Each of the alternatives includes an increase in the level of travel management planning to improve travel management in the Planning Area. Certain resource management actions would result in adverse impacts to CTTM by placing limitations on the development of new routes or limiting access to portions of the Planning Area in ways that affect the ability to meet multiple-use objectives.

Impacts Common to All Alternatives

Management of resources and resource uses that affect travel and transportation management include mineral resources, recreation, special designations, soil, water, cave and karst resources, fish and wildlife resources, special status species, cultural resources, and paleontological resources. Appendix R includes a travel designation matrix that describes specific travel management designations by area. Unless otherwise specified, motorized vehicle use is limited to existing roads and trails on BLM-administered land under all alternatives.

Increased development for oil and gas and other minerals would modify the road network by creating new travel routes, which would provide new travel and access opportunities throughout the Planning Area. Under Alternative A, approximately 50 percent of anticipated new road development would be oil and gas related (Appendix T), and this development would increase access and provide opportunities for recreational travel, particularly for OHVs. Routine and emergency maintenance of these roads would be required to maintain access and to ensure that the roads are maintained and used in accordance with other resource objectives. After mineral activities conclude and a road is no longer needed for the authorized purpose, a review would determine if the road meets BLM travel management objectives. If the road does not meet the needs and objectives of the BLM transportation system in the Planning Area or does not provide access for multiple use or administrative use, the operator would be required to reclaim the road. The development of mineral resources may adversely impact CTTM by creating hazardous conditions, noxious odors, and dangerous gas (such as H2S).

Management for other resources including vegetation, cultural resources, special status species, and paleontological resources may result in adverse impacts to CTTM by restricting trails or limiting use for the protection of resource values. Some special designations (such as ACECs) and areas with important resource values (such as some educational trails or special status species habitat) restrict motorized vehicle use and other forms of travel under all the alternatives. Such restrictions would generally result in adverse impacts to CTTM by limiting or restricting travel in these areas.

Limiting motorized travel to designated roads and trails would limit travel to areas specifically designated for travel through appropriate signage or other methods. Although limiting motorized travel to designated roads and trails would result in greater adverse impacts to CTTM than limiting travel to existing roads and trails, travel would still be allowed in these designated areas. Under all alternatives, motorized vehicle use is limited to designated roads and trails in the following areas:

Closing areas to motorized vehicle use would cause the greatest adverse impacts to travel and transportation use compared to other travel limitations (limited to existing, limited to designated, seasonal restrictions) by prohibiting use in certain areas. Under all alternatives, the following areas are closed to motorized vehicle use:

Under all alternatives, travel designations, closures, or routing of roads and trails in areas that pose health and safety risks would result in long-term impacts to CTTM. Areas closed year-round to motorized and mechanized vehicle use to protect visitor safety include the Cody Shooting Complex, the Lovell shooting range, the rifle range west of Worland, and the Cody Archery Range.

Under all alternatives, implementing existing travel management plans in the following areas would benefit CTTM by providing site-specific travel designations that accommodate appropriate access while considering resource protection and user safety:

Under all alternatives, LAUs are closed to over-snow travel, which would result in adverse impacts to CTTM by restricting travel in these areas.

Implementing the site-specific management documented in travel management plans would benefit the specific goals described in these documents, such as minimizing impacts to resources (e.g., soils) or protecting the characteristics of specially designated areas (e.g., WSAs). Travel management plans developed subsequent to this RMP would benefit CTTM by addressing the maintenance and use of roads and trails considering site-specific conditions.

Allowing pedestrian and equestrian travel on or off roads and trails, except for limited seasonal restrictions for the protection of resources in the Bald Ridge Area, would benefit CTTM by allowing these types of travel throughout the Planning Area.

Restrictions and limitations on surface-disturbing activities associated with water quality, watershed, and soils management, would result in adverse impacts to CTTM by restricting or limiting the development of new roads for the protection of these resources.

