2009-06-02_REVISION - M1980146 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Environmental Consequences A portion of the Mineral Emphasis Area would not be fully developed. Mitigation No further mitigations are identified for mineral resources. 2.4.2 Public Health and Safety Public health and safety concerns in the general vicinity of the proposed project area include: operation of large equipment associated with gravel pit extraction, vehicle travel on the access road, and potential accidents for recreational users adjacent to active gravel mining operations. Operations in the pit are regulated under the direction of and in complete accordance with the Federal Department of Labor - Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) regulations 30 CFR, Part 48, Subpart B-E and Part 56. Vehicle speeds for the access road are posted at 15 miles per hour. Berms, 5 feet or greater, will be placed along the edge of the pit to clearly identify the pit and to discourage recreation users from entering the pit area. Environmental Consequences The design criteria, described above, are a continuation of current practices. The Proposed Action is not expected to result in an increase of threat to public health or safety. Mitigation No further mitigation measures have been identified to improve public health and safety. 2.4.3 Socioeconomics The socioeconomic analysis examines the potential impacts to the local economy and social structure related to the management alternatives. The value of sand and gravel is based on the hardness and other characteristics of the material. The cost of transportation typically exceeds the cost of the material. Thus, quality of material and the location of a pit can impact economics. The area potentially affected by the Proposed Action includes the City of Durango and La Plata County. This area has experienced faster population growth than the region and, as a result, strong construction activity. The demand for gravel is expected to grow as the population grows. The Grandview Pit is located adjacent to the City of Durango and two major highways. The distance to Durango is closer than many other gravel operations (Table 5). Gravel typically does not require supplementation or amendments to meet Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) specifications for road-base products. The overall cost for material from the Grandview Pit is very competitive in this market. C and J Gravel is a major supplier of gravel suitable for gravel roads and highway construction in the community. C and J Gravel has been producing sand and gravel products from this pit for almost 20 years. The terms of the permit require the Operator to pay the BLM for value of the gravel that is Grandview Gravel Pit Expansion Environmental Assessment 28