Buffalo Pass Road Reconstruction

Notice of Proposed Action

A rough section of Buffalo Pass Road.

United States Department of Agriculture

Forest Service
Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests and Thunder Basin National Grassland
Hahns Peak/Bears Ears and Parks Ranger Districts
Routt and Jackson Counties, Colorado
September 2019

For more information, Deciding official:

contact the project lead: Tara Umphries, District Ranger
Rick Henderson, Project Lead (970) 870-2299
(970) 870-2299 tara.umphries@usda.gov
rick.henderson@usda.gov
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Disclaimer:

The Forest Service uses the most current and complete data it has available. GIS data and product accuracy
may vary. They may be: developed from sources of differing accuracy, accurate only at certain scales,
based on modeling or interpretation, incomplete while being created or revised, have represented
features not in accurate geographic locations, etc. The Forest Service makes no expressed or implied
warranty, including warranty of merchantability and fitness, with respect to the character, function, or
capabilities of the data or their appropriateness for any user's purposes. The Forest Service reserves the
right to correct, update, modify, or replace this geospatial information based on new inventories, new or
revised information, and if necessary in conjunction with other federal, state or local public agencies or
the public in general as required by policy or regulation. Previous recipients of the products may not be
notified unless required by policy or regulation. For more information, contact the Medicine Bow - Routt
National Forests and Thunder Basin National Grassland Supervisor's Office (2468 Jackson Street, Laramie,
WY 82070, 307-745-2300).
 BUFFALO PASS ROAD RECONSTRUCTION

• The Hahns Peak/Bears Ears and Parks Ranger Districts of the Medicine Bow & Routt National Forests
& Thunder Basin National Grassland invites your input on a proposed project.

• Do you have first-hand knowledge or new ideas that could inform project design
or raise project-related concerns?

• Input is usually most helpful if it relates to specific aspects of the need for and/or purpose
of the proposal, or to the proposed action.

• This Notice of Proposed Action (NOPA) is part of the formal scoping period for this project and is
your opportunity to establish standing to object, should you choose to do so.

Thank you for your interest in Forest Service activities!

Seeking public input

The USDA Forest Service is seeking input on a proposal to reconstruct sections of the Buffalo Pass Road,
located on the Hahns Peak/Bears Ears and Parks Ranger Districts, in Routt and Jackson Counties, Colorado.
An interdisciplinary team will be preparing an environmental assessment (EA) for the proposal. If the EA
indicates no potential for significant effects, an EA document, Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI),
and draft Decision Notice is expected to be issued in the spring of 2020.

This Notice of Proposed Action (NOPA) documents the purpose and need for the project, and the
proposed action; the public is invited to review this NOPA. Comments and feedback will provide additional
information to help refine the proposed action and identify possible concerns.

This NOPA and associated documents are available to the public on the Forest Service website at
https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=56746.

Additional information regarding this proposal can be obtained from Rick Henderson, project lead, at 925
Weiss Drive, Steamboat Springs, CO 80487, (970) 870-2299, rick.henderson@usda.gov.

How to comment and timeframe

The proposed project is an activity implementing a land management plan and subject to the objection
process described in 36 CFR 218 Subparts A and B. The US Forest Service is combining scoping with the
legal notice and opportunity to comment, consistent with §218.24. The public is encouraged to provide
specific written comments (§218.2) on this proposal, including supporting reasons for views expressed,
for the responsible official to consider. Specific written comments should be within the scope of, and have
a direct relationship to the proposed action.

Written comments will be accepted for 30 calendar days following the publication of a legal notice in The
Steamboat Pilot & Today and The Jackson County Star. The publication date in the newspaper of record is
the exclusive means for calculating the comment period. The regulations prohibit extending the length of
the comment period.

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Written comments must be submitted via mail, fax (970-870-2284), electronically, or in person (Monday
through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding holidays) to: Rick Henderson, USDA Forest Service, 925
Weiss Drive, Steamboat Springs, CO 80487. Electronic comments including attachments should be
submitted to: comments-rm-medicine-bow-routt-hahns-peak-bears-ears@usda.gov. When submitting
input please state “Buffalo Pass Road Reconstruction EA” in the subject line to ensure proper routing.
Acceptable formats for electronic comments include rich text (.rtf), Word (.doc or .docx), and .pdf.

It is the responsibility of persons providing comments to submit them by the close of the comment period.
Only those who submit timely and specific written comments will have eligibility to file an objection under
§218.8. For objection eligibility, each individual or representative from each entity submitting timely and
specific written comments must either sign the comment or verify identity upon request. Individuals and
organizations wishing to be eligible to object must meet the information requirements in §218.25(a)(3).
Names and contact information submitted with comments will become part of the public record and may
be released under the Freedom of Information Act.

