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i • existing vegetation. Pinyon-juniper woodlands on the Piceance site are expected to need 75-100 years after tree establishment to provide equivalent thermal cover to that produced by existing trees. A majority of the American Soda mine site lies within the sagebrush and pinyon-juniper habitat types Significant acreage of both types will be disturbed or cleared by mine development. With the long recovery periods expected of both habitat types, impacts to winter range vegetation, and the mule deer it supports, are expected to exceed the life of the mine operation by many years. Reclamation based on the return of woody species to disturbed areas will be critical in the long-tens ability of mule deer to use the site during severe winters. CDOW recommends that a flexible system be developed for reclamation of well fields that allows for: -pre-designation by BLM/CDOW/American Soda of significant pinyon-juniper stands in each mine panel that provide lazge~areas ofhigher-density canopy. These areas are estimated to equal approximately 20% of each mine panel. American Soda should attempt to minimize disturbance to these parcels to the extent possible. Where disturbance is unavoidable, reclamation should focus on restoring pinyon juniper th the disturbed areas to a stem density equal to that in adjacent mature stands. -restoration of sagebrush parks on designated abandoned well pads by seed, tubelings, plug planting or other methods to a stem density equivalent to that in adjacent mature stands. -development of bitterbrush or other palatable browse stands on designated abandoned well pads. -standard grass/forb based reclamation on other disturbed sites and as an understory below woody revegetation after establishment. ' This reclamation proposal is predicated on BLM, CDOW, and American Soda developing a mutually acceptable reclamation plan for each mine panel by the time of abandonment. American Soda's proposed reclamation on the mine site is grass/forb based for all areas of the Piceance site with four-wing saltbush included as the only shrub. Reclamation to that standard will not restore mule deer winter range within a reasonable time period and will extend the impacts of mine development on wintering mule deer. Experience in the Piceance Basin has shown that shrubs are easily outcompeted by grasses in seed mixtures. The best chance for success may be to plant shrubs and a cover crop initially and follow with permanent grasses and forbs after the shrubs are established. The cover crop would control weed infestation while allowing the shrubs to grow without the intense competition of perennial grasses. Herbicide treatment of cover and permanent vegetation in the immediate vicinity of new shrubs may be needed to allow the shrubs to establish. CDO W strongly encourages the establishment of a woody shrub stem density standard which must be met before American Soda's reclamation bond is released. Impacts to mule deer along the pipeline are expected to be transitory. ~ _ __ _ _- _ _ ~ _ Sage grouse impacts are limited to the pipeline corridor. Dvect impacts to grouse can be greatly reduced by adhering to a March 1 to May 31 timing restriction to avoid grouse breeding in close proximity to the pipeline route and a June l to July 15 timing restriction to avoid impacts to grouse nests and young broods along the corridor. Indirect impacts to grouse are expected due to the potential change in vegetative cover on the reclaimed corridor. The American Soda pipeline will be the third parallel pipe along Barnes Ridge and the adjacent ridge to the southeast. The fast two pipelines have been sprayed for weeds from the air and have very little of the forb component and less of the brush component required by sage grouse for successful nesting and brood rearing. As a result, the cumulative impacts of the existing pipelines fiave been undeniably negative for sage grouse. This situation will worsen without aggressive reclamation of the American Soda corridor. Reclamation emphasizing the establishment of forbs palatable to sage grouse will help grouse continue to use Barnes Ridge. Additional planting of sagebtush in the corridor, either N rows or patches, will make the corridor more available to grouse as it becomes established. As with the mine site, success in sagebrush establishment should be enhanced if the shrubs are planted separately from grasses and forbs.