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XL Revegetation <br /> Vegetation information reviewed by the Division can be found in Section 2.04.10, <br /> Tab 10, Volume 3; Revegetation Plan information is in Section 2.05.4 (2)(e), Tabl4, <br /> of Volume 5 of the application. <br /> Due to the fact that the Roadside and Cameo Mines were existing prior to enactment <br /> of SMCRA and the Colorado Act, no baseline vegetation data was collected from <br /> areas already disturbed by surface operations and facilities. The permittee established <br /> reference areas and gathered the appropriate baseline vegetation information prior to <br /> initial issuance of the permit. <br /> The vegetation surrounding the disturbed area is a sparsely covered salt desert <br /> vegetation type, and along the Colorado River a riparian vegetation type exists. <br /> Common salt desert species include grasses such as galleta (Hilaria 'a� mesii), Indian <br /> ricegrass (O yzopsis hymenoides) and squirreltail (Sitanian hystrix) and shrubs such <br /> as winterfat (Ceratoides Janata), shadscale saltbush (Atriplex confertifolia) and <br /> fourwing saltbush(Atriplex canescens). The riparian vegetation type is characterized <br /> by species including willows (Salix W.), cottonwoods (Po ulus W.), salt cedar <br /> (Tamarix parviflora) and bluegrass (Poa MR.). Greasewood (Sarcobatus <br /> vermiculatus)occurs along the margins of the riparian zone,and along ephemeral and <br /> intermittent drainages and adjacent colluvial toe slopes. <br /> During 1982, the permittee selected three community study areas to represent <br /> communities present prior to disturbance by mining. These study areas encompassed <br /> a greasewood shrubland community, a shadscale shrubland community, and a mixed <br /> greasewood shadscale community During the summer of 1982, the study areas were <br /> sampled for vegetative cover, herbaceous production, woody plant density, species <br /> diversity, and threatened and endangered species. After review of the community <br /> character, it was determined that these study areas would serve as reference areas for <br /> revegetation success criteria for cover and production for areas previously disturbed. <br /> Various issues of concern were identified by the Division during the mid-term review <br /> of 1995 and subsequent PR-02 review,including questions regarding the applicability <br /> of the original vegetation study areas to serve as reference areas for all current and <br /> proposed future disturbance sites. Modifications to revegetation success <br /> demonstrations, seed mixes, and various aspects of the revegetation plan were <br /> requested, along with an updated endangered plant survey covering areas of proposed <br /> future disturbance. All issues of concern raised by the Division during the PR-02 <br /> review were adequately addressed. <br /> The operator had committed within the PR-02 amendments to conduct additional <br /> vegetation studies in areas to be affected by disturbances associated with the proposed <br /> CRDA-3, but such studies were not conducted, due to the operator's subsequent <br /> decision to withdraw CRDA-3 from the permit. Less than 4 acres of additional <br /> 48 <br />