Alternative A

Resource Uses

Alternative A would result in approximately 574 miles (835 acres) of new road and trail creation due to user-pioneered routes in areas open to cross-country motorized travel and new BLM-created routes. Additionally, the BLM anticipates 1,351 miles (1,966 acres) of short-term road creation, of which 675 miles (983 acres) is anticipated to remain in the long term following reclamation (Appendix T). These roads would primarily result from ROW authorizations related to mineral and other facility developments under this alternative.

New recreational roads and trail development and improvements to the existing travel network would result in beneficial impacts by increasing opportunities for motorized recreational use and maintaining or improving the quality of existing routes. Specific new road and trail management actions that would result in beneficial impacts include developing scenic driving loops in the Badlands SRMA, and access improvements in the Trapper Creek, Paint Rock, South Bighorns, and Canyon Creek areas, which includes road and trail maintenance, and possible new trail and route construction to enhance access. Alternative A opens 1,320 acres to off-road motorized vehicle use.

Management of ROW avoidance/mitigation and exclusion areas would result in long-term impacts to travel and transportation management by limiting or restricting the development of roads authorized through a ROW permit, and by restricting the routing of new roads. Alternative A manages 941,778 acres as ROW avoidance/mitigation areas and 61,416 acres as ROW exclusion areas.

Recreation management areas would result in long-term impacts to travel and transportation by prescribing travel designations in these areas. Under Alternative A, motorized vehicle use in SRMAs and ERMAs is generally limited to existing or designated roads and trails (see Appendix R). The WSAs in the Badlands SRMA are the only recreation-related management areas closed to motorized vehicle use managed for their wilderness characteristics (e.g., outstanding opportunities for solitude, and primitive and unconfined recreation) that may not be compatible with motorized vehicle use.

Special Designations

Alternative A restricts motorized travel to protect resources and values in special designations (ACECs, WSAs, WSRs, NHTs). These restrictions limit motorized vehicle use in these areas or close all or certain portions of an area, which would affect CTTM.

Of the nine ACECs designated under this alternative, seven limit motorized vehicle use to designated roads and trails (with a seasonal closure in the Carter Mountain ACEC); Alternative A limits motorized travel in the Big Cedar Ridge ACEC to existing roads and trails, and the Spanish Point ACEC is closed to motorized use. Four WSAs are closed to motorized vehicle use, with use limited to existing roads and trails in the Cedar Mountain and Honeycombs WSAs, and limited to designated roads and trails in the Alkali Creek, McCullough Peaks, Medicine Lodge, and Trapper Creek WSAs. Most of the WSR eligible waterway segments are managed to limit motorized vehicle use to designated roads and trails or close the areas to motorized vehicle use. Management under Alternative A includes avoidance of surface‐disturbing activities in view within ¼ mile of the Nez Perce (Neeme‐poo) NHT and Other Historic Trails, which would restrict the construction of new roads, but does not specifically close motorized use (managed as limited to existing roads and trails).

Resources

Travel designations (e.g., seasonal restrictions) and mitigation measures to protect wildlife resources and threatened and endangered species and important habitats would restrict the timing of surface-disturbing and other disruptive activities, which would limit or restrict the development of new roads.

Under Alternative A, requiring the closure of spur roads after completion of timber management practices and limiting motorized vehicle use to designated roads and trails in areas with fragile soil, which may require the closure of some existing, undesignated routes in these areas, would result in adverse impacts to CTTM. The closure of spur roads may limit opportunities for new access if they occur in areas where routes did not previously exist.

