Laserfiche WebLink
No Action Alternative - There would be no impact on recreation activities within the <br />CEL area. <br />VISUAL RESOURCES <br />Affected Environment: Visual resource values as described in the 2005 Spruce Stomp EA <br />remain accurate for this analysis. The BLM places the CEL area in a Visual Resource Class III. <br />The objective of this class is to "partially retain the existing character of the landscape. The level <br />of change to the characteristic landscape should be moderate. Management activities may attract <br />attention but should not dominate the view of the casual observer. Changes should repeat the <br />basic elements found in the predominant natural features of the characteristic landscape" (BLM <br />2010e). The CEL lies within a landscape of mountain shrub plant communities at the southern <br />toe of Grand Mesa. Parallel north-south drainages, steep slopes, and rounded ridgelines <br />dominate the topography. Currently, there is some limited scaring from prior road building, coal <br />development activities, utility corridors, and other human activities. These disturbed areas are <br />generally not visible from the communities in the North Fork Valley. Lights from nighttime <br />activities are normally absent from the BLM and USFS lands in the CEL area. <br />Environmental Consequences/Mitigation: <br />Proposed Action - The scope and nature of visual resource impacts on USFS lands <br />remain accurate for the purposes of this analysis, and would apply to the visual impacts that may <br />occur on BLM land. The activities associated with the CEL would fall within the management <br />guidance pertinent to Visual Resource Class III. Lights associated with night drilling activities <br />would introduce a change to the area that would be visible from many areas within the view <br />shed. Light shield mitigation has been proposed by Bowie to limit the impact of night drilling. <br />Mitigation: Bowie has committed to light shields to control fugitive light during night <br />drilling operations. <br />Cumulative Impacts - A variety of activities, such as private land development, roads, <br />coal mining, and timber sales have an effect on the visual qualities of the area from a number of <br />different observation points within the viewshed. It is unlikely that the short-term activities <br />associated with the proposed CEL would result in a detectable change in cumulative impacts to <br />visual resources. <br />No Action Alternative - CEL activities would have no impact on visual resource quality <br />within the Terror Creek viewshed. <br />PERSONS / AGENCIES CONSULTED <br />Clay Speas, USFS, Delta, Colorado <br />Ryan Taylor, USFS, Paonia, Colorado <br />Daniel Gray, USFS, Paonia, Colorado <br />Dennis Garrison, USFS, Paonia, Colorado <br />Carrillo, USFS, Delta, Colorado <br />Collin Ewing, USFWS, Grand Junction, Colorado <br />DOI-BLM-CO-S050-2010- 0017 EA Page 38 of 43 May 2010