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irrigated pasture and release of WFC's bonds, these lands may be converted by the landowners to <br />other vegetation or land use types based upon the desires of the owners. Revegetation activities <br />will return the affected lands to a similar or higher and better use. Successful revegetation of <br />Dryland Pasture and Irrigated Pasture will ensure that the reclaimed lands are capable of <br />supporting the highest possible uses which they were capable of supporting before mining. <br />Wildlife will continue to make an important secondary use of the NHN Mine area during mining <br />and following reclamation activities. A portion of the Wetland vegetation type will reestablish <br />naturally in areas adjacent to the existing livestock ponds along the fringes of the existing <br />drainages associated with Chiles and Meehan Draws. <br />Letters from the three landowners within the NHN Mine permit area, George Glasier, Thomas <br />Meehan and Stan Garvey, approving the postmining land uses are attached. Inquiries to these <br />owners as well as adjacent landowners and individuals during 2008 and 2009 baseline land use <br />and vegetation studies and discussions with local residents pertaining to WFC's postmining land <br />use, indicated that the postmining land use and establishment of Dryland Pasture are compatible <br />with local wishes. <br />On the Meehan property the current landowner has also requested that his Irrigated Pasture be <br />reclaimed to Dryland Pasture. As documented in Section 2.04.3, on this property as well as on <br />the Glasier property, there have been declines in the amount of irrigated pasture as the land has <br />been sold and either through the sale of the water rights or the absence of an owner who lives on <br />the property, there have been significant declines in the amount of irrigated pasture present on <br />these two tracts. On the Garvey property, due to abundant water rights and the fact that they have <br />previously lived on the land, there will be no conversion of irrigated pasture to dryland pasture. <br />WFC submits since the current Montrose Co. land use classification of these lands as "General <br />Agricultural District A" does not distinguish between irrigated and dryland pasture land uses, the <br />conversion of irrigated pasture to dryland pasture will be consistent with adjacent land use <br />patterns and trends as well as the policies of Montrose Co. Conversion of the irrigated pasture <br />areas to dryland pasture will not present an actual or probable hazard to public health or safety, <br />nor will it result in an actual or probable threat of water flow diminution or pollution contrary to <br />any state or federal laws, policies or regulations. Such a conversion will not alter or result in any <br />unreasonable delays in reclamation. It will not have adverse impacts on fish, wildlife, related <br />environmental values, or any of the habitats associated with threatened or endangered species. <br />As required by Rule 4.16.3(6) with respect to alternative land uses, the reclamation of the current <br />irrigated pasture land uses to similar land uses "would require continuous maintenance" and <br />"sufficient water" both of which the existing landowners on the Glasier and Meehan properties <br />are unwilling to provide. Since they are unwilling or unable to provide these inputs, it is <br />impossible for WFC to reclaim these disturbed lands to their current land uses. <br />Section 2.05.5 Page 4 Sept. 2015 (TR -11) <br />