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Pre -mining land uses for areas included in the proposed Collom permit expansion area include <br />rangeland and fish and wildlife habitat. A small area of pastureland is located within the <br />proposed Collom expansion boundary, but is not proposed to be disturbed. Pre -mining land uses <br />in the proposed Collom area are described in Sections 2.04.3, 2.05.5 and 4.16 (Volume 15), and <br />delineations of land use types are shown on Map 17 (Volume 14). Post -mining land use for the <br />Collom permit expansion area is proposed to be returned to rangeland and wildlife habitat. <br />Rangeland on the permit area is characterized as good condition sagebrush and mountain shrub <br />range that, in the past, was variously grazed by either sheep or cattle during the spring, summer <br />or fall. The rangeland also supports substantial populations of mule deer, elk, sage grouse, <br />Columbian sharp -tailed grouse, golden eagles and numerous other wildlife species at various <br />times throughout the year. Post mine land use will support wildlife and livestock utilization. <br />3.2.12 Wildlife <br />Fish and wildlife resources in the Colowyo Mine area are described in the 2.04.11 sections in <br />Volumes 1, 12, and 15. Within the habitat types of the Collom area, many generalist species are <br />likely to be present (see page 61 of Rule 2 in Volume 15). These include predators (e.g., coyote, <br />red fox) as well as mammalian prey species (e.g., elk, mule deer, deer mouse, desert cottontail). <br />Generalist avian species include red-tailed hawks and dusty flycatchers. Rattlesnakes and <br />sagebrush lizards may also be found in the Collom area. <br />In addition to the generalist species, several habitats within the Collom area are likely to attract <br />particular species. The sagebrush habitat is likely to be home for many songbirds and upland <br />game birds. Of particular interest in the Collom area is the greater sage -grouse (GRSG). The <br />USFWS found that a significant portion of the Collom permit expansion area is within the <br />Preliminary Priority Habitat for the GRSG designated by CPW. To address this, CCC has <br />proposed to mitigate impacts to GRSG (and other species) with several commitments. The <br />GRSG is discussed more in Section A (Findings Required by Rule 2.07.6(2)), Part IV <br />(Unsuitable Areas), below. <br />Other terrestrial habitats include grassland, mountain shrub, aspen, pinyon juniper, and <br />bottomlands. Species that are likely to be found in these habitats are discussed in the PAP. <br />Fish habitat in the Collom permit expansion area is not considered significant. The streams that <br />will be directly impacted are not perennial, and even the nearby perennial streams (which could <br />be indirectly impacted) are not considered fishery streams. <br />PR -04, Colowyo Coal Mine C1981-019 24 August 2016 <br />