Laserfiche WebLink
Mike Boulay <br />31. Division Response: Response accepted. <br />32. Division Response: Response accepted. <br />-15- July 8, 2011 <br />leaves and stems. Please confirm the identification of the subject plant, and <br />amend the exhibit as warranted. <br />CAM Response: The Wildlife Report was changed to indicate Gray Molly is the <br />dominant plant species on this site. Please see revised Exhibit 10 <br />A lengthy discussion was provided in the #1 adequacy letter that presented <br />considerable evidence supporting our determination that the plant in question is <br />actually Gray Molly and not Alkali Seepweed. <br />Division Response: A thorough and detailed description of Alkali seepweed and <br />Gray Molly was included in the adequacy response. Many reliable sources were <br />quoted giving credibility to the fact that the plant in question could be Gray Molly. <br />What lacked in the adequacy response was a detailed description, photograph or a <br />dried specimen of the plant species in question from the Fruita Loadout site. <br />Without knowing what the species in question actually looks like, the Division <br />cannot properly confirm the identity of the plant. The Division suggests that a <br />third party qualified botanist be consulted for the identification of this plant <br />such as the herbarium at the University of Colorado or Colorado State <br />University. <br />CAM - With respect to having the plant of concern being evaluated by a "qualified <br />botanist" we took three plants of the plant in question collected from three different <br />areas across the site to the BYU Herbarium in Provo, Utah. The decision was <br />made to use this herbarium because they have a significantly larger collection that <br />either CU or CSU and this plant corresponds to the Salt Desert Shrub Community, <br />which occupies a much greater area in Utah than in Colorado. These plants were <br />evaluated by Duane Atwood, Collections Manager of the BYU Herbarium on July <br />5, 2011 and co- author of the extremely well written taxonomic manual "A Flora of <br />Utah ". He immediately recognized the plant as being Gray Molly (Kochia <br />americana) and issued a written statement to this effect. We would hope that this <br />puts this matter to bed once and for all. <br />33. Under the "Irrigated Wetland" heading on page 9 of Exhibit 5, near the end of the <br />first paragraph, the fact that a very limited extent of disturbance would occur to the <br />irrigated wetland type is referenced, but it is stated that "the actual amount of <br />disturbance planned for this type is currently unknown... ". Based on the rail <br />corridor as depicted on Map 3, it appears that planned cumulative disturbance to <br />the Irrigated Wetland type would be limited to approximately 0.5 acres or less. <br />Please update the subject narrative to accurately reflect the planned extent of <br />disturbance to the type. Also, given the very limited disturbance to this community <br />type, it would be appropriate that it be addressed within Exhibit 5 under <br />