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percent of the study area, 8) Sagebrush, comprising six percent of the study area; 9) Wet <br /> Meadow, comprising one percent of the study area, distinguished by open boggy areas along <br /> major drainages above 7,000 feet and openings in brushy or forested areas at elevations above <br /> 8,000 feet, occupied by herbaceous species such as sedges and false hellebore; 10) Dry Meadow, <br /> comprising one percent of the study area which is dominated by various shrub species such as <br /> snowberry, Douglas rabbitbrush, and Gambel oak; 11) Barren Terrain, comprising less than one <br /> percent of the study area which was identified by no apparent vegetation cover; 12) Chained <br /> Area, comprising less than one percent of the study area, is so named because the area has been <br /> mechanically treated by chaining to remove tall shrub species and has been trenched along the <br /> contours and planted to ponderosa pine; 13) Reservoir, comprising less than one percent of the <br /> study area and includes Beaver Reservoir and Minnesota Reservoir; 14) Residential, comprising <br /> less than one percent of the study area and includes the town of Somerset; 15) Industrial, <br /> comprising less than one percent of the study area which includes the Elk Creek Mine, the Bear <br /> No. 3 Mine, railroad sidings, and mine vents; and 16) Agricultural, comprising less than one <br /> percent of the study area. <br /> The two vegetation types that occur within the area to be affected by surface facilities are a dry <br /> meadow type and a moist, mixed shrub type. <br /> In 1996, a baseline vegetation study of the Sylvester Gulch facilities area was conducted. The <br /> report is presented in Exhibit 32A of the permit document. The study area for the baseline <br /> survey incorporated the lower drainage basin of Sylvester Gulch from the mine access road south <br /> approximately 1.75 miles along the drainage. The three lower drainage branches of Sylvester <br /> Gulch were included. The study area was a linear corridor, including the drainage bottom, <br /> terraces and sideslopes, averaging 300 feet wide. The study area also included the steep slope <br /> west of the Sylvester Gulch channel and north of the Dry Meadow Reference Area. <br /> Five major vegetation communities were identified in the Sylvester Gulch facilities expansion <br /> area: oakbrush, aspen, riparian, dry meadow, and Douglas fir communities. The first three of <br /> these communities were sampled for vegetative cover, vegetative productivity, woody plant <br /> density and species composition. The dry meadow community was found to be significantly <br /> altered by cattle grazing within the study area. Since this community had been sampled <br /> previously, no further data was collected. The Douglas fir community was anticipated to be <br /> impacted to a minor degree with disturbance in this community limited to less than five percent <br /> of the affected area. Therefore, no quantitative data was collected for the Douglas Fir <br /> community. <br /> Additional information on vegetation in the PR-14 project area is contained in the copy of the <br /> Federal Environmental Impact Statement for the Deer Creek Shaft and E Seam Methane <br /> Drainage Wells Project which can be found in Exhibit 79 of the permit application. <br /> With PR-15, Map 42 was updated to provide information about the vegetation communities in <br /> the expanded permit area. <br /> 22 <br />