Phase 3 Environmental Documentation Process SEQUOIA NATIONAL FOREST AND GIANT SEQUOIA NATIONAL MONUMENT

NEPA Triangle PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT Purpose and Need/ Proposed Action Issue Identification Alternatives Effects NFMA Findings Significance Decision Notification Implementation Mgt. Plan Consistency Possible Activities Need for change Desired Conditions/ Existing Conditions Location Feedback Adjustment Evaluation Monitoring Management Plan

The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA Process)  Purpose and Need/Proposed Action  Issue Identification  Alternatives  Affected Environment  Environmental Effects/Environmental Consequences - (developed in January 2008 and submitted to the public for review, March 2009) - (developed with public input during scoping period, March 2009) - (developed with public input during scoping period, March 2009 and follow-up public meetings, June 2009) - (developed by interdisciplinary team composed of resource and social science specialists)

NEPA Documentation  Chapter 1 - Purpose and Need/Proposed Action  Chapter 2 - Issue Identification and Alternatives  Chapter 3 – Affected Environment  Chapter 4 – Environmental Consequences/Environmental Effects  Chapter 5 – List of Preparers/List of Cooperating Agencies  Chapter 6 – Distribution List  List of Acronyms  Glossary of Terms  Literature Cited  Index  Appendices  Giant Sequoia National Monument Management Plan

What Will Be Analyzed in the Environmental Document - ISSUES  Recreation and Public Use  Road and Trail Access  Diverse Array of Wildlife and Their Habitats  Fuels Management/Community Protection  Tree Removal  Methods for Sequoia Regeneration  Fires Spreading to Tribal Lands  Obligation to Analyze Mediated Settlement Agreement under the National Environmental Policy Act  Manage the Monument Like the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks

What Will Not Be Analyzed in the Environmental Document  Convene a New Scientific Advisory Board –Still using the science advisories produced in 2003 –explained in the environmental document  Tribal Access to and Protecting of Cultural Sites –Mandated by law –explained in the environmental document  Livestock Grazing –Mandated by law and Proclamation –explained in the environmental document

ALTERNATIVES  No Action Alternative (Alternative A)  Action Alternatives  Proposed Action (Alternative B)  Preferred Alternative (a position, not the decision)  Alternatives C through F

RESOURCES ANALYZED IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENT  Vegetation including Giant Sequoia Groves  Fire and Fuels  Air Quality  Wildlife Habitat (including threatened, endangered, and sensitive species)  Botany  Watershed Management (Hydrology)  Groundwater  Geology  Paleontological Resources  Soils  Cultural Resources  Recreation and Public Use (including trails)  Transportation

Collaborative Planning Process –Public Participation Process Implementation  Public provided comments during Scoping Period  Public commenting in particular on the Presidential Proclamation and the current science advisories (June 2008)  Public provided comments and helped develop the vision for the management plan  Public developed issues and alternatives  Public will be involved in implementing the management plan  Public will be involved in monitoring the management plan

Interdisciplinary Team  Interdisciplinary Team Leader  Resource specialists (silviculturist, botanist, wildlife biologist, recreation planner, engineer, archaeologist, geologist, hydrologist, geographic information specialist, planner, environmental specialist, fuels/fire specialist)  Social science specialist (social scientist, economist)

Cooperating Agencies  Letters sent to agencies inviting them to be cooperators –Environmental Protection Agency –Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks –Bureau of Land Management –Fish and Game –San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control Board –Fish and Wildlife Service –California State Parks –Natural Resources Conservation Service –State Air Resources Board  Meetings held in September 2008 to present information about the collaborative planning process

The Monument Plan NEPA Process Published Notice of Intent Winter 2009 Developed Alternatives Spring 2009 Publish Draft Monument Plan & Draft EIS along with Science Review Report Spring 2010 Reviewed comments from the public dealing with draft environmental documents Summer 2010 Published FEIS, ROD, & Monument Plan Fall/Winter 2010 Identify values, visions, & issues (collaborative planning effort) – started Fall 2008