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Environmental Consequences <br />The current levels of access to and from US Highway 160 associated with the current gravel <br />operations would continue at the current level during implementation of the Proposed Action. <br />The number of truck trips/day may increase if production increases. The Operator will maintain <br />and comply with appropriate state and local transportation permits during implementation of the <br />Proposed Action. <br />Mitigation <br />No further mitigations are identified for Transportation. <br />2.4.7 Vegetation <br />The proposed project occurs within a mixed-age pinon pine (Pinus edulis) and Utah juniper <br />(Juniperus osteosperma) woodland. The pinon pines in the analysis area have experienced <br />moderate Ips beetle (Ips confusus) mortality with approximately 30-35 percent of the trees in the <br />stand occurring as snags. Mean tree height in the project area is 4 to 5 meters. The stand has <br />been thinned within the last ten years, so the estimated canopy cover is only 15-20 percent. <br />Shrub species include antelope bitterbrush (Purshia tridentata), broom snakeweed (Gutierrezia <br />sarothrae), big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata), Gamble oak, bitterbrush, skunkbrush, mountain <br />mahogany, and fendlerbrush. Shrub cover is approximately 15 percent. Herbaceous ground <br />cover is less than 10 percent; and, at the time of the most recent field survey of the project area <br />(6 November, 2007), was composed primarily of scarlet gilia (Gilia aggregata), purple aster <br />(Machaeranthera canescens), wild buckwheat (Eriogonum umbellatum), and a variety of grasses <br />including junegrass (Koeleria cristata), Indian ricegrass (Oryzopsis hymenoides), squirreltail, <br />muttongrass, and blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis). Several succulents, including prickly pear <br />cactus (Opuntia polyacantha) and Spanish bayonet (Yucca baccata) were also identified in the <br />project area. <br />Environmental Consequences <br />The Proposed Action would result in the removal of the existing vegetation associated with the <br />pinon juniper woodland vegetation type. This impact would be long-term, since the <br />reestablishment of trees after the site is reclaimed may take over 50 years. Removal of <br />vegetation and disturbance to soils in the project area is likely to increase the invasion and spread <br />of noxious weeds and invasive plant species <br />Mitigation <br />See Mitigation #6 and 9. <br />17. Stripped topsoil and woody material will be stockpiled during operations. It would be <br />placed on the recontoured surface as part of final vegetation. This will provide better <br />conditions for revegetation. <br />Grandview Gravel Pit Expansion Environmental Assessment 35