Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Roca Honda Mine

Chapter 3. Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences
Alternative 3
Under alternative 3, the underground uranium mine would be constructed with only one
production shaft located in Section 16. The majority of the facilities would also be in Section 16,
with some pipeline and dewatering facilities in Section 10 and ventilation shafts in all three
sections. The maximum area of impacts would be the viewshed for the shaft headframe, as it is
the tallest facility in the proposed mine plan. Figure 69 shows in red the areas that would have
their viewshed altered by the one shaft alternative. This viewshed is smaller than that of the
proposed action, in that Section 10 itself, and areas northwest, north, northeast and east of Section
10, would not be impacted as they were in the two shaft alternative. This difference in number of
headframes is the main determiner for the difference in the VMS analysis of visual impacts
between the two action alternatives. Notably, however, in a simply subjective sense, the absence
of duplicative mine facilities (which would be needed to support a second shaft in Section 10) has
an obvious advantage when compared to the impacts to visual resources from alternative 2. That
said, they both fit within the small level for extent of impacts according to the VMS. Therefore,
the impact level and significance values are identical for both alternatives, as seen in table 73.
Table 73. Levels of impact for visual resources
Magnitude Duration Extent Likelihood
Mine Development
Precedence
and
Uniqueness
Impact
Rating
Moderate Medium Term Small Probable Severe Insignificant
Mine Operation
Moderate Long Term Small Probable Severe Insignificant
Mine Reclamation
Minor Medium Term Small Probable Severe Insignificant
Overall
Moderate Long Term Small Probable Severe Insignificant
Cumulative Effects
Past and current human activities and artificial structures in the area have altered the appearance
of the natural landscape within the viewshed of the proposed mine. Activities include mining,
logging, ranching, and structures include paved and unpaved roads, the village of San Mateo,
ranch houses and homes, sheds, barns, water storage tanks and facilities, fences, electrical
transmission and distribution lines, abandoned or closed mines, and tailings piles. From the
higher reaches and summit of Mt. Taylor, these and many other structures would be visible.
Nonetheless, for most observers, the overall visual impression of the landscape would be one that
is relatively open and uncluttered, even semiwild, though not pristine wilderness.
370 DEIS for Roca Honda Mine, Cibola National Forest