The proposed fuel break has been designed to create a linear fuel break along the Atchee Ridge road. The project area contains crucial big game habitat. In the project area has seen a steady increase in wildfires. The Migration data was used to locate big game use in the area. Bison, elk and deer data points were used to show use within the project area. This area has been identified as crucial habitat and the management plan's have identified a need to enhance forage production and protect critical and existing ranges. The fuel break purpose is protecting crucial wildlife habitat from large fires by creating access points for suppression resources to hold a fire.

The overall objective of the project is to create a linear fuel break along the existing Atchee Ridge road in an area that has been prone to fire. The project area is located in along Atchee Ridge and contains summer and wintering habitat for a variety of wildlife species. The linear fuel break is designed to limit unplanned fires and protect habitat from wildfires. Specific Objective of the project: Reduce the height of the vegetation in the fuel break 100 feet on each side of the road. The 200 feet as well as the 50 feet of road surface would create a fuel break approximately 250 feet wide.

Inappropriate Fire Frequency and Intensity - The more immediate threat is the loss of habitat that could occur in the event of a large fire. There is also the potential to increase fire frequency from the limited amount of cheatgrass that has been documented along Atchee Ridge. Most of the vegetation along the Atchee Ridge area is at a higher elevation which receives higher amounts of precipitation. Drought - The area has suffered drought conditions which can slow vegetation recovery processes. Also with the potential to increase cheatgrass there would also be a threat of increasing fire frequency. Areas will burn more often leading to more unplanned fire events. The more the area burns the more difficult it is for vegetation to recover. The project area is comprised of mountain sagebrush, an unplanned fire event would result in the long term loss of mountain sagebrush, and the habitat values associated with this type of vegetation. Invasive Plant Species -If the fire frequency increases and the increase of unplanned wildfires is to occur, there will be a loss of desirable shurbs, forbs and grasses. Over time the area could be converted to a cheatgrass resulting in a long term loss of sagebrush habitat and sagebrush obligate species. Over the past few years fire we are seeing longer fire seasons with larger fires. The fuel break should help mitigate the threats and risks that come with large fires by providing suppression resources access points to slow the fire or stop the fire.

The proposed project will meet multiple objectives found within different plans; The project area is directly adjacent to crucial elk winter habitat. UTAH STATEWIDE ELK MANAGEMENT PLAN encourages coordination with land management agencies, conservation organizations, private landowners, and local leaders through the regional Watershed Restoration Initiative working groups to identify and prioritize elk habitats that are in need of enhancement or restoration. This project supports objectives and strategies in this plan to project elk habitat and mitigate loss, habitat improvement projects that increase forage for both big game and livestock, maintains elk habitat throughout the state by identifying and protecting existing crucial elk habitat and mitigating for losses due to human impacts. The UNIT #10 ELK HERD MANAGEMENT PLAN lists barriers to achieving management objectives as: -Limited summer range on the unit -Habitat fragmentation -Pinyon and juniper invasion into sagebrush, mountain browse, and aspen communities. -The maturation of conifer forests resulting in closed canopies, which reduces perennial understory vegetation, and limits forage availability and diversity. Actions to remove habitat barriers include: -Continuation of aggressive juniper, pinyon, and other conifer treatment projects that target areas of invasion into these habitats. -Cooperate with land management agencies to establish natural fire intervals. -Develop projects to improve vegetative diversity and perennial understory health in closed canopy pinion and juniper forests. The 2025 UTAH MULE DEER STATEWIDE MANAGEMENT PLAN identifies one of the major problems facing mule deer populations in Utah is many of the crucial deer ranges are in late successional plant community stages dominated by mature stands of pinyon-juniper or other conifer trees, and old even-aged stands of shrubs such as sagebrush. Habitat restoration projects are designed to move communities to earlier successional states. Ideally, restoration projects that benefit mule deer should be large in scale, include mosaic patterns to increase patchiness and edge effects, and be conducted in areas with high potential for success. Habitat treatments vary by site but may include chaining, bullhog, and pinyon-juniper lop and scatter on winter range. The plan encourages collaboration of land management agencies and private landowners to identify and properly manage crucial mule deer habitats, especially fawning and wintering areas, and will improve the quality and quantity of vegetation for mule deer. Atchee Ridge is within a habitat restoration priority area identified by the Plan. The BOOK CLIFFS DEER HERD UNIT MANAGEMENT PLAN (Unit #10) habitat Management Objectives include: -Maintain and/or enhance forage production through direct range improvements to support and maintain herd population management objectives. -Work with private landowners and federal, state, local and tribal governments to maintain and protect critical and existing ranges from future losses and degradation. Habitat management strategies include "Work cooperatively to utilize grazing, prescribed burning and other recognized vegetative manipulation techniques to enhance deer forage quantity and quality." Vernal RMP ROD: the project will help manage the vegetation to attain the ecological stage that will benefit wildlife in crucial habitat and livestock grazing, and manage vegetation in remaining areas that result in high vegetation species diversity, allow mechanical, fire, biological, cultural or chemical methods for vegetation manipulation, using the type of manipulation appropriate to and consistent with the other land use objectives, and incorporating standard option procedures and BMPs, as applicable, to protect other resources, manage the vegetation to attain the ecological stage that will; ensure sustainability, meet authorized use allocations (wildlife, livestock), ensure species diversity, restore or rehabilitate up to 200,000 acres of sagebrush-steppe habitat over the life of the plan. Vernal BLM Fire Management Plan; the project will help achieve the desired mix of seral stages for all major vegetative types, remove PJ and Douglas Fir encroachment from the Wy sagebrush, mountain big sagebrush, aspen, and mountain browse types, create fuel breaks n Wyoming and mountain big sage types to reduce the risk of large unplanned fires, and reduce fuel loads, chemical treatments would be utilized in conjunction with prescribed fire and mechanical treatments to achieve desired objectives, and to also control invasive species. The UTAH WILDLIFE ACTION PLAN (WAP) identifies Mountain sagebrush and Lowland sagebrush as key habitats with conifer encroachment as a threat to each of these sagebrush habitats. Strategies for improving the condition of these habitats include "Promoting and funding restoration that reduces the Uncharacteristic class, including cutting/mulching/chaining of invading pinyon and juniper trees", herbicide or mechanical treatment of non-native invasive species such as cheatgrass and smooth brome, and establishing fuel breaks in locations that are susceptible to large or intense fires. See the Threats and Risks section for how this project addresses the WAP. The UTAH STATE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN has several applicable objectives and policies. -Pursue opportunities to conduct and assist other partners with fuel reduction work including mechanical treatments and prescribed fire. -Support the use of mechanical removal, chemical removal, or fire to alter or perpetuate forests and increase herbaceous yield where timber harvest is impractical or demand does not exist. -Improve vegetative health on public and private lands through range improvements, prescribed fire, vegetation treatments, and active management of invasive plants and noxious weeds. The UINTAH COUNTY RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN contains the following relevant policies: 7.4.2 Encourage management of forest resources to reduce the risk of catastrophic fires, which cause unacceptable harm to resources and assets valued by society, including ecosystem and community health and resilience. 10.4.1 Use active and adaptive forest management to improve forest health and support multiple use and sustained yield with emphasis on employment, forest product production, open space, wildlife habitat, forage, recreation, and other social and economic benefits." 10.4.2 Manage forest resources to reduce the risk of catastrophic fires, which cause unacceptable harm to resources and assets valued by society, including ecosystem and community health and resilience.

