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Permit Number C-1994-082 Page 11 of 17 <br />Productivity <br /> <br />Reclamation productivity success will be considered successful when annual herbaceous production <br />on BRB-1 is 90 percent or greater than the annual herbaceous production-weighted average based on <br />the four primary pre-mine vegetation type contributions to total acreage. Similar to the determination <br />of reclamation success for allowable vegetative cover, SPL utilizes a weighted average of annual <br />allowable herbaceous production for determination of productivity success. Weighted values of the <br />four primary pre-mine reference areas are based on the percentage of the pre-disturbance acreage <br />composed of each vegetation community. <br /> <br />Allowable annual herbaceous production for the 2012 BRB-1 was 432.9 pounds/acre. Calculation of <br />weighted average standard for 2012 equals 1,130.8 pounds/acre. Allowable annual herbaceous <br />production on the reclaimed BRB-1 exceeded the 90 percent of the production performance standard. <br />The allowable annual herbaceous production for the BRB was successful for 2012. <br /> <br />Allowable annual herbaceous production for the 2014 BRB-1 was 872.7 pounds/acre. Calculation of <br />weighted average standard for 2014 equals 2,257.2 pounds/acre. Allowable annual herbaceous <br />production on the reclaimed BRB-1 exceeded the 90 percent of the production performance standard. <br />The allowable annual herbaceous production for the BRB was successful for 2014. <br /> <br />Species Diversity <br /> <br />SPL uses four different tests to determine species diversity success. The first test, A, is mandatory, <br />and requires that no single plant species exceeds 60% relative cover. Two of the remaining three <br />tests, B, C, or D, must be met to achieve diversity success. Alternative test B is a comparison for <br />total species density between reference and reclaimed areas. Alternative test C is an assessment of <br />the distribution of species abundance among lifeforms in the reclaimed areas compared to reference <br />areas. Alternative test D is an assessment of the presence of native species in the reclaimed areas <br />compared to the reference areas. <br /> <br />For 2012 vegetation data, BRB-1 was successful for all four tests A, B, C, and D. The Division finds <br />the 2012 data successful for species diversity. The 2014 vegetation data for BRB-1 was successful <br />for all four tests A, B, C, and D. The Division finds the 2014 data successful for species diversity. <br /> <br />Woody Plant Density <br /> <br />Reclamation success for the establishment of woody plant species will be deemed successful for the <br />Yoast Mine when both primary and secondary criteria are met. The primary standards call for the <br />background average woody plant density to be > 200 stems per acre in upland areas, and at least 10% <br />of the bond release block to be > 1000 stems per acre of concentrated woody density outside of <br />fenced upland sites. Success is evaluated using 90 percent of the standard or 180 stems per acres <br />(background) and 900 stems per acre (concentrated), respectively. Additionally, there are three <br />secondary standards of which at least two must be satisfied if applicable. In the case of SL-6 BRB-1, <br />there is one fenced upland area that included shrubs and trees, but it is neither a designated aspen <br />planting area nor a riparian area. Thus, only a secondary standard of 945 stems per acre applies to the <br />upland fenced areas.