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SOILS Affected Environment: Soils aze developing from sandstone/shale alluvium of the Mesa Verde formation, and Mancos Shale parent material on the fans and benches adjacent the Bookcliffs. They include the Mesa-Avalon complex, 3 to 12 percent slopes (deep, very fine sandy loam and clay loam over very gravelly loam, Loamy Saltdesert ecological site); Persayo silty clay loam, 3 to 25 percent slopes (shallow, silty clay loam over silty clay, Silty Saltdesert); Killpack- Badlands-Persayo complex, 3 to 25 percent slopes, saline (shallow to moderately deep, gypsiferous channery silty clay loam/silty clay, Clayey Saltdesert). The steep slopes of the Bookcliffs aze Badland or Tomorthent, warm-Rock Outcrop, 35 to 90 percent slopes (channery to stony loam over bedrock at 1 I to 34 inches). Erosion hazard is moderate on the less sloping aeeas, and high to very high on the steeper slopes. Environmental Consequences/Mitigation: Sediment from erosion caused by upgrading the existing access road segment would slightly increase. Finding on the Public Land Health Standazd for upland soils: Soils health in the azea would not be affected overall, and Standazd 1 would be met for the azea. VEGETATION (includes a fording on Standazd 3) Affected Environment: Vegetation in section 9 contains a large sagebrush flat with a limited perennial grass/forb understory, that is critical to deer during the fall, winter and eazly spring months. The aeeas adjacent to the drainages and in the higher elevations are comprised of juniper with a shrub and some grass understory. Both of these areas contain a moderate amount of cheatgrass. Section 16 vegetation is comprised of a desert shrub community including: Shadescale, Fourwing saltbush, and Winterfat with perennial grasses making up a portion of the vegetation. Cheatgrass and Jointed goatgrass are common especially around the reservoir. The flat around the four comers, elevation 5450 on the map, has excellent native vegetation including Stipa comata, Indian ricegrass, Salina wildrye, and many native shrubs. Cheatgrass is mazginal in the azea with no notice of Jointed goatgrass. Environmental Consequences/Mitigation: Machinery going into the area should be clean of debris to reduce any noxious weed introduction. Sample coreing should occur with holes 6-10 first, holes 12, 11, 5, 4 done second and holes 3, 2, 1 done last to deter any spread of Jointed goatgrass by equipment. Finding on the Public Land Health Standazd for plant and animal communities (partial, see also Wildlife, Aquatic and Wildlife, Tezrestrial): This standard would be met in the overall area. WILDLIFE, AQUATIC (includes a fording on Standazd 3) Affected Environment: There are no aquatic wildlife species at or near the proposed project site. Environmental Consequences/Mitigation: None Finding on the Public Land Health Standard for plant and animal communities (pamal, see also Vegetation and Wildlife, Terrestrial): No effect.