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Coal Metlmne Dranx+ge P~ajer!-Panel 76-24 1Y/erJ E!k Mi/rc • Aage 3-27 Under Alternatives 2, 3, and 4, elk habitat effectiveness decreases from 45 percent to 33 percent during the hfe of the project (7 years). This 12 percent decrease is attributed to the substantial increase in traf&c. MCC estimates 15 vehicle trips per day on roads needed in the project area. Post- project elk habitat effectiveness returns to slighdy better than pre-project levels. Under Alternative 2, post-project elk habitat effectiveness is 46 percent. Because motorized road and trail densities in the HABCAP model axe adjusted by established use type coefficients, there is little change between action alternatives. All action alternatives propose similar total road use and frequenry of vehicle trips (refer to Table 2, Summary Comparison of Alternatives). Subsequently, post-project elk habitat effectiveness increases shghdy from the No-Action Alternative because the existing roads and trails aze classified as primitive (receiving an average of less than one vehicle pet day). Therefore, past- project obliteration of approximatelyl2 to 15 miles of primitive roads (varies by alternative) increases habitat effectiveness slightly from the existing condition. During project implementation, elk habitat effectiveness will be lower than the Forest Plan objective of 40 percent. Post-project and long-term elk habitat effectiveness will, however, increase thus improving the areas effectiveness from existing condition. All of the project azea is within winter range as mapped by the CDOW. Standazd USFS stipulations regarding timing restrictions Eor drilling and road construction will apply in this azea. Human activity associated with monitoring and maintenance of wells post-drilling was evaluated with local CDOW representative, Kick Madariaga (personal communication). CDOW indicated that operation and maintenance of facilities utilizing as few personnel as possible and one access route at a time would have minimal effects to wintering elk. Elk would continue to use the south and southwest facing slopes where hiding cover is abundant. An estimated 68 acres are proposed to be disturbed by road and drill pad consruction under Alternative 2, 63 acres under Alternative 3, 67 acres under Alternative 4, and 50 acres under Alternative 5. Of the 54 proposed drill pads, 13 would be located in aspen, 5 in spruce-frr, and the remaining 36 in oak habitat or on existing roads/trails. Approximately 4.0 miles of road would be located in aspen habitat and 0.4 miles in spruce-fir habitat. Under Alternative 2, approximately 26.7 acres of aspen and approximately 5 acres of spruce-fir habitat would be disturbed fox project activities (Coves Type Map and Overlay are in the project file). Of [he total vegetated acres disturbed, 24 percent is aspen. Removal of aspen would likely be permanent on these sites. Construction and associated activities on drill pads and roads would cause soil compaction, inhibiting regeneration of aspen sprouts. Openings caused by these disturbances would be either too small or narrow to allow adequate sunlight to regenerate aspen. In addition, because these sites would be small, any aspen regeneration would likely be very attractive to elk, deer, and/or livestock. Repeated browsing would eventually kill the aspen sprouts. Displacement of songbirds and small mammals is also expected in road and drill pad construction azeas. In general, most wildlife would avoid these areas until reclaimed, since the proposed activities would eliminate all vegetation from the disturbance areas. The effects of methane gas emissions on songbirds is not fully understood. Methane gas has a density of approximately 50 percent that of air, therefore, it will rise and mix in the atmosphere at a rapid rate. It is likely songbirds will avoid the azea adjacent to and for some distance from the exhausters. Uplands in the project area aze composed of mature oak with similaz structure and age class. The reclaimed pads and roads in this community type would result in an increased amount of edge and increased vegetative diversity. Species that favor oak and eazly successional grass-forb and shrub seedling communities are expected to increase their utilization of these azeas following reclamation. Wildlife habitat in Sylvester Gulch would be compromised by construction of a classified yeaz-sound access road. This would establish along-term access paralleling the stream channel for its entire length (approximately 3 miles). In the project azea, riparian areas and related drainages provide the 'Y"Vp/N.v~iiGdG/EA/Dry@i/Y/OIEI U.fYt En+uronmen[a!A/rerrmex! /±/oz e~