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Mitigation See Mitigation #6. 14. The SWMP must be updated if/when the Proposed Action is approved. The operator must control erosion to minimize sediment from entering naturally occurring drainages. Finding on the Public Land Health Standard for Water Quality Contamination, due to hydrocarbon spills, will be contained and/or removed as soon as possible. Runoff from the proposed area will be controlled in a manner to minimize sedimentation in natural drainages. Water quality, as a standard for public land health in the project area, is not expected to be affected. 2.4 Non-Critical Elements The following non-critical elements are addressed due the connection to Standards for Public Land Health: Soils, Vegetation, and Terrestrial Wildlife. Aquatic wildlife species are eliminated from consideration in this EA due to the absence of surface water resources within the proposed project area. The rationale for eliminating non-critical elements from further analysis is presented in Table 4 below. Other non-critical elements potentially affected by the Proposed Action are presented in the paragraphs below. Table 4. Non-critical elements considered but eliminated from further analysis. Resource Rationale for Elimination from Further Analysis Forest Management The proposed area is not located within a forested area. Fire Risk for ire has been mitigated by a fuels treatment project in 1999. Hydrology/Water Rights The project area is located on top of a ridge line. See Section 2.3.7 for Surface Water Quality information. Lands and Rights-of-Way There are no issues regarding real estate of rights-of-way. Paleontology A review of the geological outcrops in the project area was conducted and it was found that surface deposits are entirely of Quaternary age. The mining proposed will not affect significant paleontological resources. Rangeland Management There is no livestock grazing in the project area. Source: Non-Critical Elements of the Human Environment (BLM 1988) 2.4.1 Minerals The Grandview Ridge is primarily covered by Quarternary deposits including intermittent beds of glacial gravel. The San Juan and San Miguel Resource Management plan designated 400 acres of the 1600 acre parcel as a Mineral Emphasis Area in 1985. In 2000, the BLM determined that Grandview Ridge should also include special resource emphasis for wildlife winter habitat. It also noted that the recreational use was becoming important. As a result, the Minerals Emphasis Area was reduced to 160 acres. Recreational users have created trails over much of the Grandview Ridge area, including the Minerals Emphasis area. Trails have been relocated several times, due to previous mineral development. A small portion of one trail overlaps the area of proposed expansion. C & J Gravel have indicated that they would avoid the trail rather than mine the material under it. Grandview Gravel Pit Expansion Environmental Assessment 27