Deployment Area Selection and Land Withdrawal/Acquisition. M-X/MPS (M-X/Multiple Protective Shelter) Environmental Technical Report. Wilderness/Natural Areas.

摘要

Currently, Nevada and Utah have one Congressionally Designated Wilderness area each, both administered by the USFS: Jarbidge in the Humboldt National Forest in northeastern Nevada, and Lone Peak in the Uinta and Wasatch National Forest of central Utah. These areas are located approximately 125 and 65 mi, respectively, from the nearest system feature and are not likely to be directly affected by the M-X project. Significant natural areas in the Nevada/Utah study area, identified by federal or state agencies as areas to be preserved for their unique ecological or geological characteristics, include 8 designated and 49 potential National Natural Landmarks, 13 National Wildlife Refuges or Wildlife Management Areas, 25 Research Natural Areas, and more than 30 other natural areas. One congressionally Designated Wilderness and one wilderness study area are located in the New Mexico portion of the Texas/New Mexico study area. These are the USFWS-managed Salt Creek Wilderness, within the Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge, and the BLM-designated Sabinosa Wilderness Study Area. As in Nevada and Utah, various federal and state agencies in Texas and New Mexico have identified unique, undisturbed ecosystems and sites of geologic interest to be managed and preserved for their natural qualities. These are collectively termed significant natural areas and, with the inclusion of the USFS-managed National Grasslands, fall into the same categories as previously discussed.