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communities in Northwest Colorado within the timeframe ofthe liabilityperiod have <br />met with repeated and well-documented failures. Second, replacement of habitats <br />conducive to Sage Grouse is offar greater importance to the CDOW than any other <br />wildlife species group. !n this regard, the [sagebrush reference area] provides a far <br />better example of the long-term desirable vegetation structure and composition that <br />is more closely tied to the habitat requisites of Sage Grouse. Given the mobility of <br />most wildlife taxa (including Sage Grouse), there is sufficient Mountain Shrub <br />habitat within proximity to planned disturbances to meet a majority of perceived <br />needs of other wildlife populations... <br />The originally approved sagebrush reference area, established in 1981 within the original Colowyo <br />permit area, will be utilized for this "targeted reference azea" rather than a sepazate sagebrush <br />reference azea established in association with 1984 vegetation studies, located to the south of the <br />South Taylor expansion azea. Reasons for use of the original sagebrush reference area in preference <br />to the 1984 reference area aze set forth under Justif cation for Reference Area Selection-Sagebrush <br />Reference Area, :in Section 2.04.10 of Volume 12. <br />Diversity success criteria were arrived at by utilizing herbaceous cover data from the pre-mining <br />inventory. Four species were found to comprise 43.4 percent of the diversity: Poa pratensis, <br />AQropvron smithii, Achillea lanulosa, and Stipa viridula, which represent three perennial, cool <br />season grasses and one perennial forb. The revegetation objective for diversity is to establish a <br />community on the reclaimed areas that contains the following: <br />a) at least four principal species including a minimum of three cool season perennial grasses <br />and a minimum of 1 perennial forb. <br />b) each principal species shall contribute no less than 3% relative cover. <br />c) no sin€;le species shall contribute in excess of 50% relative cover <br />Cover and production success measurements should reflect the same methodology. <br />A discussion of Colowyo's woody stem density is found in the original findings document. <br />Stipulation No. 5, a requirement to set a woody stem density standard for Colowyo Mine, was <br />satisfied on January 2, 1985. The woody stem density requirement was determined through <br />discussions with representatives of the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, Soil <br />Conservation Service, Colorado Division of Wildlife, CMLRD, Colowyo Energy Fuels, and Utah <br />International. The woody plant density success criterion at Colowyo has been set at 1,000 live stems <br />per acre. Pre-mine inventory and reference azea woody plant density measurements were taken along <br />three-foot-wide belts located along 100-foot-long transects. Similaz methodology should be <br />employed when determining post-reclamation success. <br />Proposed Decision and Findings of Compliance 4 May 2007 <br />Permit Revision 02 Page 57 <br />