Pursuant to NEPA Sec. 102 [42 USC § 4332] (2)(C)(v), this analysis must identify alternative actions that would result in the irreversible and/or irretrievable commitments of resources. Irreversible commitments are those that cannot be reversed, such as species extinction, mining ore, or logging old growth forest, which would take hundreds of years to recover. Such decisions are considered irreversible when their implementation would affect a resource such that its useful renewal could occur only over a period of time longer than the useful life of the project, at exorbitant expense, or because they would cause the resource to be destroyed or removed. Irreversible commitments of resources on Federal lands are typically attributed to major infrastructure construction projects, such as the use of federal lands for the original construction of dams, reservoirs, or associated conveyance features.

Under No Action, the continued deterioration of NRHP structures and the district as a whole would result in irreversible effects to historic resources at the ranch.

The Proposed Action would result in the irreversible commitment of fossil fuel resources during construction activities and as a result of increased visitation by car or bus. It is anticipated that the amount would be locally minor and globally negligible. Otherwise, there would be no irreversible commitments of resources as a result of project implementation.

Irretrievable commitments of resources result in the loss of production or use of resources as a result of a decision where the resource commitments represent a moratorium on other site specific uses or opportunities for the useful life of the associated project. For example, if a paved highway is constructed through a forest, the timber productivity of the cleared right-of-way (ROW) is lost for as long as the highway remains. The construction of the highway represents an irretrievable loss in exchange for the benefits of the highway.

The Proposed Action alternative would cause some minor irretrievable commitment of soil and vegetation resources that would be removed to accommodate building and development footprints. These losses would be largely offset by the restoration of other areas at the ranch.