If the agency determines there would be no potential for significant impacts, that finding (FONSI) along
with the EA document and a draft Decision Notice will be published for a 45-day objection period. If no
specific written comments are received during the designated opportunity for comment, the project will
not be subject to objection. If the EA concludes there is potential for significant impacts, then an
Environmental Impact Statement would be necessary.

The Forest Service also requests your comments in accordance with Section 106 of the National Historic
Preservation Act, as amended (NHPA). Consultation under NHPA seeks to consider the views about an
undertaking and its effects on historic properties for the agency official to consider in decision making
(36 CFR 800).

Background and need

This project addresses resource needs on, and adjacent to, a portion of the west side of Buffalo Pass Road
(National Forest System road [NFSR] 60.1), beginning at Dry Lake Campground and extending to 1.5 miles
east of the Summit Lake Trailhead. The road serves as an important access to the Forest from The City of
Steamboat Springs. It serves as access to two municipal reservoirs, two major trailheads including access
to the Mount Zirkel Wilderness, three campgrounds, Western Area Power Administration and Yampa
Valley Electric Association powerlines, and multiple other Special Use Permitted activities in the area.
Buffalo Pass Road is categorized as a Maintenance Level 3 (ML3) road. A characteristic of a ML3 road is
that it will be maintained “for travel by a prudent driver in a standard passenger car.” Over the last 30
years, the surface condition of the road has deteriorated to the point where it is difficult to navigate with
a passenger car. The rough condition of the road discourages many users, and access to the campgrounds
and trailheads can be difficult. The condition of the road 1) currently results in increased sediment
entering the stream system, adversely affecting water quality and aquatic habitat, 2) does not readily
facilitate maintenance of the municipal reservoirs, and 3) may affect fire-fighting and other emergency
access. In addition, standards for traffic safety, such as sign requirements and spacing of inter-visible
turnouts, have changed in recent decades (figure 1). As a result, the road currently neither complies with
the Routt National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (LRMP) nor with the Road Maintenance
Objective document on file for Buffalo Pass Road.

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Recreational use has increased along the Buffalo Pass Road corridor over the past decade and further
increases are expected. A 2017 survey of dispersed campsites along the road corridor found that not all
campsites met LRMP standards for dispersed recreation due to their proximity to streams and wetlands,
other adverse impacts to resources, or adverse effects to user experience. Additionally, use levels for
dispersed camping are affected by the current condition of the road and might increase due to easier
access as a result of implementing this project. Therefore, dispersed campsites that do not meet LRMP
standards are being addressed in this EA.

There is a need to:

• Improve traveler safety by addressing lack of turnouts and/or narrow road, degraded road
surface, and outdated road safety signage;
• Improve access for emergency response (municipal water supply, firefighters, etc.);
• Reduce sedimentation to the stream system (reduce surface erosion and the extent of connected
disturbed areas);
• Reduce erosion and the loss of fine grained material that is exposing rocks within the road;
• Conform with LRMP direction with regard to access for Management Area prescription 4.2
(Scenery); and
• Manage dispersed campsites that do not meet LRMP standards.

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Figure 1. The existing Buffalo Pass Road surface does not meet standards for user comfort and convenience, nor
do signs meet standards for traffic safety.

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Description of the project area
The proposed Buffalo Pass Road Reconstruction project area is located primarily on the Hahns Peak/Bears
Ears Ranger District of the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests and Thunder Basin National Grassland in
Routt and Jackson Counties, Colorado. The proposed project area is within the Buffalo Pass road (NFSR
60.1) corridor, from Dry Lake Campground to 1.5 miles east of Summit Lake Trailhead (figure 2).

The legal description is: T07N, R84W, Sections 25, 26, 27, 28, 35, and 36; T06N, R83W, Section 5; T07N,
R83W, Sections 25, 26, 27, 32, 33, 34, and 36.
Figure 2. Location of the proposed project, approximately four miles from the City of Steamboat Springs.

Purpose of the proposed action

The primary purpose of the proposal is to provide for road safety, protect natural resources, and support
diverse recreation uses along a section of the Buffalo Pass Road. Specifically, the proposed action would
include improvements to signage and safety, drainage, and road surfacing, and establish a minimum
roadway width, along with some dispersed recreation management. This would be the second step,
following the Dry Lake Campground and Parking – Expansion and Refurbishment EA, toward addressing
broader resource protection and recreation management needs along the Buffalo Pass Road corridor.

