Draanjik Record of Decision and Approved Resource Management Plan The Bureau of Land Management Today Our Vision To enhance the quality of life for all citizens through the balanced stewardship of America's public lands and resources. Our Mission To sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. BLM Library Denver Federal Center Bldg. 50, OC-521 P.O. Box 25047 Denver, CO 80225 | BLM Cover Photos 1. Salmon Fork Draanjik River upstream of Kevinjik Creek 2. Bluff on the upper Salmon Fork Draanjik River above Drifting Snow Creek 3. Moose browsing in wetlands 4. Rock outcrop and cave above Fort Creek, Porcupine Plateau BLM/AK/PL-17-004+1610+F0200 |oH4c\W Eastern Interior Draanjik Record of Decision and Approved Resource Management Plan Prepared by the U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management - Alaska Eastern Interior Field Office December 2016 Eastern Interior, Draanjik Record of Decision and Approved Resource Management Plan Table of Contents 1. Record of Decision.1 1.1 Introduction.1 1.2 Overview of Proposed Resource Management Plan and Final EIS Alternatives. 1 1.2.1 Alternatives Considered but Eliminated from Detailed Analysis. 1 1.2.2 Alternatives Considered in Detail.2 1.2.3 Environmentally Preferred Alternative.3 1.3 Results of Protest Review and Governor’s Consistency Review.4 1.3.1 Protests.4 1.3.2 Governor’s Consistency Review.5 1.4 Decision.6 1.4.1 Notice of Modifications and Clarifications.7 1.4.2 What the Decision and Approved Resource Management Plan Provide.7 1.4.3 What the Decision and Approved Resource Management Plan Do Not Provide.8 1.4.4 Implementation Decisions.8 1.5 Management Considerations in Selecting the Approved Resource Management Plan.10 1.5.1 ANILCA Section 810.11 1.5.2 Wild and Scenic Rivers. 12 1.6 Mitigation Measures. 12 1.7 Plan Monitoring and Evaluation.13 1.8 Public Involvement, Consultation, and Coordination. 13 1.9 Availability of the Approved RMP. 13 1.10 Approvals and Signature Page. 14 2. Draanjik Approved Resource Management Plan.15 2.1 Introduction.15 2.1.1 Purpose and Need.15 2.1.2 Planning Area Description. 16 2.1.3 Consideration of BLM Policies, Plans, and Programs. 17 2.1.4 Related Plans.17 2.1.5 Implementing the Plan. 18 2.1.6 Maintaining the Plan. 19 2.1.7 Changing the Plan. 19 2.1.8 Plan Evaluation and Adaptive Management.20 2.2 Management Decisions.20 2.2.1 Access Guidance under Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) .21 2.2.2 Mitigation.22 2.2.3 Air and Atmospheric Values.23 2.2.4 Cave and Karst.24 2.2.5 Cultural Resources.25 i Eastern Interior, Draanjik Record of Decision and Approved Resource Management Plan 2.2.6 Fish and Aquatic Species.26 2.2.7 Non-Native Invasive Species.32 2.2.8 Paleontological Resources.34 2.2.9 Soil Resources.34 2.2.10 Special Status Species.36 i * 2.2.11 Vegetation Resources.37 2.2.12 Visual Resources.39 2.2.13 Water Resources, Wetlands, and Floodplains.40 2.2.14 Wilderness Characteristics.41 2.2.15 Wildland Fire Ecology and Management.43 2.2.16 Wildlife Resources.45 2.2.17 Forest and Woodland Products.47 2.2.18 Lands and Realty.48 2.2.19 Minerals.53 2.2.20 Recreation.57 2.2.21 Travel Management.58 2.2.22 Hazardous Materials. 60 2.2.23 Subsistence.60 2.2.24 Areas of Critical Environmental Concern.61 Acronyms.63 Glossary.65 References Cited.67 Appendix A. Standard Operating Procedures and Fluid Mineral Leasing Stipulations.71 A. 1. Introduction.71 A. 1.1. Standard Operating Procedures.71 A. 1.2. Fluid Mineral Leasing Stipulations.72 A. 1.3. Standard Operating Procedures.75 Appendix B. Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.85 B. l. Watershed Classification.85 B. 1.1. Watershed Categories.85 B.l.2. Priority Ranking Factors for Watersheds.86 B.2. Monitoring and Adaptive Management.90 B.2.1. Monitoring and Evaluation of the Resource Management Plan.90 B.2.2. Adaptive Management.90 B.2.3. Implementation and Effectiveness Monitoring.91 B.3. Watershed Conditions Matrix and Effects Checklist.92 B.3.1. Watershed Condition Matrix..92 B.3.2. Environmental Baseline and Effects Checklist.96 B.4. Future Watershed Adjustments.98 B.5. Watershed Assessment Process.98 B.5.1. Objectives of Watershed Analysis.98 it Eastern Interior, Draanjik Record of Decision and Approved Resource Management Plan B.5.2. Appropriate Methodology.98 B. 6. Recommended Conservation Measures for Essential Fish Habitat.99 B.6.1. Roads and Road Maintenance.100 B.6.2. Mineral Mining. 