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PROPOSED ACTION FOR THE

NAVAJO CINDER PIT RECLAMATION PROJECT

U.S. FOREST SERVICE DIXIE NATIONAL FOREST

CEDAR CITY RANGER DISTRICT KANE COUNTY, UTAH

PROJECT BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY

The Navajo Cinder Pit, located along State Route 14 in Kane County, Utah, has been in

existence for approximately 40 years (Figure 1). The pit is located at the base of one of many

cinder cones on Cedar Mountain. The cinder materials from this pit and the Strawberry Cinder

pit were used extensively until the 1990’s by both the Dixie National Forest and f Utah

Department of Transportation (UDOT) for road base and other project materials. Cinder

material is no longer used in many applications and the use of the Navajo Cinder Pit has declined

sharply. Since 2005, no appreciable use of the Navajo Pit has occurred, and any expansion of the

pit will make it more visible to those driving on State Route14. The remaining open cinder pit

has degraded to a condition in which there are 30 foot high walls that need to be reduced for

public safety.

In the summer of 2016, the Federal Highway’s Navajo Lake Road project will begin paving the

Navajo Lake Road to improve the health and safety to forest users in the area. This project is

expected to remove top soil, and other growth medium that can be used to provide material to

assist in reclamation of the Navajo Cinder Pit. The road project is occurring in the vicinity of the

Navajo Cinder Pit and this provides the Dixie National Forest with a unique opportunity to not

only recontour the slopes within the pit to a more natural topography but also to cap the cinder

material with a medium that will be more successful in reestablishing vegetation.

The Cedar City Ranger District, Dixie National Forest (DNF) proposes to recontour the base of

the Navajo Cinder Pit, cap the base cinders with a more favorable growth medium and to

revegetate the recontoured area. This will move this area to a more natural condition to begin

transition to a ponderosa pine, mixed conifer vegetation type.

PROJECT AREA LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION

The Navajo Cinder Pit is located just north of Utah State Route (SR) 14, adjacent to Forest

Service Road (FSR)#30383 and is directly across from the Navajo Lake Road, FSR #30053(See

Map 1). Forest Service Road # 30383 runs along the base of the pit and continues north around

the pit. The Navajo Cinder Pit is in Management Area #1A as described in the Dixie National

Forest Land and Resource Management Plan, 1986 (LRMP) which is managed for developed

recreation. The pit itself is hidden from view by tree growth screening the area. The entirety of

Navajo Cinder Pit is on the Dixie National Forest and the project area is entirely within Kane

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County, UT (T38S, R8W, Section 9NE; SLB&M). All acreages, distances, durations and other

quantities in this document are approximations based on measurements, samples, estimates,

computer models and professional judgment commonly applied in environmental analyses.

PURPOSE AND NEED

The purpose of this project is to reclaim the Navajo Cinder Pit to a more natural slope and to

establish vegetation to perpetuate the desired cover type of ponderosa pine mixed conifer (LRMP

IV-57). In order to accomplish this purpose, work will include:

1) Recontour the lower slope of the Navajo Cinder Pit in the already excavated area.

2) Cover the re-contoured slopes with fill material and growth medium.

3) Seed the new growth medium to establish base vegetation.

4) Create a temporary barrier with boulders until revegetation can is successful.

PROPOSED ACTION

The Cedar City Ranger District proposes to reclaim the approximately 5 acre Navajo Cinder Pit.

The proposed action is to re-contour the current cut slopes to a more natural slope along the base

of the pit, place fill and growth medium on the surface of the re-contoured slopes, and restore

vegetation at the Navajo Cinder Pit. The Proposed Action is expected to begin in spring 2016

and continuing throughout the summer and fall season with the anticipated completion date by

the end of 2017. Project design features that are included in the Proposed Action are identified

in Table 1.

1) The existing Navajo Cinder Pit will be terraced to the extent possible to achieve a more

stable slope within the pit.

