Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Roca Honda Mine

Chapter 3. Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences
Without regard to which of these options is the most representative of project extent, and using
the conservative fourth choice plus private lands total of 1,942 acres, this affected land area is at
most approximately 0.1 percent of the area available for dispersed recreation. This is then
categorized as a small extent, which is an affected area of less than 10 percent of the areas
available for recreation within a 4-hour drive.
The likelihood of the effect of this alternative on the land use resource is evaluated as the
estimated potential that the effects of these alternatives would occur. For this purpose, we
examine the likelihood for occurrence of effects such as temporary exclusion of current
recreational uses including hunting and firewood gathering. The former is a probable occurrence
and the latter is a possible occurrence, so the likelihood of incurring effects would then be
categorized conservatively as probable, or that the effects would occur under typical operating
conditions.
The precedence for the effect of this alternative on the recreation resource is evaluated as the
degree of precedence setting, uniqueness, or predictability of the effects of the alternative. Mining
development, operations, and reclamation have been performed in this country for several
decades and the effects, as they relate to recreational compatibility, are well known and
predictable. Therefore, the precedence (for unexpected effects) of both action alternatives is
categorized as slight.
Alternative 2
Overall, alternative 2’s impacts on recreation would be adverse, of minor magnitude, medium
term in duration, small in extent, of probable likelihood, and slight precedence. Considering the
levels of impact for these five criteria collectively, the overall impact of the proposed action on
recreation is determined to be not significant.
Alternative 3
The differences in recreation effects from implementing alternative 3 arise from elimination of
the second shaft along with a considerable amount of surface facilities and infrastructure. There is
a reduction of area disturbed by the project of 63 acres, mostly in Section 10. This includes a
reduction from three to two ventilation shafts in Section 9. Access roads in Sections 9 and 10
service ventilation shafts and monitoring wells only and are reduced somewhat in overall length
and number of locations serviced. Utility corridors and access roads across private lands in
Sections 11, 15, 17, and 20 are still required.
Overall, alternative 3’s impacts on recreation would be adverse, of minor magnitude, medium
term in duration, small in extent, of probable likelihood, and slight precedence. Considering the
levels of impact for these five criteria collectively, the overall impact of alternative 3 on
recreation is determined to be not significant. Alternative 3’s impacts on recreation may be
slightly less than alternative 2’s, but neither would be rated as significant.
Cumulative Effects
The nearest active or proposed project to the Roca Honda Mine site is the proposed La Jara Mesa
Mine that is situated about 8 miles to the south. Other mines and uranium exploration activity are
proposed for McKinley and Cibola Counties, some in the vicinity of Mt. Taylor. The nearest
DEIS for Roca Honda Mine, Cibola National Forest 263