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wheatgrasses, smooth brome fescue, cheatgrass, muhly, dry sedges, poa and squirreltail. Forbes,
<br />shrubs and trees: fringed sage, winterfat, vetch, harebell, scenecio, hairy goldenaster, gilia,
<br />waveyleafthistle, mullein, yarrow, beardstongue penstemon, vetch, butter - and -eggs, woods rose,
<br />fremont geranium, sand wort, various annual forbes, currant, gooseberry, aspen and pine.
<br />The operation is expected to have a minimal impact on wildlife during the coarse of operations.
<br />The mining operation will affect little to no change to the surface from the historical, and current
<br />exploration activities. Since minimal suitable cover exists in the immediate area of affected
<br />lands, the displacement of animals would be limited those that burrow or roost in the immediate
<br />area including ground - dwelling rodents and possibly a few birds. The use by larger foraging
<br />animals of the general area is anticipated to remain generally unchanged from routes used prior to
<br />obtaining a mining permit, and since this site has been previously disturbed, and the affected area
<br />is very small. Wildlife in the general area includes species of large mammals: mule deer, elk;
<br />small mammals: rodents, raccoon, cottontail rabbit, skunk, fox, coyote and ground squirrels; and
<br />various resident and seasonal birds including songbirds, raptors and other birds: mountain
<br />chickadee, junco, raven, mountain jays, hawks, flicker, magpie, humming birds, owls.
<br />The affected area is located on a broad southwesterly- facing slope. Surface runoff is limited to
<br />periods of snowmelt and summer pluvial events. No diversions or other on -site runoff control
<br />will be created as part of mining or final reclamation. The area and mine workings are expected
<br />to be wholly located above the static water table estimated at this area to be somewhere just
<br />above 6,900 feet above mean sea level, the elevation of the Carlton Tunnel. Limited water will
<br />be used in the operation for dust control along the access road, as necessary, and for drilling
<br />underground. It is anticipated that water for the operation will be purchased from the city of
<br />Cripple Creek and trucked to the site.
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