2. No significant impacts on public health and safety will occur due to the implementation
of the project (see Section 3.9.2 of the EA).

3. No significant impacts on the unique characteristics of the area will occur because this
project will be under special use permit with appropriate and specific mitigation measures
and these landing zones have been established for approximately 40 years.

4. The impacts on the quality of the human environment are not likely to be highly
controversial because there is no known scientific controversy over the impacts of the
project.

5. The Forest Service has experience with the type of activity to be implemented, and the
analysis shows that the impacts are not uncertain and do not involve unique or unknown
tisk.

6. The action is not likely to establish a precedent for future actions with significant impacts
because the purpose and need for the project will be addressed by the selected alternative.

7. The cumulative impacts associated with the selected alternative are not significant (see
relevant cumulative effects sections in Chapter 4 of the EA). The EA analyzed the
cumulative effects of this project within the context of activities on adjacent National
Forest System lands.

8. The action will have no significant adverse impact on districts, sites, highways,
structures, or objects either listed or eligible to the listed in the National Register of
Historic Places, or on Tribes. A heritage resource and tribal relations specialist has
surveyed the project area and did not identify heritage resources that would be damaged
or Tribes that would be adversely affected by the proposed action (see Section 3.8 of the
EA).

9. The action will not adversely impact any endangered or threatened species or habitat that
has been determined to be critical under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as
amended. Project area surveys were conducted for and under direction of the military by
Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) and reviewed by a Forest Service
Biologist. Members of SAIC’s team of professional staff who contributed to the EA are
listed in Chapter 7. These surveys are documented in a project-specific biological
evaluation and biological assessment included in the project record.

10. The action will not violate federal, state, and local laws or requirements for the protection
of the environment. Applicable laws were considered in the EA, and the action is
consistent with the Cleveland National Forest Land Management Plan (LMP, see Section
1.4 of the EA).

Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact
United States Marine Corps Rotary Wing and Tilt-Rotor Environmental Assessment
Trabuco Ranger District, Cleveland National Forest


USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region
1323 Club Drive
Vallejo, CA 94592

Persons or organizations who meet the requirements of 36 CFR 215.13 may appeal this decision.
Appeals must meet content requirements of 36 CFR 215.14.

9. Implementation Date

As per 36 CFR 215.9, if no appeal is received within the legal appeal period, implementation of
this decision may occur on, but not before, the fifth business day following the close of the
appeal-filing period (36 CFR 215.15). If an appeal is filed, implementation may occur on, but not
before the 15" business day following the date of appeal disposition.

10. Contact

For additional information concerning this decision or the Forest Service appeal process, contact:

Becky Brand, Special Use Administrator
Cleveland National Forest

1147 East Sixth Street

Corona, CA 92879

Phone: (951) 736-1811 ext. 3222

(en Al Sfl2

WILLIAM METZ Date
Forest Supervisor

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the
basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status,
parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or
part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply
to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program
information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600
(voice and TDD).

To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence
Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD).
USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact
United States Marine Corps Rotary Wing and Tilt-Rotor Environmental Assessment
Trabuco Ranger District, Cleveland National Forest



(1) Publishing notice of the proposed action in the Cleveland National Forest quarterly schedule
of proposed actions in March 2012.

(2) Mailing a scoping letter dated March 2, 2012, and postmarked March 8, 2012, summarizing
the proposed action for the identified stakeholders listed above and providing information on
how to submit comments.

(3) Posting the draft EA online for public comment on July 2, 2012.

(4) Publishing a legal notice of the proposed action announcing a 30-day comment period and
notice of public meetings as well as the availability of the draft EA on the project website and at
several libraries in hard copy and electronic (CD-ROM) format.

Notice was published in The Orange County Register on June 29, 30, and July 1, 2012; The
Riverside County Press Enterprise on June 29, 30, and July 1, 2012; The Imperial Valley Press
on June 29, 30, and July 1, 2012; and The Adelante Vaile on June 29 and July 6 and 13, 2012.

(5) Sending 649 individual postcard mailers on July 2, 2012, announcing the availability of the
Draft EA, describing the purpose and need and the proposed action, and providing information
on how to submit comments, how to find the project website, and the open house public meeting
locations, dates, and times.

