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Section 779.22 (a) Continued. <br />been used for wheat and total 68.1 acres. This area is labeled on <br />the above mentioned map as field C5. <br />Croplands within the prouosed permit area have been historically <br />planted to fall wheat and alfalfa grass mixtures; the grain being <br />harvested the fnllowirg summer and the hay beinK harvested also at <br />that time. The wheat fields then lie fallow the next year to allow <br />the soil moisture to recharge. The cropping pattern in the region <br />is to alternate years of harvest with years of leaving the ground <br />in fallow. A limited amouni of livestock graying is done on these <br />fields after they are harvested. During the fallow year, grazing of <br />livestock normally is not permtted. Grazing of hayland is commonly <br />done in the late summer and fall after the hay is cut. <br />Pasturelands are grazed by livestock during the spring, summer and <br />fall depending upon the grazing plan. Sheep are the predominant <br />• animal grazed in the pastureland area to the south of Pinnacle <br />Peak, while the pasturelands along Fish Creek have been consistently <br />utilized by cattle. None of the pasturelands within the proposed <br />perit area have been cut for hay within the past ten years. <br />Areas designated as rangelands are grazed by either sheep or live- <br />stock during the spring, summer or fall. The common grazing <br />period found within the region is for summer and fall grazing due <br />to the late spring. Examination of the records of the USDA, <br />Agricultural Conservation and Stabilization Service were correlated <br />with the records of each previous land owner who owned land within <br />the proposed permit area to determine the historic land use patterns <br />within the proposed permit area. According to these sources, no <br />evidence could be found that indicated that land use had changed <br />within the preceeding 5 years. <br /> The mining operations which account for much of the present land <br />. use within the permit area were initiated in 1962 (Energy Mine No. <br />779-304 <br />