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CHAPTER FOUR About 5,171 more acres would be closed to OHV traffic and open areas would decrease by 5,171 acres. Other designations would not change from Alternative A. Closing the Powderhorn ACEC to OHV use and limiting camping use in the ACEC to designated sites would preserve primitive recreational settings. Special management attention being implemented in the Alpine, Powder horn, and Lake Fork ACECs would help enhance and maintain ACEC and recreation values. Plans of operation for locatable mineral activity being required in the Alpine, Lake Fork, South Beaver Creek, East Gunnison, and West Antelope Creek ACECs would provide more control of surface disturbance and reclamation plans for recreation resources in these areas. Impacts from Locatable Minerals Management. Withdrawing 58,369 acres of federal mineral estate from mineral entry and location would preclude any possible mineral exploration or development and would protect the integrity of recreation settings and experiences on these lands from disturbance associated with mining. About 5,400 of these acres have a high likelihood for the occurrence of locatable minerals. Identifying 99,600 acres of lands with a high potential for the occurrence of locatable minerals as open to mineral entry and location could significantly alter recreation settings and experiences where mining occurs. Impacts from Saleable Minerals Management. Adverse impacts to recreation settings and experiences from surface disturbance associated with mineral material disposal would be minimized by mitigating measures being applied to disposal authorizations. About 670,065 acres would be available for mineral material disposal. Impacts from Special Status Plant and Animal Species and Habitat Management. Limiting OHV use to designated routes on 4,625 acres in the South Beaver Creek ACEC would restrict this use in an area previously open to OHV use. Impacts from Wildlife Habitat and Fishery Resources (Aquatic Habitat) Management. Improvement of Wildlifc habitat through land treatment projects, seedings, and stream rehabilitation would result in marginal increases in the numhers of recreationists, primarily fishers and hunters. Impacts from Witd and Scenic River Study Segment Recommendation. If eventually designated into the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, awareness of Segment A of the Lake Fork of the Gunnison River and the recognition the stream would receive would result in some increase of motorized vehicular traffic from visitors, and an increase in hikers to Sloan Lake and the American Basin drainage. Opportunities for solitude could be diminished, and other visitors may choose different lands for recreation experiences in a less crowded environment. Impacts from Visual Resource Management. Managing 6,000 acres at the Hartman Rocks area under VRM Class III objectives an,d 4,358 acres at High Mesa under VRM class II objectives would maintain the recreation setting and scenic quality on lands highly valued by recreational visitors. Impacts I..om Historical Resource Management. The identification, stabilization and interpretation of historical resources would significantly enhance the setting and experience of recreation visitors. Impacts from Transportation and Access. Acquisition of new public access into nine areas would increase recreational visitor use and would make available more public lands for recreation activities such as hunting, sightseeing and OHV use. Impacts from Acquisition of Non-Federal Lands. Tbe acquisition of inholdings and lands with significant recreation resources would expand recreational opportunities and would eliminate potential private development. CUMULATIVE IMPACTS ON RECREATION Improved recreation facilities and development of additional campgrounds would increase the number of visitors to this area by an estimated 50% over the life of this plan. Public lands would be managed for a wide variety of recreation opportunities and activities. Locatable mineral activity and above-ground rights-of- way development would result in deterioration of recreation settings if surface disturbance and 4-24