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7.5 Grazing of Reclaimed Lands <br />In accordance with Section 4.15.5 of the Colorado regulations, grazing by domestic live- <br />stock is an approved practice on reclaimed lands one year after seeding and so long as <br />grazing does not interfere with postmine vegetation sampling. <br />Trapper states in the postmine ]and use segment (4.2) of our permit document that the <br />primary objective of Trapper's reclamation program is to return the affected areas to land <br />uses as high or higher than those in effect prior to mining. The proposed mine plan has <br />three significant land uses which are farming, grazing of domestic livestock and use by <br />wildlife. Virtually all of the proposed mine plan area, including cropland, has been previ- <br />ously used for grazing livestock. Currently, most of the area is utilized by wildlife only. <br />Trapper proposes to re-establish a livestock grazing plan on reclaim areas having a mini- <br />mum of three previous growing seasons. For example livestock will be allowed to graze <br />1987 and prior reclaimed vegetation areas in 1991. <br />Based on 1989 vegetation data analysis (very dry year) for 1982, 1984 and 1986 reclaim <br />years the useable forage with proper use (take half, leave half) of the range resource is <br />approximately 287 pounds of forage per acre. The total reclaim area available for grazing <br />is estimated at 1,318 acres (includes rangeland and cropland areas). The total useable for- <br />age produced on Trapper grazing land is approximately 377,607 # and would support 315 <br />• cows for one month (315 aum's). The timing of grazing each year would follow our yearly <br />postmine vegetation sampling program, occurring in late August or early September (fall). <br />Grazing would be allowed at stocking rates of 315 aum's for aone-month period or 157 <br />aura's for atwo-month period. The primary purposes for grazing reclaim areas are as <br />follows: <br />1) To promote greater utilization of the vegetation resource for livestock production. <br />2) To decrease standing dead aboveground vegetation biomass. The area has never <br />been grazed by domestic livestock which has resulted in a tremendous accumulation <br />of vegetation litter on the soil surface. The excessive litter accumulation may be sup- <br />pressing the potential reclaimed plant community. <br />3) To enhance plant species diversity (abundance). <br />4) To improve soil nutrient cycling. <br />5) To increase woody plant establishment by reducing herbaceous competition. <br />Please find enclosed several letters from leading scholars in the reclamation and range <br />science Feld supporting Trapper's proposal to graze reclaim mined lands. <br />• <br />