2016-01-07_PERMIT FILE - C2010089A ‎(9)‎

• Permit No: C2010089A
• IBM Index Class Name: PERMIT FILE
• Doc Date: 1/7/2016
• Doc Name: Post Mining Land Use
• Section_Exhibit Name: Section 2.05.5
• Media Type: D
• Archive: Yes

Garvey Property
On the Garvey property, the existing land uses on four land use types include; the conversion of
"Grazingland-Big Sagebrush" (GL -SB) to Dryland Pasture, the conversion of existing
"Pastureland-Dryland" (PLD) and Irrigation Canal to Irrigated Pasture, for "Grazingland-
Subirrigated" (GL -SI) to be converted to Irrigated Pasture, and for the conversion of
"Grazingland-Subirrigated" (GL -SI), located to the east of the existing Second Park Lateral
Ditch to be reclaimed as Dryland Pasture. According to the original NH Mine Permit these
areas were originally considered to be Dryland Pasture and were to be reclaimed as such and
have become "Grazingland-Subirrigated" (GL -SI) over the years due to the landowners desire to
irrigate this area, which is inconsistent with the NH1 Permit. Also, "Residential/Agricultural
Disturbance" and "Roads" areas (RS & RD) are to be converted to Irrigated Pasture. As shown
on Map 2.05.5-1, New Horizon North Mine Postmining Land Use Map, the Garvey Property
outside of the undisturbed areas has a postmining land use of Intensely Managed Irrigated
Pasture (36.1 acres), Irrigated Pasture (18.8 acres), and Dryland Pasture (94.1 acres).
Postmining Land Use - General
The primary reason landowners requested that WFC make these changes from Grazingland-Big
Sagebrush and from Irrigated Pasture to Dryland Pasture has to do with the successfulness of the
reclamation efforts on the Rice Tract. According to the data presented in the Vegetation
Description found in Section 2.04.10, the existing Sagebrush plant communities are producing
on average 123.3 pounds of air dry forage per acre. The average forage production on the
existing Dryland Pasture on this site averages 348.6 pounds of air dry forage per acre. While on
the reclaimed portions of the Rice Tract, the current average forage production is 845.0 pounds
of air dry forage per acre. When placed into the context of a landowner, the forage production
from the reclaimed sites is 6.85 times more than they are currently getting from their Sagebrush
lands and 2.83 times more than they are currently averaging from their Dryland Pasture. Since
the DRMS regulations require that the lands disturbed by mining be reclaimed to their highest
potential uses that are consistent with the surface owners' plans, WFC feels justified in
complying with the land owners wishes.
Dryland Pasture will be the primary postmining vegetation type. Due to the landowners' wishes
on the Glasier, Meehan, and Garvey Properties, the existing Sagebrush Vegetation type will be
reclaimed to an improved Dryland Pasture. Dryland Pasture was chosen as the primary
postmining vegetation type due to the landowners wishes to improve the agricultural potential of
their lands and in order to encourage "prompt establishment of vegetative cover and recovery of
productivity levels compatible with the approved postmining land use" (Rule 4.15.1(2)).
Irrigated Pasture and Intensively Managed Irrigated Pasture will be established on areas
identified as corresponding in these two vegetation and land use types in Sections 2.04.3 and
2.04. 10 baseline land use and vegetation studies. The various plans for backfilling, grading, and
topsoil redistribution (Sections 2.05.4(2)(c) and (d)) will provide the basis for the potential
productivity of the reclaimed lands. Upon meeting successful revegetation requirements for the
Section 2.05.5 Page 3 Sept. 2015 (TR -11)