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Greg L,ewick-i And Associates, PLIL.0 <br />1 1.541 \1 ;uric-,tun Court Phone: (303) 344 -5, 190 'r ax 1303 �- 34(b -034 <br />11,irKer, ( U : \ 80138 C - NLid: info it [CNN ICIJ.hii <br />June 14, 2013 FtECE�vED <br />Marcia Talvitie o 18 M3 <br />Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining, and Safety <br />1313 Sherman St, Rm 215 p'oSION Of k ClA►AA'O <br />Denver, CO 80203 C ;114D <br />Re: New Horizon Mine — Permit No. C- 1981 -008 <br />Minor Revision No. 86 (MR -86) — Vegetation Sampling and Pasture Management <br />Preliminary Adequacy Review Response <br />Dear Ms. Talvitie <br />Western Fuels - Colorado (WFC) received comments from the Division of Reclamation, Mining, <br />and Safety regarding the revision of management and vegetation sampling details in the New <br />Horizon Mine permit. These comments and WFC's responses are shown below. <br />1. For both Irrigated Pasture and Dryland Pasture areas, the revised plan indicates that <br />herbaceous production sampling will be done along a randomly placed transect. If <br />production will be measured along the same transect where cover is measured, then the <br />individual taking the samples should collect the cover measurements prior to collecting <br />vegetation clippings for production. Alternatively, the production quadrats could be <br />placed at a set distance offset from the transect, where clipping activity will not interfere <br />with the cover measurements. The text needs to be updated to clarify this methodology. <br />Cover sampling will be conducted prior to production sampling on the same transect. The text <br />has been revised to indicate this. <br />2. For both Irrigated Pasture and Dryland Pasture herbaceous production sampling, the <br />revised plan indicates that three and perhaps five sample points may be taken along a <br />given transect. The permit needs to clarify how the number of sample points per transect <br />will be determined, and why a certain number of sample points will be taken. For <br />example, in what instance would three sample points be collected, and in what instance <br />would four or five sample points be collected? <br />The minimum number ofproduction samples along a transect will be three, with more samples <br />taken if they qualified biologist needs more sample data to accurately describe the transect. The <br />number of samples per transect will be predetermined <br />In regards to the herbaceous production quality standard, the revised plan indicates, "At <br />least 75% of the relative production as compared to the production obtained from the <br />