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issue (see Appendix AA - Section 7.3) by modifying both the success criterion (which has been set too <br />high for the short-duration bond responsibility period of ten years) as well as "in-the-field" revegetation <br />efforts (which have not adequately addressed metrics necessary to encourage emergence by woody <br />taxa, especially sagebrush). <br />Considering the 2008 monitoring effort as a whole, obsenied revegetation at the Colowyo mine is <br />generally in good condition and well onto the path of successional advancement. An occasional unit can <br />be found that exhibits elevated levels of annual grasses or early seral weeds and may or may not need <br />remediation (herbicide treatment) depending on future precipitation patterns that should favor planted <br />perennials. As revegetated communities continue to mature, the majority should meet both land use <br />goals and bond release success criteria with regard to ground cover, diversity, and current annual <br />production. However, woody plant densities in most units are below, and occasionally well below, the <br />current standard of 1,000 shrubs per acre. This difficulty is currently being addressed through a <br />technical revision (TR-72) currently under negotiation with CDRNIS. <br />Sections that follow (Sections 2.2, 2.3, and 2.4) provide a brief narrative of the results from each <br />individual unit evaluated by Cedar Creek. Also included for each unit is a map of the 2008 sample points <br />and a one-page summary (compendium) of all pertinent data CDllected within the unit and revegetation <br />specifications applicable to the unit*. Section 2.5 provides, a discussion of the results from the sampling <br />of the two reference areas. A seeding success analysis is presented in Section 2.6 and a discussion of <br />the results from sampling of the CSU shrub plots in East Pit is presented in Section 2.7. Raw data tables <br />for cover, production, and woody plant density are presented in Appendix AB. <br />Data and specifications are limited to that information collected by, or known to, Cedar Creek as of 2008. Past data <br />and information could be added to these compendia at any time. Future data can be added as it becomes available. <br />Rio Tinto Energy America/Colowyo Mine Page 6 Revege:tation Monitoring - 2008 <br />• <br />• <br />• <br />• <br />• <br />• <br />• <br />• <br />• <br />• <br />• <br />• <br />• <br />• <br />• <br />• <br />• <br />• <br />M <br />• <br />• <br />• <br />• <br />• <br />• <br />• <br />• <br />• <br />• <br />• <br />• <br />• <br />• <br />• <br />• <br />.•