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<br />1467 <br /> <br />including degree of inventory, number and density of recorded sites, significance of recorded <br />sites, completeness of records, impact of the alternative on cultural resources, relative costs to <br />complete cultural resource work were used to rank each alternative. <br /> <br />This summary describes the purpose of the cultural resource assessment, the criteria for assessing <br />site eligibility to the National Register of Historic Places, a summary of mitigation options for <br />significant sites, and a summary of project recommendations. Chapter 3 presents the physical and <br />cultural setting of the study area. Chapter 4 describes the methods used to conduct the inventory, <br />and Chapter 5 presents the inventory results. Chapter 6 presents a management plan for identified <br />and unidentified cultural resources, synthesizes the collected data, assesses and ranks each <br />alternative in terms of its effect on cultural resources. Appendices consist of data tables and <br />project maps. <br /> <br />Legal Background <br /> <br />Laws governing the treatment of cultural properties in the United States have existed since the <br />early part of the century. Federal laws affecting this project include the Antiquities Act of 1906, <br />the Historic Sites Act of 1935, the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (as amended), the <br />National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, Executive Order 11593 of 1971, the Archeological <br />and Historic Preservation Act of 1974, the Archeological Resources Protection Act of 1979, the <br />American Indian Religious Freedom Act of 1978, and the Native American Graves Protection <br />and Repatriation Act of 1990. These laws collectively provide for the identification, evaluation, <br />recovery, protection and preservation of cultural resources listed on or eligible to the National <br />Register of Historic Places (NRHP) or irnponant in the practice of traditional Native American <br />religions. Sites affected by these statutes include those on federal lands affected by federally <br />licensed or aided activities. Native American burials and their associated artifacts are afforded <br />additional protection and require additional consultation. <br /> <br />Two Colorado statutes penain to cultural resources located in the study areas. The Historical, <br />Prehistorical, and Archaeological Resources Act of 1973 (CRS 24-80-402 ff.), as amended, and <br />An Act Concerning the Preservation of Historical, Prehistorical and Archaeological Resources <br />of Colorado, 1990 (CRS 24-80-401,405,408,409,411 and 24-80-1301 through 1305) reserve <br />title to all historical, prehistorical, and archaeological resources as well as paleontological <br />resources and other objects of natural history in all lands, rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and other areas <br />owned by the state and any county, city and county, town, district or other political subdivision <br />of the state, to the State of Colorado. Essentially these resources from State lands or those of its <br />political subdivisions are subject to the same process of evaluation outlined for the NRHP. In <br />addition, the treatment of unmarked human graves occurring on all lands within the State of <br />Colorado is outlined. If the human remains are determined to have no forensic value by the <br />county coroner, the state archaeologist has the responsibility to determine whether the remains <br />are over 100 years old and whether those remains should be disinterred. Further actions depend <br />on ethnic identification and consultation with various persons and agencies. <br /> <br />Cultural resources afforded protection under the provisions of these statutes are those that meet <br />the requirements for elgibility to the National Register of Historic Places. Prehistoric sites which <br /> <br /><m> <br /> <br />2 <br /> <br />Cultural Issues <br /> <br />-. ~ <br />