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RECEIVED MAR 1 1 1996 <br />• Incidertlally, it is not taken lightly by OCM that the reference area could be <br />impacxed. However, impact is is part the recall of Ne original baseline study design. <br />The original consultants very nicely saved a previous operator money by deciding d-et <br />the affected area and the reference azea would be one iti the same. Thus, only half the <br />vegetation work was necesswy. However, because the affected area (defined as natural <br />areas immediately surrounding the actual disturbed area) is comigtrous with the <br />disturbed area, the only way to expand the mine operation in an area attached to the <br />present dlstutbanee is to drive through the reference area. <br />3. Reference area samples within the vicinity of the proposed disturbance do not <br />indicau that the location is unique or different from other portions of the rcfererrce <br />area. <br />71te portions of the reference area that are closest end moex consistent with azesa <br />proposed in he dichubed were compared to the other samples spread throughout the <br />reference area. Fnr the mountain shnrhland community, coves samples 3, 17, 6, 2, <br />and 11 and production samplev 3, 26, 22, 38, 37, 6, 27, 17, 43, 38, 39, 2, 37, and 11 <br />were in the vtcinrty of and similar in exposure to the proposed disturbance. The ck>seat <br />juniper woodland reference area samples were 6, 1, 7,and 3 far total Dover and 6, 48, <br />1, 57, 40, 7, and 3. Statistical comparison (Students t-tests per page 16 of the <br />contrasting are sempres near the proposes auwmance wtm mose tanner away rnurcaU <br />that the two sets of data arc statistically srmihtr for hMh parameters end both <br />communities. The highest calculated t value was 0.308 pW pmdtretian), well below <br />the table values at the 90% confidence level which indicates that the baseline samples <br />nearest the proposed disturbance were no differem from those found elsewhere. The <br />• disturbed areas near these rcfert;rtce samples can reasonably be expected to be very <br />similar m the portion of the reference area nearby. Therefore, rt is reasonable to <br />expect that the ptesem reference area suffiuently reflects the area in question. <br />The combinatlon of small sire and proximity to comperabk sampled areas has <br />led OCM to requost that the Division recommend that no sampling be required if the <br />disttubence is dosed in en upcoming permit revision. Please do nut hedtne to <br />contact me at the above address or phone number tf you have any concerac or <br />questiana. <br />~SiAnAcerely, <br />'v'`~~ <br />Matthew 5. Hayes <br />President <br />CC: Town Aadeisoa, OCM. <br />lim Stover, 1.E.Stover and Associates. <br />u <br />