Legal and Policy Filter (continued) Are there any legislated exceptions that allow the actions or uses that would normally be prohibited? If yes, check this box and go to Step 2.E. Describe the legislated exception that would allow the normally prohibited action or use: If no, check this box and still go to Step 2.E. Will the proposed actions or uses help preserve wilderness character? If yes, check this box and go to the Impacts and Benefits Filter. Explain how the actions or uses will help preserve wilderness character: If no, check this box and go to Step 3. Explain how the actions or uses will not help preserve wilderness character: Step 3: Return the proposal with an explanation of why it is being returned. If a revised proposal is submitted, it should include an explanation of changes from the previous proposal. Begin at Step 1 of this Legal and Policy Filter with the revised proposal. Step 4: Is there a restriction in law, policy, or management plan that would prevent the actions or uses, or limit where or when they could be used? If yes, check this box and go to Step 3. Explanation of the restrictions in law, policy, or management plan: If no, check this box and go to the Impacts and Benefits Filter. Impacts and Benefits Filter — Benefits Assessment Worksheet Instructions: There are two worksheets, one for the benefits assessment and one for the impacts assessment. Once the worksheets are completed, the benefits and impacts decision table is used to determine a provisional decision. Based on the outcome of this decision, the proposal is either returned for revision or is evaluated for its contribution to cumulative impacts. After this cumulative impacts assessment, a final recommendation about the proposal is given to the decision maker.
Benefits to Science: How geographically will the results benefit science? Results benefit science in only a small geographic area or portion of the wilderness Result benefit science in the whole wilderness Results benefit science in the whole region Results benefit science in the whole country Results benefit science in similar bioregions globally Results benefit science across the entire planet How far over time will the results benefit science? Results provide a short term benefit Results provide a short to moderate term benefit Results provide a moderate term benefit Results provide a moderate to long term benefit Results provide a long term benefit Results provide a permanent benefit How many different people or types of people will benefit from the results? Results benefit only a few scientists and managers Results benefit only visitors, scientists, or mangers in the specific wilderness Results benefit visitors, scientists, and managers in any wilderness Results benefit local visitors, residents, scientists, and managers Results benefit regional visitors, residents, scientists, and managers Results benefit people nationally or globally How important is the activity to the scientific field of study? Similar research has been conducted many times before and attempts to answer relatively trivial questions Similar research has been conducted many times before and attempts to answer relatively minor questions Research expands slightly on previous work and attempts to answer relatively minor questions Research expands significantly on previous work and attempts to answer major questions Research is groundbreaking or precedent setting for the field and attempts to answer major questions Research is groundbreaking or precedent setting for the field and attempts to answer fundamental questions What is the breadth of scientific inquiry? Research is conducted on a single, minor component of the ecosystem or social system with little affect on other components Research is conducted on a single component of the ecosystem or social system with little affect on other systems Research is conducted on a single process of the ecosystem or social system that affects a moderate number of other components Research is conducted on a single process of the ecosystem or social system that affects many components Research is conducted on many ecosystem or social processes and components Research is conducted on ecosystem or social processes and components comprehensively
ALASKA Impacts and Benefits Filter — Impacts Assessment Worksheet (May 2010 version) Date_______ Application # ____________ Short Title ________________________________ Impact Category Numerical Score of Impact (0 = negligible Impact, 10 = high Impact) 0 1 3 5 7 10 Notes + or - Untrammeled Quality Manipulation None Low Moderate High Natural Quality Disturbance None Low Moderate High Collection: Scarring None Unobtrusive Obtrusive Very obtrusive Collection: Amount & Rarity of Specimen None Any amount; common Moderate amount; uncommon Any amount; rare Undeveloped Quality Transport- helicopter only Low: 1-3 flights and/or landings 4-5 flights and/or landings Moderate: 6-10 flights and/or landings 11-15 flights and/or landings High 15+ flights and/or landings Transport - OHV None Low Moderate High Transport-fixed wing, snowmachine, motorboat Human only Low Moderate HIgh power tools, chainsaws, etc None Any amount of unobtrusive Some amount of motorized use High amount of motorized use Installations: Obtrusiveness None Low discernability Low to moderate discernability Moderate to high discernability Account for number of installations Installations: Duration None Short duration Moderate duration Long term duration Account for number of installations Solitude or Primitive and Unconfined Quality Group Size 1-6 7-12 13+ Person-Days/ Season 1-10 11-30 31-90 91-120 121+ Area of Influence None Managed as higher use zone Managed as moderate use zone Managed as low use zone Timing Sensitivity None Low: affects a low number of visitors Moderate: affects multiple parties or a moderate number of visitors High: affects many visitors