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I I I I i I I I I I I I ~, abltat'Changes ~out Z& acres of grassland habitat will be removed if this project IS permitted. Altered drainage patterns may affect the marshy area ;o the east and the bluff to the south. Most of the bluff is Included within the boundaries of the Minnesota Valley National · lildlife Refuge. ~ccordtng to the final £IS for the Refuge, prairie grasslands are ilocated along the bluffs and the harvest mouse and deer mouse have en found there. ~he harvest mouse is classified as rare by the nnesota Natural Heritage Program. The landfill expansion may iattract animal species which would affect these and other species Within the Refuge. An inventory of existing animal species and ihabitat including rare, unique and endangered species will be con- !ducted on the project site and potentially affected off-site areas !during the EIS. Potential impacts due to construction, the loss of habitat alteration of drainage paterns, erosion and other side effects will be evalu- ,ated. Potential impacts on aquatic comunities will be analyzed,..in ~the surface water section. Fire In 1980 there was a fire at the existing landfill, approximately 30 feet below the surface. The fire apparently begin in an area of the fill where large quantities of diseased Elm trees had been buried. Large quantities of city water were brought via irrigation pipes to the fill t~ fight the fire. Sin~e the fire, the applicant has changed its operating practices to minimize the potential for fire. Large tree materials are chipped on site ~nd are not landfilled. The quantities of small tree materials landfilled are restricted, and they are mixed wit~ other wastes. The EIS will evaluate the potential for fires in the expansion area and the applicant's measures to minimize this potential. Any impacts associated wi.~h a fire, such as changes in the nature and quantities of leachate, will be described. Fire fighting techniques will be mentioned. Pathogenic/Biological Problems and Vectors Before the advent of the sanitary landfill method of disposing of solid wastes, problems with pathogens and vectors were common at waste disposal sites. Raw, uncovered refuse invited vectors such as rats and flies and allowed easy dispersal of pathogens. At sanitary landfills, however, the requirement to cover refuse daily with six inches of cover material helps minimize these problems. Neverthe- less, the EIS will evaluate the potential fcr pr~blem.,s with pathogens and vectors at the proposed project. The attraction of the fill for birds and nearby animal species will also be discussed. Finally, mitigation measures will be described.