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C- 2010 -089 PAR Part 1 <br />New Horizon North Mine <br />23- Dec -2010 <br />Page 13 of 21 <br />1. The diversity standard Proposed in PAP Sec. 2.04. 10 p. 4 is unclear. Please elaborate on the <br />proposed diversity standard stated as "The reclaimed plant community shall be composed of <br />at least the dominant species comprising at least 5% of the relative plant cover." <br />2. In Section 2.04.10 (pages 1, 7, and 9 -18), the operator states that there are seven (7) major <br />vegetation communities comprising >5% of the proposed mine area or >10 acres, but then <br />only describes six (6) major vegetation communities. Please bring this section into <br />agreement. Are there seven major communities, or are there six? If there are seven, please <br />include a description of the seventh. <br />3. In Section 2.04. 10 p.I 1 of the PAP, litter measured on the big sagebrush vegetation type is <br />reported as 33.4724.67 %. The Division is unsure what the litter value is meant to be. Please <br />correct and resubmit this page of the application. <br />4. Please resubmit Table 2.04.10 -9: Irrigated Pasture Cover page 49; Part of this table was <br />obstructed during PAP compilation. Please resubmit Appendix Table 2.04.10 -9 so all of the <br />data is legible. <br />5. On Map 2.04.10 -2, titled "Adjacent Vegetation ", there is a mapping unit identified as JSB <br />that is not defined in the legend. Please add this mapping unit to the legend and define this <br />mapping unit. <br />6. Rule 2.04.10(2) requires reference areas to be shown on a map. Neither proposed reference <br />area is located within the proposed permit area. The maps illustrating the proposed <br />reference areas, Map 2.04.10 -3 and Map 2.04.10 -4, do not show where the reference areas <br />are located with respect to the proposed permit area. Please include a map or a drawing <br />showing the location of the proposed reference areas relative to the proposed mine location. <br />2.04.11 — Fish and Wildlife Resources Information <br />This section will be incorporated into Part 2 of the Division's PAR. <br />2.04.12 — Prime Farmland Investigation <br />Reference to NRCS Soil Survey of Montrose County, Colorado shows one soil mapping unit <br />found on the proposed permit area is listed as "prime farmland if irrigated ". This soil <br />mapping unit corresponds to the Nyswonger 1 -4% slopes. WFC provided a demonstration <br />to declassify this mapping unit as prime farmland on the proposed permit area. WFC <br />provided data from soil test pits, chemical analysis from baseline soil sampling, historic land <br />use information, lack of irrigation on this mapping unit, and slopes that exceed the prime <br />farmland definition. The Division also notes that NRCS Montrose County, Colorado Soil <br />Survey continues to show the "Rice Tract" reclaimed lands in S 1 /2 SW 1 /4 Section 25 T47N, <br />R 16W of the New Mexico P.M. as Nyswonger soils. The reclaimed NEI land would not <br />have the same soil properties as undisturbed Nyswonger soils. WFC's soil survey did not <br />identify any soils that qualify as Nyswonger, or any other mapping units that qualify as <br />prime farmland (irrigated or not). As required by Rule 2.04.12(3), please provide a letter <br />from WFC to the local NRCS representative requesting a negative determination for prime <br />farmlands. The NRCS response regarding prime farmlands must also be included in the <br />permit application package. <br />