2018-08-30_PERMIT FILE - C1982057 (2)

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With regard to other plant species not listed as threatened or endangered by USFWS, but regarded as rare by the Colorado Natural Heritage Inventory (CNHP 1996 and updated through 08/2018), several have known occurrences in Northwest Colorado (Leathery grape fern, Crandall's wild hollyhock, Large - flowered globe -mallow, Gay -feather, Many -stem stickleaf, Autumn willow, Rabbit Ears gilia, Broad- leaved twayblade, Harrington beardtongue). These occurrences are either at lower elevations and further west or at higher elevations to the east and south of the Seneca IW Area. Many of these require seepy sandstone cliffs or coniferous forests not found in the study area, and many occur on outcrop sites where active weathering and erosion keeps soils thin and competition low. These latter conditions are also not characteristic of the study area. Some of these rare plant species are early season annuals whose presence could not be determined in a study that began in July. Early season floral inventory would be required to assess these species and fill in the early season flora missing from the study area species list, however, since the Mine is in reclamation and no further disturbance is anticipated, further study is not warranted. Livestock Carrying Capacity Livestock carrying capacities for cattle, based on project -specific production data from 1997, would be estimated as follows. Readers should be mindful that the very wet conditions of 1997 provided unusually high carrying -capacity estimates. Aspen Forest Affected Area- 0.516 animal unit months per acre (aum/ac) Aspen Forest Extended Reference Area- 0.475 aum/ac Mountain Brush Affected Area- 0.484 aum/ac Mountain Brush Extended Reference Area- 0.502 aum/ac Steep Mountain Brush Affected Area- 0.470 aum/ac Steep Mountain Brush Extended Reference Area- 0.461 aum/ac Sagebrush/Snowberry Affected Area- 0.512 aum/ac Sagebrush/Snowberry Extended Reference Area- 0.830 aum/ac* Western Wheatgrass/Alkali Sagebrush Affected Area -1.028 aum/ac** Western Wheatgrass/Alkali Sagebrush Extended Reference Area -0.870 aum/ac** Mesic Drainage Affected Area- 2.227 aum/ac Mesic Drainage Extended Reference Area -1.934 aum/ac * High production bracken fern sites that raised the average are likely not of any forage value * * Elevated because of higher than average moisture in 1997 MT18-07 61 08/20/18