The principle direct impacts to paleontological resources would result from surface-disturbing activities, while indirect adverse impacts would result from increased access to important paleontological locations that lead to overuse, increased legal and illegal collecting, and vandalism. Conversely, all of these adverse impacts may also lead to beneficial impacts as new deposits are located, educational opportunities arise, and research programs are instituted. Proactive paleontological resource management actions result in beneficial impacts across all alternatives. Furthermore, compliance with the Paleontological Resources Protection Act (PRPA) and the BLM recently issued PRPA guidance would limit adverse impacts and maximize beneficial impacts. The PRPA provides for criminal and civil penalties for theft and vandalism of fossils on public land. Other resource uses are, by law, required to minimize impacts to paleontological resources from vandalism and theft, and maintain the confidentiality of resource locations.

Alternative B, by designating nine ACECs (116,116 acres) for paleontological values and subjecting the least acreage to surface-disturbing activities, would have the least adverse impacts and most resource protection compared to the other alternatives. Alternative C provides the least protection and the greatest exposure to direct impacts from surface-disturbing activities, but may result in more identification of paleontological localities due to increased resource use. In terms of potential impacts, management under Alternative D falls between management under alternatives A and B, in that Alternative D employs a less proactive management approach than Alternative B but a similar approach to casual use and education.