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7.0 Certification of Proposed Plans <br />NRCS Certification of the plans proposed in this section can be found in Attachment 2.06.6-2. <br />8.0 NRCS Determination of Prime Farmland Productivity <br />The productivity of the reclaimed prime farmland areas will be measured against a reference area <br />of prime farmland soils on the south side of the Morgan property. This reference area has been <br />analyzed by the NRCS, DRMS, and qualified soil scientists, and has been determined to be <br />representative of the prime farmland soils found within the permit area. Since this reference area <br />is not available for vegetative study at the time of PR 08, the determination of its validity as a <br />reference area is based entirely on analysis of its soils. <br />Attachment 2.06.6-3 contains the NRCS determination of the reference areas validity for <br />comparison with prime farmland areas of the permit. <br />9.0 Return of Soil Productivity <br />The return of soil productivity on prime farmland will be based on whether the Irrigated <br />Cropland post mine land use is achieved. In order for the Prime Farmland Irrigated Cropland to <br />be considered successful, it must meet or exceed 100% of the production of the reference area <br />production within the 90% confidence interval. It must meet this standard over a three year <br />average. Considering that the Irrigated Cropland reference area is undisturbed prime farmland <br />soils on the same property (part of the same post mine fields), this should be more than sufficient <br />to demonstrate the return of prime farmland soil productivity. <br />9.1 Revegetation Success Determination Procedures for Prime Farmland <br />Starting at least three years prior to bond release, data will be gathered on an annual basis to <br />determine average crop production for the prime farmland areas. An average of the 3 years total <br />production will be calculated and compared to the 3 year average reference area production. <br />Production success for the reclaimed prime farmland will be achieved if direct comparison of the <br />3 year average production equals or exceeds 100% of the reference area 3 year average <br />production. This complies with Rule 4.25.5(3)(d) for prime farmland, which takes precedence <br />over Rule 4.15.9 when prime farmland is involved. If the 3 year average of the reclaimed area <br />does not meet or exceed the 3 year average reference area production, the field will be managed <br />in the 4th year using the same procedures described in the management plan of Subsection 5.7.1 <br />for the final three years of bond liability period. Production data will be collected as described <br />above for that year. The new average will be calculated from the crop production values <br />determined for the three cropping years immediately prior to the bond release application. If this <br />3 year average is equal to or exceeds (within the confidence interval) the same 3 year average of <br />January 2016 (TR -70) 2.06.6-4 <br />