Table 2-6 summarizes potential impacts under alternatives A through D. Where appropriate, the table quantifies potential impacts anticipated from BLM-authorized actions. Table 2-6 summarizes impacts under the four alternatives in acres and actions. For example, more acreage implies more impact (either beneficial or adverse). The Summary of Impacts by Alternative section for each resource in Chapter 4 provides a more detailed comparison of impacts between alternatives. Chapter 4 describes cumulative impacts from non-BLM actions; Table 2-6 does not include cumulative impacts.
The environmental consequences of alternatives are not anticipated to exceed known legal thresholds or standards over the life of this RMP, with the exception of air quality under Alternative C which has the potential to exceed thresholds. Standard practices, BMPs, and guidelines for surface-disturbing activities are built into each alternative to avoid and minimize potential impacts. The BLM would consider mitigation of residual impacts during subsequent implementation-level projects and any associated environmental analyses performed at that time. All alternatives include reclamation of surface disturbance to reduce long-term impacts.
Table 2.6. Summary of Environmental Consequences by Alternative
| Resources | Alternative A | Alternative B | Alternative C | Alternative D |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Quality | ||||
| NAAQS | Not anticipated to exceed | Not anticipated to exceed | Potential to exceed | Not anticipated to exceed |
| WAAQS | Not anticipated to exceed | Not anticipated to exceed | Potential to exceed | Not anticipated to exceed |
| Air Quality Related Value (AQRV) Impacts | Potential | Lowest Potential | Highest Potential | Potential |
| Visibility Impacts | Potential | Lowest Potential | Highest Potential | Potential |
| Atmospheric Deposition | Potential | Lowest Potential | Highest Potential | Potential |
| Soil and Water | ||||
| Acres of Surface Disturbance Anticipated | 136,415 short-term/15,710 long-term | 73,919 short-term/10,882 long-term | 245,783 short-term/41,545 long-term | 140,508 short-term/ 18,443 long-term |
| Long-term Erosion Rate (Based on Disturbance from BLM Actions) | 25,167 tons/year | 17,432 tons/year | 66,555 tons/year | 29,546 tons/year |
| Groundwater Impacts | Potential | Lowest Potential | Potential | Potential |
| Produced Water Impacts | Potential | Lowest Potential | Potential | Potential |
| Exceed Water Quality Standards | Not anticipated | Not anticipated | Not anticipated | Not anticipated |
| Minerals | ||||
| Acres Withdrawn from Appropriation under the Mining Laws for Locatable Mineral Entry | 174,354 | 325,102 | 47,846 | 72,031 |
| Total Projected New Oil and Gas Wells/Pads | 1,641 | 1,020 | 1,768 | 1,543 | ||||||||
| Acres of BLM-administered Surface with Moderate Oil and Gas Potential Managed as Administratively Unavailable to Leasing or with Major Constraints | 97,731 | 302,585 | 12,368 | 6,455 | ||||||||
| Acres of BLM-administered Surface with Moderate Oil and Gas Potential Affected by Raptor Nest Buffer Areas | 47,358 | 72,659 | 7,908 | 41,312 | ||||||||
| Acres of BLM-administered Mineral Estate with Moderate Oil and Gas Potential Affected by VRM Class I and II Areas | 14,128 | 170,591 | 1,888 | 20,408 | ||||||||
| Fire and Fuels Management | ||||||||||||
| Acres of Disturbance from Prescribed Fire | 40,000 short-term/ 0 long-term | 20,000 short-term/ 0 long-term | 80,000 short-term/ 0 long-term | 40,000 short-term/ 0 long-term | ||||||||
