2008-06-09_REVISION - C1980007 (3)

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Vegetation • Alternative 2 Analysis methods used for vegetation overestimates the amount of disturbance in each vegetation type because it incorporates broad road corridors and drill pad windows. This method captures anticipated disturbance which could occur in all possible vegetation types identified by road corridors and MDW buffers. The actual on-the-ground disturbance for a road. in the corridor and an MDW in the window will be less than estimated with this method. Therefore, this analysis estimates the potential disturbance by vegetation type and is not representative of the actual acres that would be disturbed. Vegetation resources would be impacted by both new access road and MDW construction. This disturbance would include lightly damaging plants which would eventually recover, and vegetation removed by trampling or construction activities. Disturbance would be short term (13 to 15 years). Road maintenance throughout the life of the project would cause varying degrees of vegetation damage. Disturbance associated with the Deer Creek Shaft would occur throughout the life of the project (13 to 15 years) (Table 3-6). Disturbance associated with MDWs and access roads would be short teen; MDW life is estimated to be 3 years. MDW development would be staggered, thus wells would be at various stages of reclamation throughout the 12 year development period. Upland Vegetation Up to 58 percent of the total disturbance would occur in Gambel oak cover types and 36 per- cent in quaking aspen cover types (Table 3-6). These are the dominant vegetation types in the project area. Both species can reproduce vege- tatively by sprouting which greatly reduces disturbance recovery time. Due to the aggres- sive nature of these sprouters, it is likely that 10 years following site reclamation these species would be present on the site. Establishment of pre-disturbance communities would vary by site. In highly disturbed areas, which are re- seeded to graminoid species, recovery of Gam- bel oak and quaking aspen would be delayed, but these species would eventually recolonize the site. In the project area, nearly 98 percent of Gambel oak stands are mature. Mature oak stands often Table 3-6 Maximum Acres of Cover Type Disturbance Under the Action Alternatives Cover Types Forest Service Road Disturbance Well Pad Disturbance' Deer Creek Shaft Disturbance Staging Area Disturbance2 Alt.2 Alt.3 Alt.2 Alt.3 Alt.2 Alt.3 Alt.2 Alt.3 Herbaceous 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 Shrub 4 4 6 6 0 0 <1 <1 Gambel oak 51 47 133 117 0 0 1 <1 Willow <1 <1 3 3 <1 <1 0 0 Quaking aspen 31 26 75 60 4 4 3 2 Pinyon juniper 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 Spruce-subalpine fir <1 <1 2 1 0 0 0 0 Total 87 78 221 189 4 4 4 3 Notes . Acres can not be totaled because they are double counted. Numbers reflect the maximum for each vegetation cover type, depending on the final location of the roads and well pads. ~ Includes 17 acres of potential disturbance in well pads located on private lands. _ 'Does not include staging areas that are located at MDW sites. Deer Creek Ventilation Shaft and E Seam Methane Drainage Wells FEIS 85