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<br />the Piceance Site. Furthermore, any birds that use these sites could be disturbed by <br />activities related to construction and operation of the solution mining and processing <br />facilities. Should any functioning raptor nests be identified in the immediate vicinity of <br />the Piceance Site processing facilities or any active 5-year mining panels during the <br />development and operation of the commercial mine, American Soda would consult <br />with the BLM to minimize disturbance to the nesting birds. Occasional raptor surveys <br />of the project area will continue at the Piceance Site, and further consultation may be <br />required if additional nests could be potentially impacted by mining/construction <br />activities. <br />The planned pipeline route will not require direct disturbance of any raptor nests. As <br />indicated above, some additional surveys will be performed (in 1999) for those areas of <br />the pipeline corridor which have been re-routed since the 1998 survey. <br />There will be no impacts to raptors at the Parachute Site. <br />H.3 Sage Grouse <br />Sage grouse occur throughout the project area in predominantly sagebrush habitats. <br />The most productive sage grouse habitat near the project area exists along the Roan <br />Plateau in southern Rio Blanco County and northern Garfield County. Known sage <br />grouse leks (strutting areas) exist near the pipeline corridor in T4S, R96W, Sections 3,10, <br />and 15. The nearest active lek is situated just west of the pipeline corridor in Section 3. <br />An historic lek and three satellite leks are situated within 0.5 mile of the proposed <br />pipeline corridor in this same general vicinity. <br />Nesting usually occurs within two miles of a lek. Sage grouse nesting habitat exists in <br />T4S, R96W, Sections 3, 10, 15, 22, 27, and 34, An isolated sage grouse lek also exists near <br />the Greasewood Compressor Station (T2S, R97W, Section 5). The proposed pipeline <br />corridor will approach these areas but will not intersect any of them. <br />Impacts The pipeline corridor would closely approach the active sage grouse lek <br />located in T4S, R96W, Section 3. 1n order to minimize impacts to this lek, which is <br />located on the west side of the existing pipeline corridor, the new pipelines would be <br />sited on the east side of the existing corridor along this reach. <br />Pipeline construction is expected to begin in the summer of 2000. Construction activity <br />within a 1.5-mile radius of these sage grouse leks would be avoided from March 1 to <br />July 15, which includes the sage grouse breeding and nesting periods. Any other <br />activity near the leks during this period would be minimal. <br />Mitigation for impacts to sage grouse habitat will include planting forbs preferred by <br />sage grouse along a specific portion of the pipeline corridor. The specific details of the <br />sage grouse mitigation plan are currently being negotiated with the CDOW. <br />H-5 <br />