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5.8.1. Affected Environment <br /> Greater Sage Grouse <br /> The Proposed Action occurs within Priority Habitat for the North Park Greater Sage Grouse <br /> (Centrocercus urophasianus; GrSG) population and will create additional 2 acres of surface <br /> disturbance in a sagebrush plant community. The continued extraction of minerals from this site <br /> would also create impacts to GrSG beyond the extraction boundary, since GrSG tend to avoid <br /> areas of human disturbance. GrSG avoidance of the area will be most prominent in the <br /> immediate vicinity and dissipating outwards. <br /> 5.8.2. Environmental Consequences - Proposed Action <br /> Greater Sage Grouse <br /> The Priority Habitat that is mapped for BLM-managed lands in Jackson County equals 136,470 <br /> acres and, therefore, this project will impact less than 0.01% of Priority Habitat on BLM- <br /> managed land. Since the adjacent area is already disturbed, GrSG are likely to already avoid the <br /> immediate surrounding landscape. The avoidance rates are more likely to increase when the pit is <br /> active. <br /> 5.8.3. Environmental Consequences - No Action Alternative <br /> Greater Sage Grouse <br /> The No Action Alternative would terminate Jackson County Road and Bridge's use of the <br /> mineral pit. In this case, reclamation would be required and the affected area would be restored <br /> to acceptable standards as outlined. Once completed, this will increase the Priority Habitat for <br /> GrSG by 12 acres of previously disturbed area and 0.6 km of access road. Denying the permit <br /> would likely create a new disturbance in Priority Habitat and additional displacement of GrSG to <br /> meet Jackson County's need for gravel. <br /> 5.8.4. Mitigation Measures <br /> Greater Sage Grouse <br /> To avoid disturbance to sage grouse lekking, nesting and brood rearing from the 3 nearby active <br /> leks, mining operations will not be allowed from March 1 to July 15, (NWCO GRSG ARMPA: <br /> Stipulation TL-47-51). The 20 foot wide berm that is already a design feature may reduce the <br /> indirect impacts of GrSG within the surrounding areas by hiding the visual disturbance of the <br /> mining operation. <br /> 5.9.1. Affected Environment <br /> Big Game <br /> The proposed action will disturb two additional acres of upland sagebrush habitat, which is <br /> important habitat for big game species, such as, pronghorn, elk, moose, and mule deer. Often, big <br /> DOI-BLM-CO-N020-2017-0003 31 <br />