Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Roca Honda Mine

Table 41. Impact characterization for recreation
Magnitude
Major
Moderate
Minor
Duration
Chapter 3. Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences
Term Definition
Long Term
Medium Term (limited or
intermittent)
Short Term
Extent
Large
Medium (localized)
Small (limited)
Likelihood
Probable
Possible
Unlikely
Eliminates or severely restricts recreation opportunities with large numbers of
recreationists, typically including those from outside the region or county.
Eliminates or severely restricts recreation opportunities with medium numbers of
recreationists, typically including those from outside the municipality or local site.
Eliminates or severely restricts recreation opportunities with small numbers of
recreationists, typically including those from within the municipality or local area.
Project life is more than 20 years
Project life is 5–20 years
Project life is less than 5 years
Affected recreational use is more than 30 percent of the areas available for
recreation within a 4-hour drive of the site.
Affected recreational use is more than 20 percent of the areas available for recreation
within a 4-hour drive of the site.
Affected recreational use is more than 10 percent of the areas available for recreation
within a 4-hour drive of the site.
The effect occurs under typical operating conditions.
The effect occurs under worst-case operating conditions.
The effect occurs under upset/malfunction conditions.
Alternative 1
As discussed in chapter 2, the Forest Service must develop conditions for approval of the mine
operations plan, but cannot legally prevent the development of the mine due to Federal mining
laws. The State of Mexico, however, must grant several permits for the mine to operate, so the
possibility that the mine cannot be developed and operated exists and is represented here as the no
action alternative.
Under this alternative, the mine would not be developed, would not be operated, and there would
be no need for reclamation. Current recreational uses would continue on Sections 9 and 10, the
Federal lands; on Section 16, the State of New Mexico lands; and on Sections 11, 15, 17, and 20,
the private lands through which utility corridors and access roads would be utilized by the mining
operations, had the mining been authorized.
With existing recreational uses remaining as they currently are, there would be no effects on
recreation to consider, the levels of impact for the five significance criteria would all be at the
DEIS for Roca Honda Mine, Cibola National Forest 261