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• <br /> The natural vegetation in the entire area is sparse-to- <br /> moderate and includes pasture grass, weeds, and sagebrush. <br /> The quality of the vegetation of the area will be somewhat <br /> improved after reclamation because of the elimination of the <br /> sagebrush. The cliff area is not presently able to support <br /> the growth of many trees or shrubs, and the .Soil Conservation <br /> Service has suggested that it may be a waste of time and <br /> money to plant any as a part of the revegetation of the <br /> area. It nevertheless will be attempted in accordance with <br /> the specifications of the Land Design plan, but the Board' s <br /> approval to discontinue the seedling portion of the plan may <br /> be sought if such efforts are clearly unsuccessful. <br /> Because the land configuration of the acreage to be <br /> added to the permit is substantially similar to that of the <br /> acreage already under permit, Land Design ' s plan for recla- <br /> mation of the original 28. 86 acres is generally applicable <br /> to the additional acreage. The only major correction in the <br /> plan as originally proposed is that the final grade will run <br /> level from the foot of the southern sloped pit boundary to <br /> the Stremme & Gates Ditch. <br /> Because of the narrow configuration of the pit, it is �, Y <br /> r b <br /> difficult to establish phases for the reclamation process, �r <br /> just as it is for the mining operation. The operator has <br /> and will continue to grade and slope the southern highwalls <br /> and to level the area from there to the Ditch as quickly as <br /> possible as he works. Some interim seeding has been and <br /> will continue to be done on the slopes established. Such <br /> interim revegetation has been very successful to date. <br /> However, the final revegetation, including planting of <br /> seedlings, is only feasible as operations and stockpiles <br /> have been entirely removed from an area. The operator now <br /> proposes that reclamation begin at the western end of the <br /> pit and move eastward, in an inverse manner from the mining <br /> operations, i. e. : when all gravel has been excavated from <br /> the western end of the pit, the operator will begin moving <br /> -3- <br />