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Three (3) plant communities are present within the main surface operations, facilities and surrounding <br />areas. These communities are referred to as the Juniper Woodland, Mixed Shrub and Disturbed Meadow <br />communities. <br />The Juniper Woodland community exhibits such plant species as Snowberry, Gambel oak and <br />Serviceberry. The Mixed Shrub community exhibits plant species such as Gamble Oak and Serviceberry. <br />The Meadow community is dominated by annual and noxious plant species, such as bindweed, cheatgrass <br />and Japanese brome. Alfalfa and Kentucky Bluegrass are also present. <br />An area of approximately 0.31 acres is identified as wetland. This area will be disturbed, and this activity <br />will be conducted in compliance with a permit issued by the United States Army Corps of Engineers. The <br />proposed disturbed area was also surveyed for threatened and endangered plant species; however, no such <br />species were found. <br />The Division agrees with the operator's conclusion that the disturbed area for the unit train loadout is <br />similar to the Lower Meadow Community that exists at the mine site and is shown on Map No. 3, <br />"Vegetation." in the permit application package. <br />A small area was disturbed in the douglas fir vegetation community in the construction of the Freeman <br />Gulch vent shaft. <br />The lands disturbed for the unit train loadout were primarily pasture and hayland. In constructing certain <br />sections of the railroad track, some areas close to wetlands were disturbed. BRL installed sediment <br />control measures so that the wetlands were not disturbed. <br />The construction of the B-seam portal bench and the associated excavated soil storage area, approved <br />through PR-07, disturbed vegetation that is classified as being mixed shrubland. <br />In Technical Revision No. 46, a new Juniper woodland reference area was established so that the current <br />Juniper woodland reference area can be disturbed. Also in this revision, the Colorado Division of Wildlife <br />approved the use of shrub clumps instead of having a woody plant density standard. <br />Fish and Wildlife Information - <br />Detailed fish and wildlife information is presented within Section 2.04.11 of the Bowie No. 2 Mine <br />permit application document. This summary is derived from the referenced permit document section. <br />A detailed list of wildlife species known to occur within the Bowie No. 2 Mine permit area is presented in <br />Volume 111, Exhibit 9 of the permit application document. The Bowie No. 2 Mine area is located in an <br />area designated as critical range for deer and elk. The surrounding cliffs are possible nesting and/or <br />roosting sites for all species of raptors. The Colorado Division of Wildlife and the United States Fish and <br />Wildlife Service were both involved with the Bowie No. 2 Mine permit application review. <br />Correspondence from both agencies regarding the proposed Bowie No. 2 Mine is contained within <br />Volume III, Exhibit 9 of the Bowie No. 2 permit application document. <br />Specific site surveys were conducted to ascertain the presence of and potential impacts on threatened or <br />endangered wildlife species. The field surveys did not identify any such species, or predict any such <br />impacts. <br />19