2022-04-29_PERMIT FILE - C2010089 (19)

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Section 2.05.5 Page 3 December 2021 (RN-02) Postmining Land Use - By Property The postmining land uses for the NHN permit area are shown on Map 2.05.5-1 Postmining Land Use. Comparing information between Maps 2.04.3-1 and 2.05.5-1, most of the existing land uses found within the NHN permit area will be reclaimed to similar plant communities and land uses. ERMR-Meehan Property On the ERMR-Meehan property, land uses include; conversion of “Grazingland-Big Sagebrush” (GL-SB) to Dryland Pasture, conversion of “Residential/Agricultural Disturbance” (RS) to Dryland Pasture and areas classified as “Pastureland-Irrigated” (PLI) converted to Dryland Pasture. As shown on Map 2.05.5-1 Postmining Land Use, all of the ERMR-Meehan property within the permit area has a postmining land use of Dryland Pasture. Garvey Property On the Garvey property, land uses include; conversion of “Grazingland-Big Sagebrush” (GL-SB) to Dryland Pasture, conversion of existing “Pastureland-Dryland” (PLD) and Irrigation Canal to Irrigated Pasture/Cropland, for “Grazingland-Subirrigated” (GL-SI) to be converted to Irrigated Pasture/Cropland and for the conversion of “Grazingland-Subirrigated” (GL-SI), located east of the existing Second Park Lateral Ditch to be reclaimed as Dryland Pasture. These areas were originally considered Dryland Pasture but over the years have become “Grazingland- Subirrigated” (GL-SI) due to landowners’ desire to irrigate this area. Also, “Residential/Agricultural Disturbance” and “Roads” areas (RS & RD) are to be converted to Irrigated Pasture/Cropland. As shown on Map 2.05.5-1 Postmining Land Use, the Garvey Property within the permit area has a postmining land use of Irrigated Pasture/Cropland and Dryland Pasture . Per the landowners’ request, 1.0 feet of Progresso topsoil will be placed on 0.8 feet of mixed topsoil in Irrigated Pasture/Cropland areas and 1.2 feet of mixed topsoil will be placed in Dryland Pasture areas. This is consistent with information provided in Appendix 2.05.5-1 Letters from Landowners Consenting to Proposed Postmining Land Use and Map 2.05.4(2)(d)-1 Reclaimed Topsoil Thickness. Postmining Land Use - General The primary reason landowners requested that NHN make these changes from Grazingland-Big Sagebrush and Irrigated Pasture/Cropland to Dryland Pasture has to do with the successful reclamation efforts on the Rice Tract. According to vegetation data presented Section 2.04.10, the existing Sagebrush plant communities are producing on average 123.3 pounds of air dry forage per acre. The average forage production on the existing Dryland Pasture on this site averages 348.6 pounds of air dry forage per acre. While on the reclaimed portions of the Rice Tract, the current average forage production is 845.0 pounds of air dry forage per acre. When placed into the context of a landowner, the forage production from the reclaimed sites is 6.85