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RULE 2 PERMITS <br /> <br />Rule 2 Permits 2.05-29 Revision Date: 3/7/25 <br /> Revision No.: TR-166 <br />Blasting <br /> <br />Sequential blasting is utilized as a standard practice to reduce the amount of unconfined particulate <br />matter produced. <br /> <br />Complete blasting information is set forth in Section 2.05.3 and Sections 4.08.1 through 4.08.6. <br /> <br />Fish and Wildlife Plan <br /> <br />Prior to and during the early years of mining, Colowyo implemented wildlife management and <br />range management programs to offset the potential impacts of mining on wildlife and to improve <br />the rangeland in surrounding areas which had deteriorated after years of overgrazing. Other <br />protection measures were also implemented to minimize any possible effects of the increased <br />mining activity. <br /> <br />Also, during the early stages of pre-planning for the mining operation, Colowyo adopted a policy <br />to return the land to a condition capable of supporting the diverse wildlife populations that the area <br />currently supports. The assumption in the late 1970s was that shrub reestablishment would play a <br />key role in wildlife habitat mitigation. These early efforts were unique in that revegetation with <br />shrub species, especially native shrub species, had never been an integral part of pre-mine planning <br />in the West. Virtually no information was available and very little was known about the growth <br />requirements of native species. To reach these early objectives, Colowyo implemented <br />revegetation and wildlife habitat use studies designed to determine the feasibility and techniques <br />of revegetating disturbed areas with native shrub vegetation adapted to northwest Colorado. <br />However, after decades of experience, it has become obvious that reestablishment of shrubs on the <br />reclaimed area is not critical to encourage wildlife use such as by elk. <br /> <br />For example, in recent years it has been observed that elk herds of between 200 and 400 animals <br />utilize the reclaimed grasslands of the mine as foraging habitat. These numbers increase to <br />between 2000 and 4000 animals during the hunting season and then slowly drop off as the snow <br />depths increase and the elk herds migrate to lower elevations. The animals return in the Spring for <br />the early green-up. This occurs for at least three reasons: 1) elk are primarily grazers (grass <br />consumers) by nature, 2) there is abundant, high quality grass on the reclaimed areas especially in <br />comparison to surrounding country which exhibits very little if any grassland acreage and <br />relatively low grass production in shrublands, and 3) elk have learned that harassments (such as <br />hunting) are minimized on mining areas (refuge effect) which allows them to forage in relative <br />peace. Likewise, mule deer populations have been observed on reclaimed grasslands at elevated <br />densities (40-60 animals on a daily basis during the Spring, Summer, and Fall periods). Similarly, <br />15-20 pronghorn utilize the reclamation on a daily basis during the Spring and early Summer <br />periods. <br /> <br />Following the winter, it has been observed in early spring that forage utilization on the reclamation <br />often ranges between 70 and 90 percent, especially near water sources. In fact, utilization is often <br />so elevated that both elk and mule deer turn to the few unfenced shrubs that have been established <br />about the reclaimed area and cause extensive hedging damage. Over the years it has been observed <br />that such hedging eventually leads to the death of most of these over-utilized shrubs.