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Mike Boulay <br />-30- October 16, 2012 <br />77. A small area on top of the coal waste pile is proposed to be seeded with the <br />Juniper Woodland seed mix. The proposed reclaimed area will not be the same <br />topography or soil type as the area presently inhabited by the Juniper Woodland <br />Reference Area. In addition, this area is very small (10.79 acres). The Division <br />questions if the Juniper Woodland type will be successful in that location. MCM <br />may want to consider returning that area to greasewood, consistent with the <br />remainder of the coal waste pile. If MCM elects to do that, a weighted- average <br />reference area for all the reclaimed areas could be applied. <br />MCM: No longer applicable, expanded coal mine waste pile is no longer included for <br />consideration. <br />78. Similar to the question above, the Division questions the feasibility of the <br />proposed shadscale reclaimed area. The proposed shadscale community is only <br />one acre (Table 4.5 -2), and the proposed seedmix is very similar to the <br />greasewood seedmix. An alternative would be to reclaim all areas to the <br />greasewood community and use a weighted average reference area. <br />MCM: No longer applicable, expanded coal mine waste pile is no longer included for <br />consideration. <br />79. There is no mention of reference area management in Rule 2.05.4. Please <br />address Rule 4.15.7(d) for reference area management on all three <br />reference areas. <br />MCM: Please see text added on page 2.05 -45. <br />Rule 2.05.5 Post Mining Land Use <br />The premining land use of the entire permit area is rangeland and fish and wildlife <br />habitat. The proposed postmining land use of the entire permit area is also rangeland <br />and fish and wildlife habitat as shown on Figure 4.1 -1 and will be achieved by <br />reclaiming the disturbed area in accordance with the reclamation plan described in <br />section 2.05.4. Three major vegetation communities will be disturbed and MCM is <br />proposing to reclaim the disturbed area to the standards of the corresponding reference <br />areas. <br />80. The land is owned and managed by the BLM. On page 2.05 -53 MCM states that <br />the BLM will have an opportunity to comment concerning the proposed <br />postmining land use during its review of the permit. The BLM is preparing an EA <br />for the proposed mine expansion project. This statement on page 2.05 -53 will <br />