Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Roca Honda Mine

Chapter 3. Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences
restrictions on the transmittal of culturally sensitive information, and limitations on access to
certain sources of information. The regulations governing conduct of cultural resource
identification under the NHPA state that the Federal agency shall make a “reasonable and good
faith effort” to identify resources (36 CFR 800.4(b)(1)). The regulations and guidance go on to
describe how a such an effort is determined based on: (1) past planning, research, and studies; (2)
the magnitude and nature of the undertaking; (3) the degree of Federal involvement; (4) the
nature and extent of potential effects on historic properties; and (5) the likely nature and location
of historic properties within the area of potential effects (ACHP 2009 and 2011:1). Ultimately, the
methodology for identification should be such that “the Federal agency can ensure that it
produces enough information, in enough detail, to determine what the undertaking’s effects will
likely be on historic properties” (ACHP 2011:2). The Forest Service has determined that it has
sufficient information to determine the likely effects of the proposed project on historic properties
and also the potential impacts to other cultural resources and, therefore, has met the standard of
reasonable and good faith.
A comprehensive archaeological survey was not conducted of the setting APE, and the four tribes
did not visit many portions of the setting APE during conduct of their ethnographic assessments.
However, there is sufficient existing information regarding cultural resources located within the
setting APE to meet the standard of having “enough information, in enough detail, to determine
what the undertaking’s effects will likely be on historic properties” (ACHP 2011:2). In the areas
where the potential for impacts is greatest, namely in close vicinity to the proposed facilities, the
Forest Service has the information from the resource investigations of the physical APE. In areas
further removed, where it is likely that potential impacts lessen, information on cultural resources
from the resource investigations, plus other sources, can be used to inform the likelihood for
types and densities of resources in various areas of the setting APE. Other sources supplying
relevant information include:
• The New Mexico Cultural Resources Information System, maintained by the State’s
Archaeological Records Management Section of the Historic Preservation Division, for
archaeological resources recorded during previously conducted surveys throughout the
setting APE;
• The Forest Service’s determination of eligibility for Mt. Taylor (Benedict and Hudson
2008); and
• The nomination of Mt. Taylor to the SRCP (Chestnut Law Offices, 2009).
Ethnographic landscapes
Definition
A landscape is a place where a cultural group has combined the social, cultural, and natural
environments together to form a culturally meaningful context, which is part of the shared
symbols and beliefs of the group, and which forms the basis for understanding the individual
places and resources within the landscape. Landscapes are defined as “any geographic area which
possesses a notable human relationship with the land and tangible physical features” (CDOT,
1999). Landscapes document the interactions between geographical space and cultural use, and
are created through the interactions of people with the world.
Ethnographic landscapes are one type of landscape. As defined by the NPS, ethnographic
landscapes are “areas of geographic space that have been given special and specific cultural or
316 DEIS for Roca Honda Mine, Cibola National Forest