2011-09-29_PERMIT FILE - M2009056

Home Browse Search

Cumulative Impacts: Potential impacts can be mitigated to be beneficial to paleontologic resources. Mitigation/Residual Effects: Operators shall not knowingly disturb, alter, injure, or destroy any scientifically important paleontological remains on Federal lands. Operators shall immediately bring to the attention of the authorized officer any paleontological resources that might be altered or destroyed on Federal lands by his /her operations, and shall leave such discovery intact until told to proceed by the authorized officer. The authorized officer shall evaluate the discoveries brought to his /her attention, take action to protect or remove the resource, and allow operations to proceed within 10 working days after notification to the authorized officer of such discovery. The Federal Government shall have the responsibility and bear the cost of investigations and salvage of paleontology values discovered after a plan of operations has been approved, or where a plan is not involved. (43 CFR § 3809.420(b)(8)(i, ii, iii)) No Action Alternative Direct and Indirect Impacts: None Cumulative Impacts: None Mitigation/Residual Effects: None Other Alternative Direct and Indirect Impacts: Same as proposed Cumulative Impacts: None Mitigation/Residual Effects: Same as proposed VISUAL RESOURCES Affected Environment: Visual Resource Management (VRM) classes along with the corresponding VRM Objectives were established in the Royal Gorge Field Office in 1996 with the approval of the Royal Gorge Resource Area Resource Management Plan (RMP). Visual Resource Management objectives corresponding to the various management classes provide standards for analyzing and evaluating proposed projects. Projects are evaluated using the Contract Rating System to determine if it meets VRM objectives established by the RMP. The VRM classes established for the project area is Class III. The objective for a Class III area is as follows: The objective of Class III is to partially retain the existing character of the landscape. The level of change to the characteristic landscape should be moderate. Management activities may attract attention but should not dominate the view of the casual observer. Changes should repeat the basic elements found in the predominant natural features of the characteristic landscape. Front Street in the town of Fairplay was selected as the Key Observation Point (KOP) for determining the level of contrast. This location was chosen because of concerns expressed by the public in regards to visual impacts to the tourism economy along this street. Front Street is located directly across the South Platte River from the project site approximately 1 /4 mile away and is marketed as a tourist 39