REV91146

• Permit No: C1981008
• IBM Index Class Name: Revision
• Doc Date: 8/4/2000
• Doc Name: MEMO FW NEW HORIZON AIRPORT REFERENCE AREA
• From: ROSS GUBKA
• To: HARRY RANNEY
• Type & Sequence: TR41
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

• • III IIIIIIIIIIIII III
999
Ranney, Harry
From: Ross Gubka [rgubka~gj.net]
Sent: Friday, August 04, 2000 4:10 PM
To: Harry Ranney
Subject: Fw: New Horizon "Airport Reference Area"
its
new relerene6
arep.tloc
----- Original Message -----
From: Mathews, Dan <daniel.mathews~state.co.us>
To: <rgubkaC~gj.net>
Sent: Friday, August 04, 2000 10:19 AM
Subject: FW: New Horizon "Airport Reference Area"
> Ross, let me know if this is ok, or if you want a formal letter from me.
> Thanks.
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Mathews, Dan
> > Sent: Friday, August 04, 2000 10:16 AM
> > To: Ranney, Harry
> > Subject: New Horizon "Airport Reference Area"
> > New Horizon is proposing to substitute a parcel of land on Nucla Airport
> > property, to replace the current dryland pasture reference area on BLM
> > property. I have reviewed a memo from Jeff Hahn, consultant to the
> > operator (attached), as well as a digital location map and 19 high
> > resolution digital photos of the proposed reference area.
> > I concur with Mr. Hahn's reasoning regarding the suitability of the site
> > for use as the reference area to be used in comparisons of success for
New
> > Horizon 1 and 2 dryland pasture and New Horizon 1 rangeland areas. The
> > airport site is immediately adjacent to the BLM site, with the same soil
> > type and landform. Past management is also the same {chained sagebrush
> > seeded to crested wheatgrass), with the exception that the airport site
> > has been fenced and is not grazed by livestock. The inability of the
> > operator to control livestock grazing on the BLM site has rendered it
> > unsuitable as a reference area. The vegetation community appears to
> > support a somewhat higher density of shrubs (primarily fourwing
saltbush)
> > than would be desired on reclaimed dryland pasture, but the shrub
density
> > is much less than in the old sagebrush reference area, and the grass
> > component is dominated by the cool season crested wheatgrass, as opposed
> > to warm season grasses which were dominant in the sagebrush reference
> > area.
> > The dryland pasture seedmix at New Horizon 1 and 2, and the rangeland
> > seedmix at New Horizon 1 are likewise dominated by cool season species.
»
> > I have indicated to Ross Gubka of Western Fuels that, in my opinion, the
> > airport property parcel would be suitable for use as the reference area.
> > It is my understanding that he will be submitting a technical revision
> > application to substitute the airport parcel for the BLM parcel, and he
> > will be contacting you regarding same. It is my further understanding
> > that, assuming the airport reference area is approved, the operator will
> > be conducting bond release vegetation sampling on the New Horizon 1
> > reclamation parcels and the reference area in September of this year. I