(6) A news release was distributed by the Commander Marine Corps Installation West Public
Affairs Office to media outlets, elected officials, and other potentially interested parties
concurrent with the release of the Draft EA on July 2, 2012

In response to the initial scoping letter, no comments were received. Ten comments were
received during the 30-day comment period for the EA, from July 2, 2012, to July 31, 2012.
These comments included three website comments, one oral comment received during the public
meetings, and six mailed-in written comments. All comments and responses can be found in
Appendix F of the Final EA.

6. Finding of No Significant Impact

After considering the environmental impacts described in the EA and after examining supporting
documentation found in the project record, I find that implementing the selected alternative will
not have a significant impact on the quality of the human environment, considering context and
intensity of impacts (see 40 CFR 1508.27). Therefore an environmental impact statement will
not be prepared. I base my finding on the following:

1. The finding of no significant impact is not biased by the beneficial impacts of the
selected alternative. The beneficial impacts relate to the improvement in military aircraft
training opportunities as described in Section 2.2.1 of the EA.

Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact
United States Marine Corps Rotary Wing and Tilt-Rotor Environmental Assessment
Trabuco Ranger District, Cleveland National Forest


7. Findings Required by Other Laws and Regulations

My decision to implement the selected alternative is consistent with the long-term goals and
objectives listed in the LMP. The project was designed in conformance with LMP standards and

guidelines.

7.1 National Forest Management Act of 1976, as amended

All project activities fully comply with the LMP. This project incorporates all applicable LMP
Forest-wide standards, guidelines, and management area prescriptions as they apply to the
project area and complies with LMP goals and objectives. All required interagency reviews and
coordination have been accomplished and new or revised measures resulting from these reviews
have been incorporated. The LMP complies with all resource integration and management
requirements of 36 CFR 219.14 through 219.27. Application of LMP direction for the project

ensures compliance at the project level.

7.2 Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended

The project area was surveyed for threatened and endangered species. A September 4, 2012 letter
and corresponding December 17, 2012 letter for Section 7 Informal Consultation by the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) concurred that the proposed activities of the USMC were not
likely to adversely affect the federally endangered Quino Checkerspot Butterfly and the federally
listed threatened California Gnatcatcher and Thread-leaved Brodiaea in accordance with the
Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). Furthermore, the FWS
letter stated that the addition of dust abatement measures and monitoring to the proposed action
would further avoid and minimize potential effects to federally listed species.

7.3 National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended

Cultural resource survey of the area of potential effects for the project has been conducted,
historic properties identified, and potential for effects determined, in accord with the Regional
Programmatic Agreement, Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, and 36 CFR
800. Consultation with Native American tribes was initiated and public comment was sought. No
Tribal requests for consultation or public comments regarding the cultural resource management
aspect of the project were received. The Cleveland National Forest Heritage Program Manager
determined that consultation with the State Historic Preservation Officer was not necessary in
association with the project, as there would be no effect to historic properties, in accordance with
the stipulations of the Regional Programmatic Agreement. See Section 3.8.1 and Appendix A-5
of the EA for details regarding the cultural resource management activities conducted in support

of the project.

7.4 Federal Water Pollution Control Act (Clean Water Act) of 1972, as amended

The design of project activities is in accordance with LMP standards and guidelines, best
management practices, and applicable Forest Service Manual and Handbook direction.
Monitoring and evaluation of the implementation and effectiveness of LMP standards and
guidelines and best management practices will occur. Project activities are expected to meet
applicable state water quality standards. See Section 3.6.2.1 of the EA for more information.

Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact
United States Marine Corps Rotary Wing and Tilt-Rotor Environmental Assessment
Trabuco Ranger District, Cleveland National Forest


Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact

United States Marine Corps
Rotary Wing and Tilt-Rotor Training Operations
on the Cleveland National Forest

USDA Forest Service
Trabuco Ranger District, Cleveland National Forest
Orange and Riverside Counties, California

1. Background

The United States Marine Corps (USMC) has conducted rotary wing operations on public lands
managed by the United States Forest Service (USFS) Cleveland National Forest, Trabuco Ranger
District, since 1972 under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The USFS has determined
that the MOU is not a valid instrument for authorization of land use and occupancy and therefore
directed the Marine Corps to cease operations. The USMC is now seeking to obtain a Special
Use Authorization for ten landing zones from the Cleveland National Forest per current USFS
regulations and a 1988 Master Agreement between the Department of Defense and the United
States Department of Agriculture (USDA) concerning the use of National Forest System lands
for military activity.

