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wildlife and livestock forage, cover land stabilization, and in general, creating habitat diversity. <br />• The proposed seed mix is herein included as Table 4. <br />4.15.8171 The density of woody plants on the revegetated area shall be considered <br />acceptable if it is at least 90% of the approved reference area or standard, with 80% <br />statistical confidence. A lesser or greater density may be approved by the Division when <br />evidence provided by the permittee demonstrates that such lesser or greater density will <br />better achieve the goals of the approved postmining land use. However, where the <br />reclamation plan calls for the placement of predominantly woody vegetation with <br />predominantly herbaceous vegetation, potential adverse impacts on fish, wildlife and related <br />environmental values must be evaluated Methods for substantial mitigation of these adverse <br />impacts approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Colorado Division of Wildlife must <br />be included in the reclamation plan pursuant to 4.18. For the purposes of 4.15.8, density is <br />the number of stems per unit area and is defined in terms of countable trees and shrubs. A <br />countable tree or shrub means a woody plant that can be used in the calculation of density <br />under the following criteria: <br />(a) The tree or shrub shall be in place at least two growing seasons; <br />lb) The tree or shrub shall be alive and healthy with at least on third of its length in live <br />crown; <br />(cl Root crown or root sprouts over one foot in height shall count as one stem; and <br />• (d- The stem to be counted, where multiple stems from the same root crown occur, will <br />be determined by methods approved by the Division. <br />H-G Coal Company will determine woody plant revegetation success based on a specific <br />number of shrubs per acre rather than comparison to a reference area. The woody plant <br />density standard for all reclaimed areas outside the shrub enhancement areas will be 200 <br />stems per acre. Within the four shrub enhancement areas shown on Exhibit F-F tExhibits, <br />Volume Iq the shrub density standard will be 750 stems per acre. Species to be planted <br />within the shrub enhancement areas will consist of a mixture approved by the Division of <br />Minerals and Geology and be composed of some or all of the following: Willows, Cottonwood, <br />Chokecherry, Serviceberry, Snowberry, Buffaloberry, Currant, Dogwood, and Woods Rose. <br />For non-woody plants within the shrub enhancement areas, a "technical standard' of 90% <br />of the average percent cover measured on the non-shrub enhancement reclaimed areas will <br />be used to determine revegetation success. Shrub density and percent cover for herbaceous <br />vegetation will be determined each of the final two years of the extended liability period for <br />the shrub enhancement areas. <br />4.15.8(8) The parmittee shall be required to demonstrate that annual increases in woody <br />plant cover and/or height have occurred. <br />RESPONSE <br />-( ~- 6 <br />Revised 4/96 <br />