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Based on the results of the quantitative sampling, the reclamation areas exceeded the <br /> revegetation cover success criteria of 11.74 (2021) and 19.20 (2022) percent, thereby <br /> meeting the revegetation success criteria and supporting the post-mining land use. <br /> Phase III Bond Release Reclaimed Areas Reclamation Success: <br /> Total Herbaceous Production (2021 and 2022) <br /> Demonstration of herbaceous production revegetation success at the Elk Creek Mine for <br /> Phase III bond release requires that the total herbaceous production at the eligible reclaimed <br /> areas meets or exceeds the value of the total herbaceous production value calculated from <br /> the Mountain Shrub Extended Reference Area. The table below compares the vegetation <br /> cover values from the 2021 and 2022 sampling. <br /> Reclamation Success: 2021 and 2022 Total Herbaceous Production Results <br /> 2021 Extended 2022 Extended 2021 Reclaimed 2022 Reclaimed <br /> Reference Area Reference Area Areas Areas <br /> Xbar 64.91 g/m2 82.25 g/m2 172.73 g/m2 172.54 g/m2 <br /> S 19.08 g/m2 18.42 g/m2 26.11 g/m2 45.60 g/m2 <br /> Number of samples 17 17 16 19 <br /> Number of samples for 16 9 4 12 <br /> sample adequacy <br /> Based on the results of the quantitative sampling, the reclamation areas exceeded the <br /> revegetation total herbaceous success criteria of 64.91 g/m2 (2021) and 82.25 g/m2 (2022) <br /> percent, thereby meeting the revegetation success criteria and supporting the post-mining <br /> land use. <br /> Phase III Bond Release Reclaimed Areas Reclamation Success: <br /> Species Composition (2021 and 2022) <br /> The Elk Creek Mine permit document specifies that to meet the requirements of the <br /> revegetation success criterion for species composition, species composition on any <br /> applicable reclaimed areas will be successful when there are three or more perennial or <br /> biennial plant species of which two are graminoids and one is a perennial or biennial forb <br /> or shrub. No one component of the above three species should comprise greater than 60% <br /> relative cover nor less than 2%relative cover, during a given year's quantitative sampling. <br /> The following reflects the number of individual species required by the success standard <br /> and the number of individual species encountered in quantitative sampling at the reclaimed <br /> areas. <br />