PERMFILE133014

• Permit No: M1997089
• IBM Index Class Name: Permit File
• Doc Name: ANASAZI CLUTURE MULTIPLE USE AREA
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

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MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES
I. INTRODUCTION

The Anasazi Culture Multiple Use Area (ACMUA) was designated an Area of
Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) on October 2, 1985 as a result of
the San Juan-San Miguel Resource Management Plan (RI+D?). BLM guidelines
call for a management plan to be developed to guide overall management
of the ACEC, which includes public lands west of Cortez to the U[ah
State Line, north of the Ute Mountain Ute reservation and south of Dove
Creek, Colorado (approximately 156,000 acres, see Figure 1-1).
This ACEC Plan is an intermediate step between the RMP and site-specific
activity plans. An environmental assessment of the plan has been com-
pleted and is on file; and more detailed environmental assessments will
be completed on each activity plan and on specific actions. The level
of assessment for this plan is general and will be tiered to the future
activity plans.
The ACMUA contains important cultural, mineral, recreation, range, back
country values, and wildlife resources. It was the focus of the north-
ern Anasazi development, with more than 100 sites per square mile in
many areas, representing the highest known archaeologic site density per
acre of any area in the nation. The total number of sites o^ public
lands is estiaated at nearly 20,000, many covering 10 acres or more.
Large oil and gas and C02 reserves (within the Sand Canyon KGS) ate
also contained within the area. Shell Oil Company has made a multi-
million dollar investment in the C02 resources, with a project life of
more than 30 years. The public land within the ACEC provides forage
used by livestock and wildlife. The increased mineral development
presents a challenge to BL+`1 to provide high quality habitat for the
livestock and wildlife that depend upon public lands, as well as to
protect and manage the cultural resource values. Population growth
places increased pressure for recreation pursuits on the public lands;
and opportunities need to be provided, while emphasizing the cultural
and mineral values.
II. MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES
This section provides the general program guidance for management of the
multiple-use programs found in the ACEC.
A. Cultural Resources
It is the goal of the ACEC Plan to provide intensive management for
the valuable and varied cultural resources in the ACMUA. The
objectives are to identify, evaluate, preserve, develop, interpret,

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