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5.0 Assessment of Potential Impacts <br /> The West Side Placer project is located within the habitat range of the Greater Sage-Grouse in Moffat County, <br /> Colorado.This section assesses the potential direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts of mining activities on the <br /> Sage-Grouse and its habitat. While the project will avoid high-quality sagebrush habitat,there may still be some <br /> effects on the local environment,which this assessment seeks to identify and mitigate. <br /> 5.1 Direct Impacts on Sage-Grouse Habitat <br /> Direct impacts refer to the immediate effects of mining operations on the habitat where Sage-Grouse may be <br /> present. At the West Side Placer project,the primary direct impacts are expected to occur within the 70 acres of <br /> land designated for mining. <br /> • Habitat Disturbance: Mining operations, including excavation, material processing, and transportation, <br /> will directly disturb the sagebrush steppe ecosystem within the mining blocks. However,the sagebrush in <br /> these areas is considered low-quality, averaging only 12 inches in height, and therefore,the direct impact on <br /> high-quality habitat is minimal.The high-quality sagebrush habitat in Dry Gulch and Scandinavian Gulch <br /> will be entirely avoided,preserving critical areas for lekking and wintering Sage-Grouse. <br /> • Vegetation Removal:The removal of low-quality sagebrush and other vegetation for mining could disrupt <br /> nesting and foraging areas for Sage-Grouse,particularly for those that may occasionally use the lower-quality <br /> habitat. This will be mitigated by the pre-mowing of surface vegetation and a reclamation plan to restore the <br /> land to rangeland and wildlife habitat post-mining. <br /> • Noise and Human Activity: The noise from heavy machinery,vehicle traffic, and human presence could <br /> disturb Sage-Grouse,particularly during the lekking season in spring. Although direct habitat destruction is <br /> limited, noise pollution could extend into adjacent areas and deter Sage-Grouse from using nearby lekking <br /> sites. <br /> 12 <br /> HARDROCK/METAL MINING REGULAR(112)APPLICATION Au Pt Industries LLC I PO Box 1424-Edwards,Colorado 81632 1970 306 1 784 <br />