Laserfiche WebLink
Environmental Scientists and Engineers, LLC <br />3.12 Native American Religious Concerns <br />During the consultation process the following groups were formally contacted for this <br />project: The Colorado Commission of Indian Affairs, the Ute Mountain Ute Tribal <br />Council, the Uintah and Ouray Tribal Council, and the Southern Ute Indian Tribe. The <br />only response came from the Southern Ute Indian Tribe (see appendix A). <br />Within this area of Colorado, Native American consultations on a variety of project types <br />have revealed several site types of concern. These include prehistoric and historic Native <br />American rock art, eagle traps, vision quests, prehistoric cairns, and prehistoric trails. <br />Four rock art sites (three of which are eligible for the NRHP) have been recorded within <br />or directly adjacent to the project boundary but not on proposed lease lands. Thus far, <br />none of the other site types are known to occur in the project area <br />3.13 Environmental Justice <br />There are no known minorities or low - income groups that reside on the proposed lease <br />area or within the surrounding communities that would be disproportionately affected by <br />the issuance of the proposed lease. <br />3.14 Aesthetics and Recreation Resources <br />3.14.1 Visual <br />Visual resources common to the area are long -range views of surrounding landscapes. <br />The Elkhead, Duffy and Iles mountains to the north, and the Beaver Flat Tops and the <br />Danforth Hills to the south, provide particularly scenic horizons. Closer -range views <br />consist of terrain and vegetation characteristic of northwest Colorado rangelands. Such <br />things as power transmission lines, windmills, stock ponds, microwave and cellular <br />facilities, surface mining equipment, spoil piles, roadways, and other developments, <br />depending on the vintage point, may interrupt some local views. <br />3.14.2 Recreation <br />The LSRMP (BLM 1989) defines a variety of dispersed recreational activities in Moffat <br />and Rio Blanco Counties. The proposed lease area and surrounding lands are designated <br />as an "Extensive Recreation Management Area." Recreation use is dispersed and <br />requires minimal management. The dominant recreational activity in rural Moffat <br />County, and in the proposed lease area, is hunting. Camping and off -road vehicle use are <br />commonly associated with hunting. Hunting is primarily rifle hunting for deer, antelope, <br />and elk and shotgun hunting of birds and small mammals. Touring, photography, bird <br />watching, and other more passive recreational pursuits are also popular. Water -based <br />recreation does not occur on the proposed lease area. <br />3.15 Paleontology Resources <br />The Colorado State Paleontology Program Policy establishes guidelines for the <br />management and protection of paleontological resources on public lands. Paleontological <br />P. PROJECIS'('olo.yo. sIP8'F.l Flnal \ l ollnm !B01 )N..doc <br />42 <br />