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Eshibil H CMLRB I12 Permit Application <br />Agile Stone Sl~stems. Inc. <br />• and sandstone rock quarry sites on the north side of Tallahassee Creek and would result <br />in minor disturbance to stream wash habitat. No riparian habitat or trees would be <br />impacted by the proposed steam crossings. <br />Habitat losses associated with the two rock quarry areas involve 64 acres of pinon/juniper <br />habitat containing about 60% growth. However, much of this proposed disturbance <br />would be at sites represented by areas of exposed bedrock that support very little <br />vegetation cover (Exhibit J). This loss would be relatively short-term since reclamation <br />plans involve the same acres with greater growth and greater habitat diversity. Habitat <br />losses associated with the gravel extraction azea would also be short term since sufficient <br />topsoil is available to reclaim and reseed the open pit, plant stockpile storage areas once <br />operations cease and reclamation is initiated. Any concurrent reclamation will reduce the <br />time any habitat is unavailable. <br />The major wildlife impact would be on mule deer from these habitat losses. A small 64 <br />acre reduction in their winter pinion/juniper habitat and 99 acres of early spring foraging <br />habitat would result temporarily until final reclamation. Adverse impacts to the local <br />mule deer population is expected to be minor due to the limited acreage disturbed and the <br />lack of any crucial habitats. Habitat losses may not only be reduced but improved over <br />time as mule deer become acclimated to operational activities. Mule deer tolerance to <br />mining activities has been demonstrated throughout the Rocky Mountain region as long <br />as they aze not exposed to human hazassment or hunting pressure. <br />• CO Fish and Wildlife identified the mountain to the west of permit azea as the eastem <br />limit to known bighorn sheep in the azea. (Personal Communication, Site Visit, Chris <br />Kloster, Habitat Biologist, DOW, 8/97) If any bighorn sheep aze, however, in the azea, <br />operations will be focused on the eastem end of the permit azea away from the adjacent <br />western mountain. Like mule deer, bighorn sheep have also demonstrated the ability to <br />adapt to mining operations as long as they do not associate hazassment or hunting with <br />the mining operation (MacCallum 1988, 1992). <br />Any adverse impacts to mule deer or unknown bighorn sheep resulting from habitat <br />losses of grassland (spring foraging) habitat or pinon/juniper (winter) habitat could be <br />completely mitigated by reducing or eliminating livestock grazing pressure within the <br />permit azea. As indicated previously, the permit azea has been heavily over grazed by <br />livestock. (Also, Personal Communication, Site Visit, Chris Kloster, Habitat Biologist, <br />DOW, August 1997). If ranch life stock grazing pressure was reduced or eliminated from <br />the permit area, the improvement in forage condition in undisturbed aeeas could readily <br />offset any habitat losses associated with the proposed operation. The applicant plans to <br />continue the Harvey Ranch as a working ranch with both reduced acres and livestock. <br />Another wildlife concern with the proposed operation is possible disruption of fish <br />movement between the Arkansas River and a possible fisheries habitat in upstream <br />portions of the Tallahassee Creek between Cottonwood and Kern creeks. Due to the 2 <br />• engineered crossing designs, Fish and Wildlife feel that there will be no disruption to any <br />8 <br />a <br />