PERMFILE122428

• Permit No: M1997054
• IBM Index Class Name: Permit File
• Section_Exhibit Name: EXHIBIT H - WILDLIFE INFORMATION
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

Pazkdale Project • 9 • Reclamation Permit
5.0 Impact Assessment
According to the Agile Stone Systems, Inc. proposed development plan, a total of 57
acres within the permit area would be disturbed by project development. Twenty-seven
acres of this would be associated with the proposed rock quarries on the north side of
Tallahassee Creek. Of this disturbance, 21 acres would be in pinon/juniper habitat and 6
acres would be in shrub/grassland habitat. The remaining 30 acres of disturbance would
be primarily on the grassland bench on the south side of Tallahassee Creek.
Approximately 12 of these acres would be for gravel production, and the remaining 18
acres would be used for plant operation, processing, and storage. Two stream crossings
would be required to access the granite and sandstone rock quarry sites on the north side
of Tallahassee Creek and would result in minor disturbance to stream wash habitat. No
riparian habitat or trees would be impacted by the proposed steam crossings.
Habitat losses associated with the two rock quarry areas (21 acres of pinon/juniper)
would be relatively long-term since bare bedrock would remain after mining. However,
much of this proposed disturbance would be at sites represented by areas of exposed
bedrock that support very little vegetation cover (see Exhibit n. Habitat losses
associated with the gravel extraction area (12 acres of grassland habitat) would also be
long term since an open pit would remain at this site. Habitat losses associated with the
remaining plant operations, processing, and storage sites would be relative short-term
since these areas should be relatively easy to revegetate once operations cease and
reclamation is initiated.
The principal wildlife impacts that would result from these habitat losses would be a
small reduction in winter mule deer habitat associated with the loss of 27 acres of
pinon/juniper habitat and the loss of 30 acres of early spring foraging habitat for mule
deer. Noise and human presence associated with rock and gravel extraction as well as
plant operation would likely result in additional habitat losses due to displacement of
deer away from operational activities. The magnitude of adverse impacts to the local
mule deer population would be expected to be relatively minor since the total acreage of
disturbance is small and no crucial habitat areas would be affected. In addition, habitat
losses resulting from displacement may be reduced over time as mule deer become
acclimated to operational activities. Mule deer tolerance to mining activities has been
demonstrated throughout the Rocky Mountain region as long as they aze not exposed to
human harassment or hunting pressure.
Operational activities may also preclude bighorn sheep trse of grassland habitat at the
west end of the permit area. This potential impact may be short-term since bighorn
sheep have also demonstrated the ability to adapt to mining operations as long as they do
not associate harassment or hunting with the mining operation (MacCallum 1988, 1992).
Any adverse impacts to mule deer and bighorn sheep resulting from habitat losses of
grassland (spring foraging) habitat or pinon/juniper (winter) habitat could be mitigated to
a large extent by reducing or eliminating livestock grazing pressure within the permit
area. As indicated in Section 3.0, the permit area has been heavily over grazed by
livestock. If grazing pressure was reduced or eliminated from the permit area, the