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Pikeview Quarry Environmental Assessment Page 9 <br />~ 2 Alternatives Including the Proposed Action <br />' This section of the EA presents a description of the alternatives evaluated as part of the <br />NEPA compliance process, including the No Action Alternative. It also includes a <br />description of alternatives that were considered but eliminated from detailed analysis. The <br />alternatives studied in this EA were defined in consideration of their technical, <br />environmental, and economic feasibility and their ability to meet the purpose and need for <br />' the proposed project. <br />2.1 Alternatives Considered But Eliminated <br />Several alternatives were considered but eliminated from detailed evaluation in this <br />' EA for reasons related to their environmental and technical feasibility and their ability to <br />effectively address the long-term goals for reclamation of areas impacted by the Pikeview <br />Quarry. These alternatives include rock bolting, camouflage (meshing), staining (Permeon), <br />' the original layback proposal, and the current layback proposal without enhanced <br />reclamation plan. <br />' Rock bolting is used for rock stabilization and has not been considered in the Pikeview <br />Quarry due to very unstable slopes. Not only would it be very difficult to install the bolts on <br />the steep slopes, but their effectiveness would be limited as the material is very fractured <br />' and unstable. Rock bolting does not mitigate visual impacts and would not restore the <br />natural topography that would allow for long-term reclamation and revegetation of the site. <br /> Camouflage techniques and rock staining with Permeon have been tested at the <br />' Pikeview Quarry but the results were not satisfactory. Very steep slopes make it difficult to <br /> position camouflage over the scarred areas. The rock staining was also found to be very <br /> difficult and dangerous. The precipitous limestone rock face continues to waste away and <br />' displaces the camouflage material. In addition, the camouflage and/or stain would only be <br /> effective for partial and temporazy mitigation of visual impacts. They would not provide for <br /> the long-term stabilization of the site and restoration of vegetation and wildlife habitat <br />values. <br /> The original layback proposal included the use of 40 acres of National Forest System <br /> land. This alternative would include land in the southwest part of the quarry that has been <br /> reclaimed under the base reclamation plan. In addition, it would only have included a <br /> narrow (approximately 300 feet) strip of land which would not be enough to lay back the <br />' existing slope to acceptable conditions. <br /> The enhanced reclamation plan proposed by Castle Concrete would provide additional <br /> tree, shrub, and wildflower coverage, increase the random nature of the reclamation, <br /> improve the visual impact on private lands through increase of species diversity and the <br />' <br /> Hydrosphcre Rcsource Consultants, 1002 Walnut Svect Suitc 200, Boulder. CO 80302 <br /> <br />