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The applicant proposed an extended reference area concept, which was approved by the <br />Division. As approved, the applicant will utilize all undisturbed vegetation communities <br />(representing those to be disturbed by mining) within the permit area as components of <br />"extended reference areas". The components of the extended reference areas will be <br />represented by a minimum of 100 acres of undisturbed aspen community, 300 acres of <br />big sagebrush/grassland community, 450 acres of mixed brush community, and 150 acres <br />of western wheatgrass/alkali sagebrush community. In the II -W South Extension area, <br />the extended reference area will be represented by a minimum of 230 acres of aspen forest, <br />300 acres of mountain brush, 150 acres of steep mountain brush, 200 acres of sagebrush <br />and 100 acres of wheatgrass/alkali sagebrush. <br />The permanent seed mixes are composed predominantly of native species, and the few <br />introduced species included are desirable and necessary to achieve the approved post - <br />mining land use, and are not poisonous or noxious. Two years of monitoring data for <br />various reclaimed areas at the former Seneca II mine which were seeded with the proposed <br />alfalfa variety (Medicago falcata) at the rate of .25 lbs/acre indicate that falcata alfalfa <br />does not compete excessively with other seeded species. Given its value as a nitrogen <br />fixer and as wildlife forage, inclusion of the species in the seed mix is warranted. <br />In TR -32, SP committed to notify the Division each year with the seed mixes they can <br />obtain from vendors. If the mix does not match the approved seed mix, SCP will submit <br />a minor revision to the Division for species approval prior to seeding. The complete seed <br />mix used in each reclaimed area is also listed in the Annual Reclamation Report. <br />Revegetation success criteria, monitoring plans and methods of comparison for testing <br />revegetation success are addressed in Tab 22. Cover and production success for the major <br />mine area vegetation communities will be based on weighted -average reference area <br />comparisons as described in Tab 22. The revegetation success standards are in agreement <br />with Rule 4.15.7(1). The cover standard for mine area reclamation and south extension <br />area reclamation will be based on comparison of "all -hit" reference area herbaceous cover <br />to "all -hit" reclaimed area total vegetation cover. <br />Species diversity standards for the mine area, south extension area and tie -across haul <br />road rangeland reclamation were substantively revised and clarified in TR -50. The basis <br />and specifics of the diversity evaluation approach are described in Tab 22. Success <br />demonstration will require that reclaimed areas meet one mandatory test (Test A - No <br />single species > 60% relative cover) and at least two of three alternative tests based on <br />species density (Test B - Total species density reference area comparison; Test C — <br />Species abundance/life form reference area similarity index comparison; and Test D — <br />Cumulative number of native species in reclaimed area density plots vs. average number <br />of native species in reference area density plots). <br />The woody plant density standard was approved in TR -26, in response to Stipulation No. <br />23 of the permit. The overall woody plant density for the reclaimed area was initially set <br />at 450 stems/acre. In all concentrated planted areas, as shown on Exhibits 22-1 and 22- <br />1A, the woody plant density standard was set at 2,000 stems/acre. In the mesic drainage <br />32 <br />