2012-09-06_REVISION - M2008070 (21)

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property acquisition and access for a gravel pit are significant hurdles, and the Proponent has been able to procure all of these at this particular location. Given the significant economic and logistical considerations for any such gravel pit operation and the relatively few locales where such operations are feasible, no other alternative locations are being considered in this analysis. 3.0 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT This chapter presents a description of the project study area's existing environmental conditions that could be affected by the new facility development, operation and maintenance. The development of project alternatives considered the information provided in this chapter. The selected site consists of approximately 115 acres of land on the south side of the White River, primarily in Section 9, T1N R96W. The work location is bounded by the escarpment overlooking the White River and Highway 13 on the north, pasture fences /property boundaries to the east and west, and mountainous terrain rising from the mining bench to the south. The property consists of open pasture containing a mixture of native and non - native grass and forb species and some remnant stands of sagebrush and rabbitbrush. The vast majority of the pasture is dominated by non - native cheatgrass. The pasture is fenced by barbed -wire and has historically been used primarily for cattle grazing. 3.0.1 Critical Elements: As required by the County's EA process, all of the following critical elements were considered under this review: Air quality, water quality, visual resources, biological resources, hazardous wastes, maintaining agricultural and economic bases, traffic impacts, noise impacts socioeconomic/housing impacts and geological hazards. The following sections address potential effects to the Critical Elements and issues identified in the scoping process. 3.0.2 Analysis Areas: The Project Study Area includes the site where construction activity will directly impact existing site conditions. The Area of Influence surrounding the Project Study Area includes adjacent lands where indirect effects might occur. The Project Study Area encompasses an area of about 115 acres wherein the new gravel pit would be constructed. The surrounding Area of Influence takes into consideration traffic flows, air quality, noise and visual resource issues for the White River corridor adjacent to, and within sight of, the proposed gravel pit. The Project Study Area and the Area of Influence are treated as two distinct areas of land. Thus, an impact on one area does not necessarily mean the impact also occurs on the other, unless it is implicitly stated as such. The Area of Influence is a tool used to help identify indirect effects or transient impacts to surrounding resources, users or intangible values or attributes. Examples of indirect effects might include things such as visual impacts, impacts to fishery resources from Environmental Solutions, Inc. Page 5 of 30 March 09