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safety factor of 1.3. Merrick and Company prepared a "Report of Stability Analyses <br /> and Recommendations for Reclaimed Surface Facilities at the West Elk Coal Company, <br /> Mt. Gunnison No. 1 Mine." The report presents the results of the required stability <br /> analyses and recommendations for reclamation of the affected area. <br /> MCC proposes to return all surface disturbed areas to approximate original contour, <br /> with the exception of the waste disposal sites. <br /> XI. Revegetation <br /> Information regarding the vegetation in the West Elk Mine permit area is found in <br /> Sections 2.04.10 and 2.05.4; Exhibits 31, 32 and 33; and Maps 42, 43 and 44 of the <br /> PAP. No threatened and/or endangered plant species were found anywhere within the <br /> permit area. <br /> Success of revegetation efforts was originally based on reference areas established in <br /> July 1980 and enlarged in 1981. Reference areas were established for mixed shrub and <br /> dry meadow communities and were shown on Map 44. <br /> MCC proposed replacing the two reference areas with the use of a historic reference <br /> area, the Historic Records Study Area (HRSA), for evaluating revegetation success. <br /> Vegetation in the HRSA resembles the expected post-mining vegetation community. <br /> The HRSA is located in a former agricultural and pasture area southwest of the facilities <br /> area as shown on Map 53. Use of the HRSA was approved with PR-7 and is presented <br /> in Section 2.05, page 2.05-69 of the PAP. <br /> The following technical standards were established with TR-125 (approved in 2011) as <br /> the standards that will be used for determining revegetation success on disturbed areas <br /> of the West Elk Mine: minimum live vegetation cover of 53.04 %, minimum herbaceous <br /> production of 180.38 grams per cubic meter, and at least three perennial species of <br /> which two are cool season perennial grasses and one is a cool season perennial forb. No <br /> one component of the grass and forb species shall comprise greater than 40% relative <br /> cover, nor less than 3% relative cover. The technical standards were based on the mean <br /> of samples collected in the HRSA in 1996, 1997, 1998, and 2010. Elimination of a <br /> standard for woody shrub stem density was approved with TR-125 after the Division <br /> consulted with the Colorado Division of Parks and Wildlife and the U.S. Forest <br /> Service. <br /> The proposed post-mining land use is rangeland and wildlife habitat. Tables 48 and 49 <br /> of the PAP list the seeds and shrubs to be planted to establish this land use. The West <br /> Elk Mine also will reclaim 1.3 acres within a riparian buffer zone. The riparian seed and <br /> shrub mix is listed on page 2.05.53 of the permit document. The West Elk Mine based <br /> their selection of plant species on species listed in the baseline biological survey, species <br /> geographical range, soils, climate, slope and aspect, root competition, cover and <br /> seasonal variation. Seed mixes are also based on experience gained on West Elk Mine <br /> revegetation plots, and quantitative data collected in 1980 describing the present <br /> vegetative cover, and in terms of wildlife requirements suggested in the literature. The <br /> Division approves the use of these species based on the post-mining land use. <br /> 54 <br />