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located along 100 -foot -long transects. Similar methodology should be employed when <br />determining post -reclamation success. <br />Colowyo will employ similar methods and reclamation success standards to the Collom permit <br />expansion area. Cover and productivity parameters will be determined by acreage -weighted <br />comparison to three reference areas: Mountain Shrub reference area, Sagebrush reference area <br />and Grassland reference area. The proportion of the pre -mining plant communities in the area <br />proposed to be disturbed by the PR -04 mine plan represented by the reference areas is 39 percent <br />Mountain Shrub, 47 percent Sagebrush, and 14 percent Grassland. The weighted reference area <br />approach will be utilized for revegetation success comparison on the reclaimed Grassland <br />community. The reclaimed Sagebrush steppe community will be compared directly to the <br />Sagebrush Reference Area. <br />Herbaceous cover on the reclaimed Collom permit expansion area Grassland community will be <br />considered adequate for final bond release if it is not less than 90 percent of the herbaceous cover <br />from the three acreage -weighted reference areas with a 90 percent statistical confidence <br />(standard student's t-test comparison of the means), as described in Section 4.14.8, Volume 15. <br />Herbaceous cover on the targeted Sagebrush steppe community will be considered adequate for <br />bond release if it is not less than 70 percent of the Sagebrush reference area's herbaceous <br />production with a 90 percent statistical confidence (standard student's t-test comparison of the <br />means). These success criteria are in agreement with Rule 4.15.8(3)(a)(ii). <br />Herbaceous production on the reclaimed Collom permit expansion area Grassland community <br />will be considered adequate for final bond release if it is not less than 90 percent of the <br />herbaceous production from the three acreage weighted reference areas with a 90 percent <br />statistical confidence (standard student's t-test comparison of the means), Section 4.14.8, <br />Volume 15. Herbaceous production on the targeted Sagebrush steppe community will be <br />considered adequate for bond release if it is not less than 70 percent of the sagebrush reference <br />area's herbaceous cover with a 90 percent statistical confidence (standard student's t-test <br />comparison of the means). <br />The targeted reclaimed Collom permit expansion area Grassland community will be exempt from <br />a woody plant success standard. The Sagebrush steppe reclaimed community "core" areas as <br />defined in 4.15.8 of the PAP require 500 live woody plants per acre. In "ecotonal" areas, the <br />reclamation standard is 375 woody plants per acre. Colowyo commits to establishing <br />approximately 350 acres of Sagebrush steppe (core and ecotonal) in the Collom disturbance area. <br />The Diversity standard applicable to the reclaimed Collom permit expansion area Grassland <br />community shall be: <br />a) At least three native cool season perennial grasses with between 3 percent and 50 percent <br />PR -04, Colowyo Coal Mine C1981-019 57 August 2016 <br />