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2.04.10 -VEGETATION INFORMATION <br />Map King II-006 provides a delineation of the two vegetation <br />communities proposed for disturbance by surface facilities at the mine, <br />as well as the proposed reference area <br />The two plant communities within the proposed affected area are the <br />rabbitbrush/big sage mixed shrubland and pinyon-juniper woodland. <br />The rabbitbrush/big sage mixed shrubland community is located on the <br />relatively flat colluvial bottom that is present between the drainage basin <br />side slopes. The pinyon juniper woodland vegetation community <br />predominates from the edge of the flat colluvial bottom up the side slopes <br />of the dissected drainage basins. <br />The majority of surface disturbance will occur within the rabbitbrush/big <br />sage mixed shrubland community. The revegetation plan will focus on <br />reestablishment of a mixed shrubland equivalent or better in utility than <br />the existing community. <br />Disturbance within the pinyon juniper woodland will entail no more than <br />three (3) acres. For this reason, the pinyon juniper woodland was <br />deemed a minor community in accordance with CDMG guidelines, <br />sampled qualitatively, and is not slated for reestablishment during <br />• reclamation. <br />A complete description of the vegetation communities is contained within <br />the baseline vegetation report in Appendix 7. <br />Threatened and Endangered Plant Species <br />The Colorado Natural Areas Program (CNAP) at Colorado State University <br />was contacted to undertake a search of their database of natural heritage <br />elements ("occurrences of significant natural communities and rare, <br />threatened or endangered plants and animals") for the area within and <br />1.5 miles outside the proposed permit area. The results of that search <br />identified only the wolverine (presumed extirpated in Colorado since <br />1979) and the Townsend's big-eared bat (a species of concern for the <br />BLM and Forest Service). No candidate or federally listed plant species <br />were identified within or adjacent to the proposed permit area. The <br />CNAP report can be found in Appendix 8. <br />• <br />National King Coal, LLC King II Mine <br />Section 2.04.10 <br />Page 1 October, 2005 <br />