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As requested by the landowner on page 187.1 of the permit application, <br />Sunland will import 6 inches of topsoil medium when reclaiming the <br />facilities bench area (encompassing about 3.1 acres). For the remainder <br />of the area, the backfilled material will be analyzed and appropriate <br />amendments and fertilizers will be added. <br />The operation is in compliance with the requirements of this section. <br />XII. Vegetation - Rules 2.04.10, 2.05.4 (2)(e) and 4.15 <br />Information pertaining to baseline vegetation inventories is presented on <br />pages 93-112 and to postmining vegetation on pages 184-184.1 of the <br />permit application. <br />As addressed previously in this document, Sunland commenced activities at <br />this site prior to the requirement to inventory the site for baseline <br />purposes. To provide background information, the SCS inventoried <br />adjacent areas. Based on extrapolation, the vegetation of the disturbed <br />areas was probably composed of 4 acres of mountain meadow community in <br />the valley bottom and 1.6 acres of mountain shrub community on the <br />hillside. The mountain meadow community consisted of cottonwoods, <br />willows, and various other phreatophy tes due to the high water table <br />associated with Trout Creek whereas the mountain shrub community was <br />dominated by Gamble oak. No threatened or endangered plant species were <br />identified during this survey of adjacent areas. Since Sunland is not <br />proposing any additional land disturbance, the Division finds, pursuant <br />to Rule 2.07.6(1 )(n ), that the mining activities will not affect the <br />existence of or result in the destruction or adverse modification of any <br />endangered or threatened species or their critical habitats, respectively. <br />Sunland proposes to return the area back to its original postiming land <br />use with the exception of Routt County Road 29 (see Section II - Land <br />Use). Based upon a request from Sunland, the Division assisted in <br />developing the seed mixture presented on page 184 of the permit <br />application. This seed mixture will be used during final reclamation of <br />this mine site and does not have any shrub species. The landowner has <br />requested that no shrubs be planted to allow for more growth of desirable <br />grass and forb species for grazing purposes. Due to the limited areal <br />extent of the area to be reclaimed and the wooded nature of adjacent <br />areas, the Division has agreed to this request. <br />Along with developing the revegetation plan, Sunland also requested <br />assistance in developing the revegetation success criteria. Because of <br />no true baseline data from the Apex No. 2 Mine, the revegetation success <br />criteria were developed by averaging premining data from adjacent mines <br />taking into consideration the limitations of this site. The approved <br />success standards are presented on page 184.1 of the permit application. <br />The operation is in compliance with the requirements of this section. <br />-15- <br />