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Colowyo Coal Company L.P. <br />Although domestic livestock grazing is a component of the reclaimed rangeland areas, to date no <br />domestic livestock grazing has been allowed on any of Colowyo's reclaimed areas. This activity <br />has not commenced due to a variety of safety and liability concerns, and compliance with other <br />(non -Division) regulatory requirements. Colowyo as the only surface landowner for the bond <br />release parcels being applied for within this application, expects to reestablish domestic grazing <br />once appropriate areas of Phase III bond release has been granted in these and adjacent areas. <br />Further other regulatory requirements that Colowyo current operates under, once relinquished <br />will also allow domestic grazing to occur. <br />At that time, appropriate fencing can be established, a grazing plan can be developed, and water <br />resources can be evaluated for livestock watering. Forage production has been vastly increased <br />in these reclaimed areas as compared to pre mine conditions. The introduced and native <br />wheatgrasses, bluegrasses, wildryes, and bromes ensure that ample and diverse forage options <br />exist for the successful reestablishment of domestic livestock grazing in the future. <br />D. Surface and Groundwater Impact Analysis <br />The areas included in this Phase III Bond Release Application have been shown to meet the <br />Phase III criteria as set forth by the "Guideline Regarding Selected Coal Mine Bond Release <br />Issues ", issued April 18, 1995. Please see Appendix F for a surface and groundwater impact <br />analysis. <br />Please note that acreages presented in Appendices F will be equal to or greater than the acreages <br />being applied for Phase III bond release. The report presented in these Appendix takes into <br />account acreages for each reclamation block as a whole unit. Within some of these reclamation <br />units being applied for are stock ponds and permanent post -mining channels. Those areas cannot <br />be applied for bond release until the entire watershed reporting to each structures have been <br />Phase II released. This has not occurred to date; therefore, as shown on Map 2, the permanent <br />post -mine channels and stock ponds are not being applied for Phase III bond release under this <br />application, and the acreages included in this application have been adjusted to account for <br />removal of the acreages associated with those structures. <br />SL -14 Phase II and Phase III Bond Release Application Page 10 <br />