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lbs./acre. Clipped samples weighing less than 0.10 grams were reported as trace samples. <br />Average paper bag weight was subtracted from weighted samples. <br />Shrub Density <br />A census was taken for the shrub density data. All shrubs lying within the reclaimed <br />area, with the exception of the lower road, were counted on the basis of species. Stem <br />count was recorded by species and reported as stems per acre. <br />Revegetation Success Criteria <br />Since the Blue Flame Mine has been in existence since the 1950's, the majority of the <br />mine facilities area has been previously disturbed. Because of this, no pre-mining <br />inventory data were collected. The Division identified two vegetation communities <br />originally present in the azea: mountain shrub and introduced pasture. The mountain <br />shrub dominates the proposed permit area and is found on the north-facing slope. The <br />introduced pasture, in the proposed permit area, is located in the lower, level areas <br />adjacent to the access/haul roads. During the adequacy review process, Blue Flame <br />requested assistance from the Division in establishing revegetation success criterion for <br />this site. Based on information provided in the permit application and a review of the <br />adjacent National King Coal, Inc., permit, the Division recommended the following <br />revegetation success criteria. Blue Flame agreed to these criteria. <br />• The standazd for herbaceous cover is 30 percent, to be measured either by ocular <br />estimates using a l meter squared quadrat, or by the point intercept method. <br />• The standard for herbaceous productivity is 500 pounds per acre (or 28.0 gl `/z m2 - <br />our field units of measure) of dry biomass measured through the use of the harvest <br />method via 1 meter squared quadrats. <br />• The standard for woody plant density is a minimum of 600 stems per acre. <br />• The standard for species diversity using the species composition approach is as listed <br />below: <br />Species Requirement* <br />Grasses <br />Cool Season 2 <br />Warm Season 2 <br />Forbs 2 <br />Shrubs 2 <br />* No single species shall be represented by more than 40 percent relative cover or less <br />than 3 percent relative cover. <br />Sample Numbers/Sample Adequacy <br />Sample adequacy calculations were made for vegetative cover of the sampled reclaimed <br />area. The following formula, accepted by the CDMG, was used for these calculations: <br />4 <br />