| Acres of Disturbance from Mechanical Fuels Treatment | 30,000 short-term/ 0 long-term | 5,000 short-term/ 0 long-term | 60,000 short-term/ 0 long-term | 30,000 short-term/ 0 long-term | ||||||||
| Vegetation | ||||||||||||
| Acres of Surface-disturbing Activities in Grassland and Shrubland Communities | 105,805 short-term/ 13,771 long-term | 55,256 short-term/ 9,538 long-term | 179,027 short-term/ 36,417 long-term | 106,997 short-term/ 16,166 long-term | ||||||||
| Fragmentation of Native Plant Communities | Potential | Lowest Potential | Potential | Low Potential | ||||||||
| Acres within and around Riparian/Wetland Areas where Surface-disturbing Activities are Restricted | 55,586 (prohibited unless mitigated) | 140,464 (prohibited) | CBC | 55,586 (avoided) up to 140,464 if needed | ||||||||
| Wetland Impacts | Potential | Lowest Potential | Potential | Low Potential | ||||||||
| Invasive Species and Pest Management | ||||||||||||
| Contribute to Spread of Invasive and/or Pest Species | Potential | Lowest Potential | Highest Potential | Potential | ||||||||
| Fish and Wildlife | ||||||||||||
| Impacts to Water Quality and Fish Habitat | Potential | Lowest Potential | Highest Potential | Potential | ||||||||
| Acres/Percent of Big Game Crucial Winter Range Administratively Unavailable to Mineral Leasing or with Major/Moderate Constraints | 1,305,334/ 99 % | 1,305,334/ 99 % | 807,501/ 62 % | 1,305,334/ 99 % | ||||||||
| Acres of Big Game Crucial Winter Range/Big Game Parturition Habitat Exempted from Seasonal Stipulations due to Oil and Gas Management Area | N/A | N/A | 257,744/3,555 | 49,612/75 | ||||||||
| Special Status Species | ||||||||||||
| Adverse Effects to ESA Species within the Planning Area | Potential | Lowest Potential | Highest Potential | Low Potential | ||||||||
| Acres of Sage-grouse Key Habitat Areas Administratively Unavailable to Oil and Gas Leasing | 37,933 | 1,226,064 | 35,435 | 67,094 | ||||||||
| Acres of Sage-grouse Winter Habitat/Key Habitat Area Exempted from Seasonal Stipulations within Oil and Gas Management Area | 0 | 0 | 16,182 | 0 | ||||||||
| Wild Horses | ||||||||||||
| Acres in McCullough Peaks and Fifteenmile HMAs Closed to Oil and Gas Leasing | 28,392 | 162,815 | 28,392 | 39,666 | ||||||||
| Application of Seasonal Restrictions | No | Yes | No | Yes | ||||||||
| Heritage | ||||||||||||
| Potential to Impact Eligible/Listed Cultural Sites and Paleontological Localities | Highest Potential | Lowest Potential | Potential | Low Potential | ||||||||
| Renewable Energy | ||||||||||||
| Acres with High Wind Energy Potential (Wind Power Class 4-7) within Renewable Energy Avoidance/Mitigation Areas | N/A | 89,345 | 25,458 | 89,695 | ||||||||
| Acres with High Wind Energy Potential (Wind Power Class 4-7) within Renewable Energy Exclusion Areas | N/A | 28,155 | 3,157 | 5,835 | ||||||||
| Rights-of-Way and Corridors | ||||||||||||
| Acres of Right-of-Way Corridors | 788,275 | 90,458 | 133,284 | 132,219 | ||||||||
| Travel and Transportation Management | ||||||||||||
| Miles/Acres of New Roads and Trails due to User-pioneered and BLM-created Routes | 847 miles/ 1,233 acres | 1,908 miles/ 2,776 acres | 8,873 miles/ 12,907 acres | 4,001 miles/ 5,820 acres | ||||||||
| Miles/Acres of New Roads and Trails due to ROW Authorizations | 1,351 miles/1,966 acres (short-term) 675 miles/983 acres (long-term) | 845 miles/1,229 acres (short-term) 422 miles/615 acres (long-term) | 3,188 miles/4,638 acres (short-term) 1,594 miles/2,319 acres (long-term) | 1,351 miles/1,966 acres (short-term) 675 miles/983 acres (long-term) | ||||||||
