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factor of safety. <br />The Division has previously approved a vaziance from the general grading requirements of 4.14.2 <br />for reclamation to approximate original contour because the requirements of 4.27.1 and 4.27.4 <br />have been met. Please see Section B.VII of this document. <br />VII. OPERATIONS ON STEEP SLOPES <br />The Division proposes to approve a variance from meeting approximate original contour for <br />reclaimed areas. This variance is proposed following a demonstration that the requirements of <br />Rule 2.06.4 and 2.06.5 have been met (4.27.3). In addition the Division finds the applicant has <br />demonstrated that the requirements of Rule 4.27.4 will be met. <br />Information upon which the above finding is based can be found on pages 3-2 through 3-5 of the <br />permit application. The landowner request from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), <br />pursuant to Rules 4.27.4(4) and 2.06.5(2)(e), is included in Appendix K, of Volume [V, of the <br />permit application. <br />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 McClave 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.l-i. Each of <br />the seedmixes is composed of a diverse mix of warm and cool season grasses, fortis, and shrubs, <br />the majority of which are native species (Tables 3.4-1a, 3.4-Ib, and 3.4-Ic). <br />A weed control plan pursuant to new Rule 4.15.1(5) was incorporated into Section 4.5.14 of the <br />permit nan•ative via TR-l5, in 2006. The plan, developed in consultation with the Garfield <br />County Weed Control Supervisor, addresses control of the noxious weeds whitetop and Canada <br />thistle on disturbed sites in the permit area, and also addresses control of downy brome <br />(cheatgrass) on the topsoil stockpile. <br />The following specific findings are required. <br />A. The Division proposes to approve the use of one introduced species, weeping alkali grass <br />(Puccineldia 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 seedslsquare ft. basis, for each planting area (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 />22 <br />