Proactive Management

Beneficial impacts to CTTM under Alternative A would result from allowing open cross-country motorized vehicle use on 1,320 acres and over-snow travel on a case-by-case basis, and managing most of the Planning Area as limited to existing roads and trails (2,332,355 acres). The BLM manages for or tolerates cross-country motorized travel in several locations across the Planning Area, including the Worland OHV area, the Bentonite Hills area, the Lovell Lakes “Motocross” area, hill climbing areas near Cowley, the Rattlesnake Ridge area, and the Basin Gardens area. Allowing cross-country travel in these areas and the continued management of most of the Planning Areas as limited to existing roads and trails would provide motorized and other nonmotorized travel opportunities across most of the Planning Area. In addition, travel restrictions and limitations in the Paint Rock area, Dry Farm Road area, and LU Sheep Company cooperative area, and implementation of the travel management plans in the South Brokenbacks, Renner Units, Medicine Lodge, Upper Nowood, McCullough Peaks, and Little Mountain areas would clarify routes available for travel and help to target management to meet the desired outcomes for these areas.

Allowing off-road motorized and/or mechanized vehicle use outside of the open areas to provide access for big game retrieval and campsite access would be beneficial impacts because it would increase access.

Alternative B

Resource Uses

Compared to the other alternatives, Alternative B would result in the smallest amount of new roads from ROW authorizations and the second smallest amount of new roads in locales open to cross-country motorized travel or from BLM road and trail creation. Alternative B would result in 734 miles (1,068 acres) of new road and trail creation due to user-pioneered routes in areas open to cross-country motorized travel and new BLM-created routes (Appendix T). Primarily the result of ROW authorizations, Alternative B would result in an additional 845 miles (1,229 acres) of short-term road creation, of which 422 miles (615 acres) is anticipated to remain in the long term following reclamation (Appendix T).

Alternative B would benefit CTTM through new recreational road and trail development similar to Alternative A, but to a greater extent. Alternative B includes motorized touring loops in the Trapper Creek RMZ (connecting with the Paint Rock RMZ and Bighorn National Forest), the Paint Rock RMZ (connecting with the Bighorn National Forest and the Brokenback/Logging Road RMZ), and the Brokenback/Logging Road RMZ (connecting with the aforementioned areas). Alternative B also includes more new trailheads and trails development for recreational use, such as new trails in the Canyon Creek and Horse Pasture SRMAs, to enhance mechanized and primitive forms of travel. Alternative B would result in greater beneficial impacts to CTTM from the establishment of new motorized, mechanized, and primitive travel routes than Alternative A, but less than Alternative C.

Impacts to CTTM from ROW management would result in impacts similar to Alternative A, although to a greater extent because Alternative B manages more area as ROW avoidance/mitigation and exclusion areas. Alternative B includes the largest ROW exclusion area (225,750 acres) compared to the other alternatives. As a result, Alternative B would result in the greatest adverse impacts to CTTM from restrictions and limitations on new roads and routes authorized through ROWs.

Alternative B limits most motorized vehicle use in SRMAs and ERMAs to designated roads and trails (see Appendix R). Alternative B would close the Wild Badlands RMZ (in the Badlands SRMA), and the Horse Pasture, Beck Lake, and Newton Lake Ridge SRMAs to motorized vehicle use. Closing the Rattlesnake Ridge area, which contains high levels of H2S gas from oil and gas development that poses a substantial health risk to trail users, would cause long-term impacts to CTTM. Although the BLM would construct more trailheads and access routes under this alternative compared to the others, management of recreation areas under Alternative B would limit or close more areas to motorized travel, which would cause the greatest adverse impacts to CTTM.

Special Designations

Managing special designations under Alternative B would result in the greatest adverse impacts to CTTM compared to the other alternatives. Although the types of impacts would be similar to those under Alternative A, Alternative B places more restrictions on motorized travel to protect resources in areas with special designations than any other alternative. Overall, motorized travel restrictions in special designations under Alternative B would result in the greatest adverse impacts to access opportunities. Adverse impacts would include new constraints on access to areas that were previously accessible to motorized vehicles.

