2024-04-02_REVISION - M1977493 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Permit M-1977-493—Climax Mine Technical Revision 37 (TR-37) applied and seed will be spread. The seed mixture used will be appropriate to the elevation of the road. Vehicular access to reclaimed roads will be restricted. E-12 Reclamation Monitoring and Success Standards Bond release standards have not been detailed in previous permitting documents and no specific financial warranty release guidelines have been set for the Climax Mine reclamation program. However, given Climax's experience and success with reclamation over the past 20 years, many areas could potentially meet DRMS performance standards. The monitoring methods and success standards proposed here are based on industry- accepted techniques and standards as well as 10 years of reclamation success monitoring conducted by Climax personnel and consultants. The results of Climax's reclamation success monitoring clearly meet the intent and requirements of DRMS rules contained in Section 3.1.10 (1). E-12.1 Monitoring Methods Reclamation success at Climax will be based on quantitative and qualitative evaluations in the field. Reclamation monitoring units (RMUs) will be established from one or more reclaimed areas based on year(s) of revegetation, soil amendment(s), slope and aspect, and seed mixture(s) used. Each RMU will be monitored separately and compared to an ecologically equivalent reference area. Several ecologically equivalent reference areas will be established on Climax property representing the variety of anticipated post-reclamation vegetation communities, elevations, aspects, and/or slopes. E-12.1.1 Quantitative Monitoring Vegetative cover(by species) and ground cover(including litter and rock) will be evaluated using point-intercept methods along a line transect. First hit cover data will be collected along 10 randomly located 50-meter transects in each RMU and each reference area. Two data points will be collected 0.5 meters to either side of the transect at each meter for a total of 100 points per transect. All species occurring within 1 meter on either side of each cover transect (100 square meters [m2] area)will be recorded as a measure of species frequency and diversity. In selected reclamation areas with high surface rock content and slopes steeper than 2.5H:1 V, data may be collected for a Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) analysis. These areas may be evaluated for both vegetation cover and surface stability using the RUSLE analysis. E-12.1.2 Qualitative Monitoring Each RMU and reference area will be qualitatively evaluated as well. Qualitative vegetation monitoring will include: ■ compilation of a list of plant species for each RMU or reference area that will serve as an indicator of each RMU's floral diversity ■ site photographs representative of the reclaimed vegetation communities establishing within the RMU taken from established reference points E-12.2 Success Standards Revegetation at Climax will be considered successful for release of financial warranty if the vegetation cover (excluding noxious weeds) on the RMU is greater than or equal to 80% of the vegetation cover on the appropriate reference area. Comparisons between RMUs and reference areas will be made using Mann-Whitney statistical tests (McDonald et al. 2003). Species frequency data will also be used to illustrate that a diverse community has been created on each RMU. E-12.3 Monitoring Schedule and Deliverables Financial warranty release monitoring may occur five full growing seasons after revegetation is completed or anytime thereafter when Climax feels that the revegetation effort has established a diverse, effective, and self- sustaining vegetative cover. Climax will provide a courtesy notification to DRMS in writing at least 30 days prior to the initiation of this release monitoring. Climax may also perform interim vegetation monitoring to assist in refining reclamation techniques and maintenance needs. Exhibit E E-15 March 2024