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• No known fossils of significance have been found on or near the modification azea. The Mesa <br />Verde Group yields sparse faunas of both marine and non-marine elements. No study exists with <br />specific reference to the botanical fossils related to the Menefee coals nor on the non-marine <br />invertebrates on the associated units (Fischer, 1981). <br />WATER <br />The proposed lease modification area lies beneath the northern end of the Rattlesnake Gulch <br />drainage. Rattlesnake Gulch is an ephemeral drainage of variable gradient. Surface water within <br />the drainage occurs as a result of seasonal spring runoffand following summer/fall storm events. <br />The proposed modification azea is not in a major ground water recharge azea. Mining activity <br />in the proposed lease modification area would occur approximately 40 feet above the piezometric <br />groundwater surface, which is static water level. <br />VEGETATION <br />No onsite investigations were conducted ofthe proposed lease modification area. The following <br />information is excerpted from the COC 60941 Coal Lease Application EA (1997), and generally <br />describes the project area. <br />"The general project azea consists of pasture and mountain shrub type vegetation <br />along with pinon juniper. The most prominent shrubs include Gambel oak ( ercus <br />• ambelii ,Mountain mahogany (Cercocarpus montanus ,and Utah serviceberry <br />(Amelanchier utahensis). Other important shrubs include Antelope bitterbrush <br />(Purshia tridentata ,Squaw-apple (Peraphyllum ramosissimum), and Green ephedra <br />(Enhedra viridis). Scattered pinyon pine (Pinus edulis) and Utah juniper (Juniperus <br />utahensis occur on the more xeric sites, while scattered ponderosa pine (Pinus <br />ponderosa) and Douglas fir (PseudotsuQa menziesii) occur on the more mesic sites. <br />Important species in the under story include bluegrass (Poa ~.), western wheatgrass <br />(~opyron smithii), bottlebrush squirreltail (Sitanion hystrix), yucca (Yucca <br />baccata), and milkvetch (Astragalus sue.). <br />Portions of the project area have undergone vazious vegetation treatments including chaining, <br />burning, and herbicide application. <br />WILDLIFE <br />The proposed lease modification area is diverse in wildlife habitats. Although the proposed <br />modification area is primarily composed of the mountain shrub type vegetative community, <br />portions aze also covered by pinon juniper and pasture types as well. The proposed modification <br />area is located in important winter range for deer and elk. <br />• <br />