2015-02-05_REVISION - C1981014 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Southfield Vegetation Standards TR45 January, 2015 dominant warm season encountered in the sampling of the four undisturbed reference areas from the 2013 and 2014 Phase III bond release sampling. Based upon these site specific data, the maximum contribution for relative plant cover for a single plant species was 62.99 percent relative cover for Blue Grama, encountered in the 2013 sampling of the Refuse Pile Reference Area. Thus, on the corresponding reclaimed areas at the Southfield Mine and Loadout sites, no single plant species in the reclaimed plant community can contribute more than 62.99 percent of the total relative plant cover of any reclaimed area. REVISED WOODYPLANT DENSITYSTANDARD According to the Southfield Mine Permit pages 2.05.4 -26, 27 and 27a, there are currently three different woody plant density revegetation standards for the reclaimed areas at the Southfield Mine and Southfield Loadout. Permit page 2.05.4 -23 states that "on the Corley Property ... the landowner has requested that shrubs and trees not be reestablished" and Permit page 2.05.4- 26 says that for the "Corley property, woody plants will not be considered in the diversity and woody plant density will not be evaluated." This revision occurred in 2003 in connection with MR -49. Permit page 2.05.4 -27 says that for the Loadout Reclamation "the revised woody plant density count for the loadout area is 6.3 stems per acre." The discussion relative to the woody plant density revegetation success standards for the Refuse Pile Reclamation Area as well as the Vento Portal Reclamation Area are not clearly spelled out in the Permit, but are apparently found on Permit page 2.05.4 -27a, where the Permit states that: If the absolute value of woody plant density for the reclaimed areas is greater than or equal to that of the reference area or revised woody plant density count (grassland type) for the 90 percent confidence interval, then revegetation will be deemed adequate relative to woody plant density. This implies that the woody plant density values for the Refuse Pile Reference Area, the New Portal Reference Area and Old Portal Reference Area must be used for the determination of the final woody plant density revegetation success standard at the Southfield Mine. Sampling of the woody plant densities from these three reference areas in 2013 resulted in a total of 364.2 shrubs per acre; 6,165.6 shrubs per acre; and 6,293.1 shrubs per acre, respectively, for the three reference areas located at the Southfield Mine. Application of the area weighting factors associated with these three reference areas approved for cover and forage production in connection with TR -39, would result in a tentative possible revegetation success value of 2,794.5 shrubs per acre. Sampling of these areas in 2014, resulted in woody plant values of 338.3 shrubs per acre; 6,104.9 shrubs per acre; and 9,085.5 shrubs per acre being identified, respectively. Application of the area weighting factors associated with these three reference areas approved for cover and forage production in connection with TR -39, would result in a revegetation success value of, 0095.6 shrubs per acre. Con