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., approved permit application. The operator has provided data from vegetation monitoring performed at the three sites July 7 through July 9, 1992, and pond sedimentation level survey reports from 1984 and 1992. The Division recorded vegetative data at the site on July 13 and 14, 1992, and verified topsoil depth and soil stability on October 20 and 22, 1992. Topsoil replacement depth at all three sites is required to be from 12" to 18". Topsoil depths were checked in six locations at the sites on July 14, 1987, during a Phase I bond release inspection. All six locations were found to be in compliance with the approved replacement plan. Depths of the topsoil were again verified at the Refuse Area and Northern # 1 Mine during the October 20, 1992 site inspection, with the following results: Northern #1 Mine NE corner of shop -augered to a depth of 13", all topsoil material 600' west of shop -augered to a depth of 19", all topsoil material 125' southeast of pond -augered to a depth of 12", all topsoil material Refuse Area West end of refuse pile -augered to a depth of 13", all topsoil material East end of refuse pile -augered to a depth of 13", all topsoil material East end of topsoil stockpile pad -augered to a depth of 14.5", all topsoil material All six locations were found to be in compliance with the approved topsoil replacement plan, and therefore meet the requirement of Rule 3.03.1(2)(b). The approved Meeker Area Mines permit application specifies a vegetative cover success standard of 70 percent. In order for vegetation to be considered successful, it must be demonstrated that cover on the reclaimed area is not less than 90 percent of the cover standard with 90 percent statistical confidence (Rule 4.15.8(3)(a)). Vegetative cover is used to determine successful establishment of vegetation, as required by Rule 3.03.1(2)(b). Vegetative cover data collected by the operator and by the Division were reviewed. Based on the data, the requested bond release areas meet the Phase II revegetation success standard identified in the approved permit application package. Review of the data also indicate that the proposed bond release areas meet the diversity standard outlined in the approved permit application package. The three mine areas were considered together during the evaluation of vegetative cover. The limited disturbance area (23.88 acres), similarity of vegetation at all three sites (as observed during Division vegetation sampling and site inspections), and the difficulty of obtaining statistically significant data on areas of less than five acres justified combining the sample areas. The reestablished vegetative community on the three areas is fairly uniform, and no significant erosional features have been observed at any of the sites. Meeker Area Mines 5 Phase II Bond Release