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Environmental Assessment Bowie Resources, L.L.C. <br /> ' August 2005 Spruce Stomp Fedeml Coal Ezplomtion License (150- 200543) <br />3.3.1.3 Mitigation Measures <br /> ' Conditions prescribed by the GMUG (Section 2.1.1) detail road requirements, road uses, <br />obliteration needs, and safety concerns. No other mitigation measures have been identified. <br />' 3.3.2 Range Resources <br />The area of potential affect for Range Resources is identified as those areas within the SSCEL <br />' boundaries and the range areas that occur immediately outside the SSCEL along roads that are <br />proposed for use. Range Resources include noxious weed and livestock issues. <br />3.3.2.1 Affected Environment <br />Portions of two grazing allotments occur within the SSCEL. The West Tenor and the East <br />' Terror allotments have the potential to be affected by the Proposed Action. These two NFS <br />allotments include the East Terror Cattle and Sheep allotment, and the West Terror Cattle and <br />Horse allotment. <br />' The season of use on NFS lands typically ranges from late June to late September or early <br />October. Water bodies, including perennial streams such as West Fork Terror Creek, East Fork <br />' Terror Creek, Terror Creek Reservoir, and stock ponds occur on the SSCEL and provide water <br />for livestock. <br />' The management of livestock includes controlling the location of the animals and systematically <br />grazing different areas. By moving livestock to different areas, grasses and plants that provide <br />forage are permitted to recover. Livestock movement is traditionally accomplished through the <br />use of fences and gates, the location of water and other features, such as salt licks, and by <br />ranchers moving their livestock. <br />A number of noxious weed species occur within Delta County. Class I noxious weed species <br />include but are not limited to Russian knapweed, leafy spurge, diffuse knapweed, spotted <br />knapweed, common burdock, whitetop, houndstongue, common St. Johnswort, yellow toadflax, <br />Canada thistle, musk thistle, and Scotch thistle. Class Il noxious weed species include field <br />bindweed, jointed goatgrass, oxeye daisy, Mediterranean sage, poison hemlock, halogeton, <br />puncturevine, purple loosestrife, saltcedar/Tamarisk, and Russian olive. These species are <br />typically aggressive and highly competitive with more desirable species. Species such as Scotch <br />and musk thistles and Russian knapweed form dense colonies that may be difficult to eradicate. <br />Newly disturbed areas are highly prone to the establishment of noxious weeds. Delta County <br />regulations require that noxious species must be controlled where newly established. <br />3.3.2.2 Environmental Consequences <br />Proposed Action <br />The clearing for temporary use of approximately 14.8 acres equals an estimated temporary loss <br />of approximately 2.0 (cow /calf pair) AUMs, this is less than 1% of the total AUMs for the two <br />allotments and would constitute measurable loss (Bradford 2004) out of a total exceeding 600 <br />AUMs (BLM and GMUG 2000). Upon completion of the Proposed Action, the disturbed areas <br />would be revegetated with an approved seed mix. The seed mix would allow the disturbed sites <br />3 -34 <br />