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-7- <br />Six vegetation communities and a small amount of cropland exist within the <br />Colowyo permit boundary. The major communities are sagebrush and mountain <br />shrub. Communities of minor significance include a juniper community in the <br />vicinity of Streeter Mountain, scattered aspen groves in the upper reaches <br />of Streeter and Taylor Creeks, a Limited riparian community along Good Spring <br />and Taylor Creeks, and a small western wheatgrass community in the southern <br />portion of the permit area. <br />The sagebrush community occurs throughout the permit area on all elevations, <br />slopes, and soils. The community has developed wherever soil moisture retention <br />and soil depth become limiting to other vegetation communities. The overstory <br />is dominated by big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) and snowberry (S mphoricar s <br />oreophilus). Dominant grasses are western wheatgrass (Agropyron smithii , <br />mountain brome (Bromus marginatus), and green needlegrass (Stipa viridula). <br />Major forbs include lupine (LUpinus caudatus), wild onion (AZZium spp.), <br />yarrow (Rchillea Zanulosa), and arrowleaf balsam root (Balsamorrhiza <br />sagittata). <br />The mountain shrub community is typically found on areas of higher soil moisture <br />and deeper soils throughout the permit area. Serviceberry (Amelanchier alnifolia), <br />and Gambel's oak (Quercus gambelii) are the dominant overstory species in the <br />community, with fairly dense stands of chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) occurring <br />on north slopes and along drainages. The most abundant grasses are Kentucky <br />bluegrass (POa pratensis), western wheatgrass, and needle and thread (Stipa <br />comata). Forbs include Zupine, yarrow, bedstraw (Galium spp.) and American <br />vetch (Vicia americana ). <br />Description of the Operations and Reclamation Plan <br />Within the 5,550 acres within the applicants proposed permit area, approximately 2,600 <br />_ acres_wi_11 be disturbed during the life of the mine, which is projected to be <br />approximately 40 years. Included within the permit boundaries are the pit, <br />the maintenance facilities area, the Gossard Loadout and rail Loop, and the <br />administration building. The Gossard Loadout is approximately 4 miles north <br />of the pit area. Approximately 400 acres are presently disturbed by the pit <br />and permanent overburden fill. An additional 250 acres will be disturbed by <br />mining in that five-year permit term. To date, reclamation at Colowyo <br />has been limited to the Streeter Canyon excess overburden fill, over half of _ <br />which has been revegetated. Colowyo is currently producing 3 million tons of <br />coal per year and is projecting annual production of 4.5 million tons by 2984. <br />The initial mining operations at Colowyo began in 1976 along the southern face <br />of Streeter Draw. Box cut overburden material was placed in the Streeter <br />Fill, which will, when completed, contain approximately 54 million cubic yards <br />of overburden. <br />Colowyo mines :8~ coal seams ranging in thickness from 2.5 to IS feet. The <br />average depth to the bottom of the Zowermost coal seam across the property <br />is approximately 400 feet. The multiple seam mining method involves two <br />techniques of overburden removal; truck and shovel and dragline. The truck <br />and shovel operation removes overburden over the upper three seams and the <br />dragline is used for removal of overburden above the lower seams. The over- <br />burden is removed in a series of benches. Overburden removed in the truck and <br />