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Rule 2: Permits <br />• <br />Hay Meadow <br />The hay meadow located just south ofthe entrance to the permit area was sampled for vegetative cover. <br />No reference area was identified and sampled forthis community type. Disturbance in this azea is expected <br />to be less than 1 acre which exempts it from requirements associated with reclamation standazds. Cover <br />data collected for the hay meadow community type indicated dominant grosses include smooth brome and <br />sleepygrass at 10.9 and 9.1 mean absolute cover, respectively. Cheatgrass was observed as the only <br />annual grass. Annual fortis were many with annual sunflower and goosefoot as the dominants. Alfalfa was <br />the dominant perennial forb at 21.6 mean absolute cover. Litter and baze ground were moderate at 25.8 <br />and 17.9 mean absolute cover. Rock was minimal. No shrubs were observed during the field investigation. <br />Production for the hay meadow is not known, but the Land Use Section reports average production for <br />hay production in Las Animas County. <br />Sensitive Species of Plants <br />No sensitive species ofplants were observed during the field investigation of the property. Little suitable <br />habitat occurs within the permit azea for Smith whitlow-grass (Drabasmilhii),Colorado green gentian <br />(Frasera coloradensis), and sandhill goosefoot (Chenopodium cycloides). Therefore, the proposed <br />project is not expected to dvectly adversely affect any individuals or populations ofthese sensitive plants <br />• and is not likely to result in a downwazd trend toward federal listing. <br />2.04.11 FISH AND WILDLIFE RESOURCES INFORMATION <br />Rule 2.04.11 ofthe Regulations ofthe Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Boazd requires wildlife surveys <br />to be conducted to facilitate development ofa wildlife protection and enhancement plan forthe proposed <br />mine. The wildlife surveys for the Lorencito Canyon Mine were designed to provide the necessary <br />information. The wildlife survey area(Map 2.04.11-1) for the proposed Lorencito Canyon Mine was <br />defined as the 17,862 acre LLC property, which includes the 3,142 acre proposed mine permit azea. A <br />complete description ofthe wildlife resources is contained in Exhibit 11, Wildlife Technical Report, and <br />Exhibit 12, Aquatic Technical Report. <br />Information on the wildlife resource was gathered from three primary sources. First, both published and <br />unpublished reports were utilized. Second, resource management agencies were contacted for information <br />related to the permit azea. These agencies included the Colorado Division of Wildlife (CDOW) and U.S. <br />Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).Third, field surveys conducted to assess the wildlife resource within <br />the azea. The surveys consisted ofhabitat mapping, aerial surveys, line transect surveys, roadside counts, <br />small mammal trapping, auditory surveys, fish sampling, macroinvertebrate sampling, periphyton sampling, <br />. Iu!<nG10Pm[-PMT(OS)Iu1y3001 wpd 2.04-49 (revised 07/25/01) <br />~,2-o I <br />