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Exhibit H -AMENDMENT <br />Wildlife Information <br />Wildlife resources in the immediate mining area aze considered limited. However, adjacent lands, <br />especially the nearby riparian forest along Running Creek would exhibit a high habitat value. In those areas <br />deer, coyote, small mammals, and numerous bird species would be abundant. <br />The upland areas where the mining will occur however would have a lower habitat value. Small <br />mammals, occasional deer, coyote, and pronghorn might live on or pass through the area as well as a number <br />of more upland bird species such as the many species of grassland sparrows that occur in this azea. Prairie <br />dogs are uncommon here, but ground squirrels maybe more abundant. Continued past use of this land for <br />grazing as well as increasing nearby development is probably resulting in a decline in wildlife utilization. <br />Nearby development would primarily impact larger mammals, bu[ some bird species may also be declining. <br />Small mammals might be least affected, at least for now. But with more development, they too will decline as <br />more habitat is consumed. In general, the site is a part of a region-wide decline in many wildlife species as a <br />result of habitat loss and habitat fracturing. This decline first appears in the larger species, but eventually it <br />extends into some of the smaller species. <br />Obviously, the mining operation will not benefit the wildlife, but the retention of the land as at least <br />pasture will help to protect at least some of the wildlife habitat value currently present. The most valuable and <br />diverse habitat (ripazian corridor) will be unaffected by the mining operation. <br />Miller Gravel Pit Amendment (2007) Exhibit H Page 1 of 1 <br />