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<br />EXHIBIT D
<br />Wildlife Information:
<br />
<br />The wildlife resources on the affected land might
<br />include: Mammels; White-Tail and mule deer, antelope,
<br />coyote, white & black tailed jack rabbits, cottontail
<br />rabbit, fox, fox squirrel, racoon, skunk, badger,
<br />weasel, mice, rats, moles, ground squirrel (spotted and
<br />striped), prairie dog, and kangaroo rat, Birds; hawY,s,
<br />owls, quail, pheasants, herons, rails, rock dove,
<br />morning dove, wood peckers, thrush, shrikes, terns,
<br />night hawks, horned lark, lark bunting, killdeer,
<br />kingbird, swallows, blue jay, magpie, sparrows, cow
<br />bird, meadow lark, black birds, wren, finches,
<br />starlings, chikadee, crow, common grackle and orioles,
<br />Reptiles; garter snake, racer, hognose, bullsnake and
<br />prairie rattlesnake. These are animals that are typical
<br />for the general area of the project. Specifically, the
<br />operation will cause the unsettling and migration of
<br />some varmints and rodents, but is not expected to
<br />significantly affect the wildlife.
<br />Water Resources Information:
<br />The Nicholson Gravel Pit Project is not expected to
<br />directly affect surface or groundwater systems. This
<br />project, too, will not have any water requirements for
<br />its operation. The only surface water in the vicinity
<br />is L F Draw which is located about a quarter mile
<br />southwest of the project and is an intermittent stream.
<br />Vegetation and Soils Information:
<br />The soil conditions consist primarily of vona sandy
<br />loam and stoneham loam. The likeliness of soil blowing
<br />and the strong slopes of the hilly landscape make the
<br />area unsuitable for dryfarming. The natural
<br />vegetation, however, is adequate for grazing. About
<br />one third of the plant cover is blue grama while the
<br />remainder is made up of sideoats grama and small
<br />amounts of sand bluestem, switch grass and similar
<br />plants. Western wheatgrass, too, is the most prevalent
<br />midgrass in areas consisting of predominantly loamy
<br />soils. These grasses range in height from a few inches
<br />to a couple of feet.
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