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A total of four vegetation inventories have been completed to date at this mine site. The <br />first inventory was conducted in 1977 and provided a brief qualitative description of the <br />vegetation types to comply with the existing baseline requirements. With the enactment of <br />the Colorado Surface Coal Mining Reclamation Act came more stringent baseline <br />requirements. A second inventory for the two reference areas (pinon juniper and mountain <br />shrub land), and about five (5) acres of the original waste disposal area was conducted in <br />1981. This study also provided information to allow for the development of a revegetation <br />plan. A third vegetation inventory was conducted in 1982 since the two identified reference <br />areas did not adequately reflect the intended postmining land use. This third inventory <br />allowed for the development of acceptable vegetation success criteria and resulted in a <br />modification to the seed mixture. T he last inventory was conducted in 1986 at the Bowie <br />No. 1 West Mine. Due to the small acreage disturbed (12 acres), no reference areas were <br />established. However, vegetation success standards were developed specific to this site <br />from the study. <br />Vegetation on the areas affected by this mine is characterized by pinon juniper stands, <br />mixed mountain shrub lands, oakbrush shrub lands, and orchard land. The pinon juniper <br />type is the most extensive vegetation type disturbed covering 81 of the 144 total disturbed <br />acres. A total of 10.1 acres of the mixed shrub land type has been disturbed. <br />From the four vegetation studies, no proposed or listed threatened or endangered plant <br />species of Federal or state concern were identified. Therefore, pursuant to Rule <br />2.07.6(2)(n), the Division finds that mining activities will not affect the existence of or <br />result in the destruction of adverse modification of endangered or threatened species or <br />their critical habitats, respectively. <br />The approved permanent seed mix (PAP Section 2.05) includes a variety of approved <br />substitute species to allow the operator to select species based upon availability and cost. <br />The permanent seed mix will be used for all areas except the unit train loadout area, which <br />will be planted to cropland. Topsoil piles that will not be redistributed for five or more <br />years were seeded with the prop o sedp ermanent seed mix (excluding shrubs and trees), and <br />not the temporary seed mix. Revegetated areas were scarified prior to topsoil replacement <br />(where topsoil was available) and then drill seeded. Steep slope areas were to be broadcast <br />or hydroseeded. All seeded areas were mulched with hay or straw, and fertilizer was to be <br />applied on an as -needed basis according to soil analysis. <br />There are three revegetation success standards developed for the Bowie No. 1 Mine, as <br />detailed below. <br />Bowie No. 1 Mine East Mine <br />a. T otal vegetation ground cover will exceed 40 percent. <br />b. T otal above -ground herbaceous production will exceed 400 pounds per acre. <br />Woody plant density will equal or exceed 1,000 stems per acre. <br />33 <br />