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with the following management goals for the acquisition and disposal of lands. Following each goal <br />statement the specifics of how that.goal is met are identified in italicized font. <br />1. Acquire rights -of -way on existing Forest Service system roads and trails that cross private land. <br />The Forest Service would acquire in fee the lands where Forest Service Road (FSR) 743 crosses <br />the NFP. <br />2. Insure floodplain and wetland values are approximately equal on both offered and selected tracts <br />in proposed land exchanges or that values are in favor of the United .States. There would be a net <br />gain of two acres of wetlands on public land as a result of the exchange. <br />3. Classify lands or interest in lands for acquisition where lands are valuable for NFS purposes: <br />• in designated wilderness areas and other congressionally classified areas. Even, though the <br />NFP is not within a congressionally designated area, it is contiguous and of like character to <br />the congressionally designated Fossil Ridge Recreation Management Area. <br />• Where lands or rights -of -way are needed to meet resource management goals and objectives. <br />The Forest Service would acquire in fee the lands where Forest Service Road (FSR) 743 <br />crosses the NFP. <br />• Lands which provide habitat for threatened and endangered species of animals and plants. <br />Portions of the NFP provide high quality threatened &endangered (T&E) habitat for Canada <br />lynx (listed) and Gunnison sage - grouse (petitioned for listing). <br />• ' Lands which include floodplain or wetlands. There would be a net gain of 2.03 acres of <br />wetlands on public land as a result of the exchange. <br />4. Classify lands- for disposal: <br />• When suitable for development by the private sector, if development (residential, <br />agricultural, industrial, recreational, etc.) is in the public interest. The FP was used for <br />industrial purposes (mining) by Homestake .Mining Company but Homestake has been <br />reclaiming the FP for the last 30 years. Current,land use is consistent with the law and was <br />determined under previous decisions authorizing use to be in the public interest. <br />• When critical or unique resource (wetlands, floodplains, essential big game winter range, <br />threatened or endangered species habitat, historical or cultural resources, critical ecosystems, <br />etc.) effects are mitigated by reserving interests to protect the resource, or by exchange where <br />other critical resources to be acquired are considered to be of equal or greater value. As <br />previously stated both wetland acreage and T&E species habitat acreage on the FP are of <br />lesser amount than those found on the NFP. <br />5. Acquire private lands needed for big -game winter range. The NFP contains elk winter range and <br />is located within a migration corridor linked to critical elk winter range. The FP has no winter <br />range value. <br />Fossil Ridge I Land Exchange Decision Notice and FONSI. 3 <br />