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<br />001592 <br /> <br />Ji' .~ .'....... <br />,- '. <br /> <br />The effect from harvest would be very gradual during the <br />15- to 20-year life of the plan. <br /> <br />Development of major utility facilities could alter landscape <br />characteristics on 1,505 acres of class II lands. <br /> <br />Open OHV use designation on 84 percent of the planning <br />area would result in localized alterations of scenic quality <br />and could increase the potential for irreversible impacts. <br /> <br />Over time, 146,370 acres of potential VRM Class II areas <br />could be lowered to VRM Class III. Managing the remainder <br />of the planning area (371 ,932 acres) as VRM Class IIf and <br />IV would maintain the overall visual character of the <br />planning area, but might allow for significant visually <br />contrasting projects or disturbances in scattered localized <br />viewsheds. <br /> <br />Historical Resources <br /> <br />Minimal legal protection of 18 identified significant historical <br />sites (1,180 acres) would occur in accordance with Section <br />106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (as <br />amended) and other appropriate legislation. <br /> <br />Archaeological Resources <br /> <br />Minimal legal protection would occur in accordance with <br />existing legislation and policy. <br /> <br />Economic Conditions and Social Environment <br /> <br />Local and regional social and economic impacts, economic <br />national values analysis, and impacts on the BLM San Luis <br />Resource Area management costs are addressed in this <br />analysis. Stipulations placed on fluid mineral leasing would <br />not have measurable economic or social impacts. Any <br />increased operating costs resulting from the stipulations <br />would lower the potential for economical production. In <br />addition, economic benefits associated with the unknown <br />oil and gas potential would not occur. The continued <br />withdrawal of 6,750 acres would not likely have any impacts <br />on the local economy since these withdrawn lands have <br />a very low potential for locatable minerals. Closing acres <br />to the disposal of mineral materials would not have economic <br />nor social impact because of low resource potential in this <br />area. No net increases nor decreases would occur. <br /> <br />Efforts to increase forage for wildlife populations could <br />translate into more big game populations. Any increase could <br />affect the economic sectors dependent on hunting and <br />nonconsumptive uses of wildlife. These increases would not <br /> <br />ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES <br /> <br />be expected to have any significant impact on economic <br />and social conditions in the planning area. Slight <br />improvement of habitat resulting in a slight increase of angler <br />days is not expected to have any significant impact on <br />economic and social conditions in the planning area. <br /> <br />Sale of 288 Mbf sawtimber annually would support the <br />economic study area (ESA) income and employment and <br />produced $3,168 in Federal revenue. Also the sale of 567 <br />cords of fuelwood annually would help offset residential <br />energy costs and produce about $5,102 in Federal revenue. <br />Local employment and income would be supported to the <br />extent that purchases would be made by commercial <br />fuelwood cutters. <br /> <br />Economic and social impacts of land tenure adjustments <br />cannot be estimated because they would occur on a case- <br />by-case basis. <br /> <br />Economic benefits from recreation would be enhanced and <br />would be concentrated on those businesses providing tourist <br />and recreation sales and services (see Assumptions for <br />Analysis, Table 4-1). <br /> <br />The cumulative impacts on the local economy would likely <br />be beneficial, but not large. <br /> <br />BLM SLRA management costs are $650,000 per year <br />compared to benefits of $2,362,050. <br /> <br />Table 4-4 (Assumptions for Analysis) shows impacts to <br />national values from recreation activities on SLRA lands. <br />The estimated national value of recreation activity is about <br />$2.1 million. The total impact to national values from <br />recreation, range, and forestry is about $2.36 Intllion. <br /> <br />The BLM SLRA costs can be compared to the benefits <br />over time using 8-7/8 percent discount rate. The ratio of <br />national value compared to the cost is shown in Table 4- <br />9. Benefits were only those measured in the national income <br />tables. <br /> <br />~ <br /> <br />~ <br /> <br />TABLE 4-9 <br />BLM SLRA MANAGEMENT COSTS <br />COMPARED TO BENEFITS <br />BY ALTERNATIVE <br /> <br />I: <br /> <br />II <br />, <br />1 <br /> <br />Alternative <br /> <br />Benellt/Cost Ratio <br /> <br />Existing Management <br />Natural Resource Enhancement <br />Resowce Production Enhancement <br />Preferred <br /> <br />3.39 <br />3.40 <br />3.39 <br />3.42 <br /> <br />4-13 <br />