Of the 17 ACECs designated under this alternative, 14 limit motorized vehicle use to designated roads and trails (with a seasonal closure in the Carter Mountain and Rattlesnake Mountain ACECs and partial closures in the Clarks Fork Canyon and Sheep Mountain ACECs). Alternative B closes most WSR suitable waterway segments to motorized and mechanized vehicle use. The alternative closes all ACECs and WSR suitable waterway segments to over-snow motorized travel, which may adversely affect other resource programs. For example, closing the Dry Medicine Lodge WSR suitable waterway segment to motorized vehicle use would adversely affect the ability of the WGFD and others to access the Medicine Lodge Wildlife Habitat Management Area. Alternative B designates all LWCs as Wild Lands and limits motorized vehicle use to designated roads and trails in these areas, which have no specific travel designations under alternatives.

Motorized vehicle use in areas in view within 5 miles of the Nez Perce (Neeme‐poo) NHT and Other Historic Trails is limited to designated roads and trails, which would restrict the use of non-designated routes near the NHT more than other alternatives A and C.

Resources

Under Alternative B, the emphasis of resource protection over resource use would result in more restrictions on motorized vehicle use compared to the other alternatives. Increased restrictions that limit or close motorized travel would result in adverse impacts to CTTM.

Travel designations (e.g., seasonal restrictions) and mitigation measures to protect wildlife resources, special status species, and important habitats would result in impacts to CTTM similar to Alternative A, although to a greater extent because Alternative B includes more restrictions in these areas. Limiting motorized vehicle use to designated roads and trails (with seasonal closures) in big game crucial winter range, elk parturition habitat, and greater sage-grouse Key Habitat Areas would adversely affect travel in these areas by restricting the use of some routes or eliminating opportunities for travel through some areas during a portion of the year. Under Alternative B, partially closing the Absaroka Front Management Area (106,354 acres) to motorized vehicle use and limiting use to designated roads and trails in the remainder of the area would result in adverse impacts to CTTM in the area by limiting travel opportunities.

Under Alternative B, closing roads used for timber access and hauling that are not required for existing uses would result in adverse impacts to CTTM by reducing available routes and access for travel.

Limiting motorized vehicle use to designated roads and trails for the protection of cultural resources in the Gebo/Crosby Area would result in adverse impacts to CTTM in this area by limiting travel opportunities.

Prohibiting off-road motorized (and/or mechanized) vehicle use for big game retrieval or dispersed campsites in areas with limited travel designations would substantially restrict access in these areas, adversely affecting CTTM more than any of the other alternatives.

Proactive Management

Beneficial impacts to CTTM under Alternative B would result from allowing open cross-country motorized vehicle use on 3,169 acres and limiting motorized vehicle use to existing roads and trails (931,803 acres). Overall, Alternative B includes the most restrictions and the fewest beneficial proactive management actions for motorized vehicle use. Under Alternative B, over‐snow vehicle use would be subject to more restrictive requirements (e.g., an average of 12 inches of snow) before it would be allowed, with the special designations and wildlife habitat areas discussed previously closed entirely to this type of travel. The beneficial impacts to winter, over-snow motorized vehicle use under Alternative A would not be realized under Alternative B.

Alternative B would implement and maintain the current travel management plans identified under Impacts Common to All Alternatives and implement new travel management plans that will cover the remaining areas managed as Designated Roads and Trails. Alternative B limits motorized vehicle use to designated roads and trails on 161 percent more BLM-administered public lands than Alternative A, 116 percent more than Alternative C, and 95 percent more than Alternative D. Therefore, Alternative B would cause more adverse impacts to CTTM by limiting or closing more areas to motorized travel than would the other alternatives.

Alternative C

Resource Uses

Compared to the other alternatives, Alternative C would result in the greatest area of new roads from ROW authorizations and new roads in locales open to cross-country motorized travel or from BLM road and trail creation. Based on projected long-term surface disturbance, Alternative C would result in 8,755 miles (12,735 acres) of new road and trail creation due to user-pioneered routes in areas open to cross-country motorized travel and new BLM-created routes (Appendix T). Primarily the result of ROW authorizations, Alternative C is projected to result in 3,188 miles (4,638 acres) of short-term road creation, of which 1,594 miles (2,319 acres) would remain in the long term following reclamation (Appendix T).

