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Introduction <br />Metcalf Archaeological Consultants. Inc. (MAC) conducted a Class III <br />cultural resource inventory for proposed seismic line 95B, eight drill hole <br />sites, and access improvements. This inventory was completed for Cyprus Empire <br />Corporation. Craig, Colorado. Surface ownership is predominantly private, but <br />because the proposed project will develop federal minerals administered by the <br />Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the project is considered a federal undertaking. <br />In accordance with policies and regulations implementing the National <br />Historic Preservation Act (Public Law 89-665), as amended, the cultural resource <br />inventory was completed to locate, identify and evaluate any cultural resources <br />that might be affected by the proposed undertaking. The inventory was completed <br />by MAC archaeologist Carl Spath, Ph.D. on July 17 and 18 under the stipulations <br />of BLM Antiquities Permit #039290, which expires on 22 September 1995. All field <br />documentation, original records. and copies of this report are on file at the MAC <br />office in Eagle. Colorado. <br />The proposed project consists of approximately 13,500 feet of 300 foot wide <br />seismic corridor, eight exploratory drill hole sites, and approximately 8400 feet <br />of previously uninventoried access improvements. A 150 foot radius was surveyed <br />around each staked drill location, for a survey area of approximately 1.6 acres. <br />A 100 foot wide corridor was surveyed for proposed access improvements. The <br />project area is located in T 6 N, R 91 W, Sections 18 and 19, and in T 6 N, R 92 <br />W, Sections 12-14 and 23-24, Moffat County, Colorado (Figure 1). A total of <br />about 125 acres was inventoried, mostly on private surface. Along the west half <br />of the seismic corridor about 36 acres of state surface in sections 23 and 24, <br />and 3.4 acres of federal surface in Section 23 surface were surveyed. The <br />remaining 85.6 acres were private surface. <br />The objective of this cultural resource inventory was to locate and record <br />any cultural resources that might within the potential area of effect of the <br />proposed project, and to provide recommendations of eligibility to the National <br />Register of Historic Places (Register). Management recommendations for treatment <br />of any discovered resources were to be made in accordance with their recommended <br />Register evaluations and potential impacts. <br />Environment <br />Located in the northern portion of the Southern Rocky Mountains <br />Physiographic Province (Thornbury 1965) the physiography consists of abroad area <br />of rolling, dissected uplands west of the Yampa River Valley and northwest of the <br />Williams Fork Mountains. The The terrain around the project area is an area <br />of broad gently sloping ridges bounded by shallow gulches and draws containing <br />intermittent drainages. The terrain becomes steeper to the east toward the Yampa <br />River and Williams Fork Mountains. Project elevations range from about 6150' <br />amsl near the Yampa River, to about 6500' near PEDS-15-alternate. The proposed <br />drill hole locations are predominantly on ridgetops or gentle slopes. The <br />proposed seismic line climbs west-southwesterly from the Yampa river Valley <br />across deeply dissected upland ridge terrain. <br />