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' Bluestone and Section 16 Wi1dli(e Issues Repon Western Aggregates, Inc. <br />' proposed. Discussions with Dr. Harrington (EG&G, pers. comm., Sep. 15, 1994) and <br />Bernardo Garza (USFWS, Oct. 12, 1994) confirm that as long as mining is confined to the <br />' xeric grasslands atop the pediments, there would be no direct impact to PJM or its habitat. <br />To avoicJ direct impacts to occupied or potential PJM habitat, WAI will modify their mining <br />' proposal and commit to the following: <br />1. No mining associated with the proposed Bluestone expansion would occur off the <br />' tops of the pediments above the Rock Creek drainage. <br />2. A 50 foot setback (buffer zone) of no disturbance (including no roads or vehicular <br />access) would be established between the mining area and the top edge (shoulder) <br />of the pediment/ drainage interface. This additional setback would affect mining <br />' Phase 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7 (Exhibit C-2, SHB Agra 1994a). This buffer zone would <br />prevent mine-related materials from entering the drainage, maintain undisturbed, <br />native vegetation to intercept any erosion before it enters the drainage, maintain an <br />' intact geologic/ hydrologic formation along upper drainage basin slopes, and maintain <br />a minimum buffer zone between mining activity and mouse habitat. The reclaimed <br />' slope of the mined gravel pit would slope back from the edge of the buffer zone at <br />a 3:1 (horizontal:vertical) slope. <br />' 3. Some small side drainages, proposed for mining in the permit applications, would <br />be avoided to a greater extent. Upland habitats within these areas are <br />unrepresentative of those inhabited by PJM, however, avoidance of these areas would <br />provide greater setbacks and reduce the potential for runoff into occupied PJM <br />habitat. Where mining crosses drainage headwaters, erosion-control netting would <br />' bye used. This measure is precautionary because there has been no sediment <br />discharge into the drainageways from the existing mine. <br />' 4. No mine roads or other habitat altering, mine-related access or use shall occur off <br />pediment tops into drainages considered potential or occupied mouse habitat. <br />5. The Bluestone Mine buffer zones and the remaining portion of the permit area <br />extending into the Rock Creek drainage and including occupied PJM habitat shall not <br />be mined or otherwise disturbed from its present condition by WAI activities, and <br />stlall be designated a Habitat Preservation Area for the life of the mining operation. <br />This area totals approximately 400 acres. <br /> <br /> <br />1 <br /> <br />6. The north fork of upper Woman Creek on Section 16, north of the south shoulder <br />defining the drainage/ pediment interface, would not be mined and would be <br />designated a Habitat Preservation Area and protected for the life of mining. This <br />area totals approximately 320 acres. Although this area is presently grazed and does <br />not support vegetation particularly attractive to PJM, the area is directly up gradient <br />Western Ecosystems, Int. <br />9 <br />December, 1994 <br />