2018-02-08_PERMIT FILE - C2010089A (3)

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(RS) to Dryland Pasture and areas classified as "Pastureland -Irrigated" (PLI) converted to Dryland Pasture. As shown on Map 2.05.5-1: Postmining Land Use, all of the ERMR-Meehan property within the permit area has a postmining land use of Dryland Pasture (65.0 acres). Garvey PropertX On the Garvey property, the existing land uses include; conversion of "Grazingland-Big Sagebrush" (GL -SB) to Dryland Pasture, conversion of existing "Pastureland-Dryland" (PLD) and Irrigation Canal to Irrigated Pasture/Cropland, for "Grazingland-Subirrigated" (GL -SI) to be converted to Irrigated Pasture/Cropland and for the conversion of "Grazingland-Subirrigated" (GL -SI), located to the east of the existing Second Park Lateral Ditch to be reclaimed as Dryland Pasture. According to the original NH1 Mine Permit these areas were originally considered to be Dryland Pasture and were to be reclaimed as such and have become "Grazingland-Subirrigated" (GL -SI) over the years due to the landowners' desire to irrigate this area, which is inconsistent with the NH1 Permit. Also, "Residential/Agricultural Disturbance" and "Roads" areas (RS & RD) are to be converted to Irrigated Pasture/Cropland. As shown on Map 2.05.5-1: Postmining Land Use, the Garvey Property within the permit area has a postmining land use of Irrigated Pasture/Cropland (88.2 acres), and Dryland Pasture (60.8 acres). Per the landowners' request, 1.0 feet of Progresso topsoil will be placed on 0.8 feet of mixed topsoil in Irrigated Pasture/Cropland areas and 1.2 feet of mixed topsoil will be placed in Dryland Pasture areas. This is consistent with information provided in Appendix 2.05.5-1: Letters from Landowners Consenting to Proposed Postmining Land Use and Map 2.05.4(2)(d)-1: Reclaimed Topsoil Thickness. Postmining Land Use - General The primary reason landowners requested that NHN make these changes from Grazingland-Big Sagebrush and from Irrigated Pasture/Cropland to Dryland Pasture has to do with the successful reclamation efforts on the Rice Tract. According to the data presented in the Vegetation Description found in Section 2.04.10, the existing Sagebrush plant communities are producing on average 123.3 pounds of air dry forage per acre. The average forage production on the existing Dryland Pasture on this site averages 348.6 pounds of air dry forage per acre. While on the reclaimed portions of the Rice Tract, the current average forage production is 845.0 pounds of air dry forage per acre. When placed into the context of a landowner, the forage production from the reclaimed sites is 6.85 times more than they are currently getting from their Sagebrush lands and 2.83 times more than they are currently averaging from their Dryland Pasture. Since the DRMS regulations require that the lands disturbed by mining be reclaimed to their highest potential uses that are consistent with the surface owners' plans, NHN will comply with landowners' wishes. Section 2.05.5 Page 3 January 2018 (PR -02)