Kodiak Botanist Comments on FAA Rare Plant Survey Species Report

Stacy Studebaker, noted Kodiak botanist and author of Wildflowers and Other Plant Life of the Kodiak Archipelago, submitted the following comments to the FAA concerning the Rare Plant Survey Species Report.  As you will read, the report has major problems.

Dear Leslie,

Thank you for sending me the Rare Plant Survey Species Report.  I have read it over and have the following comments:

1)  The first aerial photo on page 6 does not specify the location within the study area. Buskin River?

2)  The photo of the sessile-leaf scurvy grass on page 4, figure 1, shows the plants mostly in fruit and not in flower even though it as labeled as being in flower.

3)  The photo on page 5, figure 2 is labeled "sessile-leaf scurvy grass and oriental popcorn flower in Woman's Bay".
     I don't see either species in this photo but instead, Spergularia canadensis (Canadian Scurvygrass) is poking up out of the shallow water.
     This is a common intertidal species within the study area but it is not listed on the species list on Table 1, page 3.

4)  Plagiobothrys is misspelled throughout the report as Plagiobothryus.

5)  This report appears to have been quickly put together. Given the misidentified plants in the photo on page 5, the accuracy of their findings in Woman's Bay is questionable. Did they really find Cochlearia sessilifolia and Plagiobothrys orientalis there? There is no photo documentation of Plagiobothrys in the report to show that they actually found it or correctly identified it.

With this report, what kind of "management" decisions can be made? The authors really did not add anything to the information that Carolyn Parker and I already supplied. There is nothing in the report that says that these rare plants would or would not be impacted by the various alternatives in the PDEIS.

Sincerely,
Stacy Studebaker

UPDATE: Kodiak Airport Runway Extension Proposals 10 November 2011

This post contains the contents of two separate emails from Leslie Grey at the FAA.  The first email was sent to all interested parties on the Kodiak Aiport Runway Extension Project email list; the second was sent to Stacy Studebaker in Kodiak in response to her query.
For more information on this project, go to the  Kodiak Airport EIS site.

Hello,
Last week we held meetings in Kodiak and Anchorage to present and explain
the alternatives FAA will include in the Draft EIS.  Thanks so much to many
of you for attending.  As usual, a lot of important issues were discussed
and good questions asked.  Before the end of the year I’ll send another
update with information responding to some of those questions.
 
 
In the meantime, I wanted to quickly respond to a couple of your needs.
For those of you who like to keep track of interagency participation or
want to follow up with others who attended, attached are the sign-in sheets
from both meetings.  I’ve also had the powerpoint presentation from these
meetings posted on our project website at www.kodiakairporteis.com under
the “documents” link on the left of the homepage.  The presentation is the
first document, titled “Project Alternatives Presentation – November 2011.”
Those of you who attended in Kodiak may notice that we added two slides for
the Anchorage meeting.  These figures are helpful in comparing the features
and disturbance areas of each alternative for Runway 07/25 (page 29 of the
presentation) and Runway 18/36 (page 37).
 
 
Again, thank you for continuing to stay involved in this project.  Please
don’t hesitate to call (271-5453) or write (Leslie.Grey@faa.gov) if you
have questions, comments or concerns.
 
 Regards,  Leslie
Leslie A. Grey
Environmental Protection Specialist
FAA - Alaskan Region, Airports Division
907-271-5453

EMAIL TO STACY STUDEBAKER 10 NOVEMBER 2011:

Hello Stacy,

First of all, thank you for coming to the meeting last week, I appreciate

your interest and attendance.  Regarding your request, as promised, we are

making last week's presentation available to all.  We just posted the

meeting presentation which includes graphics of the alternatives as well as

the other information we discussed up on the project web site.  You can

find it at www.kodiakairporteis.com under the documents link located on the

left side of the homepage.  Shortly I'll be sending out a message to the

entire contact list to make sure everyone is aware of where they can get

the presentation.

Regarding the botany work completed recently, right now we are in the

process of compiling the data and documenting the results.  I will make

arrangements for distribution of the findings either concurrent with the

Draft EIS or perhaps before hand, depending upon how quickly we can get all

of our review completed.  I'll provide you with an update on this as soon

as I have a clearer picture of the timing.  In the meantime, don't hesitate

at all to call or email me with any further questions.  Leslie

Leslie A. Grey

Environmental Protection Specialist

FAA - Alaskan Region, Airports Division

907-271-5453