2005-02-10_REVISION - M1978314 - Laserfiche WebLink

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POTENTIAL OFFSITE MITIGATION STRATEGIES: Here are offsite recommendations to mitigate the impacts of the proposed King Mountain Sand & Gravel Mine on Greater Sage-Grouse. • Develop partnership(s) with other property owners in South Routt to fund and/or implement habitat enhancement/manipulation projects. • Develop partnerships with adjacent property owners in the Five Pines Mesa and Egeria Park area to continue to irrigate adjacent hay meadows including late summer irrigation • Develop an integrated weed management plan with adjacent property owners to address the spread of noxious weeds on a landscape level to protect native plants necessary for sage-grouse survival. • Provide funds for offsite conservation easements to protect Greater Sage-Grouse habitats in the area. Conservation easements for property in the Toponas area that contain quality sagebrush habitat range $900.00 to $1400.00 per acre. • Provide funding to develop and implement habitat enhancement projects, support implementation of the Northern Eagle/Southern Routt Greater Sage-Grouse Conservation Plan, and support ongoing Greater Sage-Grouse studies. OTHER COMMENTS: RECLAMATION: The list we received for inclusion in the permanent seed mixture for Snal reclamation includes the following plant species: NAME PERCENT % OF MIX Idaho fescue 15 Western wheat ass 15 Beardless wheat ass 10 Columbia needle ass 10 Mountain brome ass 10 Mountain muhl 10 Sandber blue ass 10 Slender wheat ass 10 Mountain bi sae 5 Common snowb 5 While none of the species identified for inclusion in the permanent seed mixture for final reclamation are a cause for significant concern, we would like to see a permanent seed mixture that includes a significant percentage and diversity of forb species as well as grass species. Any efforts to increase forb abundance and diversity will benefit Greater Sage-Grouse and enhance the reclaimed areas potential to be utilized by sage- grouse for nesting and brood-rearing. We also recommend an increase in the composition of sage brush and a decrease in the percentage of mountain muhly in the seed mix. A list of preferred species can be obtained from the CDOW. CHEMICAL STORAGE: The applicant has stated that they do not intend to store or use any designated chemicals oracid-producing materials on site. If at any time the King Mountain Sand & Gravel Mine requires the use and subsequent storage of chemicals for any portion of their operation, including but not limited to the processing plant, asphalt plant, and concrete plant we recommend that all such chemicals not only be stored in compliance with state and federal regulations but also a sufficient distance from Smith and Egeria Creeks to ensure that water contamination does not occur.