2011-06-02_APPLICATION CORRESPONDENCE - C2010089 ‎(12)‎

• Permit No: C2010089
• IBM Index Class Name: Application Correspondence
• Doc Date: 6/2/2011
• Doc Name: Vegetation Survey
• Section_Exhibit Name: Section 2.04.10
• Email Name: MLT
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

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VEGETATION SAMPLING
RESULTS
A detailed vegetation map of the proposed NHN Mine permit area is presented on Map 2.04.10 -1
- Permit Area Vegetation Map. This map documents that for the 322.18 acres corresponding to
the proposed NHN Mine permit area, there are 13 different vegetation types within the proposed
mine permit area. These corresponding vegetation types and acreages are as follows:
Reclamation - 65.55 acres; Big Sagebrush - 65.46 acres; Irrigated Pasture - 59.68 acres; Dryland
Pasture - 44.49 acres; Intensively Managed Irrigated Pasture - 37.33 acres; Wetlands - 25.14
acres; Roads - 8.21 acres; Disturbed Road Right of Way - 7.09 acres; Reclaimed Spoil - 4.42
acres; Residential / Agricultural Disturbance - 3.47 acres; Livestock Ponds - 1.03 acres;
Irrigation Ditch - 0.46 acres and Drainage Channels - 0.07 acres. With respect to the area of the
proposed NHN Mine permit area, it includes all lands within the west half of Section 25,
Township 47 North, Range 16 West and is not restricted to the lands within the fenced road right
of way. In other words, it includes some areas that will not be disturbed by mining activities.
According to the DRMS Vegetation Guideline, quantitative vegetation sampling is "generally"
required only for "major vegetation" types, which are described as "those communities whose
total aggregate area occupies more than 5% [16.09 acres] of the permit area or more than 10
acres, whichever is smaller. Application of these criteria means that there are only six major
plant communities within the proposed NHN Mine permit area. These include, in order of
descending area: Reclamation; Big Sagebrush; Irrigated Pasture; Dryland Pasture; Intensively
Managed Irrigated Pasture; and Wetlands. The "minor communities," which do not need any
vegetation sampling include: Roads; Disturbed Road Right of Way; Reclaimed Spoil;
Residential / Agricultural Disturbance; Livestock Ponds; Irrigation Ditch and Drainage
Channels.
With respect to the need for quantitative vegetation surveys on the previously mined lands within
the proposed equipment corridor, WFC has been informed by Ms. Sandy Brown of the DRMS,
that a qualitative description of the vegetation resources in this area will be sufficient as long as
the equipment corridor area does not excess five acres.
A detailed vegetation map of all of the lands located with one half mile of the proposed NHN
Mine is presented on Map 2.04.10 -2 - Adjacent Area Vegetation Map.
Field Sampling Dates. All of the field data collected in this vegetation sampling effort was
collected between October 12, 2008 and August 12, 2009. At the time of the field sampling, all
of the plants were actively growing and it is believed that the sampling was performed close to
the period of optimum plant growth, when the plant cover and production were near their peak.
Section 2.04.10 Page 7 April 2011