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B. Plant Establishment <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 />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 <br />be used to eliminate animal predation. Grazing of reclaimed sites will not be initiated without <br />Division approval. <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 />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 />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 />Revised Proposed Decision and Findings of Compliance August 2018 <br />Permit Renewal No. 7 P a g e 149 <br />