TONG SS ATIO AL FORESTSITKA RA GER DI TRICT

It ISmy decision to authorize the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to reconstruct, operateand maintain a communication site on Kruzof Island. Authorization will occur through issuanceof a special use permit to the FAA for a penod of20 years. The site is approximately 35 milesnorthwest of Sitka. It is located in the Copper River Meridian, TownshIp 53 South, Range 61East, section 9. The latitude and longitude of the site is 570 IT 00" Nand 135043' 45" W atabout 1800 feet above sea level (Figure 1). The facilities will occupy approximately 75 feet by65 feet or 0.1 acres (See Figure 2 for a conceptual plot plan).

This activity falls within a category of achons which normally do not individually orcumulatively have a significant effect on the quality of the human environment and, therefore,may be categorically excluded from documentatIOn in an environmental impact statement orenvironmental assessment. This category of actions is identified in 36 CFR 220.6 (e)(3) as:

Approval, modification, or continuation of minor special uses ofNFS lands thatrequire less than five contiguou acres of land.

No extraordinary circumstances exist which would result in additional impacts. No irreversibleor irretrievable commitment of resources are anticipated.

2. Preparation of site grounds to mclude clearing of encroaching vegetation or small bouldersand minor grading and/or leveling as required. Work will be done using hand tools, smallengine-power tools, and a mini-excavator. 0 vegetation will be burned. Rocks will bemoved to the perimeter of the project area.

3. Three 18" diameter concrete pier foundations are required for the installation of threeRADIAN 55G antenna towers (See Figure 4 for example). These towers are necessary forcontmued Air/Ground communication. Each tower will also support a solar panel and windgenerator as a self-su taining power system for site electronics. The towers are 26' in heightand require tensioned guy-wires for secure support against wmd and icing. Additionally,nvo each 24" diameter concrete pier foundatIOns are required to support one satellite dish,and one weather sensor tower.

4. Elcctronic communications equipment will be housed in a pre-fabricated nominal l' X 9'equipment building that will be green in color. This building requires the excavation,in tallation, backfill, and compacton of four to six 10" diameter concrete pier foundations to

support the equipment building. Rellforcing steel and embedded support materials will beinstalled. The foundatIon will be placed and fmished. Specialized concrete or silica-fonduwill be specified on a site-specific basis.

Holes drilled for cabeling from the antenna, satellite dish, and weather sensor towers into theequipment building will be five inches in diameter. Cut piers will be leveled with invertedchannels welded in place to serve as bearing surfaces for the equipment building skids.Stairs will be anchored as required for equipment building access.

5. Drill and install seven each chemical ground rod kits for lightening proteCtion.Approximately 120 feet of bare 4/0 cable will be laid to complete the counterpoise loop.This will include completing cad welds of various shapes and SIzeswhere required.

6. Trench for installation approximately 250 feet of 4/0 counterpoise grounding loop (earthelectrode system) to about two feet below ground, and nine 3/4" diameter by 10 feet longgrounding rods. Warning tape will be placed and the trench will be backfilled andcompacted.

7. To anchor the guy wires, excavate, install, backfill, and compact approximately nine earthanchors buried to approximately 4' 6" below existmg grade. If site conditions cannotsupport earth anchors then drill, install, and grout approximately nine rock anchors buried aminimum of 3'6" below existing grade.

8. Assemble and erect three 26' tall RADIA 55G antenna towers. Install 5 16" dIametertensioned cable guy-wires to provide tower support. Attach solar panel brackets, panels, andwind generators to towers prior to raising each tower.

Work is estimated to be completed within two months. A six to eight person crew will live on-site in wall tents during project installation. All waste WIllbe contamerized and removed fromsite on a weekly basis, or as required. Crews are familiar with high site installation and receivesafety training to include safe work, travel, and habitation in bear country.

On December 21,2009 a letter providing information and seeking comment was sent toShee Atika Incorporated, Sealaska Corporation, Sitka Tribe of Alaska, Central CounCIl Tlingit &Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska. No comments were received.

• Citizens' Advisory Commission on Federal Areas• Kettleson Memorial Library• Alaska Department of Natural Resources, DCOM / ACMP• City & Borough of Sitka• Sitka Conservation Society

My intention is to authorize this use as published in the Tongas ational Forest Schedule ofProposed Actions (SOPA) beginning July 1,2010.

Biological E aluations were completed for sensitIve plants and animals. No sensitive specieswill expenence impacts that would cause or contribute to a trend towards federal listing or causea loss of viability to the population or specIes.

