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Surface Disturbance and Postmining Land Uses - West Portal, show <br />the location of the specific land uses. Section 4.15.8 will be <br />applicable to these areas. <br />The West Portal area was previously considered a pre-law <br />area which would be required to meet a cover standard only. <br />However, the area has experienced some disturbance from the current <br />mining activities. with the exception of a few roads, shown on Map <br />10a, this area will be reclaimed to the standards established for <br />the East Portal area. The majority of the area will be reclaimed <br />to meet the Golden Eagle Grassland Reference Area standards. <br />However, some small areas will be reclaimed to meet wildlife <br />habitat (riparian and upland) criteria. The roads predate 1977 and <br />have not been used by the current mining activities. These areas <br />will be regraded and reclaimed as appropriate for the area, <br />including the planting of trees and shrubs if traversing a wildlife <br />habitat area. However, since these are "Pre-law areas", the <br />standard to be met will be based on cover only. The roads will be <br />considered adequately reclaimed when the vegetation cover is equal <br />to or greater than 90 percent of the Golden Eagle Reference Area <br />Cover, measured at the time of comparison. <br />Revegetation success of the wildlife riparian habitat <br />which is considered active disturbance will be based on Section <br />4.15.8 of the regulations. Inactive areas will be evaluated based <br />on cover only. Specific success criteria parameters will be <br />• established during sampling of the riparian habitat as discussed in <br />the Vegetation section of this application. This data can be found <br />in the 1987 data shown in Exhibit 15. The proposed reference area <br />for riparian habitat is shown on Map l0, Vegetation. <br />Species diversity and visual cover estimates of interim <br />reclamation activities which occur prior to final reclamation will <br />be monitored in the third growing season following seeding. This <br />sampling will not achieve statistical adequacy. Evaluation of <br />revegetation efforts shall begin following the year of initial <br />seeding of a reclamation management unit. Evaluation of seeded <br />areas shall occur in Year 4 and two years prior to final bond <br />release. The results of the revegetation success evaluation will <br />be submitted to the Division with the Annual Reclamation Report for <br />the year. <br />Vegetative cover and diversity will be sampled using 25- <br />meter long-intercept transects. The reclaimed area and reference <br />area will be sampled separately. Sampling transect locations for <br />both reclaimed areas and reference areas will be provided on the <br />vegetation map. <br />Ten transects will initially be conducted in each area. <br />Sample size will be determined as sufficient using the Snedecor- <br />Cochran sample adequacy formula (equation 1), or when 50 transects <br />• have been sampled. <br />2.05-51 (Revised 9/2/94) <br />