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Upon completion of backfilling and grading operations, topsoil will be <br />redistributed to a minimum depth of six inches. Prior to redistribution of <br />the topsoil, the graded surface will be ripped to relieve compaction and limit <br />surface slippage.. <br />If the applicant is able to prove to the Division that 4 feet of cover over <br />the coal processing waste banks (see Section XVI of this document) is not <br />required to obtain successful revegetation and minimize disturbance to the <br />hydrologic balance, sufficient soil should be available to replace the minimum <br />of six inches of topsoil over the Roadside and Cameo No. 1 waste piles. <br />However, if the field trials show that 4 feet of cover is necessary, the <br />applicant would have to import soil to meet the minimum replacement depth. <br />This condition also applies to the two new Cameo Refuse Disposal Areas where <br />proposed topsoil salvage operations will result in the replacement of <br />approximately 12 inches of topsoil over each waste pile. <br />Revegetation of the mine area following topsoil replacement will be difficult <br />because of saline and sodic soils, and low precipitation. However, these <br />conditions are similar to those found in the surrounding area. Therefore, the <br />applicant should, with intensive management, be able to revegetate the <br />disturbed area to an equal cover, production, and woody plant density as the <br />surrounding area. <br />The proposed operation is in compliance with the requirements of this section. <br />XI. Vegetation (2.04.10, 2.05.4(2)(e), 4.15) <br />Vegetation information reviewed by the Division can be found in Section <br />2.04.10 of Volumes I and V, and revegetation information in Section 2.05.4 of <br />Volumes I and V of the application, and Appendix SS. <br />Due to the fact that the Roadside and Cameo mines were existing prior to <br />enactment of SMCRA and the Colorado Act, no baseline vegetation data was <br />collected. from areas already disturbed by surface operations and facilities. <br />However, subsequent to issuance of the initial permanent regulatory program <br />permit the application has established reference areas and gathered the <br />appropriate baseline vegetation information. <br />The vegetation surrounding the disturbed area is a sparsely covered salt <br />desert vegetation type and along the Colorado River is a riparian vegetation <br />type. Common salt desert species include grasses such as galleta (Hilaria <br />jamesii), Indian ricegrass (Oryzopsis h menoides) and squirreltail itanian <br />hh stri ) and shrubs such as winterfat Ceratoides Janata), shadscale saltbush <br />Atr~ i~ ex confertifolia) and fourwing sat us try canescens). The <br />riparian vegetat n type is characterized by species inclu i~ g w Tlows (Salix <br />sip.), cottonwoods (Populus gip.), salt cedar (Tamarix parviflora) and <br />bluegrass (Poa sue.). <br />During 1982 the permittee selected three community study areas which are <br />believed to be representative of those communities present prior to <br />disturbance by mining. These study areas encompassed a greasewood shrubland <br />community, a shadscale shrubland community, and a mixed greasewood shadscale <br />community. <br />-27- <br />