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VIII. Backfilling and Grading <br />Information pertaining to backfilling and grading of disturbed azeas is presented in Section <br />2.05.4 of the pennit application. The "Mine Surface" Map C-4 and Map No. C-7 entitled <br />"Reclamation Map" depict existing and proposed post-mining contours. <br />At the end of the mine's life, National King Coal proposes to backfill the disturbed bench <br />areas to a stable configuration which blends with the surrounding topography. Based upon <br />information provided by National King Coal, nopre-mining contour maps of the azea exist <br />due to the length of time the mine has been in operation (+50 yeazs). The proposed <br />backfilling scheme involves reducing all mine bench highwalls and bench outslope crest to <br />approximately 1.5 h:lv and in most areas to 2.Sh :lv or less to blend in with surrounding <br />areas. <br />IX. Revegetation <br />A. Information pertaining to baseline vegetation and revegetation is presented in Section <br />2.04.10 and in Section 2.05.4, respectively. <br />No pre-mining vegetation inventory was performed since the site was disturbed in <br />1941 prior to any requirements for such surveys. In lieu of this, National King Coal <br />provided a description of adjacent azeas with vegetation types similar to what is <br />believed to have been disturbed. Three vegetation communities were identified: <br />mountain shrub, pinon-juniper and introduced pasture. The introduced pasture was <br />disturbed by the combination hauUaccess road; whereas, the mountain shrub and <br />pinon juniper communities were disturbed by the surface facilities azea. <br />During the review of the adjacent azeas, no known threatened or endangered plant <br />species were identified. Since there aze no more azeas planned to be disturbed and no <br />known threatened or endangered plant species were identified, the Division fmds, <br />pursuant to Rule 2.07.6(2)(n), that the activities will not affect the continued existence <br />of endangered or threatened species or result in the destruction or adverse modification <br />of their critical habitat. <br />The Division and National King Coal have determined the species diversity criteria for <br />cover, production and shrub density, and modify the criteria for species diversity as <br />addressed below: <br />Cover -the standazd for herbaceous cover is 30 percent and will be measured <br />using apoint-intercept method. <br />2. Production -The standard for herbaceous productivity is 500 pounds per acre of <br />dry biomass measured by the harvest method using aminimum'/z Mz quadrate. <br />19 <br />