WSP02042 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

~ . r . . n~!'~~2' '. larger parcels of private land. There is limited opportunity to affect management or apply Standards for Public Land Health on these lands. Assessments for vegetative health have not been conducted on these lands. The lands between Kremmling and Reeder Creek are mostly private. There are two recent acquisitions through land exchanges in this area. One of these, the Thompson property east of Highway 9 along the Colorado River is irrigated and contains mostly riparian vegetation. The other parcel near Reeder Creek allows access to the Colorado River, this parcel is also dominated by riparian vegetation. A portion of the Mayhoffer allotment south of county road 33 near the power substation was assessed for Standards in 1998, as part of the grazing permit renewal process. The area included in the proposed boundary was evaluated as not meeting the vegetation portion of Standard #3. A change of grazing management on this allotment is being developed to improve vegetative health. The upper end of the proposed boundary near Reeder Creek is included in the East Cedar Ridge allotment. This allotment was assessed for Standards in 1998 as part of the grazing permit renewal process. The area included in the proposed boundary is meeting the vegetation portion of Standard #3, however, the occurrence of hounds tongue was noted and is targeted for treatment. Environmental Consequences of Proposed Action: Management Prescription #1 (Boundary Adjustment): The adjustment of the boundary would not directly impact vegetation in the proposed SRMA. Management Prescription #2 (Identifying Land Use Priorities): The proposed action would identify the majority of the SRMA as a recreation priority. The proposed action would additionally establish or retain a water, soil, wildlife, protected, or no priority for some lands within the SRMA. If expanding the recreation priority results in increased river access points, dispersed camping, or development of access and parking areas for fishing, it may detrimentally impact vegetative health. There is the potentia] that changing the Yarmony Common, Mayhoffer, and East Cedar Ridge allotments from a livestock priority to a recreation priority would de- emphasize the current vegetation management in the area and current use of the areas as forage for livestock as well as cover and forage for wildlife. By adhering to the RMP, which provides for intensive or limited management of livestock, as well as intensive management of wildlife habitat in recreation priority areas, the priority change should not impact vegetative management practices in the SRMA Management Prescription #3 and #4 (NSO for oil and gas leasing, Land/Mineral Withdrawal): These management prescriptions would eliminate activities that could potentially be detrimental to the vegetative resource. WASTES, HAZARDOUS OR SOLID Affected Environment: The BLM does not produce or dispose of hazardous wastes within the SRMA. 17