2006-11-08_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - C1981012

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The region is characterized by a semi-arid climate. The prevailing wind is from the southwest and average annual precipitation is 16.92 inches. The length of the growing season in the area varies from 90 to 110 days. Vegetative communities in the area of the mine can be separated into two physiognomic types; the low grassland and riparian communities along the Purgatoire River valley bottom, and forest communities dominating the slopes and upland areas along the river valley. Communities on the north-facing slope and the river valley were inventoried and found to contain four distinct vegetative communities at the New Elk Mine area; a Ponderosa Pine/Douglas community, a Ponderosa pine-oak community, a grassland community, and a riparian willow community. The Ponderosa pine-Douglas fir-oak community is found on the north-facing slope above the mine facilities at elevations above 7,600 feet. The overstory consists of mature Ponderosa pine and Douglas fir with interspersed pinon pine and Rocky Mountain juniper. The dominant shrub species is Gambel's oak. Cover is relatively sparse (12 percent) and productivity is low (62 Ib./ac). The Ponderosa pine-oak community occurs on the north facing slopes above 7,500 feet on the eastern two-thirds of the permit area. Pure Ponderosa pine stands are interspersed with Gambel's oak, pinon pine, and Rocky Mountain juniper. Vegetative cover is low (4 percent), as is productivity (44 Ib. /ac). The grassland community was inventoried at the adjacent Golden Eagle Mine on a plateau above the river at 7,200 feet elevation, since no undisturbed grassland communities could be found at the New Elk Mine. Dominant grass species were blue grama and western wheatgrass, with many other minor graminoids including a number of fortis. Sage and snakeweed were the dominant shrubs. Vegetative cover can be characterized as moderate (18 percent), as is productivity (560 Ib./ac). The willow riparian community is located in the Purgatoire River drainage at an elevation of 7,400 feet at the New Elk Mine. The dominant species was willow with a diverse graminoid and forb understory. Vegetative cover is high (43 percent), as is productivity (2,140 Ib. /ac). Soils in the area range from very shallow on the steep side slopes to deep, well-drained loams with adark-colored surface layer found in the valley bottom along the Purgatoire River. Description of the Operation and Reclamation Plans Of the 3,585 acres originally permitted at the New Elk Mine, 155 acres were already disturbed for working areas and facilities. Permit Revision #1 added 120 acres to the permit area, of which 36 acres were affected by new, proposed surface facilities. The resulting permit area encompassed 3,705 acres with 191 acres of surface disturbance. No disturbed acreage has been released from bond as of October 2006. However, one bond release has been approved at this site. Bond Release No. 1 (SL-01) released a -3-