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• TAB 13 <br />POSTMINING LAND USE <br />Introduction <br />Coal removal activities at the Seneca II Mine ceased in 1999. Since Ure cessation of mining <br />operations the mine has transitioned into final reclamation. Tab 13, Postmining Land Use, directs the <br />reader to those areas comprising the essential components of the reclamation plan, starting with an <br />overview of premining land uses as they relate to vegetation and habitat. Backfilling and grading are <br />covered in Tab 12, while soil maintenance and replacement is discussed later in this tab and in Tab 9. Also <br />presented in this tab are the postmining land use plan, revegetation monitoring, revegefation success <br />standards, surtace stabilization, rill and gully control measures, weed and pest control measures, <br />reclamation schedule, reclamation bonding costs, and bond release procedures. <br />In addition, this tab presents the demonstrations, or directs the reviewer to the applicable <br />demonstration to retain existing mine structures and features as permanent Postmine features. <br />Pennanerrt features that will remain on ttre landscape within the Seneca II Mine permit boundary <br />following bond release include roads, ponds and fence configurations. <br />• <br />Premise Land Use <br />The primary premining land use on the permit area and adjacent areas has been the grazing of domestic <br />livestock on native rangeland and utilization of associated habitat types by wildlife. In more recent years, oil, <br />gas, and methane (from coal fields) exploration acrd extraction, while not extensive, has become an <br />increasingly important land use. Historically, the highest economic return has teen from livestock grazing. <br />However, the types of habitat and wildlife numbers in the area provide hunting and recreation opportunities <br />that contribute signfipntly to the overall economy. <br />The following discussion summarizes the two primary premining land uses in the area and provides a basis <br />for the devebpment of the reclamation plan and postmining land use plan. <br />Livestodk Grazing of Native Rangeland. Cattle arW sheep grazing on privately-oxmed lands or through State <br />grazing leases has been the primary premise land use on the pennd area. State grazing leases have <br />predominated (see Exhibit 3-3, Farming and Grazing Leases). Historic grazing pressure has been higher <br />than desirable and management underemphasized with a consequent deterioration in range condition. In <br />the past, stocking rates have not been specified on State grazing leases (VonBrodkdortF 1~1). <br />Based on Soil Conservation Service (SCS) range site descriptions for the brushy loam range site and <br />• mountain loam range site, estimated range condition for the mixed brush and sagebrush types occurring in <br />the area is only fair. The brushy loam range site equates to the mountain brush vegetation type, while the <br />TR-37 13-1 Revised 0410.5 <br />