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<br />*D. Mitigation <br /> <br />A major responsibility of TPWD is to conserve and protect the state's fish, <br />wildlife, and plant resources. Certain categories of these biotic resources <br />warrant special consideration. These include habitats that are locally and <br />regionally scarce, habitats supporting unique species or communities, stream <br />and river ecosystems, bays, estuaries, wetlands, bottomland hardwoods, and <br />native grasslands. All projects that could adversely affect these resources <br />should be fully evaluated, and where possible, implementation of less damaging <br />alternatives undertaken. If it is determined that a project or action will <br />potentially affect fish, wildlife or plant resources, a process for adverse impact <br />reduction should be initiated. Mitigation measures should be developed and <br />implemented sequentially as follows: <br />1. AVOIDANCE: A voiding adverse impacts through changes in project <br />location, design, operation, or maintenance procedures, or through selection of <br />other less damaging alternativeS'to the project or action. <br /> <br />2. MINIMIZATION: Minimizing impacts and by project modification or <br />rectification to restore or improve impacted habitat to pre-project condition; or <br />through reducing the impacts over time by preservation and maintenance <br />operations during the life of the project or action. <br /> <br />3. COMPENSATION: Compensating for unavoidable impacts by <br />providing replacement or substitute resources (including appropriate <br />management) for losses caused by project construction, operation, or <br />maintenance. <br /> <br />Mitigation should be an integral part of any action or project that adversely <br />affects fish, wildlife, and habitats upon which they depend. Failure to <br />adequately avoid or minimize adverse impacts or to adequately compensate for <br />unavoidable losses of natural resources is a serious deficiency in any project <br />plan and may cause delays in this Department's review and assessment of the <br />adverse impacts upon fish & wildlife resources. In assessing project impacts, <br />reasonable foreseeable secondary and cumulative impacts should be included. <br /> <br />*E. Coordination <br /> <br />Provide copies of pertinent coordination correspondence. <br /> <br />*F. Document Preparers and Their Qualifications <br /> <br />*G. Bibliography <br /> <br />(References: 40 CFR Parts 1500-1508 and various EPA handouts concerning <br />Environmental Assessment documentation.) <br /> <br />A-19 <br />