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Daa>moer 1.20(:3 F'acOt; :~-20 Within individual grazing units, livestock distribution, grazing utilization and grazing intensity are controlled by fencing, water sources, salting, the location of livestock trails and herding the cattle. This management strategy is designed to improve plant diversity, increase vegetative cover and stimulate plant vigor. Under the existing rotational grazing system, up to 573 cow/calf pairs and 46 yearlings graze 25 units, on four different allotments, with grazing periods ranging from 2 to 30 days in each unit. Grazing use in the LBA tract area varies annually, depending on the rotation schedules. The federal agencies and grazing permit holders meet annually, prior to the beginning of the grazing season to establish the sequence and duration of grazing for each grazing unit for that annual grazing season. In recent years, grazing in the lease tract and surrounding areas has occurred in July or September for a period of approximately 15 to 20 days. No range improvements exist in the West Flatiron LBA tract area. Another land use surrounding the LBA tract is the operation and installation of coal methane drainage wells to serve the West Elk Mine (see Table 2-2, Past, Present and Reasonably Foreseeable Future Actions). There are no coal methane wells proposed for the LBA tract; any need to exhaust methane from the coal on the LBA tract would be handled through existing wells or through techniques used in the underground mining. There is some potential for recreational use, such as hunting, on the LBA tract area; however, there are no developed recreational facilities operated by the Forest Service or BLM on the LBA tract. Hunting is the primary recreational activity within and adjacent to the coal lease tract. Other dispersed recreational activities may occur in the area, but would be on a limited basis due to the lack of developed facilities. Primary recreational access is by foot and horse. The LBA tract lies within the West Elk Inventoried Roadless Area (IRA), as shown on Figure 3-4, Inventoried Roadless Area. The West Elk IRA was identified in the Roadless Area Review and Evaluation II (RARE II) in 1979. A portion of it was carried forward for wilderness designation (122,000 acres that are now part of the West Elk Wilderness). The remaining portion of the West Elk IRA was not recommended for wilderness designation or identified as a "further planning area " A portion of the West Elk IRA, which is located around Mount Lamborn, southwest of the LBA tract, was identified for 3A management direction focus of semi-primitive, non-motorized recreation. The area, which includes the lease tract area, was designated for primary management focus on livestock grazing. The Forest Plan did not restrict road building in this portion of the West Elk IRA. The 1991 GMUG Forest Plan Amendment identified 1,095,700 acres of the GMUG National Forests as occurring within designated IRAs. At 96,281 acres, the West Elk IRA represents approximately nine percent of the total IRAs within the GMUG National Forest. The 1993 Oil and Gas environmental impact statement (EIS) and associated Record of Decision (ROD) for the GMUG National Forests split the West Elk IRA into six segments for analysis. The Coal Creek Mesa area had been affected by coal exploration drilling activities that had occurred beginning in the late 1960s. An estimated 38 miles of exploration roads had been built in association with drilling activity by 1979. The major portion of these roads remained in place in 1979 as four-wheel drive roads. Since 1979, an estimated ten miles of road have been constructed in association with coal exploration activities. In most cases, these roads were closed to full-sized vehicular traffic following coal exploration activities, although some remain and are used as all-terrain vehicle trails. Erwironmentel Assessment V1~25i ~IRYii i~f ~` l-8A Tr2Ci Gunnison CrJUni~-, C;o!orado