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Impacts would be the same as those of the proposed action. Wilderness or primitive values on O&C lands suitable for sustained yield timber management could be lost in the next decade under this alternative.

8.3a.10 Noise

During the first decade the impacts of noise intrusiveness would be the same as those of the proposed action.

8.3a.11 Ecologically Significant Areas

Impacts would be of the same type as those delineated in Chapter 3. Areas with ecological values may realize realize impacts in the next decade under this

alternative.

8.3a.12 Socioeconomic Conditions

During the first decade average annual timber harvest within the Medford timbershed would be 5 percent higher than harvest levels with continued current managment. However, by the second decade, this alternative's timber harvest would be 2 percent less than with current management.

In the 1980's annual local employment and personal income generated by BLM timber harvest would be about 35 percent more than with current management, while public revenues would be about 25 percent greater. By the 1990's, this would change significantly. Employment, income, and public revenues would be approximately the same with this alternative as with current management. This harvest alternative would involve a significant initial increase in employment, local personal income, and public revenues, and an even more dramatic decline in these indicators, i.e. employment, income, and public revenues, between the first and second decades.

Adoption of this alternative would result in a mixed local reaction. Although the initial increased harvest would probably be welcomed by loggers, mill operators, and other businessmen affected by the timber industry, this alternative would contribute to the overall instability of the industry. Loggers and timber processors would experience the most extreme variability by having to increase and improve their timber handling capabilities during the 1980's and then drastically reducing them in the 1990's. BLM's credibility for considering community economic impacts in policy making would certainly be questioned, especially in the early 1990's.

This alternative would be perceived by some as an extreme policy of maximizing timber production while sacrificing other considerations, e.g., preserving old growth, visual resources, stability in wildlife habitat, and

ALTERNATIVE NO. 3

economic stability of the local timber industry. Consequently, those who put more emphasis on these other considerations would perceive reduction in quality of life. Those opposed to the use of herbicides would also perceive a loss of social well-being because of the increased herbicide use.

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Herbicide use is planned on 39,775 acres under this alternative. significant increase over the present situation where no herbicides are used, and a 34 percent increase from the proposed action. The impacts to human health would be expected to be similar in nature to those of the proposed

action.

8.3a.14 Energy Use

Total energy consumption would be approximately 1.971 trillion Btu ́s.

8.3b

UTILIZATION OF SURPLUS INVENTORY WITHIN TWO DECADES

8.3b.1 Air Quality

Burning is proposed on 26, 745 acres. Maximum levels of particulate and carbon monoxide pollutants would be 63 percent above present levels, and particulates would have significant adverse impact upon air quality locally for short periods throughout the year.

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About 64,870 tons of soil would erode as a result of yarding, slash disposal, and road construction activites. This is 64 percent less than the amount of soil eroded from treated lands in the JKSYUS presently. Site-specific impacts would still be expected on some areas such as low-fertility sites.

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Increased water yield from the BLM-administered lands would be 5,200 acre-feet per year. This is 51 percent less than increases from present activities and 15 percent greater than would occur with the proposed action. Streambank erosion would be reduced and channel stability improved when compared to present conditions, with subsequent improvement of water quality. Overall yield from major watersheds, however, would not be significantly reduced.

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Comparison of Proposed Annual Allowable Cut with
Annual Allowable Cut Using Alternative No.3 b

8.3b.3.2 Water Quality

Sediment Yield

Yarding, transportation, gross yarding, and mechanical scarification activities would impact streams by adding 17,220 tons of sediment to them. This is 39 percent less than the present situation and 15 percent above the proposed action. This alternative would have significant adverse impacts on quality in localized areas.

Chemical Quality

An additional 25,160 pounds of nitrogen would be added to streams as a result of clearcutting, shelterwood harvest, and slash burning. This represents an increase of less than 1 percent of that added from the areas prior to disturbances, an insignificant amount overall, but a significant localized impact.

40

ALTERNATIVE NO. 3

8.3b.4 Vegetation

Utilization of surplus inventory during a period of two decades would produce the following significant impacts to vegetation:

(a) Early successional stages would be initiated on approximately 35,200 acres based on clearcut and regeneration cut acres.

(b)

Removal of timber in the 70-200 year age classes would occur on
approximately 8,025 acres on high intensity
intensity land. This constitutes
about 6 percent of the existing timber in these age classes.

35 percent

(c) Old-growth timber (200+ years) would be removed on about 34,500 acres on high intensity lands. This accounts for approximately of existing old-growth timber on high intensity lands.

(d)

Short-term

methods

destruction of surface vegetation due to yarding (including gross yarding) would occur on about 12,000 acres. This could lead to an increase in soil erosion on these acres.

(e) Complete long-term emlimination of vegetation would occur on about 1,770 acres based on new road construction with continued maintenance of these roads.

8.3b.5 Animals

During the first decade approximately 98,000 acres approximately 98,000 acres would be subjected to habitat modification by harvest, road building, and thinning practices. In most cases, modifications would be great enough to change animal composition and density on those acres.

Clearcutting and shelterwood regeneration harvest would cause about percent increase in early successional in early successional stage vegetation that would benefit those species using those habitats (see Table 2-6), and potentially could lead to a 220 percent increase in animals that use this habitat.

Herbicide use on about 33,500 acres of existing and newly created early stage habitat would lower the value of those habitats by reducing plant structure, diversity, and density.

About 35 percent of the old growth currently existing on the high intensity lands of the JKSYUs would be harvested during the first decade. This could mean a 35 percent reduction of old-growth dependent species such as the northern spotted owl, redback vole, and pileated woodpecker on these lands. Old growth would be eliminated on the high intensity lands of the JKSYUs by the year 2018 if this alternative were implemented.

The use of poison bait for gopher control would have an adverse impact to gophers on the 10,000 acres so treated.

worst case analysis discloses a total of 17,220 tons of sediment (see Section 8.3b.3.2) could be deposited in the streams of the JKSYUs. This could be detrimental to an individual stream and its fishery resource, but it would be insignificant to the JKSYUs as a whole.

No adverse impacts are expected to occur to any Federally listed threatened or endangered species. The Siskiyou Mountain salamander and the river otter (which are currently undergoing status review) and the northern spotted owl (a species considered threatened by the State of Oregon) could have their habitat reduced and/or degraded. While individuals may be affected, the species would not be impacted (see Section 3.6.4).

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Impacts resulting from the implementation of this alternative would be similar to those of the proposed action.

Forest visitors and recreationists who enjoy viewing old-growth specimens would be adversely affected by this alternative. A slight reduction in visitor days associated with general sightseeing and miscellaneous use would

occur.

Fishing use would slightly decrease as a result of water quality degradation. Increased old-growth harvest would result in the loss of some opportunities to experience solitude and isolation in primitive-type areas. Hunting, camping, and ORV use would slightly increase.

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The destruction of small, undeveloped pristine areas could occur since estimated 36,620 acres proposed for harvest under this alternative are presently undisturbed.

8.3b.7 Cultural Resources

Impacts would be similar to those of the proposed action.

The intensified cutting of old growth during the first growth during the first two decades would adversely affect those people who regard specimens of old growth as examples of "living history." Increased timber cutting in the first two decades would cause some unidentified cultural resources to be inadvertently damaged or destroyed.

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During the first two decades decades this alternative would result in significant landscape alteration and contrast. Impacts would be identical to those of the proposed action. Forest visitors who extol the virtues and grandeur of old growth and who enjoy viewing these specimens would be especially prone to adverse impacts during the first two decades.

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