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_-_-. __ 111. COMMENTS-COMPLIANCE--. "_: _-_=~--_:. ~. -=-..,: .:- -.= ~-_ _Below are comments on the inspection.:The commentsincludediscvssion of observations-made- - - duringthe-inspection. Comments also describe:any-enfotcement actionstaken during the_inspection ; - : and the facts or evidence supporting.the enforcement action.- - Reve eg ration Sim Haskins and Liza Graham from the DOW along with Robert Shevling and Roy Karo of SCC, and Mike Boulay of the DMG toured the II-W South azea and other site locations to look at revegetation efforts. The focus of the site visit by DOW was to view the proposed Sage Creek/Wolf Creek revision azea (Permit Revision No. 3). The permit revision azea was viewed, which includes two large aspen stands that will be removed. The main topic was the difficulty in reestablishing aspen. The primary concern is that the existing soil conditions and hydrology of the azea will be dramatically changed by stripping vegetation and excavating the soil and overburden. The perched water table that likely supports the existing aspen will be lowered or removed altogether. Jim Haskins and Roy Kazo discussed the option of attempting to reestablish the aspen at the bottom of the basin, downslope from the existing aspen forests. This is generally where the water table reestablishes (sometimes in the form of spoil springs). This may provide the quantity of water necessary to support aspens. Roy indicated that it might be more successful to attempt a smaller aspen growth area at this location in the bottom of the basin. The idea being that this may be a more favorable site and eventually over time there would be clonal expansion. No formal decisions concerning the aspen reestablishment were made during this site visit. Permit Revision No. 3 is pending DMG approval. We then looked at a large portion of the reclaimed B Pit where SCC has various revegetation efforts underway. W e inspected a shrub establishment area that was direct seeded, an azea of live clump handling, and an area where tublings have been planted. SCC has had fairly good revegetation success at this location. At one location in the B Pit we looked at an aspen planting azea that is approximately 6 yeazs old. The aspens that have survived were no more than a foot tall. Jim Haskins pointed out that in this regraded area the necessary water table was likely removed. Adjacent to this azea a stand of aspen was left untouched. Many of them along the edge of the regraded area have died and fallen into the grove due to lack of water and draining of the water table by deeply excavating in the adjacent stripped azea. Jim had the idea of mitigating the loss of aspen by trying some burns in these azeas where aspen aze left within the pemut area. Jim indicated that this has been shown to induce sprouting and regrowth. We concluded the site visit after looking at all of the various revegetation efforts at the II-W site. Representatives of the DOW indicated that they would be in contact with the DMG if they had additional comments concerning the Sage Creek/Wolf Creek revision azea.