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B. Plant Establishment <br />Colowyo will establish on all affected lands within the permit area a diverse, effective and <br />permanent vegetative cover such as is necessary and desirable to achieve the approved <br />post- mining land uses of rangeland and wildlife habitat. Details of the mine's revegetation plan <br />are discussed in Section 2.05.4 of the original PAP volumes. The permanent seed mixtures to be <br />planted are found on Tables 2.05 -7, 2.05 -8, and 2.05 -9, within the narrative of Section 2.05.4. <br />These seed mixes were approved in April 2002, within TR -52. The primary seed mix (Table <br />2.05 -7) is a diverse mix of cool season grasses, forbs, and shrubs. All of the grasses and shrubs <br />are native species; two of the eight forbs are introduced legumes (cicer milkvetch and sanfoin). <br />The introduced species make up less than 7% of the total mix on a seed per square foot basis and <br />are considered desirable and necessary to provide a component of leguminous forbs. Table 2.05- <br />8 is a list of contingency substitutions for use on a case -by -case basis if species in the primary <br />mix are not available. Table 2.05 -9 is a shrub mix to be planted in designated shrub -only <br />planting areas. Prior to 2002, introduced species made up a significantly higher percentage of <br />the primary seed mix, based both on relative number of introduced species and seeds per square <br />foot in the mix. None of the species proposed for planting are listed as poisonous or noxious <br />plants. <br />Seeding of forbs, shrubs, and grasses will be accomplished primarily by drilling during the fall, <br />with broadcast seeding of wet or steep slopes. Small seeded species such as sagebrush are to be <br />dribbled on the surface using open drill drop tubes, when drill seeding is employed. When <br />necessary, chemical fallowing will be used to eliminate vegetative competition, and fencing will <br />be used to eliminate animal predation. Grazing of reclaimed sites will not be initiated without <br />Division approval. <br />Inclusion of aggressive introduced grass species in the primary seed mix prior to 2002 resulted in <br />large areas dominated by a relatively small number of species, particularly smooth brome and <br />intermediate wheatgrass, with relatively low diversity and low woody plant density. TR -52 seed <br />mix changes approved in April 2002 have resulted in improvements in diversity and woody plant <br />density. With the submittal of TR -72, Colowyo eliminated all introduced species from their seed <br />mixes with the exception of cicer milkvetch. <br />TR -82 provided a detailed plan for the variable replacement depth of topsoil on the backfilled <br />and re- graded portions of the West Pit and South Taylor Pit. Related to the variable topsoil, <br />Colowyo also designed an area - specific seeding program. On steeper slopes (over 10 percent) <br />deeper soil is placed and the area is seeded to grassland for post- mining grazing and for erosion <br />control. On flatter slopes the areas were covered with four inches of topsoil (on average) and <br />seeded to sagebrush steppe. The sagebrush steppe areas are targeted to provide Sage Grouse <br />habitat. <br />TR -84 addressed Stipulation 13 and provided a detailed plan for the procedures and possible <br />locations for the tall mountain shrub and tree planting areas in the South Taylor Pit. During the <br />fall of 2011, Colowyo planted seedlings in a study plot in the X -pod area. The plot is <br />Proposed Decision and Findings of Compliance January 2012 <br />Permit Renewal 06 Page 149 <br />