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• The proposed project will ultimately return the site to a topography and <br />vegetation community similar (or better from a wildlife perspective) than <br />that now on site. The existing hay meadow within Hay Gulch will not be <br />disturbed. Permanent reclamation of the site will entail grading, <br />respreading topsoil, and seeding and planting perennial native species <br />that will support wildlife species. The mining and reclamation will create <br />a more diverse habitat than is currently present. With the planting of <br />desirable native forage shrubs, additional strata and vegetation layers <br />will be added to the site, creating improved cover, foraging, roosting, and <br />nesting areas for wildlife. With control and/or removal of noxious <br />species during the project, and the replacement of desirable graminoid, <br />forb, shrub, and tree species, mining and reclamation will result in <br />enhancement of wildlife habitat on site. <br />Threatened and Endangered Wildlife 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 the wolverine (presumed extirpated in Colorado since 1979) <br />and the Townsend's big-eared bat (a species of concern for the BLM and <br />Forest Service). No candidate or federally listed species were identified <br />within or adjacent to the proposed permit area. The CNAP report can be <br />found in Appendix 8. <br /> <br />National King Coal, LLC King II Mine <br />Section 2.04.11 <br />Page 2 October, 2005 <br />