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The purpose is consistent with the following Forest Service plans and directives:
• Middle Yampa Geographic Area desired conditions (LRMP p.3-55, paragraph four):
“Recreation opportunities will include high-quality motorized and non-motorized
backcountry (both winter and summer), wilderness, and developed.”
• Management Area 4.2 Scenery desired conditions (LRMP p.2-34, paragraph one):
“Travelways will be clearly marked and maintained to facilitate large numbers of visitors.”
• Forest-wide Dispersed Recreation standards (LRMP p.1-18):
(Standard 1): Close or rehabilitate dispersed sites or otherwise mitigate impacts when:

o Campsite condition reaches Cole's class "heavy" or "severe."

o Site occupancy does not meet the adopted visual quality objective.
o Documented social use conflicts exist.
o Unacceptable environmental damage is occurring.

(Standard 3): Only allow camping outside a 100-foot zone surrounding lakes and streams,
unless otherwise designated.
• Forest Service Manual 2332.1 Safety and Sanitation (p.16):
“Identify and correct hazardous situations at…undeveloped areas where concentrated public
use is anticipated.”

Issues related to the proposal

A Forest Service interdisciplinary team identified and discussed the following potential issue related to
the proposal:
Improving the road would likely result in more visitors to the Buffalo Pass area, which already
receives heavy visitation. This could result in more dispersed camping, which is already a concern
in the area. Therefore, within parts of the Buffalo Pass Road corridor, the proposal includes
restoration of dispersed campsites to a natural state if they are not in compliance with the LRMP.
The future expansion of Dry Lake Campground (Decision Notice signed in 2018) would further
offset concern by providing visitors with a well-managed camping opportunity.

The proposed action

The following proposed action is summarized in figure 3, below.

Road Reconstruction
The intent of this project is to improve the roadway surface on 7.6 total miles of Buffalo Pass Road and
increase user comfort and traveler safety. Specifically, the following project components would address
the purpose and need:

• Signage and Safety (approximately 7.6 miles). Sign road hazards within the project areas in
accordance with current Forest Service sign standards and the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control
Devices. Provide additional signage to support safety.

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 • Drainage Improvements (approximately 7.6 miles). Slope the road surface to improve drainage.
Install new and clean existing culverts within the road right-of-way.
• Road Surface Improvements (approximately 7.6 miles). Haul, spread, and compact aggregate on
the road, raising its elevation while maintaining its current width, resulting in a smoother surface.
• Establish minimum roadway width (approximately 4.1 miles) by improving road sections less
than 18’ wide.
o In existing sections approximately 14’ wide: redesign to single-lane and add turnouts.
o In existing sections between approximately 15’ and 17’ wide: redesign to an 18’ double-
lane traveled way. This includes clearing vegetation from the excavated areas, re-seeding
and use of temporary erosion control.
Dispersed Campsite Management
• Rehabilitate dispersed campsites to a natural state if they are not in conformance with the LRMP.
Within the proposal corridor (9.1 miles of Buffalo Pass Road from Dry Lake Campground to 1.5
miles east of Summit Lake Trailhead). Non-ground disturbing rehabilitation could occur on an
ongoing basis. Ground disturbing rehabilitation would occur on an annual basis, preceded by
completion of surveys and necessary environmental compliance, which would be documented in
the Implementation folder for the present EA. Implement a Forest Order to facilitate management
of dispersed camping, including use of posted instructions to prevent dispersed camping in areas
that violate the LRMP.
Figure 3. Map showing the proposed extent of road reconstruction along Buffalo Pass Road, with delineation of
the additional 1.5 miles of corridor where dispersed campsites would be restored to a natural state if they do
not conform to the LRMP. Mileages are approximate.

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Design Elements
The following design elements are integral and required features of the proposal.

