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• 4.4.4.1 Interim Revegetation Monitoring <br /> Current regulations (9.15.7(5)) allow application of restricted <br /> interseeding practices through year five of the liability period without <br /> reinitiating the 10-year bonding period. Development of the reclaimed <br /> vegetation community is most dynamic during the first five years after <br /> seeding, with the rate of community change being the most dramatic during <br /> the first two to three years. Conducting interim monitoring during one of <br /> the five first years is generally not sufficient to characterize the <br /> dynamic successional process which occurs during this time period. Also, <br /> sampling in years one and two is not particularly desirable, since the rate <br /> of change is greatest during this early plant establishment period. <br /> Evaluation and characterization of this early change normally does not <br /> allow the reclamation manager to determine what, if any, additional <br /> interseedings or cultural practices may be necessary to ensure that <br /> vegetation community development is progressing satisfactorily towards <br /> meeting bond release criteria. Therefore, interim revegetation sampling <br /> is most useful in determining the need for and type of augmentative <br /> practices when conducted during the last years of the five-year augmented <br /> practices window. <br />• Since the mine is in final closure and all bonded areas within the <br /> permit area experienced significant and final reclamation activities during <br /> 1996, the permit area will be divided into three Bond Release Blocks as <br /> defined in the CDMG "Guideline Regarding Selected Coal Mine Bond Release <br /> Issues" (April 1995). The Three blocks include: 1) The West Ridge area, 2) <br /> The Moffat area, and 3) the Facilities area. <br /> The West Ridge block will be sub-divided into a minimum of two <br /> reclamation parcels. The first reclamation parcel will consist of the <br /> topsoiled areas designated on Exhibit 9.9-2 which have revegetation success <br /> standards for cover and diversity based on reference area comparisons. <br /> Interim monitoring for this parcel will include cover and diversity. The <br /> second parcel consisting of the remainder of West Ridge (as shown of <br /> Exhibit 9.4-2) falls under Rule 9.15.10 and only has a cover standard (978) <br /> for determining reclamation success. This parcel may be sub-divided into <br /> additional parcels, at P&M's discretion, to reduce variation in vegetation <br /> sampling caused by the varying age of revegetation efforts or opportunistic <br /> topsoiling efforts. Interim monitoring for this parcel(s) will include <br /> only cover. As mentioned previously a woody stem density standard does not <br /> apply to any portion of West Ridge, therefore, woody stem density data will <br />• not be collected. <br />Renewal-3 9.9-20 June 13, 1997 <br />