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<br />capacities on those lands. Bighorn sheep and
<br />pronghorn antelope habitat and herd management
<br />in this alternative would potentially increase
<br />populations of these animals to 500 of each species,
<br />an increase of 350 and 200 respectively.
<br />
<br />Land treatment projects on 28,147 acres of
<br />pronghorn antelope habitat in unit E-ll would
<br />improve forb composition of sagebrush cooununities
<br />for sage grouse and pronghorn antelope.
<br />
<br />Land treatment or other projects designed to
<br />increase understory vegetation within sagebrush
<br />communities would improve sage grouse nesting
<br />cover, provide nest structure, and increase nesting
<br />success on 48,474 acres of high production areas in
<br />unit E-11. Improving sage grouse habitat would
<br />double existing populations and increase harvest
<br />from approximately 500 to 1,000 birds per year.
<br />Seasonal and surface disturbance restrictions would
<br />protect 27 known leks from destruction and reduce
<br />stress and disturbance for strutting sage grouse on
<br />about 3,402 acres surrounding these leks.
<br />
<br />Increasing vegetative structure and cover within
<br />riparian and sagebrush habitat types would increase
<br />cover, nesting habitat, foraging areas, and plant
<br />species diversity for a variety of wildlife species.
<br />
<br />Impacts from Locatable Minerals Management.
<br />Withdrawing federal mineral estate from entry and
<br />location would preclude loss of 6,545 acres of big
<br />game crucial winter range, 3,281 acres of bighorn
<br />sheep habitat, 2,074 acres of elk calving areas, and
<br />a variety of other habitat on these lands. Requiring
<br />plans of operations to be submitted for locatable
<br />mineral activity within 38,727 acres in A CECs in
<br />units E-5, E-7, and E-8 would provide greater
<br />potential for reducing loss of habitat and
<br />disturbance to wildlife.
<br />
<br />Road construction, surface disturbance, and
<br />increased human activity associated with mining
<br />activity would eliminate habitat, alter use patterns,
<br />increase stress and disrupt nesting and breeding of
<br />a wide variety of game and non-game species. The
<br />impact of mining activities would potentially be
<br />greatest where bighorn sheep habitat, crucial elk
<br />and deer winter range and sage grouse lek areas
<br />
<br />PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE(E) IMPACTS
<br />
<br />occur on lands with a high likelihood for the
<br />occurrence of locatable minerals.
<br />
<br />Impacts from Oil, Gas, and Geothermal
<br />Management. No significant impacts would occur
<br />as a result of drilling one or two wells. Managing
<br />federal oil, gas, and geothermal estate as closed to
<br />flnid mineral leasing and with a no-surface
<br />occupancy stipulation would prevent loss of habitat
<br />and disturbance on 15,240 acres of big game crucial
<br />winter range, 15,453 acres of bighorn sheep habitat,
<br />and on 2,662 acres of elk calving areas if oil and gas
<br />leasing were to occur. A variety of non-game and
<br />other habitats and species would also be protected
<br />on these lands.
<br />
<br />Seasonal stipulations on exploration and drilling in
<br />the West Antelope ACEC would prevent
<br />disturbance during critical periods on 35,447 acres
<br />of big game crucial winter range and 13,068 acres of
<br />elk calving areas. Controlled surface \>Se and no
<br />surface occupancy stipulations would protect 2,417
<br />acres of sage grouse brood rearing habitat from
<br />potential oil and gas development and associated
<br />surface disturbances in riparian areas (Unit E-14),
<br />and 3,402 acres of sage grouse strutting areas
<br />surrounding lek sites, respectively.
<br />
<br />Impacts from Saleable Minerals Management. Not
<br />authorizing mineral material disposal would
<br />preclude related surface disturbance on 3,664 acres
<br />of big game crucial winter range, 9,023 acres of
<br />bighorn sheep range, and 185 acres of elk calving
<br />areas, and a variety of other wildlife habitats.
<br />
<br />Seasonal restrictions on disposal would prevent
<br />related surface disturbance to habitat and species
<br />during critical periods on 163,593 acres of crucial
<br />winter range, 4,741 acres of elk calving areas, 14,817
<br />acres of potential bighorn sheep lambing areas,
<br />3,402 acres of sage grouse nesting habitat, 2,417
<br />acres of sage grouse brood rearing habitat, and a
<br />variety of other habitats on these lands.
<br />
<br />Impacts from Soil and Water Resources
<br />Management. Increasing ground cover in the
<br />sagebrush vegetation type would improve forage,
<br />hiding, and nesting cover for sage grouse,
<br />pronghorn antelope, bighorn sheep, and other non-
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