Museum Objects
The National Park Service defines a museum object as a material thing possessing functional, aesthetic, cultural, symbolic, and/or scientific value, usually moveable by nature or design (NPS Director’s Order – 28: Cultural Resource Management 1998). Because there are no museum collections in the proposed project areas, museum objects was dismissed as an impact topic in this environmental assessment.
Prime and Unique Farmlands
In 1980, the Council on Environmental Quality directed that federal agencies assess the effects of their actions on farmland soils classified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service as prime or unique. Prime or unique farmland is defined as soil that particularly produces general crops such as common foods, forage, fiber, and oil seed; unique farmland produces specialty crops such as fruits, vegetables, and nuts. There are no prime or unique farmlands associated with the project area; therefore, prime and unique farmlands was dismissed as an impact topic in this environmental assessment.
Environmental Justice
Executive Order 12898 (General Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations) requires all agencies to incorporate environmental justice into their missions by identifying and addressing disproportionately high and adverse human health or environmental effects of their programs and policies on minorities and low-income populations or communities. No alternative would have health or environmental effects on minorities or low-income populations or communities as defined in the Environmental Protection Agency’s Draft Environmental Justice Guidance (July 1996). Therefore, environmental justice was dismissed as an impact topic in this environmental assessment.
Lightscapes
In accordance with NPS Management Policies (2001), the National Park Service strives to preserve natural ambient landscapes, which are natural resources, and values that exist in the absence of human-caused light. Lightscapes would not be affected by the proposed action; therefore, lightscapes was dismissed as an impact topic in this environmental assessment.
Scenic Resources
In the evaluation of scenic quality, both the visual character and visual quality of a viewshed are considered. A viewshed comprises the limits of the visual environment associated with the proposed action. The park road has been in place for decades. The proposed action does not expand or change the road corridor, nor does it create any scenic vistas. During the construction period there would be effects due to the presence of construction equipment, but these effects would be short term and would occur within an existing developed road corridor having a negligible effect on park scenic values. Therefore, scenic resources was dismissed as an impact topic in this environmental assessment.
Socioeconomic Environment
The socioeconomic environment consists of local and regional businesses and residents, the local and regional economy, park concessions, and land use. The local economy and most business of the communities surrounding the park are based on professional services, construction, educational research, tourist sales and services, and recreation; the regional economy is strongly influenced by tourist activity.
