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Colowyo's cover letter response was that there would only be a commitment to <br />the establishment of three field trials, and that site specific plans for each field <br />trial would be developed as the opportunity is presented. Section 4.15.6 of the <br />revised narrative was amended on page 4.15-12 to address the issue of tall shrub <br />and aspen establishment. The amended section proposes three field trials, to <br />include 1 aspen establishment site, 1 thick soil tall shrub establishment site, and 1 <br />thin soil tall shrub establishment site (each site to be no larger than 1 acre). The <br />aspen site would be located on a site with original lithology still intact, and <br />locations and plans for implementation would be developed on a site specific <br />basis as the opportunity presents itself (prior to completion of active reclamation <br />activities in the South Taylor Mining Area). <br />The proposed aspen/tall shrub plan provided is not adequate, for a number of <br />reasons. The establishment areas need to be implemented as a component of the <br />reclamation plan, not as field trials to be established at the end of operations. <br />Detailed seeding and planting plans, general locations, and site conditions <br />(topography, aspect, spoil quality, etc.) need to be addressed in the reclamation <br />plan. Minimum acreage for individual establishment sites and cumulative acreage <br />of such sites needs to be defined. Planting sites will need to be established wholly <br />or partially on reclaimed spoil areas. <br />The following stipulation will be imposed: <br />STIPULATION 14 <br />WITHIN 180 DAYS OF FINAL APPROVAL OF TR-72, THE OPERATOR <br />WILL SUBMIT A COMPLETE TECHNICAL REVISION APPLICATION <br />ADDRESSING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF TALL SHRUB AND ASPEN <br />PLANTING AREAS IN APPROPRIATE SITE LOCATIONS OF THE <br />POST-2008 ORIGINAL PERMIT AREA AND THE SOUTH TAYLOR <br />RECLAMATION AREA. THE REVISION APPLICATION WILL <br />ADDRESS THE FOLLOWING: <br />• MINIMUM SIZE OF INDIVIDUAL PLANTING AREA (NOT LESS <br />THAN 1 ACRE); <br />• MINIMUM CUMULATIVE PLANTING AREA ACREAGE (NOT <br />LESS THAN 20 ACRES FOR ASPEN/TALL SHRUB PLANTING <br />SITES ON THICK SOILS, AND NOT LESS THAN 20 ACRES FOR <br />TALL SHRUBBITTERBRUSH PLANTING SITES ON THIN SOIL. <br />BOTH ASPEN AND TALL SHRUBS CAN BE PLANTED WITHIN <br />THE SAME THICK SOIL PLANTING SITES); <br />• AT LEAST % OF THE TOTAL ACREAGE OF PLANTING SITES <br />WILL BE OVER GRADED SPOILS, AND NONE OF THE SITES <br />WILL BE LOCATED IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO UNDISTURBED <br />NATIVE HABITAT;