GENERAL30475

• Permit No: C1981019
• IBM Index Class Name: General Documents
• Doc Date: 5/4/2007
• Doc Name: Proposed Decision & Findings of Compliance for PR2
• Permit Index Doc Type: Findings
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

and Cropland. Disturbance boundazies have not been projected with specificity for the proposed
Lower Wilson expansion azea.
B. Plant Establishment
Colowyo will establish on all affected lands within the permit area a diverse, effective and permanent
vegetative cover such as is necessary and desirable to achieve the approved post-mining land use of
wildlife and grazing. Details of the mine's revegetation plan are discussed beginning on page 2.05-42
of Section 2.05.4 of the original Permit volumes. The permanent seed mixtures to be planted aze
found on Tables 2.05-7, 2.05-8, and 2.05-9, within the narrative of Section 2.05.4.. These seed
mixes were approved in Apri12002, within TR-52. The primary seed mix (Table 2.05-7) is a diverse
mix of cool season grasses, forbs, and shrubs. All of the grasses and shrubs are native species; two
of the eight forbs aze introduced legumes (cicer milkvetch and sanfoin). The introduced species
make up less than 7% of the total mix on a seed per squaze foot basis, and aze considered desirable
and necessary to provide a component of leguminous forbs. Table 2.05-8 is a list of contingency
substitutions, for use on a case-by-case basis, if species in the primary mix, are not available. Table
2.05-9 is a shrub mix, to be planted in designated shrub-only planting azeas. Prior to 2002
introduced species made up a significantly higher percentage of the primary seed mix, based both on
relative number of introduced species, and seeds per squaze foot in the mix.. None of the species
proposed for planting are listed as poisonous or noxious plants.
Seeding of forbs, shrubs, and grasses will be accomplished primarily by drilling during the fall, with
broadcast seeding of wet or steep slopes. Small seeded species such as sagebrush are to be dribbled
on the surface using open drill drop tubes, when drill seeding is employed. Bare root, containerized
and mature stock and shrub clumps will be used to establish shrub and tree species. When necessary,
chemical fallowing will be used to eliminate vegetative competition, and fencing will be used to
eliminate animal predation. Grazing of reclaimed sites will not be initiated without Division
approval.
Inclusion of aggressive introduced grass species in the primary seed mix prior to 2002 resulted in
lazge azeas dominated by a relatively small number of species, particularly smooth brome and
intermediate wheatgrass, with relatively low diversity and low woody plant density. TR-52 seed mix
changes approved in Apri12002 have resulted in improvements in diversity and woody plant density.
However, various sections of text in Section 2.05.4 of the original permit volume contain outdated
references to the superiority of introduced species and the introduced grasses in particular, based on
reclamation studies reflecting the state ofthe art, species availability, and revegetation objectives of
the 1960's and 1970's. These sections of the application will need to be revised and updated to
reflect the current state ofreclamation/revegetation knowledge, with respect to the availability and
performance of native species to meet reclamation objectives for site stabilization, herbage
production, species diversity, and woody plant density. Additional specialized revegetation
strategies and more detailed commitments are warranted and necessary to enhance vegetative
diversity and woody plant establishment on the reclaimed landscape. Current standards of success
for woody plant density and species diversity will need to be reevaluated to ensure that the standards
Proposed Decision and Findings of Compliance 4 May 2007
Permi[ Revision 02 Page 54