Laserfiche WebLink
l~ <br />_, CHAPTERTHREE Affected Environment <br />3.11.3 Existing Conditions <br />Local and regional azchaeological studies suggest neazly continuous human occupation of west- <br />central Colorado for the past 12,000 years. Evidence from the Paleoindian, Archaic, Formative, <br />' and Protohistoric periods had been found in the area. Historic records document occupation or <br />use by EuroAmerican trappers, settlers, prospectors, and ranchers as well. Overviews of the <br />prehistory and history of the region aze provided in the Colorado Historical Society's context <br />documents for this region (Grady 1984; Husband 1984). <br />The BLM has a responsibility under the American Indian Religious Freedom Act and other laws <br />and regulations to protect and allow access by Native Americans to sites that Native Americans <br />deem as sacred or of traditional cultural use. Since many of these sites aze subject to desecration <br />by vandalism and other actions, Native American groups commonly do not wish to disclose to <br />the public the locations of traditional use azeas and sacred sites. Specific information on <br />traditional use and sacred sites in or neaz the proposed Piceance Site continues to be solicited. <br />Contacts have been made with the Northem Ute Tribe. The BLM would continue to coordinate <br />' ~ efforts with the Northern Ute Tribe and assure protection of any sacred sites and human remains <br />discovered. Currently there aze no known sacred sites or traditional cultural use azeas within the <br />study area. <br />Over 300 known paleontological localities occur within the White River Resource Area, and <br />about 1001ocalities occur within the Glenwood Springs Resource Area (Sanfilippo ] 998x). <br />I~' Fossils include invertebrates such as insects and ammonites, and a wide variety of vertebrates <br />including remains offish, reptiles, dinosaurs, and mammals such as Corophydon, Titanotherium, <br />and Uintatherium. Under the BLM's current classification system, all vertebrate fossils, and <br />some fossil localities or fossil bearing formations aze considered scientifically significant and <br />rated as Class I localities of formations. Among azchaic ungulates found in the resource azea, <br />Uintatheres aze only known from North America and aze known to occur in what is known <br />locally as the Uinta Formation (BLM 1994). <br />Research at the west end of the White River Resource Area has resulted in the description of <br />twelve previously undescribed species of primates and several species of multituberculates, an <br />eazly form of mammal. Many fossil plants also exist in the resource azea. Some aze an early <br />type of tree similaz to the Norfolk Island Pine. Other types of plant species are also present <br />(BLM 1994). <br />3.11.3.1 Piceance Site <br />Previously recorded prehistoric sites in the Piceance Creek area tend to be small with low artifact <br />counts. The low number of artifacts may be accounted for by the lack of suitable raw material <br />'' for stone tool manufacture in the underlying Uinta formation. Lithic studies from the azea have <br />shown that locally available materials constitute only a small percentage of artifact assemblages <br />(Pioneer 1994). Site types that typically occur in the azea include lithic scatters, open camps, <br />isolated wicki-ups, clusters of wicki-ups, and isolated artifacts. <br />Class III cultural resources surveys of 3,750 acres of the Piceance Site study azea (Figure 3.1 ]-1) <br />have been conducted for the exploration and experimental test phase and in support of this EIS <br />(Conner et al. 1998; Grand River Institute 1996x, 19966, 1997x, 19976; Weber et al. 1987). <br />Cultural and Paleontological Resources 3-45 <br />