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<br />Proposed Decision and Findings of Compliance July 2018 <br />Permit Renewal No. 7 P a g e | 48 <br />toxic-forming materials in order to prevent leaching into surface and ground water and to ensure <br />backfill stability Rule 4.14.3(2)). <br />XIII. Revegetation - Rule 4.15 <br /> <br />The Permit was found to be in compliance with Rule 4.15. <br />A. Baseline Vegetation Information <br /> <br />Baseline vegetation information is found in Section 2.04.10, Exhibit 10 and Maps 3 and 4 of the <br />PAP (Volume 1 for the East Pit, West Pit, Section 16 Pit, Facilities Area and Gossard Loadout ; <br />Volume 12 for South Taylor Pit; Volume 15 for Collom Pit). A summary of this information is <br />found in the section of this document entitled "Description of the Environment." <br /> <br />Mountain Shrub and Sagebrush communities are the dominant vegetation types throu ghout the <br />original permit area. Mountain Shrub is the dominant community in disturbed areas associated <br />with the South Taylor Pit and Collom Pit, with lesser but significant acreages of Sagebrush and <br />Aspen Woodland communities. Communities of minor extent include Bottomland and Grassland. <br />The same mix of communities occurs in the Lower Wilson expansion area, along with small areas <br />of Juniper Scrub and Cropland. <br />B. Plant Establishment <br /> <br />Colowyo will establish a diverse, effective and permanent vegetative cover such as is necessary <br />and desirable to achieve the approved post-mining land uses of rangeland and wildlife habitat on <br />all affected lands within the permit area. Details of the mine's revegetation plan are discussed in <br />Section 2.05.4 of the original PAP. The permanent seed mixtures to be planted are found on Tables <br />2.05-7, 2.05-8, and 2.05-9, within the narrative of Section 2.05.4 of the PAP. These seed mixes <br />were approved in April 2002, with TR-52. The primary seed mix (Table 2.05-7 of the PAP) is a <br />diverse mix of cool season grasses, forbs, and shrubs. All of the grasses and shrubs are native <br />species; two of the eight forbs are introduced legumes (cicer milkvetch and sanfoin). The <br />introduced species make up less than 7% of the total mix on a seed per square foot basis and are <br />considered desirable and necessary to provide a component of leguminous forbs. Table 2.05-8 of <br />the PAP is a list of contingency substitutions for use on a case-by-case basis if species in the <br />primary mix are not available. Table 2.05-9 of the PAP is a shrub mix to be planted in designated <br />shrub-only planting areas. Prior to 2002, introduced species made up a significantly higher <br />percentage of the primary seed mix, based both on relative number of introduced species and seeds <br />per square foot in the mix. None of the species proposed for planting are listed as poisonous or <br />noxious plants. <br /> <br />Seeding of forbs, shrubs, and grasses will be accomplished primarily by drilling during the fall, <br />with broadcast seeding of wet or steep slopes. Small seeded species such as sagebrush are to be <br />dribbled on the surface using open drill drop tubes when drill seeding is employed. When <br />necessary, chemical fallowing will be used to eliminate vegetative competition, and fencing will