2009-06-24_PERMIT FILE - C1981019A (3)

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To summarize the use of reference areas in this testing process, the following will occur. There are three reference areas (RAs) that will be utilized for testing against reclamation on the original permit area and/or on the new South Taylor (PR-02) permit area. These reference areas are: 1980 Mountain Shrub RA, 1981 Sagebrush RA, and 1984 Aspen RA. All lands reclaimed prior to 2008 and grazinglands (grasslands) reclaimed post-2008 on the original permit area shall be compared to weighted parameters from the 1980 Mountain Shrub RA (55% weight) and the 1981 Sagebrush RA (45% weight) in accordance with 4.15.7(4)(b). All post-2008 lands on the original permit area that evolve into a Sagebrush Steppe community* will be directly compared to the 1981 Sagebrush RA. In the new South Taylor (PR-02) permit area all reclaimed post-2008 grazinglands (grasslands) shall be compared to weighted parameters from the 1980 Mountain Shrub RA (52% weight), the 1981 Sagebrush RA (25% weight), and the 1984 Aspen RA (23% weight) in accordance with 4.15.7(4)(b). All post-2008 lands on the new South Taylor (PR-02) permit area that evolve into a Sagebrush Steppe community* will be directly compared to the 1981 Sagebrush RA. 4.15.8 Revegetation Success Criteria Colowyo will meet the requirements of this Subsection to insure that the post-mining vegetation will be adequate for final bond release. As delineated under Subsections 4.15.7 and 2.05.4, Colowyo will utilize established reference areas (see Section 4.15.7 above) for the purpose of comparing vegetation information between the reclaimed area and the undisturbed area for the variables of ground cover and production. For the variables of woody plant density and species diversity, Colowyo shall compare revegetated area parameters against defined standards detailed later in this section. Data to be used in these comparisons must be from statistically adequate sampling (where necessary) as indicated in Rule 4.15.11. In instances where grazingland targeted reclamation areas exhibit the characteristics of the sagebrush steppe areas and can meet the release standards for core or ecotonal sagebrush steppe, Colowyo will seek release and credit for the creation of those areas towards fulfillment of the minimum habitat development requirement post-2008 (450 acres). In the unlikely but not impossible event that areas targeted for sagebrush steppe display community characteristics that will not meet the sagebrush steepe area release criteria but do for the grazingland criteria, Colowyo will designate those acres as grazingland. Colowyo will have to specifically designate the location of both grazingland and sagebrush steppe areas prior to the initiation of phase III bond release data collection. For descriptive purposes, "evolved" sagebrush steppe areas refer to lands originally seeded to grazingland that exhibit sufficient community characteristics of the sagebrush steppe community to be fully released as either core or ecotonal areas. Areas defined as "targeted" sagebrush steppe * Areas that evolve into a sagebrush steppe community cannot be determined with certainty until several years following seeding, emergence, and maturation of shrubs. Emergence of this community may occur in both areas where sagebrush steppe is targeted as well as those grassland targeted areas that receive significant sagebrush seed. Any sagebrush steppe that evolves in either of these areas will be delineated with GPS techniques, sampled accordingly, and tested against the 1981 Sagebrush RA. 4.15-15 Revision Date: 3/14/08 Revision No.: TR-72