Alternative C would result in similar types of beneficial impacts to motorized travel and opportunities for access from new recreational road and trail development as the other alternatives, but to a lesser extent. Alternative C establishes hiking trails in developed recreation areas and an access road at Rainbow Canyon; however, overall management under this alternative would result in the establishment of fewer new recreational travel routes compared to the other alternatives. Alternative C may result in the greatest amount of new user-pioneered roads and trails because it contains the greatest area open to cross-country motorized travel.

Impacts to CTTM from ROW management would be similar to those described under Alternative A. Alternative C includes more area designated as ROW avoidance/mitigation and exclusion compared to Alternative A, but less than alternatives B and D. As a result, adverse impacts to CTTM from ROW management would be less than alternatives B and D, but greater than Alternative A.

Most motorized vehicle use in the Planning Area (managed mostly as the Bighorn Basin ERMA) is limited to existing roads and trails under Alternative C, whereas the alternative manages the Rattlesnake Ridge SRMA and the Basin Gardens Play Area ERMA as open for cross-country travel.

Special Designations

Overall, motorized travel restrictions in special designations under Alternative C would result in the fewest adverse impacts to CTTM. Though the types of impacts would be similar to those described under Alternative A, Alternative C places the fewest restrictions on motorized travel to protect resources in areas with special designations. Alternative C designates only two ACECs, the Brown/Howe Dinosaur Area and Spanish Point Karst ACECs, and travel management in these areas does not vary across alternatives. Motorized vehicle use is limited to designated roads and trails in all WSAs in Alternative C, with impacts similar to those described under Alternative A.

Motorized vehicle use in areas in view within ¼ mile of the Nez Perce NHT and Other Historic Trails is limited to designated roads and trails, which would limit motorized vehicle use in areas proximate to these trails more than Alternative A, but less than Alternative B.

Resources

Under Alternative C, the emphasis of resource use over resource protection would result in decreased restrictions on motorized vehicle use compared to the other alternatives. As a result, Alternative C includes the most area open and limited to existing or designated roads and trails; which would benefit CTTM in the Planning Area by maximizing travel opportunities.

Stabilizing heavily eroded or washed out roads and trails, and allowing timber management spur roads to remain open to meet travel and other resource goals, would benefit CTTM by increasing the accessibility of BLM-administered land.

Management and restrictions in wildlife, special status species, and crucial habitat would result in less adverse impacts to CTTM compared to Alternative B. Travel management in the Absaroka Front Management Area would be less restrictive than Alternative B resulting in increased travel and access opportunities in this area.

Proactive Management

Beneficial impacts to CTTM under Alternative C would result from allowing the most open cross-country motorized vehicle use on 14,873 acres and allowing over-snow travel, unless precluded by other resource needs. Overall, Alternative C includes the fewest restrictions and the greatest amount of beneficial proactive management actions that allow opportunities for motorized and mechanized vehicle access to BLM-administered lands. Under Alternative C, the BLM would maintain any previously implemented site-specific travel management plans; impacts would be similar to those described under Alternative A. Allowing off-road motorized and/or mechanized vehicle use for big game retrieval and accessing dispersed campsites would result in impacts similar to those described under Alternative A. Overall, the motorized travel restrictions for the Planning Area under Alternative C would result in the least adverse impacts to CTTM compared to the other alternatives.

Alternative D

Resource Uses

Alternative D would result in the same amount of new roads from ROW authorizations as Alternative A and the second-most new roads in locales open to cross-country motorized travel or from BLM road and trail creation. Based on projected surface disturbance, Alternative D would result in 2,709 miles (3,941 acres) of new road and trail creation due to user-pioneered routes in areas open to cross-country motorized travel and new BLM-created routes (Appendix T).

Alternative D would benefit CTTM from new recreational road and trail development similar to Alternative B, but to a greater extent. Under Alternative D, the BLM would develop the same motorized touring loops, trails, and trailheads in SRMAs and RMZs as Alternative B. Alternative D opens 5,941 acres to off-road motorized vehicle use, the second most among the alternatives.

