2014-11-26_REVISION - C1992080 (2)

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Name of Addressee Page 3 Date On page 1, the second paragraph of the introduction describes the location of the mine site and references figure 1. Figure 1 was not included with this appendix. Please submit figure 1 which shows the location of the mine site. 2. In section 2.2.2 of Appendix 5 -14, it states that no transects were allowed to extend within 10 feet of the reference area boundary. Using the scale provided on the 2014 Reference Area Sample Points photo, two points fall within 10 feet of the perimeter. One of the two points is in the SE corner along the southern border and the other is on the eastern border, second from the north. Please clarify if these points were used in the data set. The first hit data points were provided and are listed in Table 2 of Appendix. Using this data, the total vegetative covers values were verified. The data for the quantitative cover was not provided in the dataset and therefore could not be verified. Please provide the additional interceptions data for verification of data analysis. 4. All the data points in the data set of Table 2 are even numbers. Please include an explanation as to why all the data points are even numbers. Bromus j aponicus in Table 2 has Downy brome listed as its common name. The common name for Bromus japonicus is Japanese brome and Downy brome is the common name for Bromus tectorum. Please clarify which species was observed. 6. Table 2 has numerous mathematical errors or inconsistencies. Two examples, but not all, are listed below. Please review all the data in Table 2 and re- submit. a. The data set for graminoids is calculated differently than that of forbs and shrubs. As an example, Agropyron intermedium is listed as having 2 hits in the data set and is calculated as having an overall mean of .10 and relative cover of .60. Heterotheca villosa and Artemisia tridentate were also recorded as having 2 hits but the overall mean is .08 and overall relative cover is .60. b. The total of the overall mean column is 21.62 which does not equal the mean of the vegetation cover row of 24.5. 7. Please submit a map prepared to the standards of Rule 2.10 showing the location of the proposed reference area in relation to the permit boundary and reclaimed areas. 8. Sample adequacy for the reference area was not demonstrated. Please show the sample adequacy demonstration for the reference area cover and production.