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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 />postmining land use of wildlife habitat and rangeland. Details of the mine's revegetation plan are <br />discussed beginning on page 2.05 -42 of Section 2.05.4 of the original Permit volumes. The <br />permanent seed mixtures to be planted are found on Tables 2.05 -7, 2.05 -8, and 2.05 -9, within the <br />narrative of Section 2.05.4. These seed mixes were approved in April 2002, within TR -52. The <br />primary seed mix (Table 2.05 -7) is a diverse mix of cool season grasses, forbs, and shrubs. All <br />of the grasses and shrubs are native species; two of the eight forbs are introduced legumes (Cicer <br />milkvetch and sanfoin). The introduced species make up less than 7% of the total mix on a seed <br />per square foot basis, and are considered desirable and necessary to provide a component of <br />leguminous forbs. Table 2.05 -8 is a list of contingency substitutions, for use on a case -by -case <br />basis, if species in the primary mix are not available. Table 2.05 -9 is a shrub mix, to be planted <br />in designated shrub -only planting areas. Prior to 2002, introduced species made up a <br />significantly higher percentage of the primary seed mix, based both on relative number of <br />introduced species, and seeds per square foot in the mix. None of the species proposed for <br />planting are listed as poisonous or noxious 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. Bare root, <br />containerized and mature stock and shrub clumps will be used to establish shrub and tree species. <br />When necessary, chemical fallowing will be used to eliminate vegetative competition, and <br />fencing will be used to eliminate animal predation. Grazing of reclaimed sites will not be <br />initiated without 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. <br />Additional specialized revegetation strategies have been approved to enhance vegetative <br />diversity and woody plant establishment on the reclaimed landscape. Beginning in 2010, CCC <br />conducts variable topsoil depth replacement. Topsoil replacement depth is thinnest (0 -4 inches <br />deep) on the ridge tops and flatter (less than 10% slope) terrain. Steeper slopes will have topsoil <br />increasing from thin at the top of the slope to deeper depths down the length of the slope. The <br />approved seed mix to be planted into the variable topsoil areas reflect the planned community re- <br />establishment, sagebrush steppe, or grassland. The operator worked with the Division and <br />Colorado Division of Wildlife (merged with the Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation and <br />renamed the Division of Parks and Wildlife in during 2011) to formulate improved seed mixes <br />and initiate a shrub establishment study (TR84). The shrub study was installed in November <br />Colowyo Coal Mine C1981 -019 PR -03 61 April 10, 2013 <br />