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PHASE III <br /> Vegetative production and diversity at the location of the TC-1 and TC-2 wells were indistinguishable <br /> from the surroundings. <br /> The only revegetation success criterion at the East Yard Refuse Pile is the cover standard described <br /> above. According to the 2020 Vegetation Sampling Report,22 samples were collected,which satisfied <br /> sample adequacy. Total live vegetation cover of 53.00%was reported; a value which includes several <br /> noxious weed species: Bromus tectorum, Cheatgrass (2.00%); Cirsium arvense, Canada Thistle (0.18%); <br /> Cynoglossum officinale,Houndstongue (0.09%); and Convolvulus arvenssis,Field Bindweed(2.09%). <br /> Noxious weed cover was 4.36%in total, (relative cover of 8.22%). Non-noxious weed cover was <br /> 48.64%in total, (relative cover of 91.77%). The data shows that native vegetative cover in the second <br /> sampling season satisfies the revegetation success criteria(a technical standard of 19.3%total vegetation <br /> cover). <br /> Vegetation on the reclaimed boreholes,pads and roads included in Table 1 was sampled between June <br /> 13 and July 2, 2019, and again between June 15 and 28, 2020,following the same procedure as <br /> described above. Cover and species composition were determined using the point-intercept method. <br /> Herbaceous production was estimated by harvesting a 0.5 m2 plot at the origin of each cover transect, <br /> with the material dried in air until the difference in weight between successive measurements varied by <br /> no more than 0.1 g. A minimum of 15 samples were taken for each sample set, and sample adequacy <br /> was demonstrated. <br /> The extended reference area was sampled immediately adjacent to the reclaimed area sample site. <br /> Cover and production of the reclaimed area exceeded that of the extended reference area in both the <br /> sampling years: total vegetative cover in the reclaimed area was 65.25 %vs. 9.34%in the reference area <br /> in 2019, and 59.47%vs. 11.06%in 2020;total herbaceous production in the reclaimed area was 250.51 <br /> g/m2 vs. 58.07 g/m2 in the reference area in 2019, and 186.41 g/m2 vs. 59.33 g/m2 in 2020. <br /> In 2019 six cool season grass species (Agropyron smithii—western wheatgrass,Poa sandbergii— <br /> sandberg bluegrass,Agropyron spicatum—bluebunch wheatgrass,Bromus marginatus—mountain <br /> brome,Elymus cinereus—basin wildrye, and Agropyron dasystachyum—thickspike wheatgrass) and <br /> five forb/shrub species (Onobrychis viciafoliae—common sainfoin,Achillea lanulosa-yarrow, <br /> Astragalus cicer—cicer milkvetch,Aster chilensis—California aster, and Medicago sativa- alfalfa)were <br /> found with 2%<relative cover<60%. <br /> In 2020 six cool season grasses (with Dactylis glomerate—orchard grass,taking the place of thickspike <br /> wheatgrass) and seven forb/shrub species (Symphoricarpos rotundifolius—round-leaved snowberry, <br /> Aster glaucodes—blueleaf aster,Rosa woodsia—Wood's rose, and Artemisia tridentate—big sagebrush, <br /> in addition to those previously mentioned) satisfied the significance criteria. <br /> The species diversity of the reclaimed area exceeded the success standard in both of the sampling years. <br /> Summary and Conclusions <br /> C-1981-022 Page 13 of 16 <br />