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confertifolial and foutwing saltbush Atri lex canescens . The riparian vegetation type is <br />characterized by species including willows Salix sue.), cottonwoods Po ulus spp.), salt cedar <br />Tamarix arviflora and bluegrass Poa ~.). Ctteasewood (Sazcobatus vermiculatusl occurs along <br />the mazgins of the riparian zone, and along ephemeral and intermittent drainages and adjacent <br />colluvial toe slopes. <br />During 1982, the permittee selected three community study areas to represent communities present <br />prior to disturbance by mining. These study areas encompassed a greasewood shrubland community, a <br />shadscale shrubland community, and a mixed greasewood shadscale community. <br />During the summer of 1982, the study aeeas were sampled for vegetative cover, herbaceous <br />production, woody plant density, species diversity, and threatened and endangered species. After <br />review of the community chazacter, it was determined that these study aeeas would serve as reference <br />aeeas for revegetation success criteria for cover and production for areas previously disturbed. <br />Various issues of concern were identified by the Division during the mid-term review of 1995 and <br />subsequent PR-02 review, including questions regazding the applicability of the original vegetation <br />study aeeas to serve as reference aeeas for all current and proposed future disturbance sites. <br />Modifications to revegetation success demonstrations, seedmixes, and various aspects of the <br />revegetation plan were requested, along with an updated endangered plant survey covering areas of <br />proposed future disturbance. All issues of concern raised by the Division during the PR-02 review <br />were adequately addressed. <br />The operator had committed within the PR-02 amendments to conduct additional vegetation studies in <br />aeeas to be affected by disturbances associated with the proposed CRDA-3, but such studies were not <br />conducted, due to the operator's subsequent decision to withdraw CRDA-3 from the permit. Up to <br />four acres of additional disturbance may occur within soil bonnw area CBA-2. An endangered species <br />survey was conducted within this area, but vegetation cover, production, and woody plant density <br />sampling was not conducted within the CBA-2 boaow area. Based on visual evaluation, and given <br />the small area of disturbance, it is the Division's determination that the greasewood vegetation type <br />within the subject azea, is adequately characterized by the New Greasewood reference azea (see <br />below), for which adequate data were obtained. No further affected area vegetation data collection is <br />required. <br />In the summer of 1999, a new greasewood reference area was established to rep]ace the original <br />greasewood reference azea. The original greasewood reference azea was in a relatively disturbed <br />location immediately adjacent to the railroad grade, overland conveyor, and highline canal. The <br />greasewood community in this location exhibited a very high cover of greasewood, with understory <br />dominated by weedy forbs. The new greasewood reference azea was established on a relatively <br />undisturbed colluvial toe slope to the west of the Coal Creek ephemeral drainage, approximately 1500 <br />feet northwest of CRDA-1. The new reference azea is more reflective of the greasewood community <br />found in most portions of the permit azea, and better represents reclamation objectives, with higher <br />herbaceous cover and production, and a higher diversity as compazed to the original greasewood <br />reference azea. Information on the new greasewood reference azea (data, narrative, and map) is <br />presented is Appendix 10-4. <br />Revegetation success criteria for total vegetation cover, herbaceous production, woody plant <br />density, and species diversity aze specified in Section 2.05.4(2)(e) of the application, pp. 14-19 <br />42 <br />