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VIII. REVEGETATION <br />Baseline vegetation information can be found in Section 4.5 of the application, and the <br />revegetation plan is addressed in Section 3.4. Affected vegetation types include juniper woodland <br />in the vicinity of the portal bench and upper road segment, shadscale shrubland along the middle <br />segment of the portal haul road, and greasewood shrubland in the office, sediment pond, lower <br />portal haul road, and McClane to Munger haul road areas. A separate seedmix will be planted <br />upon final reclamation within each of the vegetation types, as delineated on Figure 3.1-1. Each of <br />the seedmixes is composed of a diverse mix of warm and cool season gasses, forbs, and shrubs, <br />the majority of which are native species (Tables 3.4-1a, 3.4-1 b, and 3.4-1c). <br />The following specific fmdings aze required. <br />A. The Division proposes to approve the use of one introduced species, weeping alkali gals <br />(Puccinellia distans) in the reclamation seed mix. The species is desirable and necessary to <br />achieve the approved post-mining land use, is not poisonous or noxious, and comprises less <br />than 10% of the seeding rate on a seeds/square ft. basis, for each planting azea (4.15.2(3)). <br />B. The Division proposes to approve the use of certified noxious weed-free, grass hay or straw <br />mulch as a means to meet soil stabilization requirements. The mulch will be crimped into <br />the soil on drill seeded sites or anchored with tackifier on broadcast seeded sites. If broadcast <br />or hydro seeding is employed, the soil surface will be extensively roughened prior to seeding <br />by means of track-hoe gouging or contour ripping (4.15.4). <br />C. Methods to measure vegetation cover, herbaceous production, species diversity, and woody <br />plant density aze discussed in Section 3.4.9 of the application. These techniques include <br />point intercept for cover sampling, quadrat clipping for herbaceous production estimates, and <br />quadrat stem counts for woody plant density estimates. The Division proposes to approve of <br />these techniques (4.15.7(1)). Statistical methods employed in demonstrations of success will <br />be consistent with the Division's bond release guideline. <br />D. Comparisons between reclaimed and undisturbed areas, in order to demonstrate that success <br />criteria of 4.15.8, 4.15.9, or 4.15.10 have been met, will be based on the following: <br />Reference areas have been established for each designated vegetation type, and were <br />originally proposed to be used for comparisons of both vegetation cover and herbaceous <br />production for the affected types (juniper woodland, shadscale shrubland, and greasewood <br />shrubland). The reference areas have been approved for vegetation cover success <br />comparisons. However, because sample adequacy requirements were not met for production <br />within either the reference areas or affected azeas for these types, use of reference azeas for <br />production comparisons was not approved. Because the combined affected azea herbaceous <br />production data for McClane Canyon and the adjacent Munger Canyon permit areas did <br />meet sample adequacy, within each vegetation type, it was determined that the combined <br />affected azea production data would be used as the success standazd for each of the affected <br />vegetation types, pursuant to Rule 4.15.7(2)(d)(vi) [April 16, 1985 Findings Document]. <br />The herbaceous production success standards based on combining of the data within <br />vegetation types for both mines are as follows: <br />Greasewood shrubland sample mean: 7661b/ac. <br />Standard (90% of mean): 6901b/ac. <br />22 <br />