Opinion ID: 6500752
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: The Combined EIS/CCP

Text: In its combined EIS/CCP, the Service considered three agricultural habitat management alternatives for the Tule Lake Refuge, and four alternatives for the Lower Klamath Refuge. None of the alternatives would have substantially reduced the lease land acreage available for agriculture in the two refuges. For the Tule Lake Refuge, the Service selected Alternative C. That alternative continues many of the agricultural management strategies that were already in place. In addition, Alternative C increases the required acreage of unharvested standing grain from 1,100 to 1,500 acres, half of which is to come from cooperative farm lands and the other half from lease land. Alternative C also “strive[s] to increase acreage and interspersion of walking wetlands within lease lands so that all fields are within 1 mile of a wetland.” The walking wetlands program was framed as an aspiration rather than a mandate because in some drought years not enough water will be available for the program. 14 AUDUBON SOCIETY OF PORTLAND V. HAALAND For the Lower Klamath Refuge, the Service selected Alternative C. Like Alternative C for Tule Lake Refuge, that alternative incorporates many of the agricultural management strategies that were already in place, including an increase in the acreage of cooperative farming when water is not available for seasonal wetlands, as well as incentives for cooperative farmers to provide wetlands on private lands outside the refuge. Alternative C also adds new practices, including an increase in the amount of grain cooperative farmers must leave unharvested by 1,500 acres. In years when this goal cannot be met, the Service would work with the Bureau to revise lease contracts so that lessees would be required to leave 25% of their fields unharvested. Further, “[s]ubject to the availability of water, the Service would . . . increase the use of the flood fallow agricultural practice on fields with expiring contracts. . . .”