Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Roca Honda Mine

Chapter 3. Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences
As indicated above, inserting the Roca Honda Mine, both the one and two shaft alternatives, into
this landscape would have an adverse but not significant effect on visual resources. The principal
reasonably foreseeable action that would occur within the same timeframe is the La Jara Mesa
Mine, which would be on a smaller scale and have a smaller visual footprint. The landscapes at
both mine sites would be reclaimed and, thus, restored to approximately pre-mine condition in
several decades. Therefore, the cumulative impact on visual resources would be medium term
but impermanent and adverse but not significantly adverse.
Transportation
Affected Environment
This section provides a brief description of the existing transportation resources near the proposed
mine site, including an overview of the regional and local traffic, airports, public transit, and rail
resources.
Roadways
The project area covers approximately 1,920 acres of land in southeast McKinley County. There
are very few roadways and trails in this area and travel is minimal. There are no existing
residences in the vicinity and the closest town—Grants—is approximately 18 miles from the
proposed site. The village of San Mateo is about 3 miles away. The closest interstate (I) to the
proposed site is I-40 traveling east-west approximately 20 miles to the south. Road 556 is the
closest access road to the proposed site and travels north-south approximately 1 mile to the east.
Road 556 also provides access to State Highway 605 approximately 17 miles southwest and is the
nearest access road leading to I-40. Because of the remote location in the light traffic patterns,
traffic on roadways surrounding the proposed mine is free flowing during both the a.m. and p.m.
peak periods.
Air Travel, Rail, and Public Transportation
The closest airport is Grants Milan Municipal Airport approximately 20 miles southwest of the
proposed site. Grants Milan is open to the public and has two runways for charter flights, freight,
and ambulance services (AirNav, 2011). The closest international airport is Albuquerque
International Sunport Airport (ABQ) approximately 60 miles east-southeast of the proposed site.
ABQ handled over 5 million passengers in 2010. ABQ also shares its runways with Kirkland Air
Force Base, which provide aircraft rescue and firefighting services for the airport (CABQ, 2011).
There are rail spurs to the north and northwest as close as 9 miles to the proposed site. These
spurs have served the sawmill and timber industry providing timbers for uranium mine shafts in
the area. Most of the freight rail service in New Mexico is serviced by Burlington Northern Santa
Fe Railway (NRGNHA, 2011). There is no public transportation in McKinley County.
DEIS for Roca Honda Mine, Cibola National Forest 371