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6.2 Short-Term Conservation Goals <br /> In the short term,the West Side Placer project is focused on minimizing the immediate impacts of mining ac- <br /> tivities on Sage-Grouse habitat,particularly during critical times such as the lekking season. These goals include <br /> mitigation measures that will be implemented during active mining to reduce the risk of habitat degradation. <br /> • Prevention of Habitat Disturbance: Short-term goals include avoiding high-quality Sage-Grouse habitat in <br /> Dry Gulch and Scandinavian Gulch,which contain more critical sagebrush for lekking and wintering. This <br /> ensures that the most important habitats remain undisturbed during the course of the project. <br /> • Vegetation Management: Surface vegetation will be pre-mowed prior to mining activities in order to miti- <br /> gate the impacts of vegetation removal. By carefully managing the timing of these activities, especially during <br /> lekking season,the project aims to reduce disturbance to nesting and foraging behaviors. <br /> • Noise and Activity Control: Short-term measures will be put in place to control noise levels and reduce hu- <br /> man activity near critical Sage-Grouse habitats during sensitive periods.These controls aim to limit disrup- <br /> tions to the birds during the breeding and lekking seasons. <br /> 6.3 Specific Objectives for Habitat Preservation <br /> To ensure that habitat preservation remains a central focus throughout the project, specific objectives have been <br /> developed.These objectives are designed to protect the most critical areas of Sage-Grouse habitat while ensuring <br /> that mining activities proceed in a responsible manner. <br /> • Avoidance of High-Quality Habitat: One of the key objectives is to avoid any direct disturbance to the <br /> high-quality sagebrush habitat in Dry Gulch. These areas provide important resources for Sage-Grouse and <br /> will be left undisturbed throughout the project. By confining mining to areas with lower-quality sagebrush <br /> (12 inches in height),the project minimizes its impact on critical habitat. <br /> 16 <br /> HARDROCK/METAL MINING REGULAR(112)APPLICATION Au Pt Industries LLC I PO Box 1424-Edwards,Colorado 81632 1970 306 1 784 <br />