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Proposed Revision to the Approved Seed Mix: <br /> Following is a revised seed mix for the Grisenti Farms Gravel Pit. The current seed mix is under <br /> performing and plant establishment is likely not sufficient to achieve reclamation liability <br /> release. In addition, the proposed seed mix revision simplifies seeding by reducing two seed <br /> mixes to one. The concept behind two seed mixes was to have a general seed mix for non-salt <br /> affected soils and a separate seed mix for salt affected soils. In reality, it will be difficult for <br /> field personnel to identify saline soils. I believe the preferred approach is to select species for <br /> seeding which are adapted to all site conditions, dry, moist, saline, alkaline, sandy, or clayey or <br /> some soil texture in between. <br /> The revised seed mix includes species which are the drought tolerant, adapted to moderate levels <br /> of alkaline or saline soils and can handle a broad range of soil types. I believe this is a logical <br /> approach since the plant growth material which will be replaced for seeding will be somewhat <br /> mixed and homogenized by the topsoil removal, stockpiling and replacement process. As such, <br /> soil sampling and testing to identify specific plant growth material type(texture, saline, or <br /> alkaline)will not conveniently yield discrete types of soil for field reclamation seeding. <br /> Therefore, a seed mix which is designed to meet the overall gross soil site's characteristic and <br /> helps in the establishment of plant species necessary to obtain reclamation liability release is <br /> desired. The ultimate goal of site reclamation is to establish a plant community which will <br /> achieve site stability, the post mining land use (rangeland), and the other aspects of the approved <br /> reclamation plan. Once the above goals are achieved, the site should be ready to file for <br /> reclamation liability release. <br /> The first table shows the existing and approved seed mix. The items in red are the species which <br /> I recommend to delete. The species in green are the species which should be retained. In <br /> development of the revised seed mix, we chose those plant species which are documented to <br /> establish with the least amount of annual precipitation and are suitable to a wide range of soil <br /> types. <br /> The second table is the recommended list of plant species to plant on the remaining Grisenti <br /> Farms Gravel Pit areas and areas where past seedings have failed or where interseeding is <br /> recommend. <br /> The last table compares all the species recommend to retain, recommended to delete and <br /> recommended to add. <br /> 4 <br />