Laserfiche WebLink
wildlife habitat were the premine land use for the State Land Board surface. The permit <br />boundary (and disturbance) crosses U.S. Highway 40 and Routt County Road 37 and 51. These <br />public roads and associated right -of -ways are important regional transportation corridors. <br />Neither the Department of Transportation nor Routt County has any intention of abandoning <br />either road. <br />(The following was summarized from the approved Seneca II -W Permit, Tab 22, Postmining <br />Land Use). The general criteria for revegetation of the TAHR are based on the following: <br />The actual surface area disturbance will be minimal (about 96.6 acres), thus making the <br />regarding and seeding of the area fairly simple. Areas of native vegetation dominated by <br />sagebrush will be seeded to species for foraging by livestock and big game. Over time, <br />sagebrush will easily invade these seeded areas from the surrounding stands of undisturbed <br />sagebrush because of the relatively narrow width of disturbance. Frishknecht (1963) and <br />Mueggier (1956) found that sagebrush easily reinvades areas that are disturbed and that seed will <br />be contained in the soil as well as also being windborne into the area. Reclaimed cropland will <br />incorporated into farming operations as soon as respreading of topsoil occurs. Depending on the <br />season and the location of the reclaimed area in a management unit, it may either be seeded to a <br />grain crop or incorporated into a summer fallow program. The meadow, greasewood, and other <br />lowland types will be seeded with species adapted to wet saline or alkaline conditions. (See <br />Exhibit 20 -2, Post - Disturbance Vegetation — Haul Road Corridor) <br />The postmining land use, achieved through the reclamation and revegetation plans, will thus <br />provide for the highest possible economic return to the postmine land user. It will also improve <br />livestock and wildlife forage resources; aid in mitigating impacts to wildlife; ensure the <br />establishment of vegetation that is diverse and self- sustaining; and will provide the components <br />to reestablish the native plant communities over time through process of natural succession. <br />At the time of facility and haul road closure and final reclamation, HGT will submit letters <br />regarding proposed postmine land use to the owners of record. The comment letters regarding <br />postmine land use received from surface owners will be inserted into Appendix 20 -1A, <br />Comments on Postmining Land Use, upon receipt. <br />PR -01 2 Revised 10 /11 <br />