2008-11-17_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - C1980006

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Pit 1 ($869,195.00). The backfilling and regrading was completed in 1995 and the reseeding was completed in 1996. Phase II bond release was approved for Pit 1 with the approval of SL2 in the amount of $204,495.00 Establishment of Vegetation-To evaluate establishment of vegetation for Phase III bond release, the Division requires a statistically adequate sample of vegetation cover collected two of the last four years of the liability period from each reclaimed area and each reference area. Vegetation establishment is considered acceptable if the cover of the revegetated area is at least 90% of the cover from the reference area or other standard with 90% statistical confidence. Vegetative productivity is acceptable if the vegetative production of the revegetated area is at least 90% of the vegetative production from the reference area or other standard with 90% statistical confidence. Species composition is evaluated using the relative cover of each species to determine whether the revegetation exhibits seasonality and species composition supportive of the post mining land use. Establishment of woody species is considered successful if the number of woody plants counted meets or exceeds 90% of the woody plant density standard with 90% statistical confidence. KCC submitted a revegetation monitoring report for sampling conducted in 2005 and 2006 prepared by IME, an environmental consulting company. In this document IME reports the findings from reclamation sampling in 2005 and 2006 for three reclamation blocks at the Marr Mine [the pre-1986 areas (Mary pit), the 1995 reclaimed areas (720 Pit), the 1996 reclaimed areas (Pitl)] and one year of data from the Loadout. Two reference areas were sampled as well: Sage-grass and Alkali sage. The reference areas were weighted based on the amount of disturbance from that vegetation type. There was no mining disturbance in the Sage-gravel community; therefore, the data from that reference area were not used to calculate the standard. Transects were randomly placed in the reference areas and the reclaimed areas. According to the SL4 Bond Release Application submitted by the Operator, 90% of the vegetative cover in the acreage-weighted reference areas was 31.7% in 2005 and 28.4% in 2006. The cover for the Pit 1 reclaimed area was 39.2% in 2005 and 38.13% in 2006. Sample adequacy was achieved for both sampling years. Data from both 2005 and 2006 sampling on Pit 1 exceeds the standard set forth in Rule 4.15.8(3)(a). The inspection confirmed that the cover on the reclaimed area was acceptable. There were no large bare spots, and the southwestern slope at the head of PD3 has been discussed in previous paragraphs of this document. Erosional features in the Pit 1 area were minimal and noted in the Phase II discussion previously in this document. Vegetative Productivity- Vegetation monitoring data submitted by the operator showed that the 90% standard of herbaceous production of the acreage-weighted reference areas was 7.4 g/ '/ M2 (264.0 lbs/acre) for 2005 and 6.11 g/ 1/ M2 (218.0 lbs/acre) for 2006. Herbaceous production measured on the reclaimed Pit 1 area was 37.9 g/ % M2 (1352.5 lbs/acre) in 2005 and 21.31 g/ 1/ M2 (760.4 lb/acre) in 2006. The reclaimed area cover exceeded the standard at least threefold. Species Diversity- The species diversity standard for the Marr Mine requires that the relative cover of the top four plant species not exceed 83% relative cover, and no one species shall exceed 40% relative cover. The life form of one of the top four species is required to be a perennial forb or a shrub. On the Pit 1 area sampling in 2005, the top four species comprised 48.28% relative cover. No one species exceeded 40% relative cover. The species contributing the greatest percentage of relative cover in 2005 was Russian wildrye (Elymus juncus) with 21.39% relative cover. The species contributing the second most relative Marr Mine SL4