2) Growth medium collected at the site of the Navajo Road resurfacing project directly

across from the pit will be hauled to the re-contoured pit site and placed on the surface.

There will be some compacting of these soils to help prevent erosion and rilling. The

contours and drainage of the re-contoured pit will be designed so that if erosion occurs it

will drain inward and will drain away from the intermittent stream.

3) Once the resurfacing is complete the area will be reseeded with grasses and forbs selected

to help achieve natural vegetation which will help to perpetuate the desired cover for the

area.

4) The revegetation and growth will be monitored for a period of at least three years for

noxious weeds and will be treated in accordance with the 2000 Environmental

Assessment, Noxious Weed Management Plan, Dixie National Forest.

5) Tree planting may occur following the reclamation of the pit.

6) Boulders located in the area will be placed strategically to prevent illegal motorized use

of the hillside to allow the revegetation to take place. Rock retrieval will involve careful

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pick up and removal of boulders by a track hoe or loader with no other ground

disturbance.

7) Although temporary road closures for traffic may occur during the work period, no open

roads would be closed.

8) Access to the site will occur on Forest Service Road #30383 and all activities are

expected to occur in already previously excavated portions of the pit.

9) Removal of vegetation between the pit site and the State Route 14 will not occur.

FOREST PLAN DIRECTION

All activities are required to be consistent with the Dixie National Forest Land and Resource

Management Plan (16 U.S.C. 1604 (i)). The Forest Plan provides the overall guidance for

management activities by specifying goals and objectives, desired future conditions,

management direction and standards and guidelines. Forest Plan Direction: The proposed

reclamation activities fall within the following Forest Plan Management Areas: 1A – Developed

Recreation. Guidance for development of the purpose and need for action came from the Dixie

National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan, 1986.

The management emphasis for this area is for developed recreation in existing and proposed sites

(due to the proximity to the Navajo Lake recreation complex). The vegetation will be managed to

perpetuate the desired cover type.

The Navajo Cinder Pit is located near State Route 14, which is a state scenic byway and has a

Scenic Integrity Objective of High. The landscape theme is “naturally appearing”. Management

activities are to repeat form, line, color and textures found in the surrounding landscape.

Goal No. 8: “provide for a pleasing visual landscape.” (IV-3). Objective: Rehabilitate or

mitigate visually unacceptable conditions...

Table 1. Project Design Features

Hydrology and Soils

HS-1 All topsoil would be seeded after reclamation of the pit.

HS-2 During closure of the pit the reclamation design will be such that drainage from the pit is closed and contoured such that the flow is diffused and does not have a direct flowpath to any stream channels (straw waddles and woody debris may be needed in this situation).

Noxious Weeds NW-1 Seed mixes will include species that germinate rapidly to provide a quick cover of vegetation for stabilization. Seed mixes used for rehabilitation purposes will be noxious weed free certified.

NW-2 If used for rehabilitation purposes, only certified noxious weed free hay, straw, and mulch will be used.

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NW-3 Noxious weeds will be controlled on all disturbed areas in accordance with the Dixie National Forest Noxious Weed Management Environmental Assessment of 2000.

NW-4 All ground disturbing equipment will be cleaned prior to entering National Forest System lands.

Recreation and Trails TR-1 Address any safety considerations to reduce risk to the public, especially users on roads in the project area, and liability to the Forest.

TR-2 Post safety signing along Forest Service roads when appropriate during hauling activities.

TR-3 All trash, garbage, debris, and foreign matter must be removed and properly disposed. Sites must be maintained and left in a clean and safe condition.

TR-4 Boulders will be placed in the Navajo Cinder Pit reclaimed area to prevent motorized use in this area.

Wildlife WL-1 Project implementation shall cease if any sensitive species is discovered within or adjacent to the project area that has not been addressed within the environmental analysis until an assessment can be made to determine the impact and potential adverse effects to the species.