Botany
• In the event that rare plants are adversely affected by the project, action will be taken, if
appropriate, to lessen overall impacts to acceptable levels through actions such as, but not limited
to, seed gathering and transplants.
• All seed used for revegetation shall be tested for and free of annual bromes and invasive non-
native species that are problematic for the Routt National Forest. Work with the botanist for the
most current list.
Heritage
• New cultural resources found or located as a result of project implementation shall require that
the activity cease within the area until the archeologist provides guidance.
• Once sources of fill are identified, work with heritage staff on necessary Section 106 clearance of
non-commercial borrow sources on NFS lands.
Hydrology
• Evaluate and adjust for recreation overuse (i.e. insufficient ground cover, detrimental soil
compaction, excessive runoff, sedimentation) when recreation is causing adverse effects to water
quality or riparian resources.
o Redesign and reconstruct or close and rehabilitate areas of recreation sites that exhibit
signs of overuse.
o Restrict access to nearby wetlands and riparian areas that show signs of recreation
overuse, to allow for vegetation recovery.
• Empty cross drains onto stable slopes that disperse runoff into filter strips; armor outlets as
needed to prevent gullying.
• Stabilize fill slopes during and after construction.
• Keep heavy equipment out of streamside management zones except to do restoration work or
when approved by a hydrologist.
• Keep fill and other areas of disturbance (e.g., staging areas) out of streams, lakes, wetlands and
identified streamside management zones.
• Locate staging areas, vehicle service areas, and fuel on gentle upland sites.
• Install contour berms or liners around fueling areas to prevent seepage of spilled material into
ground water.
• Evaluate blasting and excavation sites for potential to alter hydrologic patterns supporting
wetlands; adjust as needed to maintain wetland hydrology.
• Vehicle service and fuel areas shall be located at least 100 feet from streams, lakes, wetlands and
riparian areas, and must be approved by the Forest Service. Contractor is required to provide a
spill containment structure to prevent leakage of petroleum and other hazardous materials into
water resources including streams, wetlands, riparian areas, and lakes/ponds. Use liners as
needed to prevent seepage into groundwater. Prepare Spill Prevention Control and
Countermeasure Plan per the requirement of 40 CFR 112.
o This measure ensures compliance with the Clean Water Act and maintenance of water
quality for community water supplies.
• Locate temporary camping and staging areas in upland sites at least 100 feet away from streams,
lakes, wetlands and riparian areas. Provide for disposal of human waste, waste water, garbage
and other solid wastes.

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 • Rehabilitate service and refuel areas as needed to restore effective groundcover, prevent erosion
and noxious weed infestations, and protect water quality. Rehabilitation may include
scarification, mulch or other ground cover, and/or seeding.
Lands and Realty
• Dust due to construction will be minimized using spray from water trucks. Only pure water shall
be used within a 400 foot buffer zone of the Dry Lake and Tower SNOTEL sites. This will also ensure
protection of the Dry Lake and Buffalo Pass NADP weather stations.
• Obligations of the MOU between the USDA Forest Service and the USDA NRCS (agreement
number FS 1500-15, section III.A.5, 6, 7, 8, and 90) will be met, including that the Forest Service
must provide notification if activities may affect the SNOTEL site or the area within a 400 foot
buffer zone around the site.
• Information about project work that may affect access routes from Buffalo Pass Road to other
lands uses will be provided in advance by the Forest Service. This includes notifications related to
WAPA (U.S. Department of Energy), Snotel, and Yampa Valley Electric Association uses, for which
emergency access will be ensured.
• When access is not possible from the west side of Buffalo Pass, access will be maintained from
the east side for the following, located near the summit: Municipal water supplies, Union
Telephone tower, Colorado State Office of Technology equipment, Snotel Tower site, and the
Buffalo Pass NADP weather station.
Public Safety
• Use appropriate traffic control measures and warning signs to inform forest users during project
implementation.
Recreation
• Do not stage construction equipment, materials, etc. near Dry Lake Trailhead and Campground
areas.
• The recreation specialist will review the construction schedule one month prior to
implementation. The recreation specialist will be consulted regarding planning sign and traffic
management prior to contract award and during proposal implementation.
• Motorized and nonmotorized trail intersections with Buffalo Pass Road shall provide visitors’ a
safe places to stop before crossing the road. Establish visual sightlines of road traffic, which may
require tree removal or brushing.
Soils
• Avoid soil-disturbing actions during periods of heavy rain or wet soils. Apply travel restrictions to
protect soil and water.
• In areas where ground disturbance will take place, and where recovery of the soil and vegetative
community is not anticipated, stockpile topsoil for use in other areas requiring reclamation.
Threatened, Endangered, Sensitive, and Species of Local Concern
• Contact the biologist or botanist if specific impacts to threatened, endangered, proposed, Region
2 sensitive species, or Forest species of local concern and/or their habitats are identified prior to
or during project implementation. Management (e.g., timing restrictions or boundary
adjustments) may be adjusted as necessary to reduce those impacts.
Weeds
• Prior to entering the proposal area, wash all equipment from unknown locations or locations
known to have noxious weeds.

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Wildlife
• Protect stands with advanced regeneration and dense cover, as much as practicable: Avoid
existing areas of conifers which provide greater than 35% lateral cover at 5-10 feet above ground
height. This provides habitat for snowshoe hare, as described in the Southern Rockies Lynx
Amendment (2009).

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