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7/29/2014 State.co.us Executive Branch Mail - Request for your assistance with review of proposed New Elk shrub plan (TR68) <br />i <br />r , <br />3} � <br />STATE OF <br />COLORADO�1 <br />Simmons - DNR, Leigh <leigh.simmons @state.co.us> <br />To: Brock Bowles - DNR <brock.bowles @state.co.us> <br />Thu, Jul 17, 2014 at 5:34 PM <br />Cc: David Berry - DNR <david.berry @state.co.us >, Alysha Hernandez - DNR <alysha.hernandez @state.co.us> <br />Brock, <br />As we discussed, NECC are proposing to revise their plan for planting shrubs at the New Elk mine. The currently <br />approved text is brief and confusing. It reads: <br />"The woody plant density standard for the wildlife habitat (upland) is 1000 trees /shrubs per acre. The <br />woody plant density standard for the wildlife habitat (riparian) is 1742 trees shrubs per acre. " <br />The approved success criteria reads: <br />"As previously discussed revegetation success criteria will be judged according to Sections 4.15.8 and <br />4.15. 10 of the regulations. Basin's postmining land uses will include rangeland, upland and riparian wildlife <br />habitats. Success of the rangeland in the East Portal area will be compared to the Golden Eagle <br />Grassland Reference Area. Success of upland wildlife habitat will be compared to the upland reference <br />area. Success of the riparian wildlife habitat will be compared to the riparian reference area. The locations <br />of these reference areas are shown on Map 10 Vegetation, Map 15 Surface Disturbance and Postmining <br />Land Uses East Portal and Map 16" <br />and: <br />"Woody plant density will be determined by establishing a 2m by 25m belt transect along the point <br />intercept transect. All shrub and tree species which have been established over tvw growing seasons and <br />are alive and healthy will be identified and counted. One belt transect will be monitored at each of the <br />point intercept transect locations. The sample will be deemed adequate by equation 1 discussed above" <br />This text can be found on pages 2.05- 47(c), 2.05 -50 and 2.05 -51(e) of the approved permit. <br />With TR68, NECC initially proposed to change PMLU designations, based on a rule change. Since the rule <br />change has not yet occurred, this proposal was retracted. The PMLU at the mine is primarily rangeland, there are <br />also areas of wildlife habitat (upland) and (riparian). The current state of TR68 see the PMLU designations being <br />left unchanged, but the plan for the re- establishment of shrubs being altered. Also they propose to use a standard <br />rather than a reference area for woody stem density (this will leave them with just one reference area - Golden <br />Eagle Grassland, which you are familiar with). <br />have attached the following documents to help you understand the situation and the proposed new plan: <br />1. Explanatory letter from Kent Gorham <br />2. Letter from CPW commenting on the proposed plan - generally they approve it, with just one comment <br />about watering frequency <br />3. Updated proposed revised text (following CPW comments) <br />Just to look briefly at the proposed plan: <br />The Rangeland areas do not have a shrub component, so can be left out of this discussion. <br />The disturbed Wildlife Habitat (Upland and Riparian combined) area totals 66 acres, per the previously <br />approved permit. <br />The proposed plan sees (I think) six 10,000 ft 12 shrub clumps established: <br />2 on the RDA (WH Upland) <br />2 in the East Portal facilities area (looks like Rangeland on map 15) <br />1 at the site of the prep plant /pond 6 (WH Riparian) <br />https: / /mai l.g oog le.conVmai 1 /u /0 / ?ui =2 &i k= e29129fcb5 &viev�-- pt &search =i nbox&th= 14746adca2260764 &si ml= 14746adca2260764 1/2 <br />