WL-2 If new raptor nests are found within or adjacent to the project area, a buffer shall be placed around the nest, and a timing restriction will be established if the nest area is occupied. Buffer size, timing restrictions, and restrictions of harvest activities will be made on a case-by-case basis taking into consideration site-specific raptor needs and utilizing raptor protection guidelines from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (2002). If goshawk nests are found, the requirements in the 2000 Utah Northern Goshawk Project, Decision Notice are to be followed to protect the species.

Scenic Resources

SR- 1 Leave standing trees and shrubs in strategic locations along the perimeter of the pit to serve as screening.

SR- 2 Reclamation will include re-contouring so that the area approximates the contours of the surrounding topography and revegetation goals aim to establish vegetation on the reclaimed site with similar density and diversity as the surrounding area.

Cultural and Historical Resource Protection

C-1 All areas within the proposed project boundary have been surveyed for cultural resources. If during operation activities any buried unrecorded resources are identified operations will cease immediately and the District Ranger and the Forest Archaeologist will be notified.

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ISSUES AND CONCERNS

The Forest Service will conduct an environmental analysis of the Proposed Action in compliance

with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The analysis will determine potential

impacts to wildlife, fish, rare plants, threatened, endangered and sensitive species, cultural

resources and other resources. Preliminary analysis indicates the potential environmental and

cumulative effects that may result from this proposal may be categorically excluded from

documentation in an Environmental Assessment or Environmental Impact Statement as provided

in Code of Federal Regulations(CFR) (40 CFR 1508.4). 36 CFR 220.6(e)(20) includes:

“Activities that restore, rehabilitate, or stabilize lands occupied by roads and trails, excluding

National Forest System roads and National Forest System trails to a more natural condition that

may include removing, replacing, or modifying drainage structures and ditches, reestablishing

vegetation, reshaping natural contours and slopes, reestablishing drainage-ways, or other

activities that would restore site productivity and reduce environmental impacts.”

RESPONSIBLE OFFICIAL

The responsible official for this analysis and decision is the Cedar City District Ranger, Dixie

National Forest, 1789 N. Wedgewood Lane, Cedar City, UT 84721.

DECISION TO BE MADE

The Responsible Official will decide whether to implement the Proposed Action as described, a

modification thereof, or no action.

SCOPING PROCESS

Individuals, organizations, federal, state and local agencies who are interested in or affected by

the decision are invited to participate in the scoping process. Comments received will be used

during environmental analysis.

COMMENTS REQUESTED

Comments will continue to be received and considered throughout the analysis process.

Comments received in response to scoping, including names and addresses of those who

comment, will be considered part of the public record of this proposed action and will be

available for public inspection. Comments submitted anonymously will be accepted and

considered; however without an associated name and address, receiving further correspondence

concerning this project will not be possible. To be most helpful in development of the analysis,

comments are requested by September 8, 2015.

Additionally, pursuant to 7 CFR 1.27(d), any person may request the agency to withhold a

submission from the public record by showing how the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)

permits such confidentiality. Persons requesting such confidentiality should be aware that, under

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the FOIA, confidentiality may be granted in only very limited circumstances, such as to protect

trade secrets. The Forest Service will inform the requester of the agency’s decision regarding the

request for confidentiality; where the request is denied; the agency will return the submission and

notify the requester that the comments may be resubmitted with or without name and address

within a specified number of days.

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights

regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in

or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin,

religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital

status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or

reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by

USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or

incident.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g.,

Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or

USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal

Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages

other than English.

To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint

Form, AD-3027, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html and at any USDA

office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the

form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992.

Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:

(1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights

1400 Independence Avenue, SW

Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;

(2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: program.intake@usda.gov.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

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Figure 1. Navajo Cinder Pit 2014. Proposed action would terrace the face of this pit and use fill to bring the

face to a more stable slope.

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Map 1: Navajo Cinder Pit location map

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Figure 2. Survey drawing of the Navajo Cinder Pit.