SBCT Final EIS - Govsupport.us

Chapter 5 – Environmental Consequenceshas more and heavier vehicles, but is less likely to go cross-country. The SBCT is also more mobileand creates less ground disturbance for bivouacs and fighting positions.To date, 6,806 archaeological sites have been recorded on FTC and PCMS, and 619 arerecommended as eligible or need to be evaluated for eligibility. Approximately 87 percent of thearcheological sites (5,940) include prehistoric materials. This includes 529 that contain bothprehistoric and historic components. Construction or upgrading of facilities and the use of trainingareas has the potential for significant impact to archaeological sites. Measures for avoidance,protection, and mitigation will reduce the severity of those impacts and have a beneficial impact inthe collection of information about the prehistory and history of the region.Of the 5,113 archaeological sites reported on PCMS, 88 percent (4,511) include prehistoric materials.This includes 474 that contain both prehistoric and historic components. A total of 488 of thearchaeological sites are considered eligible for the NRHP, and 11 NRHP-eligible historicarchaeological districts have been identified. Known eligible archaeological sites can be avoided andprotected from known areas of construction and training activities.The use of training areas on PCMS has the potential for significant impacts to historic buildings orstructures. Fourteen historic districts that include historic buildings and structures have been recordedon FTC and PCMS. Intact architectural properties at PCMS are predominantly farms, ranches, andrelated rural sites. These were all abandoned by 1983. There are also two stage stations along a stageroad and an early pipeline booster station with an associated company settlement. These sites aretreated as both archaeological sites and historic architectural properties. They include 11 NRHPeligiblehistoric districts: La Placita Hispanic Settlement, Cross Ranch, Bar VI Ranch, Mary DoyleHomestead, Red Rocks Ranch, Sharps Ranch, Crowder’s Ranch and Big Canyon, Brown’s SheepCamp, Bent Stage Station, Lockwood Stage Station, and Piñon Booster Station.The frequency of company and large-unit maneuver training events would increase at PCMS. SBCTmaneuver training would expand the areas currently used for training at PCMS. This could result inthe destruction or damage to previously unknown properties of traditional importance, an impact thatcannot be mitigated to less than significant.Regulatory and Administrative Mitigation 4: Locations of eligible archaeological resources would beidentified as sensitive areas where traffic and training activities are restricted or prohibited. If newplans or programs cannot avoid eligible cultural resources, appropriate mitigation measures would bedeveloped under the SOP for mitigation of adverse effects in the current ICRMP. If unanticipatedcultural resources are discovered during construction or training activities, the SOPs for discoveriesand consultation would be implemented.Significant Impacts Mitigable To Less Than SignificantImpact 5: Impacts to cultural resources. At FTC, potential significant impacts from maneuvertraining would be the most widespread impacts associated with the SBCT. Known cultural resourcesand potential impacts are described previously under Impact 4. Differences in the affected maneuverareas at FTC and PCMS are sufficient to determine that impacts to cultural resources at FTC wouldbe mitigable to less than significant.Approximately 25 percent (1,693) of the known archaeological sites are on FTC. Of these, 131individual sites are evaluated as eligible for the NRHP, and four NRHP-eligible districts have beenidentified. Known eligible archaeological sites can be avoided and protected from known areas ofconstruction and training activities.February 2008 5-148 2/25th SBCT Final EIS