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Mike Boulay -11- October 16, 2012 <br />MCM: Please see discussion beginning on page 2.04 -33, and letter from NRCS shown <br />in Appendix L. <br />25. Based on a letter from USDA/SCS on December 15, 1980, the area to be <br />affected by the Coal Mine Waste Pile was determined to be non prime farmland. <br />Please have the USDA/NRCS provide an updated letter regarding prime <br />farmlands for the proposed revision area. <br />MCM: Please see NRCS letter, Appendix L. According to their soils map, there is one <br />soils type which is considered Prime Farmland, if irrigated, that runs through the permit <br />area. According to Rule 2.04.12(2) land shall not be considered prime farmland where <br />the applicant can demonstrate (a) the land has not been historically used as cropland. <br />No lands within the permit area have been historically used as cropland. Therefore, <br />CAM requests the DRMS make a negative Prime Farmland determination. (The area <br />discussed is in relation to a surface facilities expansion that is no longer planned. <br />However, MCM will incorporate the NRCS finding into the permit document). <br />Rule 2.04.10 Vegetation Information <br />Please remove Appendix U from consideration, as it was submitted in 2010. The <br />questions pertaining to the Vegetation Report prepared for the surface facilities <br />expansion are no longer applicable as a surface facilities expansion is no longer <br />planned. Therefore, section 2.04.10 has been revised to incorporate vegetation <br />information from Section 4 of the approved permit document. <br />The baseline vegetation information for PR -2 is found in Appendix U. The baseline <br />vegetation sampling was conducted during June - August 2010 on the proposed coal <br />refuse pile expansion area of approximately 41.17 acres located immediately to the <br />south and east of the existing McClane Canyon Mine office building. Two major plant <br />community types, Greasewood Vegetation type and a Juniper Woodland plant <br />community, were sampled along with two corresponding reference areas. The waste <br />pile will be returned to a rangeland and fish and wildlife habitat land use. The reference <br />area approach will be used to document final revegetation success for each community <br />type. <br />26. Figure 4.5 -3, Vegetation, Area South of Portal Haul Road, shows the baseline <br />vegetation community and two proposed reference areas. Additional information <br />is requested as listed below. <br />a. Include isometric lines for sufficient adjacent areas around the <br />greasewood reference area for comparison of topography to proposed <br />greasewood disturbance area as per 2.04.10(3). <br />b. Include a detailed view of the Greasewood Reference Area at the same <br />scale as the Juniper Woodland Reference Area detailed view. <br />