PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) is proposing to fund the Shoshone Paiute Indian Tribe to aerially apply herbicide (Plateau) and soil inoculant (MB906) to control cheatgrass on a 139-acre hillside south of Mountain City, Nevada that has become dominated by this invasive species following the 2012 Brown’s Gulch fire. The cheatgrass is hindering this area’s post-fire recovery to its native sagebrush-steppe plant community. The treatment would begin in the spring of 2019 and may be repeated in the fall or spring for up to three years.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW: To understand the potential environmental impacts of this proposal, BPA prepared an environmental assessment (EA) following the procedures of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The EA evaluated the effects of aerial application of an herbicide (Imazapic) and soil inoculant (MB-906) to control cheatgrass on a 139-acre hillside south of Mountain City, Nevada that has become dominated by this invasive species following the 2012 Brown’s Gulch fire. The EA describes anticipated impacts to natural and human resources and identifies mitigation measures to help avoid or minimize impacts. During this process, BPA worked with landowners; tribes; Federal, state, and local agencies; and interest groups.
The draft EA was released for public review and comment in March 2019. No comments were received on the draft EA. The Final EA and FONSI were released in March 2019.
The proposed schedule for the environmental review is as follows:
Scoping comment period
Draft EA comment period
Final EA
Finding of No Significant Impact (if warranted)
If decision to proceed, treatment will start |
December 28, 2018 - January 28, 2019
March 1, 2019 - March 15, 2019
March 28, 2019
March 28, 2019
April 2019 |
CURRENT STATUS: BPA has released its final EA and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI). The FONSI inludes a Mitigation Action Plan to help avoid or lessen potential impacts.
CONTACT:
For environmental information, contact:
Rob Shull
Contract Environmental Specialist
FirstTekDOS, LLC
Bonneville Power Administration - EWF-4
P.O. Box 3621
Portland, OR 97208
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Toll-free: 800-622-4519
Direct Line: 503-230-3962
Email: rwshull@bpa.gov |
For project information, contact:
Cecelia Brown
Project Manager
Bonneville Power Administration - EWL-4
P.O. Box 3621
Portland, OR 97208 |
Toll-free: 800-622-4519
Direct Line: 502-230-3462
Email: ckbrown@bpa.gov |
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