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{'l!- ,:", ~ '11 ,,)\.....j . Purpose and Need management practices of livestock operators in the five WSAs wou1 d be more closely regulated, they would continue as they did prior to wi1 derness designation subject to reasonable controls. The impact of wilderness designation on livestock operations as a resul t of curtailment of planned range developments is not considered an issue since no range developments exist nor are any planned. 2. Effects on Air Quality Classification - Concerns were raised regarding the interaction between wi1 derness designation and air quality classification. The wilderness management policy states that BLM will manage all wilderness areas to comply .with the existing air quality classification for that specific area, so wilderness designation or non- designation would not cause the air quality classification to change. Therefore, this issue was dropped from further analysis in the EIS. 3. Effects on Cul tura1 Resources Generally, wilderness designation is not adverse to cul tural resources because they will generally benefit from an area being designated as wilderness. Except for valid existing rights, such designation legally precludes development, land disturbances. motorized use, and other damaging or intrusive human effects. Most wilderness users tend to be sens iti ve to thei r envi ronment and thus are far less likely to "pothunt" than others. Wilderness areas totally eliminate access by road and thus eliminate the use of vehicles or heavy equipment for vandalism purposes. A 1979 study (Nickens, et a1.. 1979) has confirmed that cultural sites mOre than one half a mile from a road are much less vandalized than those sites near a roadway . Inventory procedure is well-established and is done whenever surface disturbance occurs in a non-inventoried area. Mitigation for site loss or damage is normally done when a site qualifies for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places. This is required by law. Mitigation can range from site excavation and analysis to site avoidance through project redesign. If an area is not designated wll derness , it may be opened to development such as oil and gas, roads, timber sales, and other surface disturbing activities. Such disturbance may cause destruction to si9nificant cultural resources and can open up regions without previous access. Increased access can provide vandals and "pothunters" easy ability to loot and the damage to cultural resources can increase greatly. It should be noted. however, that most all development on the publiC lands requi res inventory and miti ga ti on for cu1 tura1 resources, thus providing legal protection which occurs whether an area is designated as wil derness or not. At the time a wilderness management plan is developed, procedures for the identification and protection of cultural resources will be considered as part of that process. This will in1cude inventory, when appropriate. mitigation as needed and consultation with the State Historic Preservation Officer as required uner 36 CFR BOO.4. At present, no historic properties, as defined in 36 CFR Part 60 (National Register of Historic Places), are known to exist within the wilderness study areas included in this document. In those cases where significant cultural values are known to exist, or that are suspected to be present. the legislation that is developed must address access, and scientific or educational uses. that may be required. 7