with certified weed free straw mulch. Cover of straw mulch should be applied at a rate of approximately Vi tonperacre of disturbed area. Seed should be applied at a rate of 20 lbsper acre. Newly constructed trail will be designed in cooperation with Forest Service staffand will utilize trail grade, grade reversals, outslope, rolling grade dips, and other drainage features to prevent erosion. Any areas of suspected noxious or invasive plant species encountered during the construction of decommissioning of bike trail will be reported to theranger District so that GPS mapping and confirmation of a noxious or invasive plant population can be verified. Once verified, the population (if encountered) can be scheduled for treatment as funding allows. Construction will be done primarily by Philmont Ranch employees and agents withoversight from Forest Service employees. The Philmont Ranch in coordination with the Forest Service will specify requirements to protect public safety. The work may begin in 2013, and will be completed as quickly as possible. This modified proposed action meets the purpose and need of the project and will result in fewer impacts than the original proposal.the analysis for this project is documented in a project file and maintained on the Questa RangerDistrict. An interdisciplinary analysis on this project is documented in a projectrecord. Source documents from the project record are incorporated by reference throughout this decision memorandum by showing the document number in brackets [#].
Reasons for Categorically Excluding the Decision Decisions may be categorically excluded from documentation in an environmental impact statement or environmental assessment when they are within one of the categories identified by the U.S. Department ofagriculture in 7 CFR part lb.3 or the proposed action is within a category listed in 36 CFR 220.6 (d) and (e), and there are no extraordinary circumstances related to the decision that may result in a significant individual or cumulative environmental effect. This decision is consistent with 36 CFR 220.6(e)(3) -Approval, modification, or continuation of minor special uses of NFS lands that require less than five contiguous acres of land. The following resource conditions were considered in determining whether extraordinary circumstances related to the decision warranted further analysis and documentation in an environmental impact statement or an environmental assessment (36 CFR 220.6 (b)(i-vii)): i. Federally listed threatened or endangered species or designated critical habitat, species proposed for Federal listing or proposed critical habitat, or Forest Service sensitive species The Endangered Species Act (ESA, 16 U.S.C. 1531-1544) requires Federal activities not jeopardize the continued existence of any species federally listed or proposed as threatened or endangered, or result in adverse modification to such species' designated critical habitat. As required by the ESA, potential effects of this decision on listed species have been analyzed and documented in a biological assessment and biological evaluation. [PR #13] Further documentation addressing the North American wolverine is provided in a letter to the file. [PR #14] This decision will have "no effect" on any federally listed or proposed species or critical habitat for these species. The biological assessment and biological evaluation also evaluated the effects of this decision on Forest Service sensitive species that may occur on the Questa Ranger District [PR #13]. This decision will not lead toward federal listing for any Forest Service sensitive species. ii. Floodplains, wetlands, or municipal watersheds No effects to floodplains or wetlands will occur from the proposed projects [PR #18]. The Carson forest plan, as amended, does not recognize the lands within the project area as a municipal watershed. No effects to municipal watersheds will occur. Hi. Congressionally designated areas, such as wilderness, wilderness study areas, or national recreation areas This project is not within congressionally designated areas such as wilderness, wilderness study areas, or national recreation areas. Those areas will not be adversely affected by this decision. [PR #1] iv. Inventoried roadless area or potential wilderness area There are no inventoried roadless areas or potential wilderness areas within the project; therefore, this decision will not affect future management decisions on roadless areas or wilderness designation. [PR #1,2] v. Research natural areas There are no research natural areas in or near the project area; therefore, this decision will not affect research natural areas. [PR #1]
vi. -vii. American Indians and Alaska Native religious, or cultural sites and archaeological sites, or historic properties or areas Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (U.S.C. 470 et seq.) requires Federal agencies to take into account the effect of a project on any prehistoric or historic district, site, building, structure, or object that is included in or eligible for, inclusions in the National Register. Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act also requires Federal agencies to afford the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation and Tribal entities a reasonable opportunity to comment. The Questa District Archaeologistcompleted archaeological clearances for the project, finding that no cultural resources or traditional cultural properties will be impacted. [PR #10, 11, 16, and 17] In addition, the Federal government has trust responsibilities to tribes under a government-togovernment relationship. Consultation with the tribes is completed to help insure that these trust responsibilities are met. The intent of this consultation is to remain informed about Tribal concerns. This proposal was first identified in the April 2012 Schedule of Proposed Actions (SOPA), which was sent to all Tribes with interests on the Carson National Forest. None of the previously mentioned tribes submitted comments on this proposal. The mere presence of one or more ofthe above listed resource conditions does not preclude the use ofa categorical exclusion. It is the existence of a cause-effectrelationship between a proposed action and the potentialeffect on these resource conditions, and if such a relationshipexists, the degree of the potential effect of a proposed action on these resource conditions that determines whether extraordinary circumstances exist. I find no extraordinary circumstances related to this decision that may result in a significant individual or cumulative environmental effect. Public Involvement This proposal was first listed in the April 2012 Schedule of Proposed Actions [PR#3]. A letter describing the proposed action and the available 30-day comment and appeal periods was mailed to 8 potentially interested individuals, organizations, and agencies on April 25, 2012 [PR #4]. A legal notice regarding the project was published in The Taos News on April 26,2012 [PR#5]. Four letters were received during the 30-day comment period, all of which expressed support for this project [PR #6-9]. In reaching my decision, I considered external comments received during scoping [PR #6-9] in addition to input from Forest Service resource specialists who analyzed the proposal. No significant issues were identified, and all practical means have been employedto avoid or minimize environmental impacts. Findings Required by Other Laws The project is in conformance with the Land and Resource ManagementPlan for the Carson National Forest [PR# 1] as required by the National Forest Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1600-1614). Specifically, the Carson Forest Plan, as amended, addresses: Forest-Wide Prescriptions - Recreation - "establish afull spectrum oftrail opportunities, considering all modes of travel, rangingfrom opportunitiesfor challenge andadventure to opportunitiesfor people with disabilities, andgive special emphasis to theprotection, development andmanagement of specially designatedareas and trails" (C. Forest-widePrescriptions - Recreation page I). The activities associated with the Philmont Scout Ranch Bike Trail and Access Reroute Project will comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations including, but not limited to, the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species Act, the National Historic Preservation Act
of 1966, the Native American Grave and Repatriation Act of 1990, the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and Executive Order 12898 signed February 11, 1994 regarding Environmental Justice. Forest Service Administrative Review or Appeal Opportunities Opportunities under CFR 215 This decision is not subject to administrative review (appeal) pursuant to 36 CFR Part 215 because only supportive comments were received. Implementation Date Implementation may begin immediately following publication of the legal notice of this decision in The Taos News. Contact Person For additional information concerning this decision, contact Jonathan McNeill, Recreation Staff, Questa RangerTJUstrietr^p Box 110 Questa, New Mexico 87556 or by calling 575-586-0520. K) SANCHEZ Date &>n visor The U.S. Department ofagriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because of all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
~ I ' nflfvr,---\r=- ( Legend Proposed trail construction Trail to be rehabilitated Road to be rehabilitated Existing trail system Scout Camp Philmont Scout Ranch will use this road for access wmimxi 250 500 \ iyards