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through the planting of a cover crop. Either an annual grain or a sterile grass hybrid <br /> (Agrogvron x Triticum) was used. Straw mulch was also used in lieu of a cover crop at a <br /> rate of 2000 lbs. per acre and crimped or secured with a tackifier. This meets the <br /> requirement of Rule 4.15.4. <br /> Reclamation Success Standards <br /> The Division previously approved Seneca Property, LLC's plan to determine revegetation <br /> success for cover and production through the use of reference areas in compliance with <br /> Rule 4.15.7. Seneca Property, LLC will utilize the concept of extended reference areas. <br /> The extended reference area embodies all areas outside of the approved disturbance area <br /> yet within the mine permit boundary. Seneca Property, LLC has suitably demonstrated <br /> that the extended reference area is statistically representative of the pre-mine communities <br /> in the mine disturbance area. The minimum acreages available for the extended reference <br /> area vegetation types will be:Aspen woodland (100 acres), Mountain Brush (600 acres), <br /> Sagebrush (200 acres), and Steep Mountain Brush(30 acres). <br /> Cover <br /> For the shrub grassland reclaimed type that is dominant in the reclaimed mine area, cover <br /> and production reclamation success standards will be based on comparison of the <br /> reclaimed areas with the four extended reference areas, in agreement with Rule 4.15.7(3). <br /> Reclamation success standards for species diversity and woody plant density shall be <br /> based on technical standards agreed upon between Seneca Property, LLC and the Division, <br /> as allowed by Rule 4.15.7(2)(d)(i). <br /> The shrub grassland cover standard will be calculated on an area weighted basis. This <br /> method is in compliance with Rule 4.15.7(4)(b). Only the four dominant pre-mining <br /> vegetation types (mountain brush, aspen woodland, steep mountain brush, and sagebrush) <br /> will be utilized in the weighting calculation to establish the cover standard for the <br /> reclaimed shrub grassland type. Average all hit total vegetation cover in the reclaimed <br /> area will be compared to the weighted average all hit herbaceous cover in the reference <br /> area. <br /> The cover comparison standard for the reclaimed mesic drainage areas will be based on <br /> the area weighted average all hit herbaceous cover of the undisturbed mesic drainage type <br /> and the improved pasture/sub-irrigated type (pursuant to Rule 4.15.7(4)(b)). <br /> Revegetation success for cover in the reclaimed portions of the haul road corridor will be <br /> demonstrated by comparing the all hit herbaceous cover in the haul road corridor reference <br /> area to the all-hit total vegetation cover of the reclaimed lands within the haul road <br /> corridor. The vegetation cover in the reclaimed area haul road corridor will be considered <br /> successful if it is not less than 90 percent of the cover standard with 90 percent statistical <br /> confidence. <br /> Production <br /> Reclamation success for production in the shrub grassland reclaimed areas will be <br /> evaluated by comparing herbaceous production in the reclaimed area to the weighted <br /> average herbaceous production in the extended reference area. Herbaceous production will <br /> be estimated by clipping the current year's above-ground biomass in randomly located '/2 m2 <br /> 24 <br />