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designated as "Active Area" on Exhibit 6C-A, or identified as "Steep Rock Face" on Figure 14-14 will <br />not be seeded or subject to revegetation success demonstration. Areas approved for "Industrial or <br />Commercial" postmining land use, which fall outside of the "Active Area" boundary of Exhibit 6C-A <br />and are not identified as "Steep Rock Face" on Figure 14-14, will be revegetated in accordance with <br />the approved plan, and seeded with the Table 14-8 "Upland Components" seedmix. Revegetation <br />success for these portions of the "Industrial or Commercial" postmining land use area will be based on <br />qualitative assessment of "ground cover sufficient to control erosion", pursuant to Rule 4.15.10(2), in <br />association with bond release inspection and assessment. <br />The following specific findings are required. <br />A. The Division has approved the use of two introduced species in the current reclamation seed <br />mixes. The species are cicer milkvetch in the lowland seedmix and prostrate kochia in the <br />upland seedmix. The introduced species are desirable and necessary to achieve the approved <br />post-mining land use, and are not poisonous or noxious (4.15.2). Introduced species comprise <br />approximately 6.1 % of the seeding rate for the lowland mix and 4.3 % of the seeding rate for the <br />upland mix, on a seeds/sq.ft. basis. <br />B. The Division has approved the use of wood fiber, grass hay, or straw mulch as a means to meet <br />soil stabilization requirements (4.15.4). Hay or straw will be certified noxious weed-free. <br />C. Methods to measure herbaceous cover and production, species diversity, and woody plant <br />density, applicable to "Fish and Wildlife Habitat" postmining land use areas, are discussed in <br />Section 2.05.4, Tab 14, Volume 5, of the permit. These techniques include point intercept cover <br />sampling, quadrat production, and belt transect woody plant density sampling. Appropriate <br />methods for sample adequacy demonstration and statistical comparison are specified. <br />Quantitative sampling techniques and comparison methods are not applicable to "Industrial or <br />Commercial" postmining land use areas. <br />The proposed success measurement techniques are approved by the Division (4.15.7(1)). <br />D. Comparisons between reclaimed and undisturbed areas, in order to demonstrate that success <br />criteria of 4.15.8 have been met, for "Fish and Wildlife Habitat" postmining land use areas, will <br />be based on the following: <br />The Division has approved of the reference areas which the permittee has selected based on the <br />requirements of Rule 4.15.7(3). The reference areas will be utilized to determine revegetation <br />success in a manner which the Division finds acceptable (4.15.7(4)). <br />Technical standards are proposed for woody plant density and species diversity success <br />determination, pursuant to Rule 4.15.7(2)(d)(iii). The standard for woody plant density is 800 <br />woody plant stems per acre. The Division has approved the standard after consultation with the <br />Division of Wildlife, pursuant to Rule 4.15.8(7). <br />The species diversity standard is specified on page 14-24. The standard is as follows: <br />- Total perennial cool season grass species > 0.5% relative cover; <br />- Total perennial warm season grass species > 2% relative cover; <br />Permit Revision No. 4 42 February 3, 2009