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Additional information showing species occurrence and distribution, however, indicated that none of these species are <br />reported to occur within the vicinity of the RAG EC Mine Complex. <br />More recent TES listings indicate the following TES plant species as occurring in Colorado or Moffat County: <br />Echinocercus triglochidiatus var. inermis (Colorado) Selerocactus mesae-derde (Colorado) <br />Sclerocactus glancus (Colorado) Spiranthus diluvialis (Moffat County) <br />Information in Forest Service publications and recent species-specific studies for Spiranthus diluvialis indicate that <br />none of the identified vegetation species are know or expected to occur within the vicinity of the RAG EC Mine <br />Complex. <br />Since no new disturbance of undisturbed land is planned, and no known TES species are identified as having a <br />reasonable probability of occurrence in the RAG EC Mine area, existing permitted surface disturbance and mining <br />operations should not adversely impact any TES plant species. See information presented in Exhibit 15A. <br />Range Inventories <br />The United States Department of Agriculture Soil Conservation Service completed range inventories of RAG EC's <br />mining operations. Locations of vegetation inventories are presented on the Vegetation Map (Map 20). Property <br />boundary sections and a description of range aspects for RAG EC's properties both natural and man- made are <br />included on the Vegetation Map (Map 20). <br />Range inventory information, recommendations from the Soil Conservation Service for reclamation of range effected <br />by mining, and range condition inventories conducted by Ecology Consultants, Inc. have been included in Exhibit 14, <br />Supplemental Vegetation Information. <br />0 Yampa Project Environmental Analysis <br />Ecology Consultants, Inc. was contracted by Stearns Roger, Inc. in 1978 to conduct an environmental resources <br />survey for the Yampa Project Environmental Analysis. The following narrative describes the methodology and results <br />of this environmental resources survey. <br />After a reconnaissance of the region, sites were selected for detailed studies of the structure and composition of <br />characteristic terrestrial communities. Care was taken to select locations which were representative of each <br />community-type as a whole. Because of the permanent ecological instability, which characterizes cultivated lands, <br />only natural communities were samples. It should be emphasized, that the natural biotic community surrounding the <br />RAG EC Mine site have been markedly effected by past and present agricultural and ranching practices. Vast areas of <br />natural vegetation have been replaced by an extensive dry land grain industry, especially in the lower portions of the <br />northern slope of the Williams Fork Mountains. All of the region sagebrush communities have been modified in <br />terms of species composition and coverage by livestock grazing. Study sites were located where recent grazing had <br />not been heavy. <br />Four (4) vegetation communities representing the major ecosystems in the area were selected for the study. These <br />four (4) vegetation communities were as follows: <br />11 <br />Permit Renewal RN08-05 2.04-35 01/15/09