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January 2004 3.0 Conformance With Forest Plan The GMUG amended LRMP dated September 1991, provided guidance for applicable stipulations to be utilized for protection of specific surtace resources. General direction for managing coal resources on unclassified lands is found on pages III-62 through III-65 in the LRMP All of the lands in the project area are unclassified The project areas fall within Management Prescriptions 6B and 9A, which are described below Sylvester Gulch and Box Canyon lie within the Management Prescription 6B, which is managed for livestock grazing (LRMP pages III-184 to 190) Range condition is maintained at existing or better condition through use of forage improvement practices, livestock management, and regulation of other resource activities Non-structural restoration and forage improvement practices available are seeding, planting, burning, fertilizing, pitting, furrowing, spraying, crushing, and plowing Cutting of encroaching trees may also occur Investments in other compatible resource activities may occur Management Area 9A emphasizes management of all the components of aquatiGriparian ecosystems to provide healthy, self-perpetuating plant communities, acceptable water quality standards, fish and wildlife habitats and stable stream channels The 9A prescription is an overlay prescription that applies to areas adjacent to all perennial and intermittent streams and some ephemeral streams. Riparian areas are geographically delineable areas with distinctive resource values and characteristics that include the aquatic and riparian ecosystems. The 9A prescription areas are overlaid on 6B management areas, and the riparian area goals listed in the Forest Plan (page III-173 through 111-188) are added to the standards and guidelines listed for the management area in which the riparian area is located Mining activities may occur in 9A prescription areas, but must minimize disturbance to riparian resources Timely and effective rehabilitation must occur during and after mining activity to restore riparian areas to a state of productivity comparable to that before disturbance. In the LRMP, Transportation System Management (LRMP, page III-187) directs that roads should be "[l]ocated outside riparian areas unless alternate routes have been reviewed and rejected as being more environmentally damaging "The LRMP further identifies that for perennial stream systems, roads should cross streams at right angles, and that roads should not parallel streams in or adjacent to riparian areas except where absolutely necessary. Sylvester Gulch is an ephemeral drainage, and the proposed Sylvester Temporary Road does not follow these standards of the LRMP (see Proposed Actions -Sylvester Road). The GMUG LRMP management direction for each Management Area (LRMP, Chapter III) in the project area provides for road construction activities even though the project area is in the West Elk IRA. Road construction is allowed in this portion of the West Elk IRA Implementation of any of the action alternatives will require several Forest Service permits to be issued and administered Required Forest Service permits include a road use permit for use of Forest Service roads, special use permit for occupancy of National Forest lands, and geophysical exploration permit would also be needed for the shallow seismic reflection survey in Box Canyon 4.0 Relationship to Other Environmental Documents Previous environmental analyses addressing resources and areas common to this environmental analysis document include • Environmental Assessment and Decision Notice/Finding of No Significant Impact for Federal Coal Lease COC-56447 (Box Canyon Lease), 1995 • Decision Memo for Federal Coal Lease C-1362 Readjustment, 1997 Environmental Assessment Sylvester Gulch Road Construction /Box Canyon Coal Methane Drainage Wells / Box Canyon Shallow Seismic Reflection Survey Gunnison County, Colorado