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The vegetation within the vicinity of the mine is characterized as open-sage- brush which for the nrost part consists of saycbrusli and grasses with scattered park stands of aspen. This area is used primarily for grazing during the surmner months and For wildlife habitat. Wildlife that inhabit the area include large and small game animals, and numerous birds and small mammals. Soils in the area are characterized as moderately deep well-drained loam soils with a very dark-colored surface layer. Variability in the characteristics of the soils in the area is primarily due to slope and topography. Deeper soils are located in the valley bottoms and at the foot of slopes while the shallower soils occupy the steeper side slopes. The mine elevation is approximately 9,200 feet with about 15 to 20 inches of precipitation annually. Precipitation mainly comes in the form of snowfall. The area has a moderate growing season, averaging less than ninety days in length. There are no residences, roads or other significant man-made features within the immediate vicinity of the mine. The closest resident to the mine is approximatly 3/4 mile east of the bench area and 1/2 mile from the proposed new mine workings. Mining and Reclamation Plan The OC ffine No. 2 mining operation has disturbed 3.2 surface acres of which 0.98 acres were disturbed in the construction of the sediment control system. No additional surface disturbances are planned in the future. The surface facilities for the operation consist of a tipple, shop, office and explosives storage area. There are two roads at the mine site. One leads up to the portal bench area and the other one serves the tipple area. OC Mine No. 2 employs conventional two-entry room and pillar underground mining methods. For this permit the operator is mining 80 acres. The operator currently has a request pending for a lease modification to add an additional 120 acres to the existing Federal Lease. If this lease modification is not granted, the mine plan calls for retreat mining to commence in 1983, with reclamation beginning in approximately the year 1993. If the lease modification is granted, final reclamation will commence in the year 2025, following the completion of mining. Reclamation will consist of regrading the disturbed area to approximate original contour, topsoiling with one to two inches of soil and seeding with native species to achieve the post-mining land use of grazing and wildlife habitat. The only topsoil available for reclamation is that salvaged in 1980 during construction of the sediment control system. Since this mine was opened in 1943, no topsoil was salvaged. however, one to two inches of topsoil should be sufficient to achieve successful reclamation because the subsoils are of good quality as plant growth media. Furthermore, since the area of disturbance is small (3.2 acres), natural reinvasion from surrounding native vegetation will greatly enhance the applicant's revegetation efforts.