GENERAL32961

• Permit No: M1999002
• IBM Index Class Name: General Documents
• Doc Date: 8/18/1998
• Doc Name: COMMERCIAL MINE PLAN SUBMITTED TO BLM SECTION 7
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

juniper woodlands (CIG 1995). In a few places, aspen stringers or stands approach
the pipeline corridor in this segment (BLM 1998d), and barren/rock outcrop
vegetation occupies the ridgeline at Davis Point (Barrett 1994). The pipeline corridor
also crosses a total 6 and 7 miles of pastureland/reclaimed vegetation, including a
small amount of irrigated land (totaling less than one-half mile) at the pipeline
corridor's crossing of Piceance Creek in this segment {T2S, R96W, Section 32) and
along Parachute Creek north of the Parachute Site (CIG 1995).
Several plant communities that occur in the vicinity of the pipeline corridor are
considered to be "vulnerable" or "imperiled" in the state and throughout their
ranges (Colorado Natural Heritage Program 1998a). These plant communities and
their dominants include: Montane Riparian Deciduous Forest (Ater
negrrndo/Prrrnus virginiana), Xeric Sagebrush Shrublands (Artemisia tridentate ssp.
rvyomingensis/Oryzopsis llymenoides), Cold Desert Shrublands (Atriplex
confertifolia/Agropyron spicatlrm), Narrowleaf Cottonwood/Skunkbrush (Populrrs
nrigtrstifolin/R{rtts trilobata), and Mixed Mountain Shrublands (Qrrercns
gambelii/Cercocarpus mm~tanus/Carex geyeri). Documented locations of these five
plant communities along the pipeline corridor, to section, are shown in Figure 7-18
(source: Colorado Natural Heritage Program 1998a). Once final pipeline routing has
been established, the BLM will be asked to review it with respect to specific known
locations of these and any other vulnerable or imperiled plant communities
(Steigers 1998, BLM 1998e).
• 7.6.3 Parachute Site
The preferred Parachute Site occupies an existing, inactive industrial site that has
been extensively disturbed under previous development. Significant areas within
the site are currently paved. What vegetation there is is predominantly weeds.
The following plant species were observed to dominate disturbed areas at the
preferred Parachute Site during a site visit in early June 1999: yellow sweet clover,
gumweed, annual sunflower, cheatgrass, pennycress, prickly lettuce, and bindweed.
Less disturbed areas between the existing developed area and Parachute Creek
support relatively dense stands of rabbitbrush, with some wild rye and wheatgrass.
7.7 WILDLIFE
It is estimated that 78 species of mammals, approximately 258 species of birds, and
over 30 species of reptiles and amphibians occur in the Piceance Creek Basin and
surrounding stream valleys (Denison 1990). Habitats within the Piceance Site
provide food and cover for a wide variety of these wildlife species. Big game
animals occurring in the project area include elk, mule deer, black bear, and
mountain lion. Denison Resources' exploration plan for its U.S. Sodium Lease No.
C-0119985 (Denison 1990), located about 6 miles west of the Piceance Site, contains a
• list of wildlife species expected to occur in habitats in the vicinity. Other
information on wildlife in the area is presented in the BLM's White River Resource
American Soda, L.L.P. '7_36
Commercial Mme Plan
Augusl 18. 1998