2025-10-31_PERMIT FILE - C1981019 (5)

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RULE 2 PERMITS Rule 2 Permits 2.05-31 Revision Date: 8/6/25 Revision No.: PR-05 Range and Wildlife Management Programs Data collected during pre-mine studies during 1974 - 1976 indicated overuse by cattle, deer, and elk. A majority of the browse species (serviceberry, oak, snowberry, bitterbrush, sage, chokecherry) showed overutilization to varying degrees. (It has been evident both past and present that many of the shrubs are in a decadent condition.) The results of past poor range management practices and heavy browse use have been a reduction in growth with less available forage. In addition, species such as oak and serviceberry have grown taller, with palatable growth being limited to a height which can be reached only by the largest animals. As oak and serviceberry have grown taller, large windbreaks have been created. In the winter, these areas hold the snow, which becomes deep enough to limit all access by deer and elk. Thirty years of observations on the permit area have shown that winter use of the mountain shrub type by elk and deer is highly dependent on snow depth and severity of winter weather conditions. The use of serviceberry has been limited to shrubs near the edges of the stands where less snow buildup occurs. Depending on snow depth, elk and deer populations tend to concentrate on south facing hill slope areas where snow depth is minimal. Colowyo began fencing the boundaries of the Federal lease during the fall of 1976. The fencing was completed during the summer of 1977. At this time all cattle were removed from the lease area. The fencing was completed as part of an overall grazing management program to improve the rangeland after several years of over-grazing. In 1991, Colowyo constructed a similar fence to provide a boundary for the areas added to the Permit and to exclude grazing in this area. Disturbed Areas Disturbed acreage has been kept to a minimum in the permit area by proper planning for the location of mine support facilities, haul roads, and pit advance. The mining methods, as discussed in Section 2.05.3, allow for a minimum amount of disturbance on an annual basis (less than 100 acres per pit), when compared to strictly one or two seam mines with similar production levels which disturb several hundred acres annually per pit. Topsoil and vegetation are removed during the summer and fall months to allow for only enough disturbance to facilitate mining advance through June of the following year. Habitat Improvement Program Prior to start-up of mining, Colowyo initiated a big game habitat improvement program in January 1976. The purpose of this on-going program was to increase range carrying capacity by increasing available browse and increased access to herbaceous species. Another objective of the program was to provide increased forage on selected undisturbed areas on and adjacent to the mine site to draw wildlife away from newly reclaimed areas until the vegetation became established. A third benefit was to improve enough habitat prior to and during mining in order to offset the temporary loss of habitat from mining.