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live production at ground level to sample adequacy, oven drying the <br /> biomass and reporting dry weight production on a pound-per-acre <br /> basis . <br /> To determine woody plant density, randomly located lOm2 plots <br /> will be counted for woody stems greater than 0.5 meters in height. <br /> Sampling will be to adequacy. <br /> The Division approves of these techniques (4. 15.7(1 )) . <br /> 4. The Division has approved of the reference areas which the <br /> permittee has selected based on the requirements of Rule <br /> 4. 15.7(3) . A portion of the Greasewood/Shadscale reference area <br /> has been covered by CRDA No. 2. Approximately six acres of this <br /> reference area remain undisturbed and is adequate to continue to <br /> utilize for a reference area. <br /> 5. The reference areas will be utilized to determine revegetation <br /> success in a manner which the Division finds acceptable 4. 15.7(4) ) . <br /> IX. Protection of Fish , Wildlife and Related Environmental Values <br /> The fish and wildlife resources information is contained in <br /> Section 2 .04. 11 of Volume I of the application and in Section 2 .04. 11 <br /> of the permit revision application. The permittee consulted Division <br /> of Wildlife and Bureau of Land Management wildlife authorities <br /> regarding the potential impact of mining operations on wildlife species . <br /> The Whittaker Flats area in the northwestern portion of the permit area <br /> provides winter range for a portion of the Roan Creek mule deer herd. <br /> The western third of the permit area makes up a small part of the <br /> Little Bookcliffs Wild Horse Area. Neither of those populations are <br /> expected to be impacted significantly by mining, since surface <br /> activities are well removed from their important ranges . <br /> The canyon walls in the general vicinity of the operation provide <br /> potential nesting habitat for raptors . The surface facilities are <br /> located along the river at the base of the canyon and are removed by at <br /> least 300 yards from potential nesting areas . The presence of <br /> Interstate 70 through DeBeque Canyon may already have impacted raptors <br /> to some degree. No additional impact associated with mining activities <br /> are anticipated with respect to raptor nesting, since there are no <br /> plans to disturb any additional area. <br /> Riparian habitat along the Colorado River through the permit area <br /> provides nesting cover for mallard ducks and Canada geese , and the <br /> river is used by numerous waterfowl species during spring and fall <br /> migrations and during the winter. <br /> The river itself is classed as a warm water fishery and may support <br /> populations of four threatened and endangered fish: the Colorado <br /> Squawfish , the Razorback Sucker , the Humpback Chub, and Boneytail Chub. <br /> -36- <br />