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Land Use <br />Current and historic land use in the vicinity of the operation has been coal mining, <br />livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. Historically, coal has been extracted from the mine <br />azea by both surface strip and underground methods. <br />Irrigated cropland in the area is limited to portions of the Trout Creek alluvial body, and <br />to the Yampa River floodplain. Non-irrigated crops are grown on sloping upland areas, as <br />well as on some alluvial bottom lands. No cropland was disturbed by the mining <br />operation. <br />Topsoil <br />Topsoil within the permit area is discontinuous in the West and Center Ridge Areas, due <br />to previous surface mining operations. Approximately nine inches of topsoil was replaced <br />on 132 acres in the West Ridge Area and 375 acres in the Moffat Area. <br />Vegetation <br />Vegetation in the vicinity of the mine is characterized by three vegetative types; mixed <br />brush, sagebrush grassland, and aspen. Mixed brush and sagebrush grassland <br />communities form an intertwined mosaic on the predominantly western and southern <br />exposures while the aspen community predominates in mesic sites within swales and <br />north and east exposures. <br />Wildlife <br />Numerous wildlife species inhabit the general area of the mine site. Predominant big <br />game species aze Elk and Mule Deer. Smaller species observed include the coyote and <br />marmot°. Common raptors include Golden Eagle, Red-tailed Hawk, Great Horned Owl, <br />Hamer, and American Kestrel. <br />P&M provided informations relevant to the renewal application for the current listingb <br />of wildlife species in Routt County, Colorado, that are listed as Federal or State <br />threatened, endangered or of special concern. None of these species or respective habitat <br />would be threatened by the remaining reclamation activities in the permit area. <br />Previous permit period Division Inspections <br />' PAP, pages 2.7-2 to 2.7-2a, 2.7-20 to 2.7-20d, 2.7-28 t0 2.7-286. 2.7-63 to 2.7-63h, all <br />dated 11.2006; and 4.7-1 to 4.7-1a, dated 10/2006 <br />e Natural Diversity Information Source. "Wildlife Species Page." Colorado Division of <br />Wildlife. November 2006. <http://ndis.nrel.colostate.edu/wildlife.asp> <br />C-1980-001 Permit Renewal 5 Findings Page l 1 of 33 Pages <br />