This decision is consistent with the 2008 Tongass Land and Resource Management Plan (ForestPlan). The project is located within an area identified in the Forest Plan as having a Land UseDesignation of Modified Landscape. Direction for management of this area is to provide austained yield of timber and a mix of resource activitie while mimmizing the vIsibility of

developments in the foreground distance zone. This site is designated in Appendix E of theForest Plan as an electronic site. All structures will be made to blend in with the surroundingenvironment to meet the intent of the scenery objectives as identified in the 2008 Forest Plan.

The effects of this project have been evaluated to determine potential effects on subsistenceopportunities and resources. There is no documented or reported subsistence use that would berestricted as a result of this decision. For this reason, this action would not result in a significantpossibility of a significant restriction of subsistence use of wildlife, fish, or other foods.

There is no documented or reported access that would be restricted as a result of this decision.For this reason, this action would not result in a significant possibility of a significant restrictionof subsistence users having reasonable access to subsistence resources on National ForestSystem Lands.

Under the Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA), activities conducted by one federal agencyunder an authorization issued by another federal agency are considered a "federal agencyactivity" of the agency conducting the activity (see 15 CFR 930.52). Thus, it is the FAA'sresponsIbility to determine whether the issuance of thISpermit would affect any land or wateruse or any natural resource of the coastal zone, and if so, to provide a consistency determinationto the State of Alaska for review under the Alaska Coastal Management Program, as required by15 CFR 930, Part C. The FAA submitted a determination of de minimis impact on coastalresources to the State of Alaska Department of Natural Resources. AK Coastal ManagementProgram on April 15,2010. William Groom, AK Division of Coastal and Oceans Management(DCOM) responded in an email dated May 25, 20 I0, that "the Kruzof Island CommunicationsSite ... is at an elevation outside of the Coastal Zone boundary."

A Biological Evaluation has been completed for this action which determines no effects tofederally listed threatened or endangered species by this activity.

The Forest Service program for compliance with the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA)includes locating, inventorying and evaluating the National Register of Historic Places eligibilityof historic and archeological sites that may be dIrectly or mdirectly affected by scheduledactivities. Regulations (36 CFR 800) implementing SectIOn 106 of the NHPA require federalagencies to consider the effects of their actions on sites that are determined eligible for inclusionin or are listed in the National Register of Historic Places (termed "historic properties"). AForest Service archeologist reviewed this project and made a determination of 0 HistoricPropertIes Affected in the area of potential effect for the project.

This activity will not impact the functional value of any floodplain as defined by ExecutiveOrder 11988 and will not have negative impacts on wetlands as defined by Executive Order11990.

Federal agencies are required, to the extent permitted by law and where practicable, and incooperation with States and Tribes, to improve the quantity, function, sustainable productivity,and distribution of U.S. aquatic resources for increased recreational fishing opportunities. Asrequired by this Order, Ihave evaluated the effects of this action on aquatic systems andrecreational fisheries and determined there will be no effects to fisheries resources within theproject area. Therefore, there will be no dircct, indirect or cumulative impacts related to thlOrder.

Ihave determined that, in accordance with Executive Order 12898, this project does not havedisproportionately high and adverse human health or environmental effects on minoritypopulations and low income populations.

The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act requires a finding on theeffects of thIs project on Essential Fish Habitat (EFH). The Proposed Action will have "noadverse effects' on EFH because the project will not measurably modify fish habitat in or nearthe project area. This project will not cause erosion or sedimentation which could reduce qualityor quantity of fish habitat in the freshwater or marine environments outside the analysis area.Therefore consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and ational Marine FishenesService to review the effects of this project on threatened, endangered and candidate species isnot required.

This action falls within a category of actions which are not subject to appeal. Implementation ofthis decision may occur immediately.

CONT ACT PERSONPeggy Marcus, Recreation StaffTongass National Forest, Sitka Ranger District204 Siginaka WaySitka, AK 99835907-747-4274pmarcus@fs.fed.us

~~Forrest ColeFOREST SUPERVISOR

l &,10Date

DistributionWilliam Groom, State of Alaska, Department of Natural Resources, DCOMAlIce Salzman Federal AVIation Admmistration, Anchorage, Alaska

..fProject Site: Existing FAACommunications Facility

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Image courtesy of the U.S. Geological Survey

Figure 1: Location Topographic Map

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Conceptual Plot Plan

FAA New Site Layout

K'uzof CO'l1m Tower Sitelockhel!d Martin

Figure 3

Aerial Photos Of Existing Self-Sustained Outlet (SSO) FacilityKruzof Island, laska

Federal Aviation Administration

Figure 4

Aerial Photo Of Example Facility InfrastructureTo Replace Existing Self-Sustained Outlet (SSO) Facility

Kruzof Island, Alaska

Federal Aviation Administration