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1.2 Background <br />The goal of MCC's reclamation plan is to return disturbed land at the West Elk Mine site to a <br />productive and useful status. MCC has assigned the post -mining land use of rangeland and wildlife <br />habitat to bond release eligible lands included in this evaluation. <br />MCC recognizes the importance of topsoil to plant and animal life of the area. For this reason, <br />all useable topsoil was salvaged and stockpiled to cover reclaimed surfaces. Due to the nature of the <br />included disturbances (mostly MVB sites), available topsoil depth at each site was identified prior to <br />disturbance. Salvage and stockpile occurred by pushing suitable topsoil into a pile adjacent to the <br />disturbance. Upon reclamation, topsoil was redistributed across the disturbed land from which it <br />came. Available topsoil salvage and subsequent placement depths vary by topographic and <br />geomorphic location and therefore, were not verified during this evaluation. <br />Soon after the distribution of topsoil and final grading, the freshly shaped surfaces were hand - <br />broadcast seeded. Vegetative slash previously cleared from the site was then distributed across the <br />site and straw mulch distributed where needed to provide cover for the seed from solar impacts. <br />Some more open, steep sites were covered with mulch mats after seeding. <br />The revegetation objective for disturbed areas is to achieve a self-sustaining vegetative cover of <br />hardy grasses, forbs, and shrubs that will become a productive and ecologically -stable biotic <br />community. The revegetated areas were reclaimed to support wildlife and livestock grazing. Seeding <br />of grasses, forbs, and shrubs occurred during the fall (typically September through November) of <br />each year as MVBs are plugged and abandoned, the sites recontoured and the areas re-topsoiled. <br />5 <br />