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of species required to meet the diversity standard reflects the fact that the present <br /> total disturbance is only 9.6 acres(2017 ARR), and the largest disturbance in any one <br /> vegetation type is less than 5 acres. The 60%upper limit is also reflective of the <br /> small disturbance area, and the fact that relative cover of the dominant species in the <br /> three affected vegetation types ranged from 40%to 58%. <br /> The woody plant density standards previously established by the Division in <br /> consultation with the Colorado Division of Wildlife are: <br /> Greasewood Shrubland: 500 stems per acre <br /> Shadscale Shrubland: 500 stems per acre <br /> Juniper Woodland: 1,500 stems per acre <br /> The Division finds that a density standard lower than 90 percent of the density of the <br /> approved reference area is appropriate (4.15.8(7)). <br /> XII Post-mining Land Use—Rule 4.16 <br /> A. The approved post-mining land use is fish and wildlife habitat. <br /> XIII. Protection of Fish, Wildlife and Related Environmental Values—Rule 4.18 <br /> Fish and wildlife information and the fish and wildlife plan are presented in Section 4.3 of <br /> the PAP. The Colorado Division of Wildlife (CDOW) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service <br /> (USFWS)were both notified of the RN-06/TR-15 applications, and both agencies <br /> submitted comments that were forwarded to the operator and addressed via the review <br /> process, in 2006. The Wildlife Plan in Section 4.3.7 of the application was amended to <br /> document that all mine powerlines had been constructed in compliance with Rule 4.18(4) <br /> to minimize electrocution hazard to raptors(see Permit Appendix Q letter from Grand <br /> Valley Power of the PAP). A draft biological assessment providing an updated and <br /> comprehensive assessment of the potential impacts of the operation on threatened, <br /> endangered, and candidate species was included in the permit as Table 4.3.9 of the PAP. <br /> Necessary Biological Assessment and Biological Opinion documents demonstrating <br /> compliance with applicable provisions of the federal Endangered Species Act were <br /> prepared by OSM and USFWS,respectively, based on information provided in the Table <br /> 4.3.9 draft biological assessment. <br /> The CDOW also commented on the RN-04 application in 1996, and noted in their letter <br /> that elk use of the permit and adjacent areas had increased substantially in the years since <br /> the original application had been prepared in the early 1980's. The Large Mammal <br /> section of the Wildlife Inventory narrative in the permit application was updated to reflect <br /> the increased elk use described by DOW. <br /> The noxious weed control plan in Section 4.5.14 of the PAP was amended via TR-15 in <br /> 2006 to include the use of Curtail (for Canada thistle), Escort(for whitetop) and <br /> xxvii <br />