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1. SUMMARY 1.1 Introduction On October 9, 1984, Wolf Ridge Corporation (WRC), the holder of four federal sodittm lease tracts within the Piceance Basin in northwest Colorado, submitted a mine plan to the Bureau of Land Manaf;ement (BLM) for a commercial-scale nahcolite solution mine. Initial screening of the mine plan indicated that it repre:xnted a major federal action with the potential for significant impacts; therefore, pursuant to Section 102 of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), BLM determined that an environmental impact statement (EIS•) would be required in conjunction with approval of the mine plan. Four alternatives, including WR.C's proposal, were described and analyzed in a draft EIS. The draft EIS analyzed and defined the potential environmental and socioeconomic effects of each of these alternatives. In addition, the draft EIS identified necessary mitigation in ttte form of stipulations that would be incorporated into the approved plan. Following a 60-day public comment .period, this final EIS was developed, based upon consideration of public comments and an internal review of the draft EIS. This final EIS, which is an abbreviated final, incorporates by reference most of the draft EIS; therefore, the final EIS must be aced in conjunction with the draft EIS. 1.2 Alternatives Analyzed The following narrative briefly describes each of the alternatives and summarizes rhea anticipated impacts. 1.2.1 No Action Alternative This altemative involves construction and operation of a 6-ton per hour (tph), 2-year maximum pilot-scale nahcolite mine that was analyzed by BLM its an environmental assessment (EA Number CO-010.86117) and approved io a decision record signed May 2, 1986, acct subsequently amended on September ]0, 1986 (Appendix A). Therefore, this action (the pilot-scale mine) is independent of WRC's commercial-scale mine plan and can occur, regardless of the decision resulting from [his EIS anal~rsis. The pilot project represents the continuation of current management practices in the study area. Thus, under the No Action Alternative, the approved pilot project will tale place; however, expansion of the approved pilot project to a commercial- scale will not occur. Facilities approved for the pilot project include: a 5-acre plant site, a 4-aae well field for in situ solution mining of nahcolite, an evaporation pond encompassing 4 acres, a new water well and ancillary pipeline, and upgrading (including graveling) of the existing access road into the plant site. No significant impacts will result from the No Action (Pilot Project) Alteroative. Minor short-term impacts will occur to av quality, soils, vegetation, livestock grazing, water resources, wildlife, and recreational/visual resources. Cultural and paleontological resources will also be potentially impactod. Existing and future mineral lease rights could be complicated because of diminished surface occupancy possibilities within the project development area. Groundwater consumed by the pilot project will incrementally contribute to the cumulative adverse alterations of downstream endangered fish habitat, although the project, by itself, will not jeopardize the continued existence of any listed fish. Mitigation (conservation measures) will be employed to compensate for any impact resulting from the prlot project. 1.2.2 Proposed Action (Preferred Alternative) WRC's proposal involves construction and operation of a commercial-scale nahcolite solution mine to produce sodium bicarbonate at a maximum rate of 125,000 tons per year (tpy) over a 30-year period. The proposal involves phased-approach development, with initial production of 50,000 spy, increasing in the second or third year of operation to 125,000 spy. The Proposed Action would involve: expansion of the approved pilot project well field and plant site, including paving of the access road into the plant site (all affecting up to 215 additional acres), cooswction of additional evaporation ponds (affecting up to 22 additional acres), construction of a natural gas pipeline into the plant site (involving 17 acres), and addition of a warehouse/rail loading facility at Lacy Station in Rifle, Colorado. The only potentially significant impacts associated with this altemative would be to local groundwater quantity and quality. There would be a 3.2 percent reduction in average daily Flow from Yellow Creek. This would be mitigated through a state required water augmentation plan. The area .at. .