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BLM Uncompahgre Field Office Sunset Trail Area Coal Exploration Plan EA <br />3.15.2 Environmental Consequences <br />3.15.2.1 Proposed Action <br />Direct and Indirect Effects <br />Direct and indirect effects of the proposed action include minimal vegetation disturbance that would <br />ultimately be reclaimed and restore range resources. About 30 acres of total disturbance could occur <br />through construction of temporary roads and drill pads. Road and drill pads are expected to be on <br />the landscape for two years. During use and interim reclamation, there would be temporary loss of <br />forage for livestock and wildlife. However, once reclamation reestablishes vegetation on disturbed <br />areas, because of the increase in grass and forb species range conditions would improve. <br />Exploration activities may increase traffic and seasonal use in the area. As reclamation activities <br />take place, cattle grazing in these areas can slow the efforts in a given year, but does not lead to lack <br />of reclamation success. <br />Cumulative Effects <br />Increased traffic and seasonal use will add to the already growing problem with cattle migration off <br />of scheduled allotments. Vegetation treatments for wildlife purposes will also enhance range <br />conditions. Cumulative effects from the proposed action are expected to be minor and short-term. <br />3.15.2.2 No Action <br />Under the no action alternative, there would be no disturbance and therefore no impacts on range <br />resources. <br />3.16 Visual Resources <br />3.16.1 Affected Environment <br />The exploration area is in Gunnison County, generally east of the town of Paonia and southeast of <br />Somerset. Residents and tourists visit the area for scenic and recreation values. <br />The Scenery Management System, described in FS Agriculture Handbook 701, outlines the process <br />for inventorying and analyzing aesthetic values on National Forest lands (USFS, 1995). Scenic <br />resources are defined as attributes, characteristics, and features of landscapes that provide varying <br />responses from and varying degrees of benefits to humans. <br />Scenic integrity is the state of naturalness or, conversely, the state of disturbance created by human <br />activities or alteration (USFS, 1995). Integrity is stated in degrees of deviation from the existing <br />landscape character. The exploration area has Scenic Integrity Objectives of "moderate" and <br />"moderate /high ". High scenic integrity appears unaltered. Deviations may be present but must <br />repeat the form, line, color, texture, and pattern common to the landscape character so completely <br />and at such scale that they are not evident. Moderate appears slightly altered. Noticeable deviations <br />must remain visually subordinate to the landscape character being viewed. <br />The exploration area is not directly visible from a public highway or NFSRs which are secondary <br />travelways and low use areas. <br />June 2013 31 <br />