APPCOR11230 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

L~ August, 1951, the applicant r;onJi.cted baseline vegetation sa~,pliny for tree szgeorush ref arence areas at 'ne Eagle Mines. The quantitative results are found in appenrJix 111-br'. A qualitative description incorporating the results of this data has not been included in Section 3.L of the application although the applicant provided one during the revietr process. Section 3.3 refers to the study that will taKe place between ,iuly 1s and August i7, therefore, Section 3.d of Che pera,it application must oe amended to include the results of the baseline study along with a co~aprehensive qualitative discussion of the vegetation in the disturbed area. k vegetation survey shall be conducted for any ne~.v disturbances. empire Energy Corporation has changed the proposed revegetation plaru in the amended application. Originally reference areas were. Co serve as the ruvdyeCdLion success ;tandurd. Itid nc~r plan prupuse•, to subjoct uilldrent areas of Che disturbeu area to diFFurent success standards. ....: applicant states, on page IU-y3, that "the varied history of Che Eagle I.i..~ .. . dictates that a variety of ~uethods re used to rleter~uine revege~:ti:.; success." The Regulations, hotrever, do not allow a modification of success standards dependir~y on when the area was disturbed unless it is a previously mined area. There are alternatives to the use of a reference area descriued in Rule 4.1~.7([)(d), but the proposed standards in the, amended applicatidn are not based on any of the suggested crit.~~~. 'r. _nat rule, except for the croplands. Therefore, the proposed r•eveyetation success standards are unacceptable to the Division. Empire Enr,rgy Corp. shall sub,nit adequate revegetation success standards. ' A revegetation monitoring plan has not been proposed oy the applicant. Pursuant to Ruie +.15.1(4), each person who conducts surface coal mining operations shall periodically monitor the success of revegetation a;;d zcy otr,er related environmental parameters required by the Division. Empire Energy Corporation shall submit a revegetation monitoring plan. The proposal to submit a yraziny plan six months prior to the initiation of grazing is acceptable. It roust be noted that the Division Trust approve the plan oefore yraziny begins, because the "standard yankability test" is unacceptable 'to 'the Division for determining plant establish~itent. If the applicant can supply a reference describing the "yankability test" it r.;ay be considered and dee~nerJ acceptable otherwise, the Uivision will rely on the revegetation monitoring data and fielrJ observations, and the applicant shall remove the "yankability test" from the application. i:eferciice is ni,rde, un pages 1V-;it, and 1'J-4Y, Lu a "previously ,:ppruv.:d seed :nix". Empire Lneryy (;or-poration shall provide a description o` ti~is seed mix, the rate of seeding and where it will be used, or remove all references to fire above-referenced seed .nix from the application. Since tr,e applicant does not $n0'•Y ti~:hat CrOpS 'N111 ue planted in tt•.= cropland, the applicant shall submit the crop mix to the Division prior to seeding.