2016-07-28_REVISION - C1981008 (2)

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New Horizon Mine C. Post -Mining Land Use Three types of post mine land use have been established in the Phase III areas applied for under this application. They include dryland pasture, irrigated pasture, and permanent structures. Please see Map 2.05.4-5 in the permit application package for locations of each type of post - mine land use that has been established. 1. Irrigated Pasture These reclaimed areas consist of primarily grasses but can have some alfalfa. These reclamation areas encompass the pre -mine land use type of Pastureland - Irrigated Hayland (IPH) and Pastureland - Irrigated Grass (IP). The Irrigated Pasture (IP) reclamation areas attained a high level of productivity with several grasses and a legume. Please see seed mixtures utilized in Section 2.05.4(2)(e). All IP areas receive scheduled irrigation by sprinklers, fertilization, grazing management, and are harvested (baled) a least once annually. Please see past annual Reclamation Reports (submitted to the Division), which document grazing activities for these parcels and annual field production. The annual Reclamation Report further documents annual harvests and average animal weights for IP area to the corresponding land owner. Review of these annual Reclamation Reports demonstrates that through normal husbandry practices and grazing activities the post -mine land use of IP has been achieved on all IP parcels requested for Phase III release under this application. 2. Dgland Pasture These areas are restored dryland areas that focus toward establishment of adapted dryland grasses and forbs, with the intent that these areas will be grazed by livestock animals for their permanent post -mine land use. Much of these areas were either dry pastures or sagebrush rangelands in the pre -mine condition. Some lands that were previously irrigated but do not now have the water needed for irrigation so they have been converted to Dryland Pasture. Please see Section 2.05.4(2)(e) for the seed mixtures employed on the Dryland Pasture areas. No livestock grazing has occurred on these areas during the bond liability period. However, once Phase III bond release is achieved on these areas, the surface landowner has the option to graze these Dryland Pasture reclamation areas. At that time if deemed necessary by the surface landowner, appropriate fencing can be established, a grazing plan can be developed, and water resources can be evaluated for livestock watering. Access to all the dryland pasture reclamation areas to support grazing is provided from roads off of 5a' Ave and BB County Road. Please see Permanent Features and Structures discussion below. The Dryland Pasture areas consist of species that can withstand natural grazing pressure of wildlife, continue to protect the resource, and provide species palpable to livestock grazing. The seed mix utilized on these reclamation parcels was specifically designed to achieve this. No shrubs were planted in these areas, but the dominate species that are palpable for grazing in the dryland pasture areas include Russian Wildrye and Crested Wheat Grass. Noxious weeds make up a very small percentage of the overall cover established in the dryland pasture areas, and will SL -19 Phase III Bond Release Application Page 5