The use of public lands by USMC rotary wing and tilt-rotor squadrons is needed to develop and
sustain critical pilot skills through training that meets USMC standards for certifications, safety,
combat effectiveness, and combat survivability. The proximity from USMC air stations to the
Cleveland National Forest will allow aircrews and aircraft to spend a larger proportion of the
limited and expensive flight time available for training on productive activities rather than en
route to and from a training area. It will also ensure that an aircraft can fly from the air station to
a training area, complete a 40-minute training mission, and return to the air station with adequate
fuel capacity for the training mission. Finally, the varied terrain and adequate airspace separation
will aid in meeting and maintaining high standards of training.

2. Decision and Rationale

Based on evaluation of alternatives in the USMC Rotary Wing and Tilt-Rotor Training
Operations on Public Lands within Southern California Environmental Assessment (EA),
supporting documentation found in the project record, and review of public comments, I have
selected Alternative 1, the proposed action, for implementation. This selected alternative will
establish a Special Use Authorization to the USMC for ten existing landing zones.

Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact
United States Marine Corps Rotary Wing and Tilt-Rotor Environmental Assessment
Trabuco Ranger District, Cleveland National Forest


7.5 Executive Order 11988, Clean Water
This project is fully consistent with this executive order.

7.6 Executive Order 12898, Environmental Justice
Implementation of any project activity is not anticipated to cause disproportionate adverse
human health or environmental impacts to minority or low-income populations.

7.7 Executive Order 13112, Invasive Species

Implementation of the selected alternative is not anticipated to cause or promote the introduction
or spread of invasive species. No species found on or near the landing zones are included in the
Federal Noxious Weed List (USDA 2012) or on lists of target species for management prepared
for Southern California National Forests (USFS 2005). In general, the non-native species that do
occur on or near the landing zones are ubiquitous in Southern California and are long established
in the project area and thus do not pose a new threat to native vegetation. There is minimal risk
of transporting seeds of invasive species from site to site because all travel will be by air.
Additionally, appropriate dust abatement and monitoring measures will be developed and
implemented by the USMC, in coordination with the USFS, to minimize the potential for

soil disturbance that could facilitate the establishment of invasive species. The selected
alternative along with its mitigation measures is designed to reduce the extent and spread of
invasive species.

7.8 Executive Order 13186, Migratory Birds

Management objectives of this Executive Order will be met. Although impacts are expected to
be minimal based on the location and frequency of proposed aircraft operations, the USFS may
require breeding season limitations or seasonal restrictions at some landing zones to minimize
potential impacts to known raptor nests or other migratory bird species. This coordination will
occur during the development of the Special Use Permit that authorizes the operations. See
Section 3.7 of the EA for more information.

8. Administrative Review or Appeal Opportunities

This decision is subject to appeal pursuant to 36 CFR 215.11. A written appeal, including
attachments, must be postmarked or received within 45 days after the date that notice of this
decision is published in The Orange County Register, The Riverside Press-Enterprise, The
Imperial Valley Press, and The Adelante Valle. Electronic appeals in common formats (.doc, .rtf,
-pdf, or .txt) may be submitted to: appeals-pacificsouthwest-regional-office@fs.fed.us with
Subject: Marine Corps Helicopter Operations. Appeals may also be faxed to (707) 562-9229 to
the attention of “APPEAL: Marine Corps Helicopter Operations,” sent by mail to the following
address, or hand-delivered during normal business hours of 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through
Friday, excluding holidays:

Regional Forester
ATTN: Appeals

Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact
United States Marine Corps Rotary Wing and Tilt-Rotor Environmental Assessment
Trabuco Ranger District, Cleveland National Forest


I selected Alternative 1 to allow military aviation training operations on public lands managed by
the USFS. The strategic landing zones selected will enable operations based on the following
criteria:

e Varied Terrain with adequate airspace separation (e.g., lack of air traffic congestion or
airspace restrictions) to support flight operations by rotary wing and tilt-rotor aircraft and
proximity to air stations;

e Avoidance of congressionally-designated or proposed Wilderness areas and critical
habitat for threatened and endangered species as designated by the US Fish and Wildlife
Service (USFWS); and

¢ Compatibility with the Cleveland National Forest Land Management Plan.

