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. SECTION 2.04.10 <br />VEGETATION INFORMATION <br />NEW HORIZON 2 STUDY AREA, 1987 and 1999 <br />Introduction <br />Western Fuels Colorado, A Limited Liability Company (WFC) is renewing Permit No. C-81-008. <br />WFC's New Horizon 1 & 2 Mine is the old Peabody Coal Company Nucla & Nucla East Mine which <br />operated under the same permit. Peabody performed detailed vegetation studies at the New <br />Horizon 1 & 2 mine areas (formerly called the Nucla and Nucla East mine areas respectively). <br />Rather than duplicate large quantities of vegetation data, WFC refers the reader to the original <br />Peabody permit application: Volume D -Tab 10. When a reference is made to data sources in the <br />Peabody documents, the word "Peabody' will immediately precede the reference. <br />Vegetation baseline studies were conducted on properties associated with WFC's New Horizon 2 mine <br />as well as a larger study area (Map 2.04.10-1 ). These baseline studies were conducted during the <br />1987 field season and primarily involved Peabody personnel. Preparation of a detailed species list <br />. and evaluations for the potential occurrence of rare, threatened, or endangered plant species was <br />conducted by Dr. David Buckner of ESCO Associates, Inc. The approximately 618 acre study area <br />covers substantially more acreage than the proposed permit area in anticipation of future mine <br />expansion to the west. The study area is used for various types of agricultural production and support, <br />with irrigated hay, pasture, and crops providing the basis for this production. In 1999, additional <br />vegetation baseline studies were undertaken by Intermountain Resource Inventories Inc. (IRI), Jim <br />Irvine principal investigator. These studies verified and expanded upon studies conducted in 1987 <br />and included land not previously survey in the original baseline vegetation study. Land studied in <br />1987 and 1999 includes the Morgan Property south of BB Road. Land studied in 1999 includes the <br />Johnson, Lloyd, Benson, WFC, Guire and Martin Properties north of BB Road. <br />Study Area Description <br />Location. The study area is located in western Montrose County on the western edge of the town <br />of Nucla, Colorado. Major cities located in relation to Nucla are Montrose, 45 air miles east- <br />• (REVISED 9/99) 2.04.10-1 <br />