Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Roca Honda Mine

Chapter 3. Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences
Plan approval and periodic inspections of mining activities would manage mine operations to
minimize adverse impacts. The LRMP sets mitigation measures regarding construction,
reconstruction and maintenance of roads, and recreation use. These measures would reduce
impacts on wildlife populations and habitat. The LRMP also contains management requirements
which would maintain or, in most instances, increase management indicator species. It also
provides measures which would protect threatened or endangered wildlife species and promote
their recovery and delisting, if possible (USFS, 1985 as amended).
The impacts discussion of this EIS assumes that the Roca Honda Mine would comply with
standard environmental regulatory requirements and procedures including, but not limited to, the
Endangered Species Act; the Migratory Bird Treaty Act; the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection
Act; and the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish regulations. The Roca Honda Mine and
reclamation of the permit area would also be designed and operated using the most appropriate
technology and BMPs available as described in the Roca Honda Plan of Operations.
Even with these measures, the loss of and disturbance to vegetation, along with alterations to the
topographic features of the area may impact habitat for numerous species and may result in direct
mortality to wildlife individuals. Direct effects on wildlife include habitat loss, alteration,
degradation, and fragmentation; wildlife mortality; and an increase in potential to exposure of
chemical and radiation hazards associated with bioaccumulation in the air, soil, vegetation, and
prey species. Indirect effects on wildlife include displacement from noise and light pollution.
Although impacts to sensitive, threatened, and endangered species are similar to impacts to
general wildlife, impacts can have a higher magnitude and extent on special status species
because these species are already vulnerable to environmental impacts. Small changes in their
habitat or population size could have major impacts on the whole population of the species.
Alternative 1
There would be no additional impacts to general wildlife, high priority migratory birds, MIS,
State listed species, or Forest Service sensitive species under the no action alternative. The Forest
Service would not approve RHR’s plan of operations and there would be no impacts from mine
development, operation, and reclamation. No wildlife mortality, habitat loss, degradation,
fragmentation, or displacement would occur. Exposure to low levels of radioactivity in the
environment from past mining projects would occur, but additional uranium-related
contamination would not. Under the no action alternative, adverse effects to wildlife due to the
proposed uranium mine would not occur.
Effects Common to the Action Alternatives
This section describes the impacts to wildlife and habitat that would be common to both action
alternatives. Mine development, operation, and reclamation may impact wildlife through:
• Mortality;
• Habitat loss, alteration, degradation, and fragmentation;
• Displacement; and
• Exposure to chemical and radiation hazards associated with bioaccumulation in the air,
soil, vegetation, and prey species.
230 DEIS for Roca Honda Mine, Cibola National Forest