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8. Rio Blanco County Impacts and Environmental Impacts <br />The current mining operation is basically invisible to the surrounding area. The new lease mining <br />area will be somewhat visible from the area south of the pit but two items will mitigate this visibil- <br />ity: 1) a berm will be constructed to a height of 5-8 feet high on the south perimeter of the mine area <br />to shield the operation from view and 2) the operation will only be mining one strip at a time and <br />will be reclaiming the previous strip at the same time, thus keeping disturbance to a minimum <br />throughout the mining area. <br />Although the sand/gravel annual production rate is given as maximum of 250,000 tons per year, <br />most years will see much less activity. The higher rate is needed to handle occasional big jobs such <br />as an airport expansion, which is in the interest of the County. <br />As described in the above mining plan, the sediment pond will contain all runoff so that no sediment <br />will leave the site and cloud any downstream waters. <br />The Berry Pit will be reclaimed to part dry rangeland and part wildlife habitat, which are the pre - <br />mine uses of the lands. United will work closely with Division of Wildlife, the County, the landown- <br />ers and the DMG to ensure that the reclamation plan is the best possible for achieving the post -min- <br />ing land use. <br />Portable sanitation facilities will be provided to all workers at the minesite. The waste will be taken <br />off site for treatment in an approved facility. There will be no leach fields or other means of sewage <br />disposal. <br />There will be no new demands on Rio Blanco County services from the additional extraction areas. <br />All trucks leaving the site will be covered will not be allowed to track mud on Highway 13. Trucks <br />may supply demands in any direction once they enter Highway 13. <br />This gravel pit has been in place for many years and has a special use permit from Rio Blanco <br />County. <br />Berry Pit 3/02 13 <br />