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Sage Reference Area <br />Pros <br />• Exhibits native sagebrush/grassland <br />communities associated with <br />Pinon/Progresso soils that represent <br />approximately 61% of the pre -mining <br />New Horizon permit area (Soils 77, 78, <br />and 81). <br />• This site is controlled by the mine and in <br />close proximity to the reclamation. <br />North Tuttle Reference Area <br />Pros <br />• Species observed <br />representative of <br />reclamation. <br />in this area are <br />dryland pasture <br />• This site is mine controlled and easily <br />accessible in close proximity to the <br />reclamation. <br />Cons <br />• A high density population of pricklypear <br />cactus (2,406 per acre) seems to be <br />impacting herbaceous production. The <br />diminished herbaceous production (236 <br />pound per acre) exhibited by this site is <br />below the expected range presented in the <br />NRCS Soil Survey (600 pounds per acre). <br />• There is no road access to this reference <br />site. <br />• Does not exhibit the improved species <br />used for dryland pasture reclamation. <br />• Small for a reference area at 2.9 acres. <br />Cons <br />• Exhibits a disturbed grassland community <br />that in turn exhibits significantly <br />diminished perennial cover and production <br />with 12.9% and 81.6 pounds per acre, <br />respectively. These values are diminished <br />as a result of an elevated annual forb <br />population exhibiting 10.1% average <br />cover. <br />• Diminished cover and production values do <br />not represent logical targets for <br />reclamation. <br />• Small for a reference area at 2.3 acres. <br />Attachment 2.04.1OC Page 23 May 2017 (TR -14) <br />