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0 r e a ee r e <br />It is BLM's policy to make minerals materials available unless it is detrimental to the public <br />interest to do so. The BLM must manage mineral material development in a mariner that <br />protects public land resources and the environment and minimizes damage to public health and <br />safety during the removal of such minerals. <br />The purpose and need for this proposal is to continue to develop the gravel resource in the <br />Grandview Minerals Emphasis Area consistent with the 2000 Grandview Management Plan. <br />The gravel will be used to meet the steadily increasing demand for construction materials for <br />road, residential, business, and other developments in Durango and La Plata County. <br />v Ive e e a er <br />The public has been informed of this proposal through its listing on the San Juan Public Lands' <br />Schedule of Proposed Actions, which is available on-line and through quarterly mailings. The <br />proposal has been listed since January of 2007. Additionally, a scoping letter was mailed in <br />December 2007 to adjacent landowners, other BLM permit-holders, and other potentially <br />affected individuals, agencies, and companies. A press release was also issued in December 2007 <br />requesting public input. <br />Scoping comments were received from 21 individuals or groups. The BLM analyzed the issues <br />and determined that none of them warranted the creation of a separate alternative. Some of the <br />comments were considered unsubstantial because they were: 1. Already decided by a higher <br />level decision (e.g., the existing BLM Resource Management Plan has already been determined <br />the project area to be in a Gravel Emphasis area and available for gravel extraction); 2. Irrelevant <br />to the decision to be made (e.g. There are no wetlands in the project area to protect); or 3. Strictly <br />opinion or conjectural, and unsupported by fact (e.g. "I don't like gravel pit expansion"). <br />Issues that were considered substantial are analyzed in this EA. Primary issues include impacts <br />to recreation, local economic benefits of the proposal, access to Highway 160, and reclamation <br />plans. Many of the issues were addressed through mitigation measures. <br />1 er a ve e r <br />1 er a ve <br />The No Action Alternative would mean that the BLM would not renew C& J's permit which will <br />expire in 2010, simply stated, there would be no new gravel mining operations beyond those <br />identified in the current permit. The No Action Alternative would result in a decrease in area <br />gravel production to meet future demand for construction materials for use in road, residential, <br />business and other developments in Durango and La Plata County. Under the No Action <br />Alternative, the existing permitted area would be mined out by 2009. Total surface disturbance <br />due to gravel operations on public lands would be approximately 48 acres. Reclamation would <br />be initiated at this time. <br /> <br />Grandview Gravel Pit Expansion Environmental Assessment 6