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permit area in excess of premining levels as determined by baseline data or in excess of levels <br />determined on adjacent nonmined areas". <br />Although not specifically addressed in Rule 3.03, the Division evaluates topsoil replacement in <br />conformance with Rule 4.06 and permit requirements as a component of Phase 11 bond release. <br />For Phase 11 bond release, a statistically valid, hypothesis -test -based demonstration that the <br />applicable cover standard has been achieved is required. For the Bowie No. 1 Mine Phase 11 <br />bond release areas, the reclaimed areas must achieve at least 90% of the Total Plant Cover <br />Standard. Noxious weed cover may not count towards vegetation success standards. For the <br />West Mine portion of the SL -05 Phase 11 bond release, the Total Plant Cover must be > 90% of <br />the Total Plant Cover Standard of 60%. The Total Plant Cover may not include noxious weeds, <br />and annual and biennial species cover is limited. For the Run of Mine (Timber Storage Area) <br />portion of the SL -05 Phase II bond release, the area is considered to be successful if the total <br />ground cover exceeds 40% (Volume 9A, Vegetation -Part 2, page 6). The approved permit states <br />that the ground cover is required to `exceed 40%'; as such, the statistical 90% of standard that <br />typically applies to the success standard (Rule 4.15.11(2)(a)) is not applicable in this case. The <br />Total Plant Cover may not include noxious weeds, and annual and biennial species cover is <br />limited. <br />With regard to Phase II bond release, BRL provided a soil loss comparison for the areas <br />associated with the West Mine and the Run of Mine with Technical Revision No. 58, approved <br />on June 9, 2014. <br />III. OBSERVATIONS AND FINDINGS <br />The bond release inspection for this bond release application was conducted on October 28 and 29, <br />2014. During the inspection, the majority of the West Mine Vent Shaft, West Mine disturbance and <br />Run of Mine (Timber Storage Area) disturbance associated with SL -05 was visually assessed for <br />compliance with pertinent requirements. Relevant documentation developed over the life of the <br />operation, including information from operator annual reports and prior Division inspection reports, <br />has also been utilized in the compliance evaluation. Such documentation is referenced in this <br />section as appropriate. <br />The inspection review for Bowie No. 1 Mine SL -05 included a review of the Phase I bond release <br />inspection report for SL -02 and SL -04 of the Bowie No. 1 Mine, which applied to all of the lands <br />included in the SL -05 application that have been Phase I released. The Bowie No. 1 Mine SL -02 <br />Phase I bond release inspection report was issued July 7, 2003, based on an inspection conducted on <br />June 10, 2003. The SL -04 Phase I bond release inspection report was issued July 5, 2012 based on <br />the inspection conducted on June 28, 2012. All maintenance items noted in the SL -02 and SL -04 <br />inspections were checked during the SL -05 inspection. No maintenance issues were found during <br />the SL -05 inspection. <br />