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<br />CHAPTER D
<br />
<br />through multiple use management, while allowing oil and
<br />gas development.
<br />
<br />ANT HILLS, CHEW WINTER CAMP, PETERSON
<br />DRAW, AND V ALE OF TEARS: These four WSAs share
<br />land forms with Dinosaur National Monument and, when
<br />considered with lands in the monument that are adminis-
<br />tratively proposed as wilderness, do have outstanding
<br />opportunities for solitude and primitive, unconfined
<br />recreation. They do not however, possess these qualities on
<br />their own. Ant Hills, Chew Winter Camp, and Peterson
<br />Draw WSAs are not separated physically and, therefore,
<br />could be combined into one WSA. Because of the land
<br />forms, characteristics, and values these WSAs have in
<br />common with the monumen~ it is appropriate that they
<br />be considered by Congress for BLM management as
<br />wilderness or BLM management for other uses.
<br />
<br />TEPEE DRAW: Although many wilderness character-
<br />istics are presen~ this WSA does not in and of itself possess
<br />outstanding wilderness values and does not add significantly
<br />to values within Dinosaur National Monument. Therefore,
<br />it is not recommended as suitable for wilderness designation.
<br />
<br />Implementatinn Priorities
<br />
<br />Prepare a wilderness study report for seven WSAs, and
<br />prepare a final wilderness environmental impact statement
<br />for submission to Congress.
<br />
<br />Section 603 ofFLPMA directs the Secretary ofthe Interior
<br />to review areas of 5,000 acres or more of the public land
<br />determined to have wilderness characteristics and to
<br />recommend to the President the suitability of each area for
<br />preservation as wilderness. The Secretary is required to report
<br />his recommendations to the President by October 21, 1991,
<br />and the President is required to report his recommendations
<br />to Congress by October 21, 1993. Congress ultimately
<br />decides whether to designate areas as wilderness.
<br />
<br />The decision to recommend the WSAs as suitable or
<br />nonsuitable became effective upon signature of this plan.
<br />Wilderness recommendations could change during
<br />administrative review and, therefore, are considered
<br />preliminary at this time. Additional planning and
<br />environmental analysis will be necessary before they are
<br />designated or not designated as wilderness by Congress.
<br />
<br />Following the completion of the resource management
<br />plan, a wilderness study report identifying the wilderness
<br />suitability or nonsuitability recommendations for each WSA
<br />will be prepared and submitted to Congress. The wilderness
<br />study report will be accompanied by a separate fmal
<br />environmental impact statement on the wilderness portion
<br />of this plan. Mineral surveys have been completed by the
<br />U. S. Geological Survey and the U. S. Bureau of Mines
<br />
<br />for WSAs recommended as preliminarily suitable for
<br />wilderness designation.
<br />
<br />Monitoring
<br />
<br />Until Congress makes its decision whether or not to
<br />designate an area as wilderness, BLM's Interim Management
<br />Policy will be followed. The WSAs will be patrolled
<br />periodically to detect and prevent unauthorized actions
<br />which could impair their suitability for preservation as
<br />wilderness. Following congressional action, a wilderness
<br />management plan will be prepared for any area designated
<br />as wilderness. A monitoring plan will be included in the
<br />wilderness management plan.
<br />
<br />Support
<br />
<br />If an area is designated as wilderness, cadastral survey
<br />support to define some wilderness boundaries would be
<br />requested. Support would also be requested from Ihe
<br />operations staff for easements and land acquisition.
<br />
<br />Natural History (Areas of Critical
<br />Environmental Concern)
<br />
<br />Objective
<br />
<br />To protect identified areas that contain important historic,
<br />cultural, scenic, and natural values or to protect human
<br />life and safety from natural hazards, pursuant to the FLPMA
<br />and BLM regulations at 43 CFR 1610.
<br />
<br />Planned Actions
<br />
<br />I. The following sites, totaling 22,530 acres, are designated
<br />to protect or enhance the values noted:
<br />
<br />a. Limestone Ridge ACEC/RNA (1,350 acres;
<br />remnant plant associations, Colorado BLM
<br />sensitive plant species, scenic quality).
<br />
<br />b. Irish Canyon ACEC, including the Ink Springs
<br />area (11,680 acres; remnant plant associations,
<br />Colorado BLM sensitive plant species, geologic
<br />values, cultural resources, scenic quality).
<br />
<br />c. Lookout Mountain ACEC (6,500 acres; Colorado
<br />BLM sensitive plant species, scenic quality).
<br />
<br />d. Cross Mountain Canyon ACEC (3,000 acres;
<br />threatened and endangered species, Colorado BLM
<br />sensitive plant species, scenic quality).
<br />
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