EVALUATION REPORT Areas of Critical Environmental Concern Richfield Resource Management Plan Dirty Devil and Henry Mountains Potential ACECs Richfield Field Office Bureau of Land Management January 2005 Evaluation Report Richfield Field Office EVALUATION REPORT—AREAS OF CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN—RICHFIELD RMP/DEIS1 BACKGROUND ...........................................................................................................................................................1 The Law: FLPMA................................................................................................................................................1 The Regulation: 43 CFR 1610.7-2 .......................................................................................................................1 The Policy: BLM Manual 1613 ...........................................................................................................................1 EVALUATION PROCESS ..............................................................................................................................................2 Existing ACECs ...................................................................................................................................................2 ACEC Nominations .............................................................................................................................................2 Potential ACECs ..................................................................................................................................................6 CONSULTATION WITH COOPERATORS .......................................................................................................................7 County Perspectives on ACECs...........................................................................................................................7 State Perspective on ACECs ................................................................................................................................7 ACECs Versus Wilderness...................................................................................................................................8 Consideration of Potential ACECs in the RMP/DEIS..........................................................................................8 ATTACHMENT 1: RELEVANCE AND IMPORTANCE CRITERIA .......................................................................1 THE TASK..................................................................................................................................................................1 1) Identifying Potentially Relevance Values........................................................................................................1 2) Determining Relevance....................................................................................................................................1 3) Determining Importance ..................................................................................................................................2 4) Special Management........................................................................................................................................4 5) Mapping Potential ACECs...............................................................................................................................4 6) Evaluation of Existing ACECs ........................................................................................................................4 ATTACHMENT 2—EVALUATIONS OF ACEC NOMINATIONS ..........................................................................1 BULL CREEK—BIRCH CREEK DRAINAGE..................................................................................................................1 Identification Criteria...........................................................................................................................................1 Suggested Special Management...........................................................................................................................5 BULLFROG CREEK DRAINAGE ...................................................................................................................................6 Identification Criteria...........................................................................................................................................6 Suggested Special Management.........................................................................................................................10 CAINEVILLE WASH DRAINAGE................................................................................................................................11 Identification Criteria.........................................................................................................................................11 Suggested Special Management.........................................................................................................................13 DIRTY DEVIL DRAINAGE .........................................................................................................................................14 Identification Criteria.........................................................................................................................................14 Suggested Special Management.........................................................................................................................17 FACTORY BUTTE .....................................................................................................................................................19 Identification Criteria.........................................................................................................................................19 Suggested Special Management.........................................................................................................................21 FISH CREEK COVE/COCKSCOMB..............................................................................................................................23 Identification Criteria.........................................................................................................................................23 Suggested Special Management.........................................................................................................................26 FREMONT GORGE/MINERS MOUNTAIN ACEC ........................................................................................................27 Identification Criteria.........................................................................................................................................27 Suggested Special Management.........................................................................................................................30 FREMONT VALLEY GATEWAY .................................................................................................................................32 Identification Criteria.........................................................................................................................................32 Suggested Special Management.........................................................................................................................37 GILBERT BADLANDS................................................................................................................................................39 Identification Criteria.........................................................................................................................................39 Suggested Special Management.........................................................................................................................43 GRANITE CREEK DRAINAGE ....................................................................................................................................44 Identification Criteria.........................................................................................................................................44 Suggested Special Management.........................................................................................................................46 HORSESHOE CANYON ..............................................................................................................................................48 Richfield RMP Revised 2/2/2005 -i- Richfield Field Office Evaluation Report Identification Criteria.........................................................................................................................................48 Suggested Special Management.........................................................................................................................51 KINGSTON CANYON ................................................................................................................................................52 Identification Criteria.........................................................................................................................................52 Suggested Special Management.........................................................................................................................54 LITTLE ROCKIES ......................................................................................................................................................56