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Nucla East <br />Cover - The success standard for irrigated pasture is based <br />on baseline surveys which indicated a total ground cover of <br />94.5 percent (live vegetation cover of about 72 percent and <br />litter cover of about 23 percent). The success standard for <br />dryland pasture is based on a cover comparison with the <br />established reference area for Nucla. A cover success <br />standard for irrigated hayland is not applicable because <br />re vegetation success is only dependent on production. <br />2. Production - Grass hayland area (this includes the prime <br />farmland area) success standards will be based on three year <br />records (1987-1989) of other hayland directly west of the <br />proposed permit area. The first year of record (1987) <br />indicates a production of about 6.0 tons per acre per year. <br />The success standard for irrigated pasture areas is based on <br />Soil Conservation Service Soil Interpretation Records (SCS <br />Form 5's) for the Progresso Soil Series. This technical <br />standard will be 4.0 tons per acre per year. The success <br />standard for dryland pasture areas will be based on SCS Form <br />5's for the Travesilla and Pi non soil series. The weighted <br />average potential production for the Travesilla-Pi non complex <br />is 625 pounds per acre per year. <br />3. The success standard requirements for species diversity, <br />seasonal variety, and woody plant density on all three <br />proposed end land use types will be waived since post-mining <br />land uses will be pasture and hayland. <br />The Division proposes to approve these standards. <br />5. The Division has already approved of the reference area used for <br />the Nucla area which the applicant has selected based on the <br />requirements of Rule 4.15.7(3). <br />6. The reference areas will be utilized to determine re vegetation <br />success in a manner which the Division finds acceptable. 4.15.7(4). <br />VII. Post-mining Land Use <br />1. The Division is proposing to approve alternative post-mining land <br />uses of irrigated hayland, irrigated pasture and dryland pasture <br />for the proposed Nucla East area. Peabody demonstrated in the <br />permit revision application that these represented higher and <br />better uses of the area to be permitted. Also, these uses were in <br />accord with the surface landowner wishes (Tab 22, Attachment 1). <br />The land-uses meet the criteria of Rule 4.16.3. <br />-37- <br />