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than aspen, and include at least one experimental trial site employing the concept with tall mountain shrub species, as referenced in Item 7, above. Alternative Asnen Establishment Methods Dr. Shepperd fett that, unless supplemental irrigation and browse protection were provided, various techniques of live soil handling, sucker stimulation and live transplanting would likely have low potential for success. He indicated that for live topsoiling to have the most potential for success, a disking or ripping treatment following mature tree removal would be recommended, to break the aspen lateral roots into shorter segments prior to soil salvage. The tree removal, disking, and salvage should be conducted in the fall of a single season. Anydozer pushing or other treatments to stimulate suckering should also be conducted in the fall, with live transplanting of suckers to be conducted the following fall. Please address the feasibility of live topsoiling and live clump transplanting aspen establishment methods within the South Mine area, and include provision for at least limited use of these approaches if operationally practicable, in accordance with Dr. Shepperd's recommendations. 11. Text on page 39 of Tab 22 was properly updated as requested. 12. Operator adequately responded to the question posed in this item. Additional Comments tMinesoil Reconstruction. Snoil Grading, and Noxious Weed Controll a) Various sections of Tab 21 need to be amended [o reflect the amended operational plans associated with PR-3. Examples include the following: • Drawing 21-1 "Topsoil Replacement" depicts replacement areas by year, but does not address the new aeeas to be affected pursuant to PR-3. The map needs to be appropriately amended. Page 21-8 (Revised 06/24/91) references topsoil salvage depths presented in Table 21-I, and summary discussions in subsequent text sections. The final sentence of the T"paragraph of the Topsoil Salvage Depths section states'No discussion is presented for Map Units 28A, 34E, 34F, 46B, V46D, SOE, 66E, 66F, 70D, 99 and RO which do not occur within the projected topsoil salvage area." In fact Map Units 70D (Skyway Silt Loam, 15-30% slope), 34D (Coatis Sil[ Loam, 15-30) and 34E (Coatis Silt Loam, 30-SO) are major soil map units in the South Mine Area, closely associated with the aspen forest habitat. V46D (Splitro Variant (Stony) Loam) also actors within the proposed affected azea. Text on page 21-8 through 21-21 needs to be updated as appropriate to address all affected soil types in the mine plan area. Table 21-1 likewise needs to be appropriately updated. • Discussion under Topsoil Salvage Techniuues, page 21-21 through 21-25 should be amended as necessary to reflect salvage within the additional map units referenced above. Paragraph 3 on page 21-28 references the desirability of direct haultopsoiling, and indicates that "approximately five percent of the topsoil will be handled by the duet[ haul method during the fvst permit term (Table 21-4). Narrative should be updated to address direct haultopsoiling in the South Mine Area, with reference to amended Tables 21-4A and 21-4B. Narrative explanation should be provided regarding why direct haultopsoiling is not projected for the Wadge Mining Area, and why no projection is made regarding duect haul topsoiling for 2004 through 2012, in the Sage Creek/Wolf Creek Mining Area. • Paragraph 3 on page 21-31 references a mean topsoil replacement depth of approximately 1.3 feet, which contrasts to mean replacement depths of 1.6 feet and 1.66 feet on Tables 21-4A and 21-46, for the Wadge and Sage Creek/Wolf Creek aeeas, respectively. Text will need to be amended to address replacement depths within the South Mine Area.