How do you determine when your disturbance becomes significant?? Options

[realnice]

Hi all, im new to the site. Been prospecting for about 10 years here in Colorado. I hold a few mining claims and am wondering about determining significant disturbance on historically disturbed areas. An area where i have a claim has been logged and mined for a long time and the land shows it. It also has very heavy 4wd use. it is not very pristine at all. One of my claims is visible from the road so recently it has come upon scrutiny by the USFS. there is a 40 ft x 20 ft. worked area. The area is disturbed and is comprised of filled in diggs.
The 228.4 Plan of operations—notice of intent—requirements seem to fit my site as to not have to file a plan of operations, but one stipulation is...
(v) Operations, which in their totality,
will not cause surface resource disturbance
which is substantially different
than that caused by other users
of the National Forest System who are
not required to obtain a Forest Service
special use authorization, contract, or
other written authorization;

If they deem my operation to be causing significant disturbance what can they do? Arent they supposed to inform me to stop and complete a plan of operations? What are my rights here?

How do I appeal a desicion by the USFS?

[CP]

Right Caveman, a POO (plan of operation) is only filed on a claim and bonds are only used on claims as well. This unfortunately demonstrates the lack of knowledge the uniforms have concerning their own job, it's authorizations and duties. Another conflicting statement of hers....if not withdrawn nor within the Arkansas headwater rec area, then why do they assume they can restrict it? They can not.

All the rules from the "recreational placer mining" (there's a conflicting title...no such thing!) permits are ONLY APPLICABLE TO THE ARKANSAS HEADWATER RECREATIONAL AREA boundries. If this ACEC is outside the designated rec area, then those restrictions do not apply.
It's very difficult to keep the two differentiated especially when so many officials and citizens are confused between the two..... NF/BLM lands in general vs. recreational areas. Although a recreational area may well be BLM or FS lands, any special restrictions for that specified area do not extend past the designated areas boundries. In this situation the same district ranger office deals with both catagories.....rec areas and normal non designated BLM land. Most of the questions that particular office recieves are about the recreational area and hence their answers will be all geared to their normal line of questions regarding recreational activities.
Unfortunately this also leads to the situation you've experienced where apparently they wish to push those extra restrictions into lands they are not authorized to if all that's been said/assumed here is fact.

Good luck with this and keep us all posted as to updates you might have.