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,, CESPK-CO-R Page 3 Public Notice Number 200175036 Mining areas A, B, C, D and E impact 10.73 acres of wetlands, 2.17 acres of aquatic habitat, and 10.11 acres of drainage channels. The total impact to waters of the U.S. is 23.01 acres. If Mining Areas F and G aze mined, an additional O.I S acre of wetlands would be impacted. ALTERNATIVES: The applicant provided an alternatives analysis. These included the "no action" or permit denial alternative and an alternative mining plan with additional acreage being mined. Under the no action alternative, impacts to waters of the U.S_ from mining would not occur and the land is assumed to remain under current agricultural uses for the short term. The long term forecast for maintaining current uses appears bleak since agricultural land use is no longer economically viable. Livestock grazing and use as a feed lot would perpetuate existing impacts to wetlands including overgrazing, trampling, erosion, siltation, excessive nutrient loading, and enhanced introduction of noxious vegetation. Under the no action alternative, another local source of aggregate would be lost resulting in a potential increase in building costs; there would be a loss of 20 jobs; and the local economy would be adversely affected. Adverse impacts from mining to wildlife, air, visual aesthetics, and noise levels would not occur. The second alternative is the same as the proposed work, except that an additional 133.2 acres of landscape would be mined on the large island (Mining Area H) in the Colorado River on the northeast portion of the project site, and at areas F (Snyder Ranch) and G (Snyder Ranch/Mamm Creek). A conveyor belt would be constructed to the island to bring the aggregate across the river. Machinery would ford the river. As with the other mining azeas, the Colorado River would also be protected by a 100-foot wide no-mining buffer. More aggregate would be mined over a period of about ten years on the island, nine yeazs at mining area G, and 1.5 years at area F. Greater exposure of ground water (113.22 acres) would occur after mining ceased. Total impacts to waters of the U.S wouid be 29.68 acres (14.92 acres of wetlands, 2.27 acres of aquatic habitat, and 12.49 acres of drainage channels). Additional impacts to upland vegetation, agricultural grassland, and riparian forest and shrubland would occur. Air pollution impacts will be the same as the applicant's proposed action except the impacts would be extended for an additional 20 yeazs, the time required to mine areas F, G and H. Impacts to wildlife would be greater. Visual aesthetics impacts would be greater and extended due to the longer mining period. Jobs would be extended for another 20 yeazs. Economic benefits to the local community would also be extended for an additional 20 yeazs. AREA DESCRIPTION: The project site is ranch land characterized by the Colorado River and its numerous islands and alternative channels on the north, by river terraces of different elevations on the south, and by two small, north-flowing tributaries which bisect the site. A slough, fed by a.perennial spring west of the Snyder Ranch house and barns, flows west near the south property boundary to join the Colorado River. Numerous irrigation ditches and laterals bisect the river terraces to distribute water to introduced agricultural seedlings. The project site ranges from a high of 5380 feet msl in the southeast to a low of 5320 feet msl in the northwest. Predominant wildlife habitats consist of gazed pasture, irrigated hayfields, wetlands and cottonwood riparian along the river. Pasture and riparian habitats are heavily grazed by livestock. A communal rookery for great blue heron is located adjacent to the Renewable Resource Area.