PERMFILE49643

• Permit No: C1982057A
• IBM Index Class Name: Permit File
• Doc Date: 10/4/2004
• Section_Exhibit Name: Tab 22 Revegetation Plan
• Media Type: D
• Archive: Yes

to the Division's Adequacy Review letter. The response, prepared as a demonstration of
extended reference area and mine affect area comparability, was approved by the Division in
the June 3, 1991 second adequacy review letter to Peabody. Appendix 22-2 contains the
information which supports the above-referenced demonstration. Tab 10, Vegetation, and in
particular, Appendix 10-9, contains the data which were used in the comparability assessment
for the II-W affected and extended reference areas.
In similar fashion, the II-W South Extension Area will use the extended reference area (ERA)
approach to assess revegetation success for the cover and production performance standards.
However, for the South Extension Area, the applicable extended reference area will be that
portion of the South Extension Area permit area not to be affected by mining and sampled as
an ERA during baseline vegetation studies Isee Tab 101. In other words, upland reclamation of
other areas will be judged either by the II-W ERA or by specific baseline datasets as detailed
elsewhere. Comparability of the II-W South Extension Area affected areas and the ERA for
each of the six vegetation types is assessed in Tab 10.
The extended reference area approach maximizes the use of extensive undisturbed lands within
the permit area for a more valid comparison of native vegetation to reclaimed lands. Mining of
recoverable coal seams is more or less centered in the southern and northern portions of the
permit area. Additional mine-related disturbances for facilities, haul roads, sediment ponds,
topsoil stockpiles, and all grading disturbance are located adjacent to these northern and
southern areas. The total maximum disturbance area is illustrated on Exhibits 22-1 and 22-1A.
As can be seen from review of this exhibit, considerable undisturbed areas will remain after
mining-related disturbances. These undisturbed areas represent similar ranges of soils,
elevations, aspects, slopes, and phases of the representative vegetation communities in the
affected areas. All premine vegetation communities are represented in these undisturbed areas
loverlay Exhibit 10-1 with 22-11. The extent of these undisturbed vegetation communities and
the close proximity to the reclaimed areas provide the best comparison to premine site and
vegetation conditions possible. Peabody has surface control of all lands to be included in the
extended reference area. This will allow Peabody to manage the reference areas in accordance
with the approved postmining land use. It will also facilitate similar management for both the
reference and revegetated areas for any bond release evaluations during the last two years of
the liability period.
The following details the comparisons to be made between reference area information and the
various revegetation communities to be returned on the postmining landscape. These
comparisons reflect reclamation experience and revegetation monitoring data from the nearby
Seneca 11 Mine. The comparisons attempt to provide realistic and achievable standards that
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