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<br />Road would be allowed. Preferably, all project traffic would use the Sprague Gulch <br />Road access. Certain low-intensity activities (e.g., surveying) may be allowed within <br />the Sage Grouse Treatment Area during the April 1 through June 1 period, subject <br />to the written conditions and approval of the BLM in coordination with the CDOW. <br />All other work on the pipeline would occur at times of the year during which there <br />would be no expected impacts to breeding, nesting, or brood rearing activities. <br />Habitat Mitigation <br />American Soda will construct the project pipeline on the east side of the existing <br />pipeline corridor for at least 2 miles on either side of the Stewart lek to minimize <br />potential impacts to the lek and to other components of sage grouse breeding, <br />nesting, and brood rearing habitats. <br />As mitigation for any residual nesting or brood rearing impacts that might occur <br />during the July 1 through July l5 period, American Soda has agreed to provide up to <br />300 acres of mechanical brush control/treatment to enhance sage grouse habitat at a <br />site or sites to be determined by the CDOW. As agreed upon by American Soda, the <br />CDOW, and the BLM in the process of developing this Sage Grouse Mitigation Plan, <br />the cost of these improvements shall not exceed an average of $20 per acre (indexed <br />according to the Consumer Price Index). <br />The primary reclamation goal for the Sage Grouse Treatment Area would be to <br />establish suitable sage grouse habitat on the new pipeline corridor. However, actual <br />opportunities for sage grouse habitat mitigation may be limited based on private <br />ownership of nearly 6 of the 8 miles of pipeline corridor within the Sage Grouse <br />Treatment Area. The following represent potential measures that may be able to be <br />implemented as sage grouse habitat mitigation. On federally owned portions of the <br />pipeline corridor within the Sage Grouse Treatment Area, these <br />reclamation/revegetation practices will be implemented as approved by the BLM. <br />On privately held portions of the pipeline corridor, these reclamation/revegetation <br />practices would be implemented only to the extent that they are consistent with the <br />requirements of the private landowner. <br />The amount of bedrock remaining on the surface following pipeline installation <br />would be minimized to the extent practicable. Excess rock would not be windrowed <br />along the pipeline, which could inhibit sage grouse movement across the corridor, <br />nor would it be placed in large piles that could provide vantage positions for <br />predators. If necessary, excess rock may be placed in low piles spaced at intervals <br />along the pipeline corridor. <br />Topsoil may be salvaged along a working corridor with a minimum 56-foot width, <br />and live-topsoiling may be used to take advantage of the presence of seeds and <br />vegetative propagules of native grasses, forbs, and shrubs residing in the surface <br />Wildlife MniRation Plan 2-3 <br />Yankee Gulch Sodium Minerals Project <br />Amencan Suda, L.L.P. <br />