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Colowyo began fencing the boundaries of the Federal lease during the <br />fall of 1976. The fencing was completed during the summer of 1977. <br />At this time all cattle were removed from the lease area. The fencing <br />was done as part of an overall grazing management program to improve <br />the rangeland after several years of over-grazing. In 1991, Colowyo <br />constructed a similar fence to provide a boundary for the areas added <br />to the Permit and to exclude grazing in this area. <br />Disturbed Areas <br />Disturbed acreage has been kept to a minimum in the permit area by <br />proper planning for the location of mine support facilities, haul <br />roads, and pit advance. The mining methods, as discussed in Section <br />2.05.3, allow for a minimum amount of disturbance on an annual basis <br />(less than 100 acres per pit), when compared to strictly one or two <br />seam mines with similar production levels which disturb several <br />hundred acres annually per pit. Topsoil and vegetation are removed <br />during the summer and fall months to allow for only enough disturbance <br />to facilitate mining advance through June of the following year. <br />Habitat ImBrovement Program <br />Prior to start-up of mining, Colowyo initiated a big game habitat <br />improvement program in January 1976. The purpose of this on-going <br />program was to increase range carrying capacity by increasing <br />available browse and increased access to herbaceous species. Another <br />objective of the program was to provide increased forage on selected <br />undisturbed areas on and adjacent to the mine site to draw wildlife <br />away from newly reclaimed areas until the vegetation became <br />established. A third benefit was to improve enough habitat prior to <br />and during mining in order to offset the temporary loss of habitat <br />from mining. <br />The technique for habitat improvement involved using a rubber tired or <br />tracked dozer during the winter months, preferably when there was <br />minimal snow cover and the ground was frozen, to shear off the dormant <br />shrubs a few inches above ground level. <br />.. <br />FievlSiOn Approved <br />2.05-67 <br />FlerisionNo. Z-R ~2 <br />~~¢~4~ <br />