ABSTRACT
There is perhaps no more important issue in the Rocky Mountain states today than the direct and indirect impacts of energy development on native ecosystems. Disturbance to flora and fauna from extraction, processing, and transportation activities may be local and regional in extent, but some of the more obvious direct impacts can be partially or even completely ameliorated through land use planning and statutory requirements. 1 The indirect or “people” related effects due to demands for outdoor experiences, low-density housing, convenient transportation, and other “necessities” by a rapidly increasing and mobile population may be much more severe, and ultimately more harmful. In order to assess these effects, some type of predictive approach must be developed which will allow, at minimum, reasonable assessment of whether substantial negative impacts on species of an ecosystem will occur as a result of energy construction and operation. 2 There are enough alternative locations for energy development, at least in the near future, that some sites will be precluded from development because of potentially adverse ecosystem effects. In addition to siting alternatives, there is the related issue of controls and management at the site to minimize environmental disruption. There will undoubtedly be some important decisions on preservation or development decided by the perceived magnitude of both direct and indirect effects. Therefore, rational evaluation tools need to be developed and refined to assess effects and provide insight into relevant trade-offs.
