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Paleontological Resource Impact Evaluation Report Paleontological Resource Impact Evaluation Report Along Proponent-Proposed Routes for the Uinta Basin Railway Project in Utah, Carbon, Duchesne, and Uintah Counties, Utah FINAL MARCH 2020 PREPARED FOR HDR Engineering, Inc. PREPARED BY SWCA Environmental Consultants PALEONTOLOGICAL RESOURCE IMPACT EVALUATION REPORT ALONG PROPONENT-PROPOSED ROUTES FOR THE UINTA BASIN RAILWAY PROJECT IN UTAH, CARBON, DUCHESNE, AND UINTAH COUNTIES, UTAH FINAL Creation dates of proposed routes (based on GIS data provided by HDR): Indian Canyon Proposed Route: 11/22/2019 (final data received 11/26/2019) Whitmore Park Proposed Route: 02/12/2020 (final data received 2/12/2020) Wells Draw Proposed Route: 11/22/2019 (final data received 11/26/2019) Prepared for HDR Engineering, Inc. 2825 East Cottonwood Parkway, Suite 200 Salt Lake City, Utah 84121 Prepared by Georgia E. Knauss, M.S., and Vicki L. Meyers, M.S. SWCA Environmental Consultants 257 East 200 South, Suite 200 Salt Lake City, Utah 84111 (801) 322-4307 www.swca.com SWCA Project No. 53323.02 SWCA Paleontological Resources Report No. UT19-53323-06 March 2020 Paleontological Resource Impact Evaluation Report Along Proponent-Proposed Routes for the Uinta Basin Railway Project in Utah, Carbon, Duchesne, and Uintah Counties, Utah CONTENTS Introduction ................................................................................................................................................. 1 Route Descriptions ................................................................................................................................. 2 Indian Canyon Proposed Route ....................................................................................................... 2 Whitmore Park Proposed Route ....................................................................................................... 3 Wells Draw Proposed Route ............................................................................................................ 3 Definition and Significance of Paleontological Resources ....................................................................... 7 Authorities and Standards ......................................................................................................................... 8 Bureau of Land Management ................................................................................................................. 8 U.S. Forest Service ................................................................................................................................. 9 State of Utah Authorities ........................................................................................................................ 9 Tribal Lands Ute and Ouray Tribal Standards...................................................................................... 10 Assessment of Paleontological Potential ................................................................................................. 10 Records Search ..................................................................................................................................... 19 Literature Review ................................................................................................................................. 19 North Horn Formation ................................................................................................................... 20 Flagstaff Limestone ....................................................................................................................... 20 Colton Formation ........................................................................................................................... 20 Green River Formation .................................................................................................................. 21 Uinta Formation ............................................................................................................................. 22 Surficial Deposits ........................................................................................................................... 23 Potential Impacts to Paleontological Resources ..................................................................................... 23 Paleontological Resource Mitigation Recommendations ...................................................................... 24 References Cited ........................................................................................................................................ 26 Appendices Appendix A. Previously Documented Fossil Localities within 1/2 Mile of the Uinta Basin Railway Project Right-of-Way (includes all land regardless of ownership) i Paleontological Resource Impact Evaluation Report Along Proponent-Proposed Routes for the Uinta Basin Railway Project in Utah, Carbon, Duchesne, and Uintah Counties, Utah Figures Figure 1. Project overview map. ................................................................................................................... 5 Figure 2. Project PFYC overview (modified from Foss 2007). .................................................................. 12 Figure 3. Geologic formations for the southernmost portion of the Indian Canyon, Whitmore Park, and Wells Draw Proposed Routes. ........................................................................................... 13 Figure 4. Geologic formations for the south central portion of the Indian Canyon and Whitmore Park Proposed Routes. ............................................................................................................. 14 Figure 5. Geologic formations for the north central portion of the Indian Canyon, Whitmore Park, and Wells Draw Proposed Routes. ........................................................................................... 15 Figure 6. Geologic formations for the northernmost portion of the Indian Canyon, Whitmore Park, and Wells Draw Proposed Routes. ........................................................................................... 16 Figure 7. Geologic formations for the south central portion of the Wells Draw Proposed Route. ............. 17 Figure 8. Geologic formations for the central portion of the Wells Draw Proposed Route. ....................... 18 Tables Table 1. Mapped Geologic Units Crossed by the Study Area .................................................................... 11 Table 2. Number of Previously Recorded Paleontological Localities Summarized by Proponent- Proposed Routes ...................................................................................................................... 19 Table 3. Types of Post-Survey Paleontological Recommendations ........................................................... 24 ii Paleontological Resource Impact Evaluation Report Along Proponent-Proposed Routes for the Uinta Basin Railway Project in Utah, Carbon, Duchesne, and Uintah Counties, Utah INTRODUCTION The Seven County Infrastructure Coalition (Coalition) proposes to construct and operate a rail line between two terminus points in the Uinta Basin and the interstate railway network. The Uinta Basin Railway Project (Project) would be constructed and operated under the authority of the Surface Transportation Board (STB) and has the potential to result in significant environmental impacts. For this reason, an environmental impact statement (EIS) is being prepared pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The Project is in Utah, Carbon, Duchesne, and Uintah Counties, Utah. Landownership includes private ownership, tribal land, and public land managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) (Vernal, Price, and Salt Lake Field Offices); the State of Utah School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration (SITLA); and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS, within Ashley National Forest). The Project proposes a No Build option and three proponent-proposed routes (proposed routes), which are subject to environmental analysis: • The Indian Canyon Proposed Route is 80.6 miles long (based on centerline alignment dated 11/22/2019) and runs from a connection to the national railway network near Kyune, Utah, to a terminus near Myton, Utah, in the Uinta Basin. • The Whitmore Park Proposed Route is 87.7 miles long (based on centerline alignment dated 2/12/2020) and runs from a connection to the national railway network near Kyune, Utah, to a terminus near Myton, Utah, in the Uinta Basin. It coincides with the Indian Canyon Proposed Route for much of its length. • The Wells Draw Proposed Route is 103.3 miles long (based on centerline alignment dated 11/22/2019) and runs from a connection to the national railway network near Kyune, Utah, to a terminus near Myton, Utah. A fourth route, the Craig Proposed Route, which is approximately 185 miles long and extends from a connection to the national railway network near Axial, Colorado, to a terminus near Myton, Utah, was initially proposed by the Coalition. Upon further examination, the Coalition determined that the Craig Proposed Route does not meet the purpose and need for the Project, in that it fails to provide a cost- effective transportation alternative. Because the Craig Proposed Route cannot meet the Project purpose and need, it will not be carried forward in detailed evaluation during EIS preparation. The Coalition contracted HDR Engineering Inc. (HDR) to provide environmental consulting services in support of the Project. In December 2019, HDR subcontracted SWCA Environmental Consultants (SWCA)
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