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1.3. Issues and Impact Topics Evaluated During the development of the operator's proposed Plan of Operations, the NPS discussed with the operator the resources, values, and other concerns that could be potentially impacted by the proposed mining activity and expansion. In addition, the NPS sought input from individuals, organizations, and government agencies including the Colorado State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) and the Colorado Department of Minerals and Geology. In December 2003, the NPS mailed 190 public scoping newsletters and posted it on the Curecanti National Recreation Area Web site. scoping involved defining appropriate alternatives, impact determinations, mitigation measures, and identification of major issues. Based on scoping, the NPS identified the following park resources, values, and other concerns: • Nonfederal mineral development • Air quality • Geology and soils • Vegetation • Wildlife • Species of management concern (threatened, endangered, special status species) • Guttural resources • Visitor use and experience • Water resources and floodplains • Wetlands • Park management and operations • Local and regional economics Based on a preliminary evaluation of these park resources, values, and other concerns, several were eliminated from detailed analysis because there would be negligible or minor impacts from the proposed action. These include floodplains, wetlands, park management and operations, local and regional economics, historic structures, ethnographic resources, cultural landscapes, and museum collections (see Section 1.4 for more details and definitions). For the remaining resources and values, issue statements were developed to define problems or benefits associated with the proposal to expand the mineral operations at the Dickerson Pit. The issue statements in Table 1.2 describe acause-and-effect relationship between an activity and a resource, value, or concern. The issue statements were used in developing and evaluating alternatives. Table 1.2 -Issue Statements Im act To is Issue Statement s Nonfederal Mineral The NPS permitting process, regulatory requirements, and operating Development stipulations may increase the cost to operate on park lands, compared to operating on nonfederal lands. These increased costs could reduce income to mineral owners (or mineral interest holders) and operators, and influence an owner's or operator's decision to defer, modify, undertake as planned, or not conduct certain nonfederal o erations. Air Quality • Vehicle use on and off paved roads; exhaust from combustion of gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles and equipment used for mining, crushing, screening, loading, and transporting mineral materials would increase emissions of particulate matter, carbon dioxide (COz) and nitrous oxides (NOx), which could affecf air quality, including the generation of dust and visibilit~n the~eneral vicin~ of the operations. 10