100 B.6.3. Sand and Gravel Mining. 101 B.6.4. Oil and Gas Exploration, Development, and Production.101 B. 6.5. Habitat Restoration/Enhancement. 102 Appendix C. Land Tenure and Withdrawals.105 C. l. Land Tenure.105 C. 1.1. Land Tenure Adjustment Criteria.105 C.l.2. Zone Definitions.106 C.2. Withdrawals.107 C.2.1. Process for Withdrawal Revocation.110 C.2.2. Process for New FLPMA Withdrawals. 110 C.2.3. Recommendations to the Secretary. 111 Appendix D. Bird Species of Conservation Concern.113 Appendix E. Draanjik Travel Management Plan.117 E. 1. Introduction. 117 E.2. Scoping and Public Participation. 117 E.3. Travel Management Decisions. 117 E.4. Sign Plan. 118 E.5. Education Plan.118 E.6. Rehabilitation.118 E.7. Maps.118 E.8. Roadside and Dispersed Camping.118 E.9. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Enforcement.118 E.10. Temporary Closures and Restrictions. 119 E. 11. Supplementary Rules. 119 Appendix F. Maps.121 Tables Table 1. Land classification within the Draanjik Planning Area. 17 Table 2. List of related plans for the Draanjik Planning Area.18 Table 3. Priority fish species in the Draanjik Planning Area.27 Table 4. Visual resource management allocations for the Draanjik Planning Area.39 Table 5. Fire Management Options for the Planning Area.44 Table 6. Priority wildlife species and habitats in the Draanjik Planning Area.47 Table 7. Summary of Mineral Allocations for the Draanjik Planning Area.56 Table A-l. Fluid mineral leasing stipulations.73 Table B-l. Ranking factors for Eastern Interior Watershed Assessment.87 Table B-2. Ranking of 12th-level hydrologic unit code (HUC) watersheds among 10 ranking factors for the Draanjik Planning Area.88 Table B-3. Watershed Assessment Matrix.93 iii Eastern Interior, Draanjik Record of Decision and Approved Resource Management Plan Table B-4. Checklist for documenting environmental baseline and effects of action(s) on relevant indicators.97 Table C-l. Existing mineral withdrawals in the Draanjik Planning Area and process for change .109 Table C-2. Process for New Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) Withdrawals .Ill Table C-3. Withdrawal recommendations to the Secretary of the Interior.111 Table D-l. Bird species of conservation concern in the Eastern Interior Planning Area.114 IV Eastern Interior, Draanjik Record of Decision and Approved Resource Management Plan 1. Record of Decision 1.1 Introduction The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Draanjik Planning Area is located in eastern Interior Alaska and includes approximately 2,360,000 acres of BLM-managed public land administered by the Eastern Interior Field Office. This record of decision approves the attached Draanjik Approved Resource Management Plan. This decision and plan provide overall direction for management of all resources on BLM-managed lands within the Upper Black River Subunit as described in the Eastern Interior Proposed Resource Management Plan/Final Environmental Impact Statement (RMP/EIS, BLM 2016). Hereafter the area is referred to as the Draanjik Planning Area. On April 30, 2014 the U.S. Board on Geographic Names officially changed the name of the Black River to Draanjik River. Draanjik is the traditional Gwich’in name for the river and translates as "caches along the river." The local Gwich'in people are called the Draanjik Gwich'in. This Draanjik Approved Resource Management Plan (RMP) is the first BLM planning document for the Draanjik Planning Area. 1.2 Overview of Proposed Resource Management Plan and Final EIS Alternatives The Eastern Interior Proposed RMP/Final EIS analyzed five alternatives for the Eastern Interior Planning Area which included four planning subunits: Fortymile, Steese, Upper Black River (Draanjik) and White Mountains. The alternatives described in this document include alternatives considered for the Draanjik Planning Area. 1.2.1 Alternatives Considered but Eliminated from Detailed Analysis 1.2.1.1 Livestock Grazing The BLM did not analyze in detail an alternative that would manage lands in the planning area for livestock grazing because there is no foreseeable interest and it would not be practicable. There