December 11, 2015 Cultural and Biological Resources Investigations - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

WestLand Resources, Inc. December 11, 2015

Cultural and Biological Resources Investigations Red Gap Ranch Environmental Assessment December 11, 2015

Scope of Investigations at Red Gap Ranch

 Biological Resources Investigations

 Existing Environment Description  Screening Analysis  Environmental Consequences Analysis

 Cultural Resources Investigations

 Class I Records Search  Class III Pedestrian Survey

Biological Resources

 Description of Existing Environment  Screening Analysis/Potential to Occur  Potential Effects of Project Construction within RGR

RGR Biological Resources

 Environment and Unique Habitats

 Two biotic communities; ephemeral drainages/arroyos; stock

tanks; no seeps, caves, or mines

 Species of Concern

 USFWS, NNDFW, USFS, AGFD; no BLM

 Potential to Occur

 Present, Possible, Unlikely, None

 Potential Effects of RGR Construction

 Onsite: Temporary construction-related disturbance

Cultural Resources

 Current scope of analysis is archaeological resources – “the

physical manifestation of past occupations”

 Class I Records Search includes a search of databases and

records of :

 AZSITE/ASM database  NNHPD records  MNA records  NAU records  Government Land Office (GLO) Maps  Historic Topographic Maps

RGR Cultural Resources

 38 archaeological sites

 32 newly identified and 6 previously known; 12 recommended eligible for listing

• n National Register of Historic Places

 Timeline of Occupation and Use

 Paleoindian Period Archaic Period Late Historic

 Treatment of Cultural Resources

 Existing road system; avoidance and preservation always preferable; mitigation

actions for those unavoidable impacts