Training operations will primarily be conducted by the west coast-based First Marine
Expeditionary Force, Third Marine Aircraft Wing (3D MAW) squadrons based at Marine Corps
Air Station (MCAS) Miramar and MCAS Camp Pendleton using existing rotary wing inventory;
CH-46E, CH-53E, AH-1 W/Z, and UH-1N/Y, as well as the newly acquired MV-22B Osprey tilt-
rotor aircraft. Refer to Figure 2.1-1 and Table 2.1-1 in the EA for images of the aircraft and the
estimated volume of operations. The largest change in aircraft flight activity from prior use is
related to the proposed MV-22B training missions, which have not yet been used on the
Cleveland National Forest.

Flight activities will be conducted in conformance with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-
mandated restrictions and Naval Air Training and Operating Procedures Standardization
(NATOPS) flight instructions, which includes regulations regarding public areas and designated
Wilderness areas. Pilots are restricted from landing within congressionally-designated or
proposed Wilderness areas or USFWS-designated critical habitat. Additionally, normal flight
operations will not include weekends (beginning at noon on Friday and ending at midnight on
Sunday) or holidays. To address concerns about dust emissions from aircraft landing and takeoff
operations, the proposed action includes implementation of dust abatement measures for
undeveloped landing zones (i.e., those with exposed soils) and maintenance of all landing zones
within the Cleveland National Forest. See Figure ES-1 for a general map of the project area and
Appendix D for aerial photos of specific landing zones.

Ten resource areas were analyzed in the EA: impacts to airspace; noise; land use and recreation;
air quality; topography, geology, and soils; water resources; biological resources; cultural
resources (including consultations with Tribal governments); public health and safety; and
aesthetics. Overall, the selected alternative will minimize impacts to these resource areas and
accommodate public and agency comments while enabling important military training
operations.

3. Other Alternatives Considered

Alternative 2 was the No Action Alternative. Under the No Action Alternative, no USMC rotary
wing or tilt-rotor operations would occur on public lands managed by the Cleveland National
2
Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact
United States Marine Corps Rotary Wing and Tilt-Rotor Environmental Assessment
Trabuco Ranger District, Cleveland National Forest


Forest. Although the No Action Alternative would not meet the purpose and need for the project,
its inclusion enabled decision makers to compare the environmental consequences of the
alternatives. The baseline against which impacts of the selected alternative were compared is
different than the No Action Alternative; instead, the baseline was considered to be the
conditions of 2010 operation levels as described in Section 2.1.2 of the EA.

4, Other Alternatives Considered but Eliminated

A. Relocate Existing Training to DoD Lands

The USMC considered relocating aircraft operations that occur at the Cleveland National Forest
lands to a nearby DoD facility. Training at these facilities would not meet the purpose of and
need for conducting operations in a variety of terrain and altitudes that mirror real-world
conditions. For example, none of the nearby DoD training areas offer unique mountainous
conditions (e.g., sloped landings and crosswind landings at high elevation) similar to the existing
landing zones at the Cleveland National Forest. As such, relocating additional operations to other
DoD lands fails to meet the purpose and need and cannot be considered a viable alternative.

B. Move Existing Training to Other Public Lands

The nature of the USMC training operations requires relatively large training areas with access to
suitable landing zones that meet the purpose of and need for the project. Present-day prospects
for creating new landing zones on public lands are greatly impeded by existing or proposed
utility corridors and energy development projects (e.g., solar or wind farms), increased density of
adjacent settlements, and long-term commitments of open space areas to other land uses, such as
congressionally-designated or proposed Wilderness areas and critical habitat for threatened or
endangered species. There are other existing public lands that are currently used for USMC
aviation operations, but these are located outside the proximity radius for USMC regional
squadron activity. For example, aviation training occurs in the Sierra Nevada Mountains near
Bridgeport, California, on the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest through the Marine Corps
Mountain Warfare Training Center. However, this area is located over 300 nautical miles (555
km) from MCAS Camp Pendleton and even farther from MCAS Miramar or MCAS Yuma, and
it takes aircraft several hours to transit to this location from southern California and western
Arizona. Therefore, this was not a viable alternative for local training.

5. Public Involvement

The Cleveland NF identified potentially interested stakeholders and invited them to comment on
the proposed action. These stakeholders included recreation user groups; Tribal, State, and local
governments; several local and national environmental organizations; and other members of the

public that have expressed interest in projects on the Cleveland National Forest.

Scoping and public involvement for the project consisted of the following:

Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact
United States Marine Corps Rotary Wing and Tilt-Rotor Environmental Assessment
Trabuco Ranger District, Cleveland National Forest