Hi-Grouse Environmental Justice

Affected environment 

Executive Order 12898 relating to environmental justice requires Federal agencies to consider 

disproportionately high and adverse environmental effects on minority and low-income populations, it 

also requires that minority and low-income populations be given access to information and 

opportunities to provide input to decision-making on federal actions. The assessment area for this 

analysis is Siskiyou County, California and Jackson County, Oregon because these two counties are the 

geographic-political area that would encompass the “footprint” of the area impacted by the proposed 

project (also called the Community of Comparison). 

Census data from the U.S. Census Bureau (http://quickfacts.census.gov/) shows that the population of

Siskiyou County, California is made up of Whites (80.5 percent), Hispanic or Latino (9.7 percent), Native 

Americans (4.4 percent), Blacks (1.6 percent), Asians (1.3 percent), Native Hawaiian and other Pacific

Islanders (0.2 percent), and persons reporting two or more races (3.4 percent) (2008 data). 

Approximately 16.4 percent of the population is below the poverty line (2008 data). The population of 

Jackson County, Oregon is made up of Whites (85.8 percent), Hispanic or Latino (9.2 percent), Native 

Americans (1.2 percent), Blacks (0.7 percent), Asians (1.3 percent), Native Hawaiian and other Pacific 

Islanders (0.2 percent), and persons reporting two or more races (2.3 percent) (2008 data). 

Approximately 16.0 percent of the population is below the poverty line (2008 data).

The nearest community potentially impacted by the project is Tennant. Census data (2006-2008 data) 

was obtained (http://factfinder.census.gov/). Data shows the local population (63 persons) consists of 

Whites (88.9 percent), Hispanic or Latino (11.1 percent), Native Americans (1.6 percent), and persons of 

other races (6.3 percent) (2000 data). Approximately 34.8 percent of the population is below the 

poverty line (2000 data)

Environmental Effects

Based on the analysis of the environmental effects, all alternatives 1,3 and 4 would have no adverse 

effects on human health or the environment that are significant, unacceptable, or above generally 

accepted norms. Although there are modeled negative cumulative watershed effects, there will be no 

adverse effects to domestic water sources or fish. Census data for the local area suggests that the 

percentage of the local population that is minority is somewhat higher than the Community of 

Comparison and that there are a disproportionate number of low-income people. Therefore 

implementation of alternatives 3 or 4 may have beneficial social effects in that local residents may 

benefit from the work generated by the project. 

The project does not appear to have a disproportionately high or adverse effect on minority or lowincome populations. Public involvement did not review any issues or concerns associated with the 

principles of Environmental Justice. All interested and affected parties will continue to be involved with 

the public involvement and decision process.
The project area has relatively high road densities, many of which result from non-system routes. 

Alternative 4 includes approximately 1.5 miles of closure of two spur roads (44N80a and 44N62a). The 

remaining roads in the project area would continue to provide access to the general area and the forest 

recreation opportunities will remain and should be similar for all persons. This is not expected to 

disproportionately affect any group. 

This document reviews consequences for environmental justice by alternative and fulfills the 

requirement for a civil rights impact analysis (CRIA). No additional CRIA is required

Prepared by: Lois J. Pfeffer 4/20/2010

U.S. Census Bureau. 2000. Tennant CDP, California. (http://factfinder.census.gov/) accessed 3/6/10

U.S. Census Bureau. 2008. Siskiyou County, California and Jackson County, Oregon. 

http://quickfacts.census.gov/) accessed 3/6/10