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<br />.' <br /> <br />2. UNSUITABLE FOR WILDERNESS DESIGNATION <br /> <br />Selection of this alternative would involve the recommendation of <br />the President to Congress that the entire Oh-Be-Joyful Wilderness <br />Study Area is unsuitable for inclusion in the National Wilderness <br />Preservation System. The Colorado Wilderness Act directs the <br />Forest Service to manage the area for non-wilderness purposes as <br />soon as such a recommendation is made. Direction contained in <br />the East River Land Management Plan would govern management of <br />the area until completion of the Forest Land and Resource Manage- <br />ment Plan. <br /> <br />The East River Land Management Plan documents the following <br />direction specific to management of the Oh.-Be-Joyful area: <br /> <br />a) The overall management emphasis is On providing primitive <br />non-motorized recreation opportunitie:i, but use of motorized <br />vehicles on the primitive road in the Oh-Be-Joyful drainage <br />will be permitted to continue. <br /> <br />b) Commercial timber should be classified in the unregulated <br />component (tree management will be designed to enhance the <br />recreation experience, wildlife habitat and aesthetics.) <br /> <br />c) Activities viewed from trails in the area should meet <br />partial retenLion visual objectives. <br /> <br />d) Oh-Be-Joyful is a high priority area for trail head develop- <br />ment. <br /> <br />e) An environmental analysis and allotment management plan is <br />to be completed before restocking the Oh-Be-Joyful S&G <br />Allot.ment. <br /> <br />f) Isolated patented mining claims in upper Oh-Be-Joyful are <br />priority III (low) for acquisition through land exchange, <br /> <br />3, SUITABLE FOR WILDE (NESS DESIGNATION WITH EXTENSION OF MINERAL <br />WITHDRAWAL DATE TC DECEMBER 31, 1993. <br /> <br />This alternative v.;ls added to this study after the publication of <br />the Draft Environn ~ntal Impact Statement and analysis of public <br />response. This a] :ernative is similar tc the unqualified suitable <br />alternative (#1), ~xcept that the Preside lt would reconunend to <br />Congress inclusior of Oh-Be-Joyful in the National Wilderness <br />Preservat ion SystE 1 with a proposal that :he Wilderness A,:t <br />mineral withdrawal date of December 1983 10t be applied t<.' the <br />Study ArEa; and trdt mineral entry be all)wed until December 31, <br />1993. The DEIS e,tablished clearly that:he central conflict in <br />determining suital,ility involves a conflict between known wilderness <br />values and minera_ values implied from a known mineral potential. <br />The actual minera values are unknown at the present time. If <br />selected 3.nd adopted by Congress, this alternative would provide <br />an additiJnal ten years to allow the private sector (mineral <br /> <br />14 <br />