are currently no permitted livestock operations within the planning area. The grazing regulations for Alaska (43 CFR 4200) were removed in 1998 due to the lack of demand for permits and the lack of land suitable for grazing (63 FR 51853). The BLM does not anticipate any applications for livestock grazing in the future, unless it is grazing associated with Special Recreation Permits, such as hunting guides using horses. Grazing associated with recreation is permitted through the Recreation Program. There are no identified areas with high grazing potential in the planning area. Livestock grazing on remote BLM lands is not practical due to potential conflicts with wildlife, lack of suitable grazing lands, the potential for predation on livestock, and the lack of access for livestock operators. Areas close to communities where grazing would be more practical are state or private lands. 1 Eastern Interior, Draanjik Record of Decision and Approved Resource Management Plan 1.2.1.2 Recommending Wilderness Designation by Congress The BLM did not analyze in detail an alternative that would recommend wilderness designation within the planning area because it is beyond the scope of this planning effort. The BLM has conducted an inventory of the planning area to document lands with wilderness characteristics and has considered in this plan a full range of reasonable alternatives addressing how BLM will manage certain lands with wilderness characteristics for naturalness, solitude, and outstanding opportunities for primitive and unconfined recreation, where practical. 1.2.2 Alternatives Considered in Detail The Eastern Interior Proposed RMP/Final EIS Statement analyzed five alternatives, including the No Action Alternative. The following sections describe the alternatives as they apply to the Draanjik Planning Area. 1.2.2.1 Alternative A (No Action Alternative) The BLM would continue to manage the Draanjik Planning Area without the benefit of a land use plan. Mineral leasing and new mining claims are precluded by public land orders (PLOs) issued under Section 17(d)(1) of ANCSA. Land disposal actions could not occur due to the lack of a land use plan. The BLM would not make any suitability determinations made for wild and scenic rivers; designate any Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACECs); or make decisions regarding management of wilderness characteristics. No off-highway vehicle (OHV) designations exist. Few uses, other than new mining claims and mineral leases, are limited or excluded as long as they are consistent with state and federal laws. 1.2.2.2 Alternative B Alternative B recommends 100 percent of BLM-managed lands remain closed to mineral leasing and mineral entry. Lands near Circle are identified as available for disposal through exchange. The planning area would be designated as Limited to OHV use. Alternative B designates the Salmon Fork ACEC to protect anadromous fish habitat, bald eagle nesting, and rare plant habitats. The Salmon Fork eligible river segment (52 miles) is recommended suitable for designation under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. Lands possessing wilderness characteristics are identified and 100 percent these lands are managed to emphasize other resource values and multiple uses while applying management restrictions to reduce impacts to wilderness characteristics. The Salmon Fork ACEC is identified as right-of-way avoidance areas. OHV use in the ACEC would be limited by weight and season of use. 1.2.2.3 Alternative C As in Alternative B, Alternative C designates the Salmon Fork ACEC to protect anadromous fish habitat, bald eagle nesting, and rare plant habitats. This alternative recommends 100 percent of BLM-managed lands in the planning area to be opened to mineral entry. The Salmon Fork ACEC however would be closed to mineral leasing. Same as Alternative B, lands near Circle are identified as available for disposal through exchange. The planning area would be designated as Limited to OHV use. Lands possessing wilderness characteristics are identified and 26 percent these lands are managed to emphasize other resource values and multiple uses while applying management restrictions to reduce impacts to wilderness characteristics. No right-of-way avoidance areas are identified. 2