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Rationale for Recommendation to Approve 42 <br /> September 29, 2016 <br /> The Division determined that the permit application satisfied the requirements of Rule 6.4.5, Rule 6.4.10, <br /> and the applicable performance standards of Rule 3.1. <br /> The Applicant has significantly modified the proposed revegetation plan for the site to address public <br /> concerns regarding slope, aspect, and elevation of different portions of disturbed land to be revegetated. <br /> The proposed portions of species to plant or seed were based on the survey of existing vegetation <br /> conducted on site by BIO-Logic, Inc., submitted in Exhibit J. The grass seed mixture was provided by <br /> NRCS, and was revised per recommendation by the Division to replace Crested wheatgrass with Western <br /> wheatgrass. This revised seed mixture is included in Table E-2 in the adequacy review response submitted <br /> on August 19, 2016. <br /> The proposed mine site is located within the boundaries of two Soil Conservation Districts, the El Paso <br /> County Soil Conservation District and the Turkey Creek Soil Conservation District. The Division sent <br /> notice of the permit application to both districts on March 11, 2016, and received no comments or <br /> recommendations for the proposed revegetation plan. <br /> CPW did provide a comment on the application, dated April 18, 2016, which includes some general <br /> recommendations for protection of existing natural vegetation, control of noxious weeds, and revegetation <br /> of disturbed land. The Applicant has incorporated these recommendations into the permit application. <br /> 55. Concerns that present riparian habitat is small yet rich in plant species — has great plant <br /> structural diversity—reclamation plan map shows only a small section of the land reclaimed on Little <br /> Turkey Creek —However, a tract extending 50 meters on either side of Little Turkey Creek includes <br /> much of the most valuable habitat on the entire mine site in regard to flora and fauna— which could <br /> not be artificially reclaimed if removed and would require at least 200 years to return naturally <br /> (J.Enderson) <br /> The reclamation plan maps submitted in the application as Figures F-1 and F-2 show the revegetation <br /> plans for land proposed to be disturbed by the operation. The figures show three creek crossing areas, two <br /> on Little Turkey Creek and one on Deadman Creek,that will be revegetated using a riparian plant mixture. <br /> According to the proposed mining plan, the operation will maintain a 100 foot buffer from the existing <br /> creeks, except at three crossing areas. Therefore, only the crossing areas will require reclamation. <br /> The proposed mine site is located within the boundaries of two Soil Conservation Districts, the El Paso <br /> County Soil Conservation District and the Turkey Creek Soil Conservation District. The Division sent <br /> notice of the permit application to both districts on March 11, 2016, and received no comments or <br /> recommendations for the proposed reclamation plan or for protection of existing vegetation. <br /> CPW did provide a comment on the application, dated April 18, 2016, which includes some general <br /> recommendations for protection of existing natural vegetation, control of noxious weeds, and revegetation <br /> of disturbed land. The Applicant has incorporated these recommendations into the permit application, <br /> including committing to maintaining a 100 foot mining buffer from existing creeks. <br /> The Division determined the permit application satisfied the requirements of Rule 6.4.5, Rule 6.4.10, and <br /> the applicable performance standards of Rule 3.1. <br /> 1313 SN nnan Street, Ronri 215, Dpover,, CO 80203 P 303.856.3367 F 303.832.8106 h"p:/ min:no.l;tate.co.rrso <br /> I ti <br /> )ai,n 1`J, Hickenlooner, Gu.Umo I Robert W. Ra-rdil- ExeCL'tmv Director I Vir-Finia B•ani;on, Dire,-to, <br /> \ �876 i <br />