| Acres Closed to Motorized Vehicle Use | 59,192 | 136,474 | 10,636 | 60,681 | ||||||||
| Acres Open to Motorized Vehicle Use | 1,320 | 3,169 | 14,873 | 5,941 | ||||||||
| Acres Limited to Existing Roads and Trails | 2,332,355 | 931,803 | 2,144,623 | 2,028,620 | ||||||||
| Acres Limited to Designated Roads and Trails | 787,626 | 2,054,228 | 951,922 | 1,055,257 | ||||||||
| Recreation | ||||||||||||
| Potential to Impact Recreation Desired Settings, Opportunities, Activities, Experiences, and Beneficial Outcomes | Potential | Lowest Potential | Highest Potential | Low Potential | ||||||||
| Lands with Wilderness Characteristics | ||||||||||||
| Potential to Impact Lands with Wilderness Characteristics | Potential | Lowest Potential | Highest Potential | Potential | ||||||||
| Livestock Grazing | ||||||||||||
| Total Active AUMs1 Lost from Closures and from Surface-disturbing Activity | 1,670 | 162,927 | 3,957 | 1,756 | ||||||||
| Active AUMs Projected at the End of the Planning Cycle/Percent Reduction from Baseline (305,887) | 304,217/ <1% | 141,960/ 54% | 301,757/ 2% | 303,957/ <1% | ||||||||
| Total Authorized AUMs2 Lost from Closures and from Surface-disturbing Activity | 1,072 | 105,257 | 2,652 | 1,239 | ||||||||
| Authorized AUMs Projected at the End of the Planning Cycle/Percent Reduction from Baseline (194,599) | 195,338/ <1% | 91,153/ 54% | 193,758/ 1% | 195,171/ <1% | ||||||||
| Special Designations | ||||||||||||
| Acres Designated as ACECs | 71,297 | 299,954 | 12,144 | 103,128 | ||||||||
| Total Number/Acres of Special Designations (ACECs, SMAs, WSR eligible and draft suitable waterways, WSAs) Focusing on Resource Conservation | 35/237,586 | 43/466,243 | 14/178,433 | 26/269,417 | ||||||||
| National Historic Trails and Other Historic Trails | ||||||||||||
| Impacts to NHTs and Other Historic Trails | Potential | Lowest Potential | Potential | Low Potential | ||||||||
| Socioeconomics | ||||||||||||
| Effect on Planning Area Population | Low Impact | Medium Impact (potential reductions focused in oil/gas service areas, which generally correspond to population centers) | Low Impact | Low Impact | ||||||||
| Effect on Housing and Community Services | Low Impact | Medium Impact (due to potential population reductions) | Low Impact | Low Impact | ||||||||
| Impacts on Quality of Life and Local Culture | Low Impact | Low Impact (change from recent trends would constitute greater emphasis on resource conservation) | Medium Impact (change from recent trends would constitute greater emphasis on resource development) | Low Impact | ||||||||
| Forecasted annual earnings (millions of 2007 dollars) due to activities on BLM-administered surface3 | $73.8 | $38.4 | $81.9 | $71.5 | ||||||||
| Forecasted annual employment due to activities on BLM-administered surface3 | 1,503 | 886 | 1,643 | 1,495 | ||||||||
[1]
[2]
| ACEC Area of Critical Environmental Concern | NHT National Historic Trail |
| AUM animal unit month | ROW right-of-way |
| BLM Bureau of Land Management | SMA Special Management Area |
| CBC case-by-case | VRM Visual Resource Management |
| ESA Endangered Species Act | WAAQS Wyoming Ambient Air Quality Standards |
| HMA Herd Management Area | WSA Wilderness Study Area |
| N/A not applicable | WSR Wild and Scenic River |
| NAAQS National Ambient Air Quality Standards | < less than |