An unplanned fire event could result in the long term loss of mountain sagebrush, and the habitat values associated with this type. The ability of understory plants to recover after wildfire rapidly declines, especially if the area becomes prone to a higher fire frequency. The project area already contain limited amounts of cheatgrass in the understory. If a wildfire was to occur the fire frequency (how often an area burns) would increase if cheatgrass was to increase in cover. The fuel breaks are designed to help stop unwanted fires. The project area does contain some oil & gas infrastrucure which would become at risk if a fire was to occur.

Pinyon and juniper trees consume substantial amounts of water, up to 30 gallons per mature tree per day. Removal reduces this water loss leading to higher groundwater levels and availability for other desirable plant species. This contributes to long-term hydrological resilience in arid rangelands, especially in dry years. Dense pinyon-juniper stands can increase erosion by outcompeting ground cover, leading to increased runoff. Removal or thinning of these stands promotes regrowth of native grasses, shrubs, and forbs which stabilize soils and reduce overland erosion, benefiting overall ecosystem health. If a fire was to occur, the loss of understory vegetation would increase the amount of bare soil, which can lead to an increase in runoff, soil loss and erosion. Erosion can lead to a reduction in soil productivity and can also increase non-point source water pollution, thus having the potential to affect water quality within a watershed over time (Thurow and Hester 2015). The impacts from a fire would be at a local site level. If cheatgrass was to invade the area and increase the fire frequency, the area could be more prone to soil loss and erosion. While this project covers a relatively small area, it intersects numerous past and planned fuels/habitat treatments, contributing to water quality and quantity across the watershed.

NEPA has been drafted and is with the Meeker Field Office for review. BLM in Vernal is the lead and will complete the NEPA. The mastication portion of the project will be contracted out through DNR. The VFO has completed the cultural resource surveys (WRI Contract) and the reports and SHPO consultations will be completed in January 2022.

The planned methods will be mastication of the roadside vegetation. The project would be contracted out through NE Region DNR. The project will be completed in the fall of 2027.

Vegetation monitoring for this project would be pre/post treatment photos and LPI's (DWR Trend data). Monitoring data; trend data, photo points including pre and post treatments, will be uploaded into the WRI database. Monitoring will also include the use of the DWR Trend sites. There are both WRI and Big Game trend sites located near the project area.

BLM, SITLA, Private, and DWR. BLM has contacted SITLA about the fuel break project. A RIPS form will be completed as soon as all cultural clearances and consultations are completed. A small portion of the area falls within private lands, an agreement was reached with the private land owner to include his lands in the fuel break. BLM met with DWR and discussed the project in November 2021. It was agreed to move forward with the project and DWR would implement the contracting portion of the mastication treatments.

Existing grazing management of the project area will continue, and no rest will be required. The project area will have continued monitoring and possible maintenance of the fuel break areas would be necessary. Maintenance activities could include lop & scatters and herbicide treatments.

There will be no change to current livestock grazing management. The project is designed to establish a fuel break along the existing Atchee Ridge road to protect big game habitat and forage for livestock. The fuel break will allow fire fighters access to the area, creating a potential anchor point for suppression resources.