2006-12-18_REVISION - M1978314 (3)

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• Where possible, maintaining acreage with mature sagebrush interspersed with a quality grass and forb uriderstory could potentially reduce the degree of habitat loss resulting from the proposed project. • Seeding un-mined areas with a native grass and forb mixture that has high forb content could benefit Greater Sage-Grouse by encouraging continued use of the area by sage-grouse. • Enhancing riparian areas and meadows azound Smith and Egeria Creeks could provide brood-rearing habitat benefiting Greater Sage-Crrouse and encouraging continued use of the area by sage-grouse. • When possible, avoid fence construction. This could reduce potential collision mortality for sage-grouse. Reclamation recommendations: • Develop sagebrush and herbaceous azeas to enhance existing nesting areas. • Seed reclaimed azeas with a native grass and forb mixture that has high forb content to benefit Greater Sage- Grouse. Smooth brome should be avoided in plantings. If there aze areas with a high density of smooth brome, these areas should be treated to remove smooth brome and reseeded with more desirable grasses and forbs. • Develop springs in areas lacking water to benefit Greater Sage-Grouse. • If necessary to control noxious and perermial weeds, apply herbicide during late stuntner/eazly fall to minimize impacts to forb production during those periods most critical far Greater Sage-Grouse. • Complete reclamation of one phase of mining prior to mining the next phase to reduce the amount of a duect habitat loss at any one time. 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 enhancemendmanipulation projects. • Develop partnerships with adjacent property owners in the Five Pines Mesa and Egeria Park azea to continue to irrigate adjacent hay meadows jncluding 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 azea. Conservation easements for property in the Toponas azea that contain quality sagebrush habitat range from $900.00 to $1400.00 per acre. • Provide funding to develop and implement habitat enhancement projects, support implementation of the Northern Eagle/Southem 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 fmal reclamation includes the following plant species: NAME PERCENT (%) OF MDC Idaho fescue 15 Western wheat ass ]5 Beazdless wheat s 10 Columbia needle ass 10 Mountain brome ass 10 Mountain muhl ]0 Sandber blue ss 10