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Affected Area Sampling Design for Cover <br />Cover was determined using point samples along randomly located <br />transects. A 1-meter point frame containing 10 points at 10 cm <br />intervals was used. For each point, The first vertical rod hit on <br />vegetation, litter, rock or bare ground was recorded. Along a 100- <br />meter transect, the point frame was placed every 10 meters to obtain <br />100 sample points per transect. Transects were randomly located within <br />each mapping unit. Sampling proceeded until an adequate sample size <br />had been obtained for each mapping unit. Each 100-meter transect was <br />considered as a single sample. Final vegetation cover sampling for <br />bond release will use transects 10 meters in length. The point frame <br />will be set at 1-meter intervals along this transect, with 100 point- <br />intercepts being collected for each sample point. <br />Reference Area Sampling Design for Production and Cover <br />All control areas were located so that they would not be <br />disturbed during the life of the mine. The nearest control site to any <br />mining activity is the Subirrigated Shrub control site. This control <br />site is approximately 1000 feet from the bottom of the West Ridge <br />mining area and is across Trout Creek from the mining area. The next <br />closest control site to mining activities is the Oak (Mountain Shrub) <br />control site. It is located approximately 2800 feet north of the <br />northern most affected boundary of the Moffat Area. <br />Sites for control areas were selected on the basis of species <br />present and similarity of cover based on pre-sampling of affected and <br />control areas. The control areas were able to be placed within their <br />corresponding vegetation types with the exception of the Oak (Mountain <br />Shrub) control area. The Oak control area was placed within a portion <br />of the Sagebrush/Snowberry vegetation unit because mining activities <br />were anticipated to affect all lands containing the Oak vegetation <br />unit. Although the Oak control area was not placed within its <br />corresponding vegetation type, a sufficient area within the Sagebrush/ <br />Snowberry community having the Oak vegetation type characteristics <br />2.4-10 August 18, 2005 <br />