Impacts to CTTM from ROW management would be similar in type but greater in extent than those under alternatives A and C and less than under Alternative B. Under Alternative D, the BLM would manage the second-largest acreage as ROW avoidance/mitigation areas and exclusion areas.

Adverse impacts from restricting motorized vehicle use in recreation areas would be similar to those under Alternative B, but to a lesser extent. Under Alternative D, the BLM would place fewer restrictions on motorized vehicle use in the McCullough Peaks and Basin Gardens areas and the Beck Lake, Newton Lake Ridge, and Horse Pasture SRMAs than under Alternative B, but more than under alternatives A and C. Alternative D opens 4,468 acres to cross-country motorized vehicle use in the Basin Gardens Play Area SRMA, which would benefit CTTM.

Special Designations

The types of impacts to CTTM from the management of special designations would be similar to those described under Alternative A. Due to more motorized vehicle use restrictions to limit access, management of special designations under Alternative D would result in a greater adverse impact to CTTM than alternatives A and C, but less than Alternative B. Alternative D designates all nine ACECs designated under Alternative A with similar restrictions on motorized and mechanized vehicle use. Additionally, Alternative D designates the PETM, Clarks Fork Canyon, and Sheep Mountain ACECs and designates 52,485 acres of LWCs as Wild Lands, but there would be fewer restrictions on motorized and mechanized vehicle use in these areas than under Alternative B.

Restrictions on motorized vehicle use in WSAs would result in impacts to CTTM similar to Alternative A. Impacts to CTTM may be to a lesser extent because designated roads and trails in WSAs may include the routes inventoried during the initial WSA assessment, generally expanding access. However, impacts to CTTM may be to a greater degree because CTTM planning may designate only those routes inventoried during the initial WSA assessment, or even close those routes. Limiting motorized vehicle use to existing roads and trails in view within 5 miles of the Nez Perce (Neeme-poo) NHT would cause fewer adverse impacts to CTTM than would restrictions imposed around the NHT under alternatives B and C, but greater than those imposed under Alternative A.

Resources

In general, Alternative D emphasizes resource protection more than alternatives A and C, but less than Alternative B, resulting in proportional access restrictions and adverse impacts to CTTM. Adverse impacts from travel designations (e.g., seasonal restrictions) and mitigation measures to protect wildlife resources, special status species, and important habitats would be similar in type to Alternative A, although to a greater extent than under alternatives A and C and a lesser extent than under Alternative B. Restrictions on motorized vehicle use in the Absaroka Front Management Area would result in impacts similar to Alternative B. Allowing temporary closures of designated roads, trails, or geographic areas within big game crucial winter range and parturition habitat would result in impacts similar to Alternative B, although to a lesser extent. Limiting motorized vehicle use to designated roads and trails to protect resource values in essential and recovery habitat for threatened and endangered species and areas over important caves or cave passages would adversely affect CTTM by limiting access to these areas.

Closing timber haul roads after completion of timber management would result in impacts similar to Alternative A. Restricting off-road motorized vehicle use to within 300 feet of established roads in areas with a limited designation (existing or designated roads and trails) would result in impacts similar to Alternative B, although to a lesser extent.

Proactive Management

Beneficial impacts to CTTM under Alternative D would result from allowing the second most open cross-country motorized vehicle use on 5,941 acres and allowing over-snow travel on a case-by-case basis, and managing motorized vehicle use in most of the Planning Area (2,028,620 acres) as limited to existing roads and trails. Alternative D limits motorized vehicle use to designated roads and trails on 33 percent of BLM-administered land, 11 percent more than Alternative C, 34 more than Alternative A, and 49 percent less than Alternative B. Alternative D closes motorized vehicle use on a similar amount of acreage as Alternative A, but would result in greater adverse impacts to CTTM than alternatives A and C by limiting motorized vehicle use to designated roads and trails on more acreage than those alternatives.