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<br />
<br />17. Antelope distribution in Sand Wash, Powder Wash,
<br />and Great Divide would be improved by constructing
<br />25 antelope passes, installing 2 miles oflay-down panels,
<br />and constructing fence modifications,
<br />
<br />18. Elk habitat on Dry Mountain would be improved by
<br />chaining or burning irregular-shaped plots (varying in
<br />size from 5 to 50 acres) of juniper.
<br />
<br />19. An undetermined number of springs and seeps, and
<br />associated wetlands and riparian areas, would be fenced
<br />to protect the water source and associated riparian
<br />habitat. Water would be transported outside the fenced
<br />area for other uses.
<br />
<br />Threatened/Endangered, Candidate, and Sensi-
<br />tive Plants (Issue 2-3)
<br />
<br />I. Proposed project locations likely to harbor threatened/
<br />endangered, candidate, and Colorado BLM sensitive
<br />plants would be surveyed before project development.
<br />Section 7 of the Threatened and Endangered Species
<br />Act of 1973 consultation procedures with the USFWS
<br />will be implemented when a "may-affect" determina-
<br />tion is made for listed threatened and endangered
<br />species,
<br />
<br />2, Identified threatened, endangered, and candidate species
<br />would be protected through no-surface-occupancy
<br />stipulations,
<br />
<br />3, Identified Colorado BLM sensitive plants would be
<br />protected through avoidance stipulations, The
<br />avoidance stipulation, when applied, would incorporate
<br />wording to the effect tbat "habitat of known populations
<br />of Colorado sensitive plants, and those remnant
<br />vegetation associations specifically identified, would be
<br />protected from human-induced activities whenever
<br />possible," For Colorado BLM sensitive plants, the area
<br />of protection would include the actual location of the
<br />population and, if present, adjacent critical sites that
<br />affect their habitat.
<br />
<br />4, Colorado BLM sensitive plants would be protected by
<br />designation of Limestone Ridge ACEC/RNA, Cross
<br />Mountain Canyon ACEC, Irish Canyon ACEC, and
<br />Lookout Mountain ACEC (see proposed plan map),
<br />
<br />Wild Horses (Issue 2-4)
<br />
<br />I. Habitat condition in Sand Wasb Basin would be
<br />managed to maintain the current herd at between 130
<br />to 160 wild borses,
<br />
<br />PROPOSED RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN
<br />
<br />2, Surplus horses would be gathered to bring the herd
<br />numbers to proper management levels, based on annual
<br />counts.
<br />
<br />3, A monitoring program would be established that would
<br />determine annual utilization and vegetative trends
<br />within the Sand Wash Basin.
<br />
<br />Soil and Water Resources (Issues 2-5 and 2-6)
<br />
<br />I. Soil and water resources would be protected through
<br />mitigation or restrictions applied to surface- and
<br />underground-disturbing activities, as needed, on a case-
<br />by-<:ase basis, Water quality parameters would conform
<br />to state water quality standards,
<br />
<br />2, The fragile soil and water areas identified in a-g below
<br />(and shown on the map of the proposed plan) are
<br />areas where soil erosion is a concern. In these areas,
<br />BLM has the following performance objectives.
<br />
<br />a, Maintain the soil productivity of the site by reducing
<br />soil loss from erosion and through proper handling
<br />of the soil material.
<br />
<br />b. Reduce impact to off-site areas by controlling erosion
<br />and/or overland flow from these areas,
<br />
<br />c, Protect water quality and quantity of adjacent surface
<br />and groundwater sources,
<br />
<br />d, Reduce accelerated erosion caused by surface
<br />disturbing activities,
<br />
<br />e, Select the best possible site in order to reduce the
<br />impacts to the soil and water resources.
<br />
<br />These performance objecti ves would be attached as
<br />stipulations at the time of lease issuance, If these
<br />performance objectives cannot be met, surface
<br />occupancy will not be permitted on federal surface.
<br />On private surface (federal mineral areas) BLM will
<br />(if necessary) work with the private surface owner to
<br />come to an acceptable surface-use program where the
<br />impact of development of federal minerals may extend
<br />off lease and affect adjacent federal lands or resources.
<br />If such impacts are contained entirely on lease, BLM
<br />will let the surface owner know the concerns relating
<br />to development on fragile soils, but the surface owner's
<br />desires regarding development and reclamation will be
<br />primary,
<br />
<br />All other proposed surface-disturbing activities within
<br />areas a-g below would undergo a site.specific review
<br />at the resource area and/or district level. Special
<br />performance objectives (listed in I-IX) would be applied
<br />to these activities as well. Again, if the performance
<br />objectives could not be met, surface occupancy would
<br />
<br />1-7
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