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cover of desired shrubs at maturity in those areas dedicated to enhancement of mule deer wintering range and other associated wildlife habitat. As clarification, it should be noted that neither the Wildlife Mitigation Plan nor the Reclamation Plan actually establishes woody stem density standards. What is proposed is that woody stem density measurements 1) may be used to assess the success of shrub establishment in final reclamation and 2) may also be used as an indirect predictor of mature shrub cover where development of wildlife habitats is emphasized, as follow: • A woody stem density standard would be applied to the shrub component of the plant communities reclaimed with the permanent revegetation seed mixtures. This standard would be defined by panel- specific determinations of shrub densities in predisturbance communities or in nearby undisturbed areas. The minimum number of woody stems required per acre may be adjusted in accordance with the woody species used in reclamation and consistent with specified postmining land use goals (e.g., wildlife habitat mitigation/ requirements, livestock grazing, etc.). Bulk seeding rates or stem stocking rates may also be adjusted, based on project-specific experience, to result in the establishment of appropriate woody stem densities. • Where development of wildlife habitats is emphasized, a woody stem density standard could be used to indirectly predict the success of woody browse establishment, as would eventually be demonstrated by canopy cover success criteria. By determining the average cover provided by individual shrubs of the appropriate species and degree of maturity at the Piceance Site, it will be possible to calculate the stem density that would eventually result in the desired canopy cover. Again, these performance standards would be established on site-specific and postmining land use-specific bases as part of the work plans to be developed for the individual mining panels in consultation among the affected resource agencies and American Soda. d) The issue of disturbance to higher density canopy cover is addressed in the Wildlife Mitigation Plan, specifically as it pertains to mule deer and raptor habitats. As stated in the Wildlife Mitigation Plan, efforts will be made to maintain the integrity of desirable woodlands (i.e., pockets of higher density pinyon-juniper) when laying out roads, pipeline corridors, and well pads within the mining panels. Regarding mule deer, it is thought that minimizing impacts to these pockets will help maintain post-mining winter range utility. For raptors, this practice will reduce, to the extent practicable, modification of potential nesting habitat. Site review protocols are identified in the Wildlife Mitigation 113 Applyd~n Alqut~ Ilmp~s Y.nN l:uLtl \d~um Mimnb Yn~ Arm,cY1 yd<LLI'