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2. Productivity The approved productivity standard states that herbaceous productivity will be restored to at least 90% of the production of the approved reference area. Herbaceous productivity measured on the reference area was 238 lbs/acre in 1998 and 199 Ibs/acre in 1999. Productivity data on the reclaimed azeas was highly variable. Kaiser Resources was not able to achieve sampling adequacy after collection of 50 production quadrats for both 1998 and 1999 data. Kaiser analyzed the productivity data using non-parametric statistical methods. The analyses methodology is acceptable to the Division. The data collected on the reclaimed area in 1998 is non-normally distributed. The data collected from the 1999 reclaimed area was not normally distributed. Using non-parametric statistical analyses the operator determined that the median of the 1998 reclaimed area production data exceeds the mean of the 1998 reference area production. The operator calculated the lower limit of the 90% confidence interval and still found the reclaimed area production exceeded that of the reference area. The formula used to estimate the lower confidence interval is found in Statistical Methods for Environmental Pollution Monitoring by Richard O. Gilbert ©1987. This formula is accepted and recommended by the Division for analyses ofnon-normally distributed data. The operator used non-pazametric statistical analyses to determine the median of the 1999 reclaimed area production data exceeds the mean of the 1999 reference area production. The operator calculated the lower limit of the 90% confidence interval and still found the reclaimed area production exceeded that of the reference area. 3. Diversity: The diversity success standard for this site consists of establishment of a vegetative community that has the following characteristics: 1) Species diversity on the reclaimed area will consist of; a) A minimum of two perennial cool season grasses with a each contributing a minimum of 3% relative cover and no individual species exceeding a maximum of 40% relative cover. b) A minimum of two perennial non-noxious forbs with each contributing a minimum of 3% relative cover and no individual species exceeding a maximum of 40% relative cover. c) Any combination of perennial warm-season grasses with at least 6% relative cover and no upper limit. The diversity standard was achieved on the reclaimed site in 1998. Five perennial cool season grasses were measured that met the standard. The two most dominant species were Russian wildrye with 27% relative cover and Slender wheatgrass with 10.58% relative cover. Two perennial forbs were measured on the reclaimed area at greater than 3% cover. The two perennial forb species were Alfalfa at 3.75% relative cover and Winterfat with 3.37% relative cover. Winterfat is classified as asub-shrub, indicating that this species dies back to a root crown every year. This function is similar to a perennial forb. The Division allows for a forage species like Winterfat to count towtvds a perennial forb success