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<br />Proposed Decision and Findings of Compliance July 2018 <br />Permit Renewal No. 7 P a g e | 49 <br />be used to eliminate animal predation. Grazing of reclaimed sites will not be initiated without <br />Division approval. <br /> <br />Inclusion of aggressive introduced grass species in the primary seed mix prior to 2002 resulted in <br />large areas dominated by a relatively small number of species, particularly smooth brome and <br />intermediate wheatgrass, with relatively low diversity and low woody plant density. The TR-52 <br />seed mix changes approved in April 2002 have resulted in improvements in diversity and woody <br />plant density. With the submittal of TR-72, Colowyo eliminated all introduced species from their <br />seed mixes with the exception of cicer milkvetch. <br /> <br />TR-82 provided a detailed plan for the variable replacement depth of topsoil on the backfilled and <br />re-graded portions of the West Pit and South Taylor Pit. Related to the variable topsoil, Colowyo <br />also designed an area-specific seeding program. On steeper slopes (over 10 percent) deeper soil <br />is placed and the area is seeded to grassland for post-mining grazing and for erosion control. On <br />flatter slopes the areas were covered with four inches of topsoil (on average) and seeded to <br />sagebrush steppe. The sagebrush steppe areas are targeted to provide Sage Grouse habitat. <br /> <br />TR-84 addressed Stipulation 13 and provided a detailed plan for the procedures and possible <br />locations for the tall mountain shrub and tree planting areas in the South Taylor Pit. During the <br />fall of 2011, Colowyo planted seedlings in a study plot in the X-pod area. The plot is <br />approximately three acres in the northeast corner of Section 20 (Township 3N, Range 93W) and <br />is shown on Exhibit 5A of the 2017 Annual Reclamation Report. Species include True Mountain <br />Mahogany, Aspen, Chokecherry and Serviceberry. Topsoil thickness is varied from 48 inches to <br />four inches. Elk fence was installed to prevent predation of the young trees, and weed barrier was <br />staked along the rows. <br /> <br />For the Collom area revegetation, the seed mix is comprised entirely of native species with specific <br />exceptions for four possible circumstances; pasture land, small areas susceptible to excessive <br />erosion, the inclusion of orchard grass at elevated densities to encourage elk away from other areas, <br />and the inclusion of modest quantities of small burnett or nitrogen fixing legumes as supplemental <br />forage for deer, elk, and livestock. <br />C. Mulching <br /> <br />In the original permit application, Colowyo proposed that mulch would not be required on slopes <br />less than 4:1. The Division approved this proposal at that time. Monitoring of mulched versus <br />non-mulched areas was required as part of Colowyo's Annual Reclamation Report. In addition, a <br />stipulation was added to the permit requiring the use of mulching if excessive erosion did develop. <br /> <br />Subsequent monitoring data showed that mulching was not necessary for erosion control or plant <br />establishment. As a result of the permit renewal process in 1987, both mulching and the <br />monitoring program were eliminated as requirements.