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United States Department of Agriculture <br />O N S , ... <br />Naaturel'Resaur+ces Conservatian Service <br />AM 000:.1169mce Conservadolnist <br />P.-O. B <br />ad; CO 814 <br />January 7, 2Q07 <br />'r Who <br /> <br />V <br />jim baYd(jeo.irsde gov ..::.. <br />970321=4?r45=OFFICE <br />8Tf?32T-42?d7?t=AX ' `= - <br />o m n May Concern: <br />I was asked to comment on the Technical Revision No 55 Section ..2.05.4(2)(e)>Revegetation for <br />the New Horizon #2 Mine:of Western Fuels, Inc. After reading the-Revision, the following are <br />my observations and comments intended to clarify what I believe are. miscornmuni.dations. and <br />inaccuracies: <br />Pages 5 & 6: <br />It was stated that "irrigated hayland and pastureland are very similar in composition in many <br />cases and may be used interchangeable depending. on the operator's needs." This may be true for <br />some f ields that are g6d &V grass:,i?r groWalfalfa hay, and then also grazed by livestock 'd <br />various times of the year But there are other instances, quite com pt, when crap fields' gre <br />• managed solely as haylalk particularly alfalfa hay. This latter, condition usually occurs on the <br />better soils; and relies on a high level of management by the operator. <br />This Revision Document reACatedly uses.*0 terms:. cropland, haylaad,,and pastureland almost <br />interchangeably ant--therefore.-f & to make the appropziate distinctions 8etwe n these three <br />agricultural land use. s...The following d0fin, ens and discussion arc .,intended tti,clar% these <br />terms and encourage accurate use of their <br />rnptand: A broad tern used to identify land.whioli produces an agricultural-BOtrnnQd ty. But <br />for United States Department of Agricultural purposes, it is more speoif tally used for land that <br />is managed itrtensively with tdlage and other cultural practices to produce commodities such as. <br />vegetables, grains, hay, sire, etc. ..,,It is considered distinct from pastureland in ,hat. periodic re- <br />seeding of a crop is usually necessary to sustain a high level ,of?oduchon.Occasioiiall <br />Ya crop <br />. <br />aftermath or-residue may be=:grazed--atter..the,:crop is harvested. <br />Ha Yatiic?. A term used to descr'be Bind that is used primarily tc? d :livestock forage that is <br />mechameiy harvested and stored for later use. It is considered cropland; and a high level of <br />managerriei t {fertiiizing, irrigating, pest control, etc.), with periodic re-seeding, is usually <br />necessary to swain. production. -As 1 rt0,other cropland, _hayland may be grazed at various times <br />of the year depending on the forage grown azid the needs of the producer :.,.'The common types of <br />hay- i ? an western Calorado;include alfalfa, alfalfa/grass tni.j-and grsss (introduced antUor