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• Plant Cover. Plant cover was evaluated by sampling along an outstretched 50-meter transect tape. Along the outstretched tape, a total often previously identified and randomly selected intervals were selected as the sample locations for sampling. These ten points were then used as the sample locations for collecting plant cover. At each designated sample point, an inclined metal ten-point frame, one meter in height was positioned perpendicular to the tape and a sharpened metal rod was dropped. Each sampling point was sampled at ten-centimeter intervals along the ten-point frame. Even numbers were sampled on the right-hand side of the tape and odd numbers were sampled on the left-hand side of the tape. Each observation was recorded as to the specific plant species encountered as the rod was dropped. If no plant cover was encountered, then the observation was recorded as to the presence of plant litter, rock, bare ground, lichens or cryptograms. Plant material produced in the 2006 growing season which was still attached to the plant was considered as living plant material and all plant material produced in prior years or which had fallen to the ground was considered to be litter. The 100 data points collected along each transect were then s~~mm~r;~ed into a single datum for purposes of statistical analysis. Absolute and relative plant cover, species diversity, and plant life forms were determined based upon the observations collected in sampling the plant cover. As outlined in the Kerr Permit and as approved by the Division, the plant cover standazd at the Maa Mine is based on a total cover standazd, which means that all plant cover including annual and biennial plant and listed noxious weeds are sampled and counted toward the cover standazd. • The Kea reclamation cover and production success standazds aze based on reference azeas standards, wherein the potential revegetation success standazds aze based upon a "weighted average" value based upon the acreage of each vegetation type disturbed by mining. According to the calculations found in Table 31 -Disturbance Acreages by Vegetation Type, of the Kea Mine Permit, a total of 389.7 acres corresponding to four vegetation types have been disturbed by mining activities at the Maa Mine site. These include 48.6 acres of the Big Sagebrush Vegetation Type; 337.3 acres of the Alkali Sagebrush Vegetation Type; 0.5 acres for the Salt Flat Vegetation Type and 3.3 acres for the Drainage Bottom Vegetation Type. According to Permit Page 776-76, due to the small area of disturbance associated with the Salt Flat and Drainage Bottom Vegetation Types, the acreage of these types will be combined with the Sagebrush-Grass or Big Sagebrush Vegetation Type. This means that in terms of a "weighted average" value a total of 86.55 percent of the total disturbance corresponds to the Alkali Sagebrush Vegetation Type and t3.45 percent of the total disturbance corresponds to the Big Sagebrush Vegetation Type. Therefore, the respective reference area values for plant cover and production were adjusted by these percentages to calculate an overall success standard for plant cover and production. Applying these percentages to the plant cover values found in Table 3, Big Sagebrush Reference Area -Plant Cover and Table 5, Alkali Sagebrush Reference Area -Plant Cover, the plant cover revegetation success standard for the Maa Mine area based upon the 2006 sampling is calculated to equa131.56 percent. r, U