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• .- ~ ~ '` <br />disturbance is small (3.2 acres} and will not increase in size; 2) there <br />is no critical or unique habitat which will be affected by the mining <br />operation (portal and haulroad located on sagebrush hillside); 3) <br />reclamation will be compatible with future land use; 4) mining has teen <br />continuous in this area since 1922 with greater intensities in the past. <br />Wildlife habitat would be reduced on 3.2 acres by atout 33000 shrubs per <br />acre but this reduction in habitat would result in a moderate impact due <br />to the thousands of acres of undisturbed habitat surrounding the mine. <br />Increase in truck traffic from an average of one round trip every 2 to 4. <br />days to an average of one round trip per 0.72 days may cause a minor ~ <br />increase in disturbance to the wildlife of the area. Increased traffic <br />is due to an increase in production. <br />P.eclamation: Except for the topsoil salvaged from the sediment pond <br />area, all other disturbances on OC R2 mine were accomplished prior to the <br />passage of SN,CFA. Therefore, no topsoil was salvaged. At present, there <br />is only enough salvaged topsoil to place aL-out a 2 inch dressing on all <br />of the disturbed areas and we feel this should be adequzte. Although <br />there are no studies completed in the area whicY. demonstrate that <br />reclamation car, be achieved as required by the act, native plants have <br />migrated into and taken control of the adjacent unreclaimed abandoned <br />coal mine sites. <br />The variety and density of native plant species on the abandoned mine <br />sites provides an indicator that the reclamation required by the Act can <br />be achieved. Therefore, the long term impacts to the vegetative cover <br />should be moderate after reclamation has been completed. <br />