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1 <br /> S.R. 4.15.7 (3) (b) - Revegetation: Standards for Success <br /> <br /> 1. In response to special stipulation number 9, the permittee provided an <br /> adequate statistical comparison between the 6 vegetation types and their cor- <br /> responding reference areas. On page 16 of the T.A., it says reference areas <br /> ~ii.~i be leea~ed i~c i 7/. T -- l.~$ / u r____.~„r.. n~~g 7 fTes~, bat-on-tfapa 15 <br /> and 16, they are shown throughout the permit area. Please verify, on a new map <br />t if necessary, the exact locations of the reference areas sampled in response to <br /> stipulation number 9. <br /> RESPONSE: 11~tre ~e.x. "(~.~- r+~aps on "fl.~ ~~~ cog'°n •' <br /> New vegetation maps were drafted in cdnjunction with stipulation number 9 <br /> and are on file at the mine office.// They show the exact locations of <br />' reference areas which are not confined fo Section 34, but are situated <br /> throughout the permit area at locations which will not be disturbed by <br /> mining. <br />1 <br />' S.R. 4.15.8 - Revegetation Success Criteria <br />2. Colorado Yampa states that the woody plant density was approved at 500 <br />' stems/acre as reported in response to special stipulations 9 and 11. The Divi- <br />sion cannot locate an approval for this density, or any correspondence con- <br />cerning the stipulations and woody plant density during the permit review pro- O~ <br />cess. Therefore, Colorado Yampa must provide documentation of the approval <br />and/or justification for 500 stems/acre. <br />RESPONSE: <br />In Colorado Yampa's response to Stipulation No. 11 and under Section 780.18 <br />of the Eckman Park Mining and Reclamation Plan in Permit 79-177, the <br />' methods for woody plant establishment on our reclaimed surfaces was pre- <br />sented. Documentation showing the success of these methods was provided to <br />CMLRD in a letter addressed to Mr. Richard A. Mills dated January 14, 1980. <br />These methods are seeding, seedling transplanting, and mature plant trans- <br />planting using a specially designed front-end loader. The species and <br />number of transplants and the seed mixture is presented in the above <br />references. The woody plant density resulting from these practices and <br />' from volunteer plants brought in with the topsoil and from natural plant <br />succession cannot be estimated with confidence; but from past experience, <br />it is probable that a reasonable estimate would be, except in extreme <br /> cases, between 500 and 1,000 stems per acre. Furthermore, a density of <br />' 1,000 stems per acre will provide the protective cover and the security <br /> needed by deer and elk to utilize the otherwise open reclaimed land and <br /> still meet the primary poet-mine land uae of grazing by domestic livestock <br />1 and wildlife. A woody plant community with 1,000 stems per acre would <br /> result in a mean distance between woody plants of 6.6 Eeet. This community <br /> on our reclaimed land would have in addition, tree pads placed throughout <br />the area which would serve as a source for accelerating plant succession <br />and give added escape cover and edge effect. Colorado Yampa has also <br />consulted with the Division concerning use of 1,000 stems per acre as a <br />1 1 <br />