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-36- Colowyo will include other native shrub species in the seed mix and transplant seedlings and mature shrubs in reclaimed areas. These woody species will provide forage and cover for big game and cover for other wildlife species, including sage grouse. A stipulation regardirxY the establishment of a suitable shrub density standard or standards for the Colowyo mine is included in the Vegetation - Section XI of this document, Pursuant to Rule 2. 07.6(2)(n), and on the basis of available information, the Division finds that the proposed activities will not affect the continued existence of endangered or threatened species or result in the destruction or adverse modification of their critical habitats. The operation is in compliance with the requirements of this section. XISI. Prime Farmland -Rules 2.04.12, 2.06.6, and 4.25 Pursuant to Rvle 2. 07 .'6(2)(k), the Division has made a negative prime farmland determination. The decision was based on a letter from William Lee Hill of the soil Conservation Service confirming that no lands in Moffat County had been designated as prime farmland. The letter is included in Exhibit 9 of the application. The operation is in compliance with the requirements of this sxtion. XIV. 'Operation Description - Rules 2.05.2, 2,05.3(1), 2,05.3 The mine operations description is provided on pages 2.05-2 through 2.05-15 of Volume 1. The U:: S.G.S. has made a finding that the Colowyo operation is making maximum use and conservation of the coal resources (see Attachment No, 4). Colowyo employs an open pit mining technique in extracting thereight coal seams on the property. Both truck and shovel and dragline methods of overburden removal are used at different stages in the mining process. The truck and shovel operation was used to open up the initial boxcut, and.now is used in removing overburden over the-:upper coal seams, "Y", "x~', and "A". Overburden material from the initial boxcut was placed in a constructed fill in Streeter Canyon. The dragline operation is used for removal of interburden above the lower coal seams, nBu nC.n nDn nE. rr and nF.n Colowyo is currently producing 3 million tons of coal per year, and is projecting annual production of 4,5 million tons by 1984, Due to the fact that multiple seams are being mined, pit advance is relatively slow, with approximately 50 acres of additional disturbance each year. The operation is in compliance with the requirements of this section.