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4. Revised Rule 4.15.7 requires that permits include a description, consistent with Rule 4.15.7(2), of measures that will be used to determine revegetation success standazds. If this is not already in the permit, a technical revision covering the requirements of 4.15.7(2), 4.15.8, and 4.15.11 will need to be submitted. This requirement will be evaluated for each permit during the next midterm or permit renewal review. 5. Rule 4.15.7(3)(b} is reorganized and amended to specify exceptions to the demonstration requirement that reference areas be statistically comparable to equivalent pre-mine vegetation types in terms of vegetation cover and herbaceous production. This amended rule provides options that operators can select as appropriate. A technical revision with the necessary demonstrations will be required. Rule 4.15.7(3)(b)(i) is merely a recodification identifying cropland post-mine land use as one exception to this requirement. The content of the rest of the existing rule is not changed by the recodification. Rule 4.15.7(3)(b)(ii) is added, to identify situations in which the post-mining land use will be different than pre-mining land use, as a second exception to the pre-mine equivalency requirement. This amendment is in recognition of the fact that when there is a change in land use, such as from forestry or wildlife habitat to pasture land or cropland, assumptions upon which the traditional reference area concept are based may no longer be valid or applicable. Selection of a reference azea which reflects the alternative post- mining land use and planned vegetation community structure may be a more practical approach in such cases, when suitable areas occur in the vicinity of the mine. Rule 4.15.7(3)(b)(iii) is added, to identify situations in which the planned post-mining community structure will differ significantly from the pre-mining community structure, as a third exception to the pre-mining equivalency requirement. Examples of pre-mine communities that may not be restored are poor condifion rangeland dominated by undesirable vegetation such as cheatgrass or noxious weeds, or dense woody vegetation communities. In such situations, selections of a reference azea which reflects the planned vegetation community structure may be more appropriate and practical than the traditional reference area approach, when suitable azeas aze identified in the vicinity of the mine. 6. Revised Rule 4.15.7(5) allows for final revegetation success sampling to occur in non- consecutive years, The revegetation success criteria must be met for two of the last four years of the liability period. The requirement that final revegetation sampling cannot be initiated prior to Yeaz 9 has not changed. This rule will become effective November 30, 2005. Rules 4.15.7(5) (a)-(g) specify the allowable `normal husbandry' or management practices on reclaimed lands. The timing and limited extent of these practices is specified.