2023-03-13_REVISION - M1977211 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Since the Pikeview Quarry EA was completed in 2001 the natural resource conditions have changed in and adjacent to the project area. Most notably, in 2012 the Waldo Canyon Fire burned over 18,000 acres on NFS and adjacent lands, including up to the quarry edge. The area adjacent to the Pikeview Quarry experienced a high fire intensity,removing the overstory and resulting in a change in vegetation structure. Related to this change in vegetation structure,a bighorn sheep heard has flourished in the canyons west of the Pikeview Quarry since the Waldo Canyon fire. The herd is monitored by Colorado Parks and Wildlife and has demonstrated stable or increasing population size. While there have been changes to the list of wildlife species protected as Threatened or Endangered since the Pikeview Quarry EA was completed in 2001,none of the species included in the changes have a potential to be affected by the quarry activities(Supplementary Wildlife Report,July 2022). Relevance and Significance of Changed Conditions The requirement for supplementation to the environmental analysis is reached if the change in conditions is relevant to the previous decision, and those changed conditions would result in a significant change in the environmental consequences of the actions. The change in conditions is relevant to the Pikeview project in order to determine if the effects of the sale of approx. 197,500 yd3 of material would be consistent with the effects described in the 2001 Pikeview Quarry EA. If the conditions and effects would be significantly different than those described in the EA,additional analysis and review would be required. Specialist reviews of three resources were conducted for this SIR, and it was determined that all three resources(visual, soils and hydrology,and terrestrial wildlife resources)had the potential for change due to the identified changed circumstances on site. The significance of the change in conditions is determined by addressing the question: Would the effects of the removal of ca. 197,500 yd3 of material be within the scope of analyses reported in the EA? The physical activities relating sale of the remaining material would not differ from that of the 2001 Pikeview Quarry EA since the activities would occur within the original footprint considered in the environmental analysis. The Pikeview Quarry EA summarized the analysis of potential environmental consequences on a number of forest resources for three project alternatives(Summary of Alternatives pg.2). Review of the analyses conducted for three resources(visual, soils and hydrology,and terrestrial wildlife resources)determined that even when the change in conditions are considered,the expected effects fall within those disclosed in the previous assessment. Three resources were considered in greater detail due to the potential change in conditions. Terrestrial Wildlife—A biological evaluation(BE)for the Pikeview Quarry was completed in June 2001. This document analyzed the effects of the proposed layback of the quarry on species federally listed as threatened or endangered,and Regional Forester's sensitive species. The EA also addressed Management Area 5B/wildlife habitat capability requirements and identified Management Indicator Species, as required by the Standards and Guidelines of the PSICC Land and Resource Management Plan of 1984. A supplementary review for wildlife resources can be found in the project record(July 2022). The Forest Service requested concurrence from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service(FWS)in July 2001 for this determination to the critical habitat of the Mexican spotted owl based solely on the delineated habitat of this species. The FWS reviewed the BE and concurred with the determination on July 9,2001. The 2001 Pikeview Quarry BE adequately addressed potential effects to federally listed species(critical habitat for Mexican spotted owl). Since the new information is not expected to change the magnitude or type of Pikeview Quarry SIR P a � 13