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CRAPTERFIVE Cumntatiue Impacts affect a lazge area of habitat, and is more centrally located within severe winter range. In the absence of mitigation, these two projects could cause a cumulative decrease in ~vea of severe winter range, and a decrease in mule deer wintering populations. Both projects require wildlife mitigations, including enhancement of off-site habitat, to prevent such a cumulative impact from occurring. The CIG pipeline and the TransColorado Pipeline both involve short-term loss of habitat during pipeline construction, but minimal surface occupancy following construction. Construction occurred or would occur during non-critical seasons, to minimize adverse effects on mule deer when resources are limiting. The operational ROWs would not fragment mule deer habitat, and would not be a continuing source of displacement. The azea affected is less thazc 1 percent of habitats available, and would be a source of forage after revegetation. Oil and gas drilling has already occurred within the Parnchute Creek Valley and adjoining azeas in the Glenwood Springs Resource Area, and may increase. New wells would affect the same wintering populations as occur neaz the Yankee Gulch Project's Pazachute Site. The direct impact of drilling would affect less than 1 percent of the available habitat, but displacement may affect several percent of the habitat from the wells and from roads in winter range. The Yankee Gulch Project is not expected to have cumulative effects with oil and gas development in the Pazachute Creek Valley because development would occur within an existing industrial facility. All of the projects have a cumulative increase in deer/vehicle collisions and poaching, but the impacts aze not likely to affect overall mule deer populations. Waterfowl Both the White River Nahcolite Project and the Yankee Gulch Project have evaporation ponds, which would be located about 2 miles apart. The evaporation ponds at the White River Nahcolite Project have 12 surface acres, and have been in place for several yeazs. Waterfowl monitoring has not been required, but waterfowl have been frequently observed (Hollowed 1998). The Yankee Gulch Piceance Site pond would be 13 surface acres. The Yankee Gulch pond is expected to eventually develop high salinity, and may be hazardous or to:vc to waterfowl. The salinity of the White River Nahcolite Pond is not known; although no problems have been reported so faz, there has not been regulaz monitoring. BLM is considering requiring monitoring for the White River Nahcolite Project (Hollowed 1998). Cumulative impacts would be avoided through monitoring and use of appropriate mitigations to restrict access to the ponds if they become a hazard. Other Impacts All of the projects would involve removal of pinyon juniper woodlands, which would cause a cumulative decline in habitat for woodland raptor species. The area affected would be minor compazed to the extent of this habitat within the Piceance Basin. 5-6