2015-10-13_REVISION - C1981014 (18)

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with respect to "allowable plant cover" on the areas corresponding to the Loadout Reclamation would be 19.38% (21.53% x.90 = 19.38%). Application of the sample adequacy calculation to these data means that the number of samples needed to characterize the parameter of "allowable plant cover" for the Loadout Reference Area at the 90% confidence interval is 18.1 samples. On the Loadout Reference Area, the average forage production was 8.37 g/1/4m2 or 298.3 pounds per acre with a standard deviation of 4.76. The ultimate revegetation success standard with respect to forage production would be 7.53g/l/4m2 or 268.5 pounds per acre (8.37 g/1/4m2 X.90 = 268.5#/A). Application of the sample adequacy equation to these data would mean that the number of samples needed to characterize the forage production for the Loadout Reference Area at the 90% confidence interval was 93.4 samples. Since only 30 production samples were collected, an insufficient number of samples were collected to characterize the forage production at the 90% confidence interval as are required by the CDRMS regulations, this means that the ultimate comparison of forage production will have to be made using the "reverse null" statistical method. Loadout Reclamation Area. For the Loadout Reclamation Area, the average "allowable plant cover" equaled 25.65% with a standard deviation of 6.91. Application of the sample adequacy calculation to these data would mean that the number of samples needed to characterize the parameter of "allowable plant cover" for the Loadout Reclamation Area at the 90% confidence interval is 21.4 samples. Since 23 samples were collected on Loadout Reclaimed Area, it can be concluded that a sufficient number of samples were collected to characterize the parameter of "allowable plant cover" at the 90% confidence interval as are required by the CDRMS regulations and the ultimate comparison for "allowable plant cover" can be made by direct comparison. Since sample adequacy for "allowable plant cover" was achieved for the Loadout Reference Area (N=21 and Nm=11.2) and also for the Loadout Reclaimed Area (N=23 and Nm=12.7) the ultimate successfulness of the revegetation efforts with respect to "allowable plant cover" can be made by direct comparison. Since the average "allowable plant cover" value from the Loadout Reclaimed Area (25.65%) exceeds that of the Loadout Reference Area (21.38%), it can be concluded that the first year's Phase III revegetation monitoring demonstrates that the Loadout Reclaimed Area can be deemed to be successful respect to the parameter of allowable plant cover. On the Loadout Reference Area, the average forage production equaled 8.37 g/1/4m2 or 298.3 pounds per acre with a standard deviation of 4.76. Application of the sample adequacy equation to these data (N=30 and Nm=55.6) means that the ultimate comparison of forage production must be made using the "reverse null" statistical method. On the Loadout Reclamation Area, the average forage production equaled 12.81 g/1/4m2 or 456.5 pounds per acre with a standard deviation of 5.07. Application of the sample adequacy equation to these data (N=30 and Nm=26.9). With respect to the successfulness of revegetation efforts on the Loadout Reclamation 2013 Study Area, since sample adequacy was not achieved for the forage production sampling of the Loadout Reference Area (N=30 and Nm=55.6) but was achieved for the Loadout Reclaimed Area (N=30 and Nm=26.9), the reverse null statistical approach must be used. Application of the "reverse null" statistical approach documents that the forage production for the Loadout Reclaimed Area, the tc value equals 5.7038. Since the calculated the t,, value (5.7038) from the Loadout Reclaimed Area, exceeds the t, value (0.854), it can be concluded that Loadout Reclaimed Area, satisfies the revegetation success standards for forage production. The Southfield Mine Permit contains two species diversity standards for the Southfield Loadout Area. The four most dominant species cannot "comprise no more than 80% of the total species composition" The four dominant plant species on the Loadout Reclamation Area, collectively contribute 79.60% of the total plant cover. Since this value is less than 80%, the four dominants species diversity test has been satisfied for the Loadout Reclamation Area. Since there is a 26