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Exhibit J Skull Creek Sand Project <br /> Project Area Description <br /> The Skull Creek Sand Project is located approximately 2.7 miles NW of Massadona, CO on State <br /> Lands. The Project Boundary encompasses approximately 476.4 acres of which there will be <br /> approximately 140 acres of disturbance due to mining activities. Elevations of the Project <br /> Boundary vary from 5,665 ft to 6,040 ft. The Affected Land in the Project Boundary affects two <br /> ecological sites: Loamy Breaks and Semidesert Clay Loam. A general land form description of <br /> the affected land is hills and mountainside. Soil Unit as described in Exhibit I, are shown on <br /> Figure J-1. Also, having an effect on the vegetation is the climate which is described in detail in <br /> Exhibit K. The affected land can be divided to five vegetation types that are described as <br /> follows: <br /> Vegetation — General Description <br /> Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Shrubland <br /> These shrublands are dominated by Basin big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata ssp. Tridentate) and/or <br /> Wyoming big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata ssp. Wyomingensis) . Scattered Juniperus spp., Black <br /> greasewood (Sarcobatus vermiculatus),and Atriplex spp. may be present in some stands. Rubber <br /> rabbitbrush (Ericameria nauseosa), Low rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus), and Antelope <br /> bitterbrush (Purshia tridentate), may codominant disturbed stands (e.g., in burned stands,these may <br /> become more predominant). Perennial herbaceous components typically contribute less than 25% <br /> vegetative cover. Common graminoid species can include Indian ricegrass (Achnatherum hymenoides), <br /> Blue grama (Bouteloua grocilis), Thickspike wheatgrass (Elymus lanceolotus), Idaho fescue (Festuca <br /> idahoensis), Needle and thread (Hesperostipa comate), Great Basin wildrye (Leymus cinereus), Galleta <br /> grass (Pleuraphis jamesii), Western wheatgrass (Poscopyrum smithii), Big bluegrass (Poo secunda), <br /> or Bluebunch wheatgrass (Pseudoroegneria spicata). The Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush <br /> Shrubland comprises 93.1 acres of the 140 affected acres. <br /> Introduced Upland Vegetation-Annual Grassland <br /> This area of the mine is dominated by Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum). The Introduced Upland <br /> Vegetation-Annual Grassland comprises 26.4 acres of the 140 affected acres. <br /> Colorado Plateau Pinyon-Juniper Woodland <br /> Two-needle pinon pine(Pinus edulis) and/or Utah juniper(Juniperus osteosperma) dominate the tree <br /> canopy. Understory layers are variable and may be dominated by shrubs,graminoids, or be absent. <br /> Associated species include Basin big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentate), Littleleaf mountain mahogany <br /> (Cercocarpus intricatus), Alderleaf mountain mahogany(Cercocarpus montanus), Blackbrush (Coleogyne <br /> ramosissima), Stansbury cliff rose(Purshia stansburiona), Antelope bitterbrush (Purshia tridentate), <br /> Gambel Oak(Quercus gambelii), Blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis), Galleta grass (Pleuraphis jamesii), <br /> Bluebunch wheatgrass (Pseudoroegneria spicata), Big bluegrass (Poo secundo), or Muttongrass (Poo <br /> fendleriana). The Colorado Plateau Pinyon-Juniper Woodland comprises 15.4 acres of the 140 <br /> affected acres. <br /> 7 <br /> 9/21/19 <br />