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CNAPTERFIVE CumulaWe ~muacts Introduction Compliance with NEPA requires analysis of the cumulative impacts of each alternative. ' Cumulative impacts aze those resulting from the incremental impact of an altemative when added to other past, present, and reasonably foreseeable future actions, regazdless of who has taken those actions. Cumulative impacts can result from individually minor but collectively significant actions taking place over a period of time. A cumulative impact scenario has been developed that identifies those past, present, and future actions that may contribute to a significant cumulative effect when combined with the effects of other alternatives. Projects Evaluated Four projects aze included in the analysis of cumulative impacts: White River Nahcolite, TransColorado Pipeline, Colorado Interstate Gas Pipeline, and Colorado Oil and Gas Leasing and Development. These projects were determined to be the most likely to contribute to cumulative impacts, and a description of project components and activities for these projects is provided in the following sections. White River Nahcolite The White River Nahcolite Minerals holds four federal sodium leases (8,222 acres). The project is a commercial-scale nahcolite solution mine. The 30-yeaz project began in 1991 and is currently producing sodium bicazbonate at a rate of approximately 80,000 tons per year. The White River Nahcolite project is located about one mile southwest of the western boundary of the proposed Yankee Gulch Project Piceance Site (Figure 5-1). The White River Nahcolite project is described in the 1986 EIS (BLM 1986). The following information was revised from projections in that 1986 EIS to reflect current production levels (Daggett 1998). Key project components/activities include: • Approximately 215 acres of disturbance associated with well-field development. Less than 1 cavity is being mined annually, involving the drilling of less than 2 production wells each yeaz. Over the 30-yeaz life of the mine, 30 cavities would be mined, involving 60 production 1 wells. • Three evaporation ponds with a total of ] 0 acres of evaporation surface. ' • Approximately 65 gpm (95 acre-feet per yeaz) of water is required for mine operation and process facilities. • Employment of 21 full-time employees who live in Rifle, Pazachute and Meeker azeas. • Traffic from operations included 12 trucks per day/25 tons per truck/5 days per week. The total acreage of disturbance over the life of the mine would be up to 257 acres. At completion of the project, surface facilities will be removed or buried onsite and disturbed azeas reclaimed for use as range or wildlife habitat. 5-l