Glossary
Glossary of Terms
- Impact
- A modification of the existing environment caused by an action (such as construction or operation of facilities).
- Indicator Species
- A wildlife species whose presence in a certain location or situation at a given population level indicates a particular environmental condition. Population changes are believed to indicate effects of management activities on a number of other wildlife species.
- Indirect Impacts
- Impacts that are caused by the action and are later in time or farther removed in distance but are still reasonably foreseeable (40 CFR 1508.8). Synonymous with indirect effects.
- Infrastructure
- The basic framework or underlying foundation of a community or project, including road networks, electric and gas distribution, and water and sanitation services and facilities.
- Interdisciplinary Team
- A team composed of specialists in different disciplines. An interdisciplinary team is assembled because no single scientific discipline is sufficient to adequately identify and resolve issues and problems. Team member interaction provides necessary insight to all stages of the assessment.
- Intermittent Stream (or Channel)
- A stream, arroyo, or channel that flows only in direct response to precipitation.
- Irretrievable
- Applies to the loss of production or commitment of renewable natural resources.
- Irreversible
- Applies primarily to the use of nonrenewable resources, such as minerals, cultural resources, and wetlands, or to those factors that are renewable only over long time spans, such as soil productivity. Irreversible also includes loss of future options.
- Issue
- A subject or question of widespread public interest relating to management of the